5 Best Alternatives to Mullvad for Windows in 2026
By Noahlast updated pricing verified
Compared: Mullvad alternatives that run on Windows
| Alternative | Best for | Standout | Biggest weakness | Learning curve | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mullvadreference | privacy-conscious individuals who want anonymous signup and a single flat-rate plan instead of tiered VPN pricing | Anonymous account-number signup with no email required, combined with cash or cryptocurrency payment options and a fully open-source, independently audited client. | No free tier and no long-term discount: the price is a flat €5/month whether paid monthly or in advance, so heavy multi-year commitments don't get cheaper the way many competitors' 2-3 year plans do. | Low | Custom pricing |
| Proton VPN | privacy-conscious users and journalists who want an open-source, independently audited VPN with a genuinely unlimited-data free tier, or paid subscribers wanting 10-device coverage bundled with Proton's email and storage products | The free tier has no data cap, unlike most competitors' free plans, and VPN Accelerator claims up to a 400% speed boost over standard WireGuard on high-latency or lossy connections. | The free tier is capped at one device and a small pool of server locations, and users who only want a fast, single-purpose VPN end up paying for Mail, Drive, Pass, and Calendar features bundled into the higher-value Unlimited plan if they upgrade past VPN Plus. | Low | Free tier · paid from $4.99/mo |
| IVPN | privacy-conscious users who want an open-source VPN client and are willing to pay a premium for anonymous sign-up and payment options over the cheapest VPN on the market | Apps and website are fully open source, account creation requires no email address, and payment can be made anonymously with cash or cryptocurrency. | Smaller server network than mass-market VPNs like NordVPN or ExpressVPN, no free tier or ad-supported option, and current subscription pricing could not be verified because IVPN's pricing page loads its numbers via JavaScript rather than static HTML. | Moderate | Custom pricing |
| NordVPN | individuals wanting a fast, easy-to-set-up VPN with a large server network and native apps across desktop and mobile platforms | A very large global server network with consistently fast connection speeds, bundled with Threat Protection ad/malware blocking on every plan and optional password-manager, cloud-storage, and identity-protection add-ons. | The advertised low prices require committing to a 2-year term paid upfront; the standalone monthly plan costs roughly 4x more per month ($14.99 vs $3.49), and reviewers frequently complain about renewal prices jumping sharply once the promotional period ends, making it easy to be surprised by auto-renewal charges. | Low | From $3.49/mo |
| ExpressVPN | consumers who want a simple, reliable VPN that works out of the box across many device types (routers, smart TVs, browsers) without manual protocol configuration | The proprietary Lightway protocol combined with RAM-only "TrustedServer" infrastructure, so no user data is ever written to a physical disk on any server. | List price is high relative to most VPN competitors ($12.99/month for Basic billed monthly), and the low advertised per-month rates only apply on 1- or 2-year commitments with bundled bonus months, so the effective cost jumps sharply if a user doesn't pre-pay for a long term. | Low | From $2.79/mo |
| Surfshark | individuals who want unlimited-device VPN coverage bundled with antivirus and identity-theft monitoring under one subscription, instead of paying for separate security tools | Unlimited simultaneous device connections on every plan, unusual among VPN providers that typically cap seats at 5-10 devices. | The advertised price requires paying for a full 24-month term upfront; the low headline rate doesn't apply to month-to-month billing, and published renewal prices after the initial discounted term are substantially higher. | Low | From $2.49/mo |
Mullvad
Proton VPN
IVPN
NordVPN
ExpressVPN
Surfshark1.Proton VPN — best Mullvad alternative for privacy-conscious users and journalists who want an open-source, independently audited VPN with a genuinely unlimited-data free tier, or paid subscribers wanting 10-device coverage bundled with Proton's email and storage products
Proton VPN is the best Mullvad alternative for privacy-conscious users who want an open-source, independently audited VPN with a genuinely free tier, something Mullvad doesn't offer at all. Proton Free has no data cap, unusual among free VPNs, though it's limited to one device, medium speed, and a small set of server locations; VPN Plus then costs $4.99/month billed annually, close to Mullvad's flat €5/month price but unlocking 10 simultaneous devices and 2,000+ servers in 140+ countries versus Mullvad's 5-device cap. Proton VPN holds a 4.5/5 rating from 44 Capterra reviews, external review evidence Mullvad has none of on record. Like Mullvad, Proton VPN's apps are open source and independently audited, and Proton is based in Switzerland under strict Swiss privacy law, comparable in spirit to Mullvad's Swedish jurisdiction. Mullvad is still the better choice for anyone who wants the most anonymous possible signup: Mullvad requires no email at all, just a random account number, and accepts cash and cryptocurrency, while Proton VPN's free tier still requires an account, and Proton Unlimited bundles Mail, Drive, Pass, and Calendar, raising cost for users who want VPN only.
