Mullvad VPN vs Surfshark
Mullvad VPN has the higher grade on both axes: Safety 7.6 against 5.2, and Privacy 9.7 against 5.8.
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 →
Surfshark
Netherlands-based VPN with crypto checkout on desktop and a 30-day refund window
Privacy
5.8/ 10
Fair
Safety
5.2/ 10
Caution
No ID mentioned KYC 1 Docs reviewed Full review →
Side by side
| Mullvad VPN | Surfshark | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | No |
| Tor onion address | Yes | No |
| Coins | BTC, BCH, XMR | Not published |
| Pay with | Crypto, Monero, Cash, Bank transfer, Card, PayPal | Card, PayPal, Crypto |
| Fees | Flat monthly price; 14-day money-back guarantee except for cash payments | Subscription plans; 30-day money-back guarantee on the first purchase |
| Founded | 2009 | Not published |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden | Netherlands |
| Incidents on record | 1 | 0 |
| Published tests (180 days) | 0 | 0 |
Only Mullvad VPN
No email neededNo phone neededAccount-number loginTor onion serviceAccepts MoneroAccepts cashOpen source5+ years operatingRefund without ID
Both
No-logs policyLegal entity disclosed
Only Surfshark
Requires emailClosed source
Where they sit among vpns
Questions
Is Mullvad VPN or Surfshark safer?
Mullvad VPN has the higher Safety grade: Mullvad VPN 7.6, Surfshark 5.2, out of 10.
Does Mullvad VPN or Surfshark require KYC?
Mullvad VPN is KYC level 0 (ID never required). Surfshark is KYC level 1 (no ID mentioned).
Which has more incidents on record?
Mullvad VPN has 1 and Surfshark has 0 documented incidents in the registry.