--- title: "Mullvad VPN Review: Price, Privacy and Streaming Limits" description: "Mullvad VPN review covering the flat €5 price, account number, device setup, refunds, streaming limits, audits, and privacy tradeoffs." url: "https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/mullvad-vpn-review/" lang: "en" published: "2026-09-03" modified: "2026-10-29" tags: ["pricing","privacy","streaming","mullvad","review"] image: "https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/mullvad-vpn-review/featured.jpg" alternates: es: "https://tunnelverdict.com/es/blog/resena-mullvad-vpn.md" --- Review # Mullvad VPN Review: Flat Price and No Account Email Mullvad VPN review covering the flat €5 price, account number, device setup, refunds, streaming limits, audits, and privacy tradeoffs. Tunnel Verdict Published September 3, 2026 ![A laptop and a phone on a kitchen table beside a bowl of green apples](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/mullvad-vpn-review/featured.jpg) If you want a VPN for privacy on a phone, laptop, or public Wi-Fi, Mullvad is a strong fit when you value a stable €5 monthly price, a numbered account, and privacy-focused payment choices. The tradeoff is practical: streaming access is uncertain, port forwarding is unavailable, and one account supports only five devices. Install the app on the device you plan to use, confirm that its operating system is supported, and choose your payment method before paying. Mullvad has no free plan, and its 14-day refund offer depends on the payment channel. Key takeaways - Choose Mullvad for privacy, shared VPN addresses, and a flat direct price. - Pay €5 per month, including VAT, whether you top up for one month, one year, or a decade. - Store the account number safely because Mullvad does not use an email-based login. - Expect up to five directly connected devices per account. - Treat Netflix and other regional streaming access as uncertain. - Skip Mullvad for inbound connections because port forwarding was removed in 2023. ## Is Mullvad’s flat-price decision right for you? Mullvad fits a reader who wants a VPN for a phone, laptop, public Wi-Fi, or ordinary home use without an introductory price that changes later. The direct rate is €5 per month including VAT, and the same monthly rate applies to one-month, annual, and decade-long top-ups. There is no lower long-term renewal price to track. The service is less suitable if your main reason for buying is dependable access to regional Netflix libraries, a self-hosted server, or a large household with more than five devices. Mullvad says the account limit cannot be increased. A compatible router running a WireGuard configuration can cover more devices behind one connection, but you need to check whether your router supports it. For privacy, Mullvad provides native apps, shared VPN addresses, and an always-on kill switch. A VPN encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server and changes the IP address that websites see. It does not remove accounts, cookies, browser fingerprints, GPS signals, or device identifiers. That makes Mullvad a conditional pick. It is a good choice when predictable pricing and a privacy-focused account model matter more than streaming certainty or inbound connections. If you are still deciding whether a VPN fits your phone, start with [what a VPN does and does not do](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/what-is-a-vpn/). ## What does €5 buy, and what renews? Mullvad’s direct price is €5 per month including VAT. The amount is the same for monthly use and longer top-ups, so the longer payment does not create a cheaper renewal rate. ![A handful of coins and an envelope on a wooden desk beside a closed notebook](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/mullvad-vpn-review/coins-by-notebook.jpg) | Direct Mullvad plan, US region | Amount due upfront | Effective monthly figure | Renewal price | Checked | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | One month | €5 | €5 per month | €5 per month | October 29, 2026 | | 12-month top-up | €60 | €5 per month | €5 per month | October 29, 2026 | | 10-year top-up | €600 | €5 per month | €5 per month | October 29, 2026 | The annual and decade options contain paid time, not bonus months. Mullvad’s direct pricing uses the same €5 monthly rate rather than a discounted introductory period. Currency conversion and payment-channel pricing can change, so confirm the final amount shown at checkout. For a US purchase the price is set in euros; Mullvad also accepts US dollars, so confirm the total on