Compared to Mullvad: a genuinely free, unlimited-data tier vs Mullvad's no free tier at all, 10 simultaneous devices on VPN Plus vs Mullvad's 5, a 4.5/5 rating from 44 Capterra reviews vs no rating on record for Mullvad
Wins:Free tier has no data cap, something Mullvad doesn't offer at any price · VPN Plus unlocks 10 simultaneous devices and 2,000+ servers in 140+ countries vs Mullvad's 5-device cap · 4.5/5 rating from 44 Capterra reviews vs no external rating on record for Mullvad
Loses:Signup still requires a Proton account, unlike Mullvad's fully anonymous random account number with no email · Proton Unlimited bundles Mail, Drive, Pass, and Calendar, raising cost for users who want VPN only, unlike Mullvad's single-purpose flat price · Free tier limits users to one device and a small pool of server locations
Pros
- Free tier has no data cap, unusual among competitors' free plans.
- Open-source, independently audited apps across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.
- VPN Plus unlocks 2,000+ servers in 140+ countries with streaming-service unblocking.
- Built-in ad and malware blocker plus a kill switch on paid plans.
Cons
- Free tier limits users to one device and a small set of server locations.
- Proton Unlimited bundles Mail, Drive, Pass, and Calendar, raising cost for users who want VPN only.
- Fewer total server count than the largest competitors like NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
Pricing: Free tier · paid from $4.99/mo — Free tier, then $4.99/month VPN Plus billed annually, vs Mullvad's flat €5/month for all users
2.IVPN — best Mullvad alternative for privacy-conscious users who want an open-source VPN client and are willing to pay a premium for anonymous sign-up and payment options over the cheapest VPN on the market
IVPN is the best Mullvad alternative for users who specifically want Mullvad's anonymous-signup model, no email required to create an account, replicated by another provider, since IVPN's apps and website are open source and account creation also requires no email address. Like Mullvad, IVPN accepts cash mailed to its office (Gibraltar rather than Sweden) and cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Monero) for anonymous payment, alongside standard card and PayPal options. IVPN supports WireGuard with quantum-resistant key exchange enabled by default, matching Mullvad's own DAITA and quantum-resistant tunnel options, plus V2Ray obfuscation for censored networks and multi-hop routing that Mullvad also offers. IVPN publishes two tiers, Standard and Pro, though exact current dollar pricing could not be confirmed since IVPN's pricing page renders numbers via JavaScript, the same verification gap Mullvad's own tiered detail doesn't have since its price is a simple flat €5/month. Mullvad is still the better choice for anyone who wants one single, simple flat price with no tier decision to make at all: IVPN's two-tier Standard/Pro structure requires choosing a plan, and IVPN has a smaller server network than mass-market competitors, a limitation it shares with Mullvad.
Compared to Mullvad: no email required to create an account, matching Mullvad's anonymous signup model, cash and cryptocurrency payment options at a different jurisdiction (Gibraltar vs Sweden), quantum-resistant WireGuard by default plus V2Ray obfuscation
Wins:V2Ray obfuscation mode specifically handles censored-network use cases beyond Mullvad's own multi-hop and DAITA features · Apps and the ivpn.net website itself are both open source, a level of transparency matching Mullvad's own · Gibraltar jurisdiction offers a second option for users who want to diversify away from Mullvad's Swedish jurisdiction
Loses:Exact current subscription pricing could not be confirmed because IVPN's pricing page renders numbers via JavaScript, unlike Mullvad's simple, publicly stated flat €5/month · Two-tier Standard/Pro plan structure requires choosing a plan, versus Mullvad's single flat price with no tiers to compare · No free tier or trial beyond standard refund policies, the same limitation Mullvad has
Pros
- Apps and the website are open source and published on GitHub, unusual for a VPN provider.
- No email required to create an account; cash and cryptocurrency payment options support anonymous sign-up.
- V2Ray obfuscation and multi-hop routing handle censored-network and higher-privacy use cases most consumer VPNs skip.
