Whether you need a VPN for Chrome, Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, etc. Choosing the right VPN service is imperative. Today we will be comparing Mullvad vs NordVPN, which are two popular providers.
What’s a VPN?
When you use the internet for any purpose, before your data gets to travel to its destination, it has to first travel through your ISP, or Internet Service Provider.
Regardless of where you visit on the web, your traffic has to first go through your ISP. That means whatever you do on the web, your ISP can see.
Your ISP isn’t the only one who can see your traffic either, there are plenty of people capable of snooping in on your connection and finding out information you might’ve wanted kept secret.
Not only that, but if an ISP isn’t a fan of where you’re visiting on the web, they can throttle your connection to certain websites.
And that’s where VPNs come in.
A VPN basically serves as a middleman between you and your ISP, as well as the rest of the web. When you use a VPN service, your internet is first routed through the VPN servers before ever seeing your ISP.
The VPN servers basically act as a cover or tunnel for your traffic, this means that anyone looking at your data can only tell that you’re using a VPN, but they can’t see exactly where you’re visiting on the web.
This can be extremely useful for a variety of reasons.
First, it allows you the privacy to do what you want with the internet without fear of prying eyes.
Second, it keeps you safe from people who might have ill-intent that may be trying to get to your sensitive information. This also makes them extremely useful when using public wifi like the kind you might find at a coffee shop, since they’re known to be somewhat unsafe.
Another great use for VPNs is accessing geo-restricted content on the web.
In some areas of the world, governments will block access to websites that they don’t want people visiting. And the traffic that they do allow has the potential to be very closely monitored by said government.
Using a VPN masks your location, which lets you gain access to many otherwise inaccessible websites.
Choosing A VPN
So now we know what a VPN is and why they can be so important. But there’s another problem.
The current market is filled with various VPN services. So how are you supposed to know which ones are actually worth the investment?
When picking a service to protect your sensitive data and keep any potential hackers at bay, it’s wise to do your research and pick the best one for your situation.
That’s why we’re going to be comparing very popular VPN choices available right now, Mullvad and NordVPN.
We’ll be going over some of the key factors to consider when choosing any VPN service, things like speed, accessibility, and security are all essential parts of any VPN worth its salt.
About NordVPN
NordVPN is a VPN service based in Panama, a country with great data privacy laws. It was initially released in 2012 and is owned by Tefincom. NordVPN is one of the most popular VPN choices on the market right now, and for good reason, as it’s an extremely accessible and reliable service.
About Mullvad
Mullvad is another great VPN option available right now. The service is run by the team at Amagicom AB, and is based in Sweden. The service was launched in 2009 by its two founders Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson who still actively participate in the service’s operations to this day.
Servers, Speed, and Performance
When choosing a VPN, it’s not a matter if your connection is going to slow down at all, it is. There’s no getting around the fact that when you rout your connection through a VPN network, you’re going to take a hit to internet speeds.
But the best VPNs out there have developed enough infrastructure to alleviate that to some extent.
So how do these two VPN giants compare?
NordVPN
In the not-so-distant past, while NordVPN was extremely easy to use, it was also one of the slower services out there. Since then though, this has completely changed, as NordVPN is one of the most consistent and speedy VPNs available
This is in large part due to their massive amount of server infrastructure. NordVPN has over 5000 servers in various countries around the world. Which is important because in order to get a stable connection it really helps to have a server nearby, which won’t be a problem considering the amount Nord has.
Mullvad
Mullvad doesn’t boast such an extensive amount of servers, only hosting a little over 400 servers across 39 countries, but that doesn’t mean they’re out of the race by any means.
Lower server count usually means slower speeds, but in Mullvad’s case, this isn’t actually true.
Mullvad is able to keep speeds that are still higher than average, and in most cases, they’re roughly equal to the speeds you’ll get with NordVPN.
Server Count and Speed — The Winner:
While NordVPN definitely has the server count advantage in this field, when comparing the speeds themselves this one actually ends up in a tie. When choosing between both of these services, speed probably isn’t going to be the deciding factor since they’re so close.