the payment screen. Prices checked October 29, 2026. Mullvad is a paid service. Its pages state that there is no free plan, and there is no separate free trial to sign up for. A money-back window is different from a free trial because you pay first and then request a refund if the payment method qualifies. ## How do the account number, payments, and refund rules work? Mullvad creates a random account number instead of asking you to create a username, password, or email address. The account consists of that number and the remaining subscription time. This keeps the signup process simple, but the number becomes the key to managing access, so store it safely. The account model does not guarantee anonymity. Payment providers can process personal information, support emails can contain personal information, and websites can identify you through accounts, cookies, browser fingerprints, GPS, or other signals. A VPN shifts trust from your internet provider or local network to the VPN provider. Mullvad lists credit cards, PayPal, bank wire, Swish, SEPA-related methods, Bancontact, iDEAL/Wero, Przelewy24, cash by mail, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Monero, vouchers, and other payment methods. Cryptocurrency payments receive a 10% discount according to Mullvad’s pricing page. Cash payments use a payment token and may be sent in EUR, USD, GBP, SEK, NOK, CHF, CAD, AUD, or NZD. The direct money-back window lasts 14 days from payment. Credit card, PayPal, Google Play, Swish, and qualifying bank-wire payments are covered. Cash, cryptocurrency, and vouchers are excluded. Bank-wire refunds are limited to SEPA payments within Europe, while Apple App Store refunds go through Apple and reseller refunds go through the reseller. Mullvad refund coverage by payment channel | Payment channel | 14-day refund | | --- | --- | | Credit card | Covered | | PayPal | Covered | | Google Play | Covered | | Swish | Covered | | Bank wire | Covered when the payment qualifies; refunds are limited to SEPA payments within Europe | | Cash | Excluded | | Cryptocurrency | Excluded | | Vouchers | Excluded | | Apple App Store | The refund goes through Apple | | Reseller | The refund goes through the reseller | Choose the payment method before paying. Check the final payment screen and that channel’s refund rules, including the renewal amount and any currency conversion. ## Which apps and devices does Mullvad support? Mullvad supports Windows 10 or newer, macOS 14 or newer, Linux distributions including Debian 12+, Ubuntu 24.04+, and the two latest Fedora releases. It also provides apps for Android, iOS, and iPadOS. Confirm the operating system version on your device before purchasing. ![A laptop and a phone on a workbench in a home study](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/mullvad-vpn-review/workbench-laptop-phone.jpg) One account supports up to five devices. The limit applies to devices connected directly through Mullvad apps or configurations, and Mullvad says it cannot add more devices to the account. A second account is one option for a larger household. Mullvad also provides WireGuard configuration files for compatible routers and other platforms without a native app. A router connection can help cover more devices behind one VPN connection, but the router must support WireGuard and the setup may vary by model. Check the router’s firmware and configuration options before relying on it. For a Fire TV Stick, television, or game console, the practical route may be a compatible router rather than a native app. Confirm the device platform and the available setup method first. Mullvad Browser is separate from the VPN, and Mullvad’s FAQ says it is not available on smartphones. The kill switch can block traffic when the VPN connection fails. Mullvad also has an optional Lockdown mode that can continue blocking internet access after you disconnect or quit the app. If the internet appears to stop after connecting, try another server, TCP on port 443, or the app’s anti-censorship options. [VPN connection fixes for phones, PCs, and Wi-Fi](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/vpn-not-connecting/) can help with the next troubleshooting step. If the internet stops after you connect to Mullvad 1. Try another serverSwitch to a different server in the app. 2. Try TCP on port 443Change the connection to TCP on port 443. 