NordVPN vs Mullvad: more features and devices, or a flat price and no email
By Jean Luc Poitier, SEO and growth marketing strategist · NordVPN Reviews · Updated October 1, 2026
NordVPN is the better fit for most people: it covers 10 devices instead of 5, has a far larger server network, adds malware and scam blocking, and is cheaper per month on a 2-year plan. Its no-logs policy has been independently checked six times.
Pick Mullvad if anonymity matters more than features. It needs no email, takes cash and Monero, charges the same €5 a month whether you pay for one month or ten years, and never auto-renews.
NordVPN vs Mullvad at a glance
| NordVPN | Mullvad | |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | $3.49/mo on the 2-year Basic plan ($94.23 for 27 months) | €5/mo flat (about $5.66); 10% off with crypto |
| Month to month | $14.99 | €5 |
| After the first term | Basic renews at $139.08/yr | Same €5/mo; no recurring subscription |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan; 7-day trial on Prime in some countries | Neither |
| Refund | 30 days | 14 days; not for cash, crypto, or App Store payments |
| Devices | 10 | 5 |
| Servers | 7,300+ in 150 countries | 566 in 50 countries |
| Account | Email and password | Random account number, no email |
| Logging checks | Six no-logs assurance reviews (PwC, Deloitte) | Security and infrastructure audits (Cure53, Assured, X41 and others) |
| Extras | Malware and scam blocking (Complete), Meshnet, dedicated IP add-on | DNS ad and tracker blocking, DAITA, multi-hop |
| Owner | Nord Security (Lithuania); sold from Panama | Founder-owned Mullvad VPN AB, Sweden |
| PCMag | Editors' Choice, 4.5 (Apr 2026) | Editors' Choice, 4.5 (Apr 2026) |
| App Store (US) | 4.7 from 705,387 ratings | 4.1 from 1,462 ratings |
| Google Play (US) | 4.6 from 1,356,673 ratings | 4.0 from 8,475 ratings |
| Trustpilot, unprompted reviews | 2.8 (19 most recent unprompted) | 3.4 (50 most recent; Mullvad doesn't invite reviews) |
Figures checked against each company's published pages and review-platform listings as of 2026-10-01. “Not published” means the company does not publish that figure.
Price: NordVPN's 2-year deal vs Mullvad's flat €5
These two price VPNs in opposite ways. NordVPN rewards commitment: Basic works out to $3.49 a month if you prepay 27 months, but the monthly plan is $14.99 and renewals cost more than the first term. Mullvad has one price, €5 a month, with no sales, no tiers, and no subscription to cancel; you buy time when you need it. Over the first two years NordVPN is cheaper. After that, or if you only need a VPN for a month or two, Mullvad usually is.
Privacy: anonymous accounts vs audited no-logs
Mullvad collects as little as it can: you get a random account number, no email, and you can pay by mailing cash. Swedish police left with no customer data after a search warrant in 2023. NordVPN needs an email account but has hired PwC and Deloitte six times to check that it keeps no activity logs, most recently in December 2025. Both run their servers from RAM. For a journalist or activist who wants no link between payment and account, Mullvad's model is stronger. For everyone else, both are well tested.
Features and network size
NordVPN is the bigger toolbox: 10 devices, 7,300+ servers in 150 countries, malware and phishing blocking on the Complete plan, free Meshnet for linking your own devices, specialty servers, and a dedicated IP option. Mullvad keeps it lean: 566 servers in 50 countries, 5 devices, WireGuard only, DNS-based ad and tracker blocking, and anti-tracking extras like DAITA. Mullvad offers no port forwarding, dedicated IPs, or device-to-device networking.
What reviewers say about NordVPN and Mullvad
On the app stores, NordVPN rates higher (App Store 4.7 vs 4.1, Google Play 4.6 vs 4.0). Mullvad doesn't invite Trustpilot reviews, so its 3.4 there is unprompted; NordVPN's most recent unprompted reviews averaged 2.8, from 19. Mullvad reviewers praise the pricing and complain about email-only support and speed.
“I absolutely love their pricing policy, the price stays the same whether you pay for a single month or a whole year, with no hidden traps.”Katrina B., Trustpilot, May 2026 (Mullvad)
“if you do manage to find the email address for support you will likely be waiting weeks for a response if they ever respond”Jeffery, Trustpilot, August 2025 (Mullvad)
“I’ve been using NordVPN to stream videos from overseas TV and streaming apps for over 10 years”Neil Bott, Trustpilot, September 2026 (NordVPN)
See every NordVPN review we track, or the best Mullvad alternatives.
Where Mullvad wins
- One flat price (€5 a month) that never rises at renewal, with no subscription to cancel
- No email needed; pay with cash or Monero for a fully anonymous account
- Owned by its two founders, with open-source apps on every platform
- No upsells: one plan, no add-ons, no sales
- Quantum-resistant tunnels and DAITA traffic-analysis protection on by default
NordVPN vs Mullvad FAQ
Is NordVPN or Mullvad cheaper?+
It depends on how long you commit. Mullvad costs a flat €5 a month (about $5.66) with no discounts and no renewal increase. NordVPN Basic is cheaper up front on a 2-year plan ($3.49/mo, $94.23 for 27 months) but costs $14.99 month to month and renews at $139.08 a year.
Which is more private, NordVPN or Mullvad?+
Mullvad asks for no email and accepts cash and Monero, so it can know less about you. NordVPN needs an account email but has had its no-logs policy checked six times by PwC and Deloitte. Both run RAM-only servers.
Is Mullvad good for streaming?+
Mullvad makes no streaming claims, and its FAQ notes that some sites misread its server locations. NordVPN advertises streaming and many of its reviewers use it to watch home TV abroad.
How many devices do NordVPN and Mullvad allow?+
NordVPN allows 10 devices at once on every plan. Mullvad allows 5 per account and says it cannot add more.