- WireGuard is configured with quantum-resistant key exchange by default.
Cons
- Smaller server network than large consumer VPNs like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or Surfshark.
- No free tier; every plan requires payment from the start.
- Two-tier plan structure (Standard/Pro) is less feature-rich out of the box than competitors bundling multi-hop and obfuscation into a single plan.
- Streaming-service unblocking is not a stated priority the way it is for mainstream VPN marketing.
Pricing: Custom pricing — Exact current pricing not published (JS-rendered) vs Mullvad's flat €5/month for all users
3.NordVPN — best Mullvad alternative for individuals wanting a fast, easy-to-set-up VPN with a large server network and native apps across desktop and mobile platforms
NordVPN is the best Mullvad alternative for users who want a large global server network with fast, reliable connections at a price that undercuts Mullvad's flat €5/month, if paid on a long-term plan. NordVPN's Basic tier starts at $3.49/month on a 2-year commitment, cheaper than Mullvad's flat rate, though the standalone monthly plan costs $14.99/month, roughly three times Mullvad's price with no long-term discount available at all. NordVPN holds a 4.6/5 rating from 1,393 Capterra reviews, far more review evidence than Mullvad, which has no external rating on record. NordVPN's Threat Protection ad/malware blocking is included on all plans, and its Complete and Prime tiers bundle a password manager and identity-theft protection Mullvad doesn't offer at any price. Mullvad is still the better choice for anyone who wants a single, predictable flat price with no long-term commitment: NordVPN's advertised low pricing requires a 2-year upfront payment, renewal prices jump sharply after the promotional period per reviewer complaints, and Mullvad's apps are fully open source (GPL-3.0), unlike NordVPN's closed-source client.
Compared to Mullvad: a much larger global server network with bundled Threat Protection ad/malware blocking, cheaper on a 2-year plan ($3.49/month vs Mullvad's flat €5/month) but pricier month-to-month ($14.99/month), far more review evidence (1,393 Capterra reviews vs none on record for Mullvad)
Wins:Much larger global server network with consistently fast connection speeds · Basic tier starts at $3.49/month on a 2-year plan, cheaper than Mullvad's flat €5/month · 1,393 Capterra reviews at 4.6/5 vs no external rating on record for Mullvad
Loses:Standalone monthly billing is $14.99/month, roughly three times Mullvad's flat price, with reviewers reporting sharp renewal-price jumps · Closed-source client, unlike Mullvad's fully open-source (GPL-3.0) apps · No anonymous account-number signup or cash/cryptocurrency payment option like Mullvad's
Pros
- Large global server network with fast, reliable connection speeds.
- Native apps across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, plus browser extensions.
- Threat Protection ad/malware blocking included on every plan, not an upsell.
- 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.
Cons
- Advertised low pricing requires a 2-year upfront commitment; monthly-only billing costs significantly more per month.
- Renewal pricing after the promotional period is a frequent source of user complaints.
- No ongoing free tier; only a 3-day trial for new Android users.
- Reviewers report occasional speed drops depending on server load and time of day, plus some Windows app connectivity issues.
Pricing: From $3.49/mo — $3.49/month on a 2-year plan (or $14.99/month standalone) vs Mullvad's flat €5/month with no long-term discount
4.ExpressVPN — best Mullvad alternative for consumers who want a simple, reliable VPN that works out of the box across many device types (routers, smart TVs, browsers) without manual protocol configuration
ExpressVPN is the best Mullvad alternative for users who want RAM-only "TrustedServer" infrastructure, so no data is ever written to a physical disk, across a much larger network of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries than Mullvad's own server footprint. ExpressVPN's Basic tier drops to $2.79/month on a 2-year plan, cheaper than Mullvad's flat €5/month, though the standalone monthly rate is $12.99/month, well above it. ExpressVPN holds a 4.6/5 rating from 287 Capterra reviews, far more review evidence than Mullvad, which has no external rating on record. ExpressVPN's proprietary Lightway protocol is built for faster connection times than legacy protocols, and its independently audited no-logs policy matches the audit rigor Mullvad itself undergoes and publishes. Mullvad is still the better choice for anyone who wants a single flat price with no commitment tiers to navigate: ExpressVPN's low advertised rates only apply on 1- or 2-year commitments with bundled bonus months, monthly billing is notably more expensive, and Mullvad's client apps are fully open source under GPL-3.0, unlike ExpressVPN's closed-source apps.