3. Try the anti-censorship optionsUse the app's anti-censorship options. ## Will streaming work, and what does missing port forwarding change? Mullvad does not impose a speed, bandwidth, or data-volume limit according to its FAQ. Performance still depends on the distance to the server, the network, the device, and the protocol. BleepingComputer’s 2025 WireGuard measurements used Ookla Speedtest from a 5-Gigabit test server in Ohio and recorded a 666 Mbps global average across its listed locations. Its home-broadband tests reported download reductions of 7% to London, 18% to New York, and 24% to Hong Kong. Tom’s Guide’s 2026 measurements reported 2,308 Mbps for US-to-US WireGuard and 938 Mbps for US-to-UK connections. These are publication-specific measurements, not a promise for your connection. Mullvad WireGuard speeds in Mbps (BleepingComputer 2025 and Tom's Guide 2026) BleepingComputer 2025, global average across listed locations666 Mbps Tom's Guide 2026, US to US2,308 Mbps Tom's Guide 2026, US to UK938 Mbps Streaming results vary by service, server, country, and date. Tom’s Guide’s 2026 testing reported Netflix working in every country it tried, along with several other services, but found mixed results for Prime Video and Disney+. BleepingComputer’s 2025 testing reported Netflix streaming but did not obtain the regional catalog. It also reported no access to regional catalogs for Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, ITVX, or Sky Go, while Amazon Prime Video US, BBC iPlayer, NBC, and CBS worked. Netflix says VPN connections can produce a proxy error. Netflix also says VPN use is unsupported for live events and ad-supported viewing. Treat Mullvad as an uncertain streaming tool rather than a guaranteed way to access a regional library. If Netflix shows a proxy message, work through the [Netflix proxy error fixes](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/netflix-vpn-proxy-error/). Port forwarding is a separate limitation. Mullvad disabled new port forwards on May 29, 2023, and scheduled existing ports for removal on July 1, 2023. That affects self-hosted websites, game servers, some peer-to-peer uses, and other services that need unsolicited inbound connections. For ordinary browsing, video calls, public Wi-Fi, and privacy on a phone or laptop, missing port forwarding may not matter. For hosting a service or accepting incoming connections, Mullvad is unsuitable unless you use another network arrangement. ## What do the audits, RAM-only servers, and police search show? Mullvad publishes audits covering its apps, relay infrastructure, web app, account and payment systems, and GotaTun, which is part of its VPN implementation. The audits describe findings of different severity, and Mullvad says fixes were released or mitigated where applicable. An audit is a review of the systems and period within its stated scope. It does not mean new vulnerabilities can never appear. ![Rows of plain binders on a shelf with a magnifying glass resting on the edge](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/mullvad-vpn-review/binders-on-shelf.jpg) Cure53’s June 2024 infrastructure assessment covered Mullvad’s WireGuard and OpenVPN relay infrastructure, Ansible deployment material, and two staging relay hosts. Cure53 identified two vulnerabilities and three other issues, and said the vulnerabilities could not be exploited remotely. Its overall assessment of the scoped infrastructure was positive. X41 D-Sec’s app audit covered supported platforms through penetration testing and source-code review conducted from October 23 to November 28, 2024. It identified three high, two medium, and one low-severity vulnerability, plus three non-security issues. Mullvad says fixes were released and audited. Assured’s web-app assessment, published October 23, 2025, reported no critical, high, or medium-severity issues and one low-severity input-validation weakness that Mullvad says it fixed. X41’s account and payment audit, published January 21, 2026, covered authentication, device provisioning, payment processing, and WireGuard-key distribution. It reported two low-severity and three medium-severity issues. A voucher race condition could affect billing without exposing personal data. Assured’s GotaTun audit, published March 6, 2026, covered GotaTun version 0.2.0 except DAITA, the command-line interface, and external dependencies. It reported no major vulnerabilities, two low-severity issues, and several notes. Mullvad says its VPN servers run from RAM without persistent storage and do not store logs. That is a provider statement about infrastructure design, not proof that a VPN can never be compromised. In April 2023, Swedish police visited Mullvad’s Gothenburg office with a search warrant seeking computers