What is the difference between Mullvad and ProtonVPN?

Mullvad is best for Privacy maximalists wanting anonymous VPN, while ProtonVPN is best for Privacy-conscious users wanting free VPN from a trusted brand. Mullvad starts at €5/mo and ProtonVPN starts at Free.

Is Mullvad or ProtonVPN cheaper?

Mullvad starts at €5/mo. ProtonVPN starts at Free with a free tier.

Is there a free alternative to Mullvad?

Yes, ProtonVPN offers a free tier (Free with 3 countries).

Mullvad vs ProtonVPN

Mullvad is Privacy-focused VPN with anonymous accounts — no email, no personal data, while ProtonVPN is Free VPN from the makers of ProtonMail with no data limits and no ads. The biggest difference up front: ProtonVPN is free, while Mullvad starts at €5/mo. Mullvad is built for privacy maximalists wanting anonymous vpn, whereas ProtonVPN targets privacy-conscious users wanting free vpn from a trusted brand.

At a glance

	Mullvad	ProtonVPN
Best for	Privacy maximalists wanting anonymous VPN	Privacy-conscious users wanting free VPN from a trusted brand
Starting price	€5/mo	Free
Free tier	—	✓
Open source	—	—
Free tier available	—	✓
Open source	—	—
Anonymous Accounts	✓	—
No Ads	—	✓
No Data Limit	—	✓
No Logs	✓	—
Secure Core	—	✓
Swiss Privacy	—	✓
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

ProtonVPN

Strengths

Includes No Data Limit as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Includes No Ads as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
Free with 3 countries — generous enough for most small teams to get real work done
Includes swiss privacy alongside the core feature set — fewer separate tools needed

Weaknesses

Free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade
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 ProtonVPN → Full review

The bottom line

Pricing: ProtonVPN is completely free (Free with 3 countries), which makes it the obvious pick if budget is the top concern. Mullvad starts at €5/mo. That cost buys you a more polished or feature-rich experience, so it comes down to whether the extras justify the spend.

Feature gaps: Mullvad offers Anonymous Accounts, No Logs and WireGuard that ProtonVPN lacks. ProtonVPN brings No Ads, No Data Limit and Secure Core that Mullvad does not have.

Team fit: Both tools target individuals teams, so the decision hinges on features and workflow fit rather than scale.

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. ProtonVPN's biggest strengths are: includes no data limit as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows. includes no ads as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows.

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 ProtonVPN, the main complaint is that free plan exists but key features are locked behind the paid upgrade.

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 ProtonVPN if...

You need a tool built for privacy-conscious users wanting free vpn from a trusted brand
Budget is a hard constraint — ProtonVPN is free, Mullvad is not
You specifically need No Ads and No Data Limit
You care about includes no ads as a core feature, purpose-built for vpn workflows
The free tier works for you: free with 3 countries