Mullvad VPN vs Proton VPN
Mullvad VPN has the higher grade on both axes: Safety 7.6 against 7.3, and Privacy 9.7 against 6.4.
Mullvad VPN
Swedish VPN using numbered accounts; accepts cash by post and Monero
Privacy
9.7/ 10
Excellent
Safety
7.6/ 10
Strong
ID never required KYC 0 Docs reviewed Full review →
Proton VPN
Swiss VPN with a free tier; paid plans payable in Bitcoin or cash
Privacy
6.4/ 10
Fair
Safety
7.3/ 10
Strong
No ID mentioned KYC 1 Docs reviewed Full review →
Side by side
| Mullvad VPN | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | VPNs | VPNs |
| KYC policy | ID never required | No ID mentioned |
| Custody | N/A | N/A |
| Sign-up | Random account number | Email required |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Tor onion address | Yes | No |
| Coins | BTC, BCH, XMR | BTC |
| Pay with | Crypto, Monero, Cash, Bank transfer, Card, PayPal | Crypto, Cash, Card, PayPal, Bank transfer |
| Fees | Flat monthly price; 14-day money-back guarantee except for cash payments | Not published |
| Founded | 2009 | 2017 |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden | Switzerland |
| Incidents on record | 1 | 0 |
| Published tests (180 days) | 0 | 0 |
Only Mullvad VPN
No email neededNo phone neededAccount-number loginTor onion serviceAccepts MoneroNo-logs policyRefund without ID
Both
Accepts cashOpen source5+ years operatingLegal entity disclosed
Only Proton VPN
Requires email
Where they sit among vpns
Questions
Is Mullvad VPN or Proton VPN safer?
Mullvad VPN has the higher Safety grade: Mullvad VPN 7.6, Proton VPN 7.3, out of 10.
Does Mullvad VPN or Proton VPN require KYC?
Mullvad VPN is KYC level 0 (ID never required). Proton VPN is KYC level 1 (no ID mentioned).
Which has more incidents on record?
Mullvad VPN has 1 and Proton VPN has 0 documented incidents in the registry.