containing customer data. Mullvad says officers left without taking equipment or customer information after the company explained that the relevant data did not exist. The event supports the practical value of collecting less account data, but it does not make a VPN a promise of complete anonymity. ## Are DAITA and multihop worth the extra traffic? DAITA is designed to make traffic patterns harder to recognize by padding packets and adding noise. Mullvad warns that this increases network traffic and battery use. If your selected server is not DAITA-enabled, the app can route through a DAITA-enabled server using multihop. Multihop sends traffic through an entry Mullvad WireGuard server and then an exit server. It can provide additional separation between the location where traffic enters Mullvad’s network and the location websites see. Mullvad warns that multihop can reduce speed and increase latency. These options are for a specific privacy decision, not automatic upgrades for every connection. For a phone on mobile data, the extra traffic and battery use may be more noticeable. For a laptop on a trusted home connection, the performance cost may be easier to accept. Start with the regular connection, then consider DAITA or multihop if the added traffic and possible latency fit your use. Keep the kill switch in mind because a stricter connection setting can make a failed tunnel look like an internet outage. ## What do Mullvad’s terms mean, and what should you compare next? Mullvad’s terms state that Swedish substantive law governs the service. Disputes may involve Sweden’s National Board for Consumer Disputes or Swedish courts, with Gothenburg District Court named as the court of first instance. The terms also say the service is provided “as is” and “as available,” and that users are responsible for their activity. ![Reading glasses on a closed folder beside a mug and a laptop](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/mullvad-vpn-review/glasses-on-folder.jpg) Mullvad blocks TCP ports 25, 137, 138, 139, and 445 for anti-spam and security reasons. It says it does not generally block or filter domains except when requested by an IP owner or when known botnet addresses are null-routed by hosting providers. Check the law and service terms that apply in your country, workplace, school, network, and online activity before relying on a VPN. VPN legality depends on the location and activity, and a provider’s service terms do not replace local law. Mullvad is the better fit when the flat price, numbered account, payment choices, and privacy focus matter most. Compare it with [Proton VPN vs Mullvad](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/proton-vpn-vs-mullvad/) if you need a second privacy-focused option with a different device and plan structure. If the refund channel is the deciding issue, check [VPN money-back guarantees](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/vpn-money-back-guarantees/) before paying. **Quiz: Comprueba lo aprendido** 1. ¿Cómo es el precio directo de Mullvad? - €5 al mes en un plan de un mes, que baja a €3 al mes en una recarga de 12 meses - €5 al mes, con IVA incluido, ya sea que recargues por un mes, 12 meses o una década **(correct answer)** - €5 al mes durante un año y luego un precio de renovación más alto 2. ¿Por qué a veces parece que Mullvad bloquea internet? - El interruptor de emergencia bloquea el tráfico cuando falla el túnel VPN **(correct answer)** - Mullvad limita los datos mensuales en todos los planes - El número de cuenta caduca a los cinco días 3. ¿Una VPN evita el malware, el phishing o el robo de cuentas? - Sí, bloquea los tres - No; usa actualizaciones del dispositivo, contraseñas fuertes y únicas, autenticación multifactor y permisos de apps cuidadosos junto con ella **(correct answer)** - Solo en el Wi-Fi público ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Mullvad still a good VPN? Yes, Mullvad is a good fit for privacy on phones, laptops, and public Wi-Fi, especially if you want a flat €5 direct price and a numbered account. It is a weaker choice for guaranteed streaming access, inbound connections, or more than five directly connected devices. ### What is the Mullvad controversy? The documented 2023 event was a Swedish police search at Mullvad’s Gothenburg office. Police sought computers containing customer data, and Mullvad says they left without taking equipment or customer information because the relevant data did not exist. ### Is Mullvad VPN legitimate and safe? Mullvad VPN AB is a Swedish company whose terms identify the