VPN pricing comparison
Another big factor to consider when choosing a VPN is cost. While privacy and security is worth an investment, you want to make sure you’re getting a good value for your money.
NordVPN pricing
NordVPN is known for being not only one of the best VPNs out there for its list of features, but also because it offers all of those features for great prices.
When subscribing to NordVPN, you’re going to have 4 options, depending on how often you want to be billed.
The first option is monthly and will cost you $11.95 per month, not a bad price for a VPN service, but far from the best.
Their second option is where it starts to get interesting; if you decide to pay annually for the service, it will only cost you $6.99 per month, or $83.88 at the end of each year when it’s all added up.
The next one is a 2-year plan, which drops the price from $6.99 to $3.99 per month. That means you’ll only be charged $95.75 every 2 years for access to the service.
Their last, and best-priced option, is their 3-year plan. NordVPN’s 3-year subscription plan will cost you only $2.99 per month. That’s $107.55 every three years.
Mullvad pricing
Mullvad’s pricing structure is a bit simpler. You can gain access to Mullvad for €5 per month, or roughly $6. That’s it, no varied prices depending on the features you want, no discounts for longer subscriptions.
It should be mentioned that there is a yearly subscription option for Mullvad, but there aren’t any savings involved.
Pricing — The Winner:
Deciding between these two isn’t a clear choice either. That’s because while NordVPN’s prices are technically better, you have to commit to at least their 2-year plan to beat Mullvad’s prices.
So it really comes down to whether or not you plan on sticking to the service for a long time. In most cases, Mullvad is probably going to be the better option in terms of price, just because there are no commitments and there’s no penalty to just going with the monthly option.
But if you do plan on committing to a single VPN service for over 2 years, then NordVPN is the way to go.
Features
NordVPN features
– Double Encryption – If the solid encryption method that NordVPN uses wasn’t enough, the service also allows for a double encryption feature to be enabled. This means that your data will be encrypted twice before leaving Nord’s network. While in the vast majority of cases you aren’t going to need this, it doesn’t hurt to have the option.
– Streaming Friendly – NordVPN comes with multiple features that make streaming super easy through their service. This includes features like geo-unblocking, allowing you to access streaming services that may be otherwise blocked in your area.
– Kill Switch – NordVPN allows for use of a “kill switch” feature. This means that if your VPN service is ever interrupted, your internet connection will be cut off until the VPN resumes. This ensures that a faulty VPN doesn’t cause any of your data to be leaked.
– Onion Support – NordVPN also allows for easy access to the Onion Network so you can access websites on the dark web without much hassle.
Mullvad features
– Kill Switch – Mullvad also comes stock with a kill switch feature, though in this case the kill switch can’t be turned off, so you’ll be stuck with it whenever using Mullvad.
– WireGuard configuration generator – This feature is simpler and performs better than IPsec and OpenVPN. WireGuard is an awesome feature that uses state-of-the-art cryptography.
Features — The Winner:
If the feature list for Mullvad seems somewhat, short, that’s because it is. Mullvad is far from the flashiest VPN service out there, and so you’re not going to be getting tons of little extras.
NordVPN is more robust when it comes to extra features to improve quality-of-life, so in terms of extra features, Nord wins. But if you’re not interested in all the bells and whistles, then that might mean Mullvad is the perfect pick for you.
Accessibility
Another factor to consider when choosing a VPN is ease of use. While accessibility is certainly not the primary concern when investing in a VPN, being able to make full use of the service can be. So depending on your level of tech-savviness, accessibility may make or break the service for you.
NordVPN
NordVPN is one of the most easy-to-use and accessible VPN clients out there. It works great across a multitude of devices, and even the least tech-savvy people shouldn’t have much of a problem getting safely connected to the web right away.
There’s even an option for “quick connect”, which will choose the best server for your location and connect you immediately. There’s not much bad to say about NordVPN’s client, it just works.
