What is the difference between Mullvad and Private Internet Access?

Mullvad is best for Privacy maximalists wanting anonymous VPN, while Private Internet Access is best for Privacy-focused users who want a proven no-logs VPN with open-source transparency. Mullvad starts at €5/mo and Private Internet Access starts at $2.03/mo.

Mullvad vs Private Internet Access

Mullvad is Privacy-focused VPN with anonymous accounts — no email, no personal data, while Private Internet Access is Long-established VPN provider with open-source apps and a proven no-logs policy. Private Internet Access comes in cheaper, but price alone does not tell the full story. Mullvad is built for privacy maximalists wanting anonymous vpn, whereas Private Internet Access targets privacy-focused users who want a proven no-logs vpn with open-source transparency.

At a glance

	Mullvad	Private Internet Access
Best for	Privacy maximalists wanting anonymous VPN	Privacy-focused users who want a proven no-logs VPN with open-source transparency
Starting price	€5/mo	$2.03/mo
Free tier	—	—
Open source	—	✓
Free tier available	—	—
Open source	—	✓
35000+ servers	—	✓
Anonymous Accounts	✓	—
No Logs	✓	—
No-logs	—	✓
Open source	—	✓
Unlimited connections	—	✓
VPN	—	✓
WireGuard	✓	—
€5 Flat	✓	—

Mullvad

Strengths

Includes Anonymous Accounts as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Includes WireGuard as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Affordable at €5/mo — one of the lower-priced options in the vpn category
Established product with 17+ years on the market and a mature ecosystem

Weaknesses

No free plan — you need to pay €5/mo from day one to use it
Fewer built-in features means you may need additional tools to cover gaps
Ecosystem of third-party integrations is smaller than the market leaders in vpn
Limited team/admin features if your organization eventually scales up

Try Mullvad → Full review

Private Internet Access

Strengths

No-logs policy proven in court — twice
All apps are open source for transparency
35,000+ servers — largest server network of any VPN
Very affordable on long-term plans

Weaknesses

Owned by Kape Technologies (formerly Crossrider) — controversial parent company
Based in the US — Five Eyes jurisdiction
Speeds can be inconsistent on some servers
Interface is functional but not as polished as NordVPN

Try Private Internet Access → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: Mullvad starts at €5/mo. Private Internet Access starts at $2.03/mo. Private Internet Access is the more affordable option.

Feature gaps: Mullvad offers Anonymous Accounts, No Logs and WireGuard that Private Internet Access lacks. Private Internet Access brings 35000+ servers, No-logs and Open source that Mullvad does not have.

Open source: Private Internet Access is open source, meaning you can self-host, audit the code, and avoid vendor lock-in. Mullvad is proprietary — you are trusting the vendor with your data and uptime.

Where each tool shines: Mullvad's biggest strengths are: includes anonymous accounts as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. includes wireguard as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. Private Internet Access's biggest strengths are: no-logs policy proven in court — twice. all apps are open source for transparency.

Watch out for: With Mullvad, users commonly note that no free plan — you need to pay €5/mo from day one to use it. With Private Internet Access, the main complaint is that owned by kape technologies (formerly crossrider) — controversial parent company.

Choose Mullvad if...

You need a tool built for privacy maximalists wanting anonymous vpn
You specifically need Anonymous Accounts and No Logs
You care about includes wireguard as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows

Choose Private Internet Access if...

You need a tool built for privacy-focused users who want a proven no-logs vpn with open-source transparency
You want to save on per-user costs — Private Internet Access is $2.97/user/mo cheaper
You need self-hosting, data sovereignty, or the ability to audit source code
You specifically need 35000+ servers and No-logs
You care about all apps are open source for transparency