operator, company number, and Gothenburg address. Its published audits cover apps, infrastructure, the web app, account and payment systems, and GotaTun, but audits do not remove every future security risk. ### What is better, NordVPN or Mullvad? Mullvad is the clearer choice when you want a stable flat price, a numbered account, and privacy-oriented payment options. A complete NordVPN comparison requires current pricing, device limits, streaming results, and audit scope, so use a separately documented comparison before choosing. ### What country owns Mullvad? Mullvad VPN AB operates in Sweden and is a subsidiary of Amagicom AB. Mullvad says both companies are 100% owned by founders Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson. ### How much does Mullvad cost per month? Direct Mullvad pricing is €5 per month including VAT. A one-month purchase costs €5 upfront, a 12-month top-up costs €60, and a decade top-up costs €600, with an effective monthly figure of €5 in each case. ### Is Mullvad free, or does it have coupons? Mullvad says it has no free plan. There is no separate free trial to sign up for, and cryptocurrency payments receive a 10% discount on the provider’s pricing page. Confirm any current promotion or trial language directly before purchase. ### Why does Mullvad block the internet? The kill switch blocks traffic when the VPN tunnel fails, so traffic does not leave outside the encrypted connection. Lockdown mode can keep blocking internet access after disconnecting or quitting the app, and Mullvad also blocks selected ports. ### Does Mullvad work with Netflix? Results vary by server, country, plan, and date. Independent publications reported different results, while Netflix says VPN connections can cause proxy errors and are unsupported for live events and ad-supported viewing. ### Can my phone be hacked if I use a VPN? Yes, a VPN does not prevent malware, phishing, account takeover, unsafe apps, or every form of tracking. Use device updates, strong unique passwords, multifactor authentication, and careful app permissions alongside a VPN. ### What does the name Mullvad mean, and how does Mullvad Browser work? Mullvad is the Swedish word for mole. Mullvad Browser is a separate browser from the VPN, and Mullvad’s FAQ says it is not available on smartphones. ### Does a VPN use more mobile data? It can. Mullvad says DAITA adds traffic, and any VPN connection adds processing and encrypted tunnel overhead, so your phone may use more data than it would without the VPN. Check your mobile plan if data use is limited. ## Glossary **Kill switch:** Blocks traffic when the VPN connection fails, so traffic does not leave outside the encrypted connection. **Lockdown mode:** An optional Mullvad setting that can keep blocking internet access after you disconnect or quit the app. **Multihop:** Sends traffic through an entry Mullvad WireGuard server and then an exit server. Mullvad warns it can reduce speed and increase latency. **DAITA:** Designed to make traffic patterns harder to recognize by padding packets and adding noise. It increases network traffic and battery use. **Port forwarding:** Lets a service accept unsolicited inbound connections. Mullvad disabled new port forwards on May 29, 2023. **Account number:** The random number Mullvad creates instead of a username, password, or email address. Store it safely. **WireGuard:** A VPN protocol. Mullvad provides WireGuard configuration files for compatible routers. **RAM-only servers:** Mullvad says its VPN servers run from RAM without persistent storage and do not store logs. Find more VPN guides on [Tunnel Verdict](https://tunnelverdict.com/). Have a question about your own setup? [Contact us](https://tunnelverdict.com/contact/) and include your device and the VPN you use. - Pricing and renewals - Privacy - Streaming - Mullvad - Review Keep reading ## More VPN guides and reviews Review ### [CyberGhost VPN Review: Plans, Trial and Streaming](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/cyberghost-vpn-review/) CyberGhost VPN review: US prices, renewal terms, device trials, app coverage, privacy evidence and what streaming users can expect. [Read CyberGhost VPN Review: Plans, Trial and Streaming](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/cyberghost-vpn-review/) Review ### [Proton VPN Review: Free Plan, Plus and Privacy](https://tunnelverdict.com/blog/proton-vpn-review/) Proton VPN review: Free and Plus prices, renewals, privacy evidence, device support, leaks, speed, Netflix, and setup choices. 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