Compared to Mullvad: RAM-only TrustedServer infrastructure across 3,000+ servers in 105 countries, an independently audited no-logs policy matching Mullvad's own audit practice, cheaper on a 2-year plan ($2.79/month) but pricier month-to-month ($12.99/month)
Wins:RAM-only TrustedServer infrastructure across a much larger network of 3,000+ servers in 105 countries · Proprietary Lightway protocol delivers faster connection times than legacy VPN protocols · 4.6/5 rating from 287 Capterra reviews vs no external rating on record for Mullvad
Loses:Standalone monthly billing is $12.99/month, well above Mullvad's flat €5/month, with low rates requiring a 1- or 2-year commitment · Closed-source apps, unlike Mullvad's fully open-source (GPL-3.0) client · No anonymous account-number signup or cash/cryptocurrency payment option like Mullvad's
Pros
- Independently audited no-logs policy and RAM-only server infrastructure for stronger privacy assurances.
- Proprietary Lightway protocol delivers faster connection times than legacy VPN protocols.
- Broad device and platform support, including routers, smart TVs, and browser extensions.
- 30-day money-back guarantee on all subscription terms.
Cons
- Monthly billing without a long-term commitment is notably more expensive than most competitors.
- No free tier; even a short trial requires payment upfront (refundable within 30 days).
- Some reviewers report intermittent connection drops and slower performance when switching servers.
- Pricing structure with bonus months and multiple simultaneous-connection tiers can be confusing to compare against flat-rate competitors.
Pricing: From $2.79/mo — $2.79/month on a 2-year plan (or $12.99/month standalone) vs Mullvad's flat €5/month with no long-term discount
5.Surfshark — best Mullvad alternative for individuals who want unlimited-device VPN coverage bundled with antivirus and identity-theft monitoring under one subscription, instead of paying for separate security tools
Surfshark is the best Mullvad alternative for users who want unlimited simultaneous device connections on every plan, unusual among VPN providers that typically cap seats at 5-10 devices, versus Mullvad's own 5-device limit. Surfshark's Starter tier advertises $2.49/month on a 24-month term paid upfront, cheaper than Mullvad's flat €5/month, and bundles antivirus, breach alerts, and identity-theft coverage up to $1 million, none of which Mullvad offers at any price. Surfshark holds a 4.5/5 rating from 61 Capterra reviews, external review evidence Mullvad has none of on record, and runs on 4,500+ RAM-only servers across 100+ countries with a no-logs policy. Mullvad is still the better choice for anyone who wants a single flat price with no long-term commitment or bundled extras to evaluate: Surfshark's advertised low rate requires a full 24-month upfront payment, renewal pricing after that term is materially higher, and Mullvad's fully open-source (GPL-3.0) client code is independently auditable in a way Surfshark's closed-source apps are not.
Compared to Mullvad: unlimited simultaneous device connections vs Mullvad's 5-device cap, bundled antivirus and identity-theft coverage up to $1 million, cheaper on a 24-month plan ($2.49/month vs Mullvad's flat €5/month)
Wins:Unlimited simultaneous device connections on every plan, no per-device fee, unlike Mullvad's 5-device cap · Bundles antivirus, breach alerts, and identity-theft coverage up to $1M instead of requiring separate subscriptions · 4.5/5 rating from 61 Capterra reviews vs no external rating on record for Mullvad
Loses:Lowest advertised price requires a 24-month upfront commitment, with renewal pricing materially higher afterward, unlike Mullvad's single flat rate · Closed-source apps, unlike Mullvad's fully open-source (GPL-3.0) client · No permanently free tier, the same limitation Mullvad has
Pros
- Unlimited simultaneous device connections on every plan, with no per-device fee.
- 4,500+ RAM-only servers across 100+ countries with a no-logs policy.
- Bundles antivirus, breach alerts, and identity-theft coverage up to $1M instead of requiring separate subscriptions.
- 30-day money-back guarantee on all plans.
Cons
- Lowest advertised price requires a 24-month upfront commitment; monthly billing costs significantly more per month.
- Renewal pricing after the initial discounted term is materially higher, a common VPN-industry pattern that catches new subscribers off guard.
- No permanently free tier.
Pricing: From $2.49/mo — $2.49/month on a 24-month plan vs Mullvad's flat €5/month with no long-term discount (verified undefined NaN, NaN)