Mullvad
Mullvad’s client used to be one of the most clunky and hard to use VPN apps out there. But after hearing the criticism from their customers, they listened. Mullvad has really stepped up their game since the first iteration of their client, as it’s now super-simple and easy to use.
Again, there’s even an option to quickly connect to the VPN network without the hassle of having to manually set everything up yourself.
Accessibility — The Winner:
In this category we have another tie. Both of these VPN apps are simple enough to use that the one you prefer will probably come down to personal taste.
Regardless of which service you choose, you shouldn’t have any problem navigating your way through and making use of the features they provide.
Compatibility
One thing to consider when choosing a VPN is the devices you’re going to be using it on. Not every VPN is going to be compatible with every one of your devices, and each service comes with a certain amount of devices that can be connected simultaneously.
So how do these two stack up when it comes to devices and compatibility?
NordVPN
NordVPN allows for up to 6 devices to be connected at once. The application is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux. For use on mobile devices, a custom app is available on both the Apple and Google Play stores as well.
Another benefit is that you can run NordVPN directly off your router, allowing all connected devices to go through the service at a cost of only one device slot.
Mullvad
Mullvad allows for up to 5 devices to be connected at once. It’s compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux as well. You can also use the service on Android and iOS but there isn’t a custom app available for them, and the installation process can be somewhat challenging.
Compatibility — The Winner:
The winner for this section is NordVPN. With more slots for devices, better support for mobile, and the ability to connect your router to the service directly, it’s a pretty clear answer for this category.
Security and Privacy
Security and privacy are some of the biggest factors to consider when choosing a VPN. After all, the main point of a VPN is to provide more security and privacy when using the web.
NordVPN
NordVPN has a “no data logs” policy, meaning that they don’t store any user data. The company itself is based out of Panama, which is great for a VPN service because Panama has no mandatory data retention laws. This means that they won’t be forced by the government to hand over any of your private information.
Mullvad
Mullvad also keeps to a “no data logs” promise, ensuring your information is safe with them. They even take it one step further, as you aren’t even required to give an email or set up a password to make an account. Instead, they give a designated account number for you to use.
The only issue with Mullvad is that they’re based in Sweden, which is a member of the “Fourteen Eyes” alliance. This is a group of 14 countries that share their intel with each other, and as such have stricter laws when it comes to data.
Privacy — The Winner:
Though both companies have great “no data logs” policies in place, NordVPN comes out on top in terms of privacy here. This is because NordVPN’s jurisdiction is a bit more privacy-friendly than Mullvad’s.
Refund policies
When it comes to refunds, both companies have pretty solid policies. NordVPN and Mullvad both have 30-day money-back guarantees if you aren’t satisfied with their service.
The only caveat is that you can’t get a refund if you pay for Mullvad with cash(yes, you can use cash to pay for a Mullvad subscription) and if you’ve purchased NordVPN off of the Apple Store, it’s up to Apple whether you get a refund or not.
Support Comparison
When you use a service like a VPN, things will go wrong sometimes. And when it comes to your internet security, it’s nice to have a good customer support section to help you in the case of any problems that arise.
NordVPN
NordVPN offers a 24/7 live support chat, so no matter what time of day your issues arise, you can get to the bottom of it within minutes. They’re fast, friendly, and if a problem ever arises, you shouldn’t have a problem getting it fixed in no time
Mullvad
Mullvad, on the other hand, doesn’t offer a live chat of any kind. This isn’t a total deal-breaker though as they still tend to respond to emails relatively quickly, and are more than willing to help you solve any problems you might have.
Customer Support — The Winner:
Having access to a 24/7 live support chat is a big plus, and that’s why NordVPN comes out ahead in this category.
Bottom Line
While Mullvad is certainly not a bad option, NordVPN comes out ahead in the competition between these two.
From the less-strict jurisdiction that Tefincom is based in, the greater device compatibility, higher server count, and 24/7 live support chats, NordVPN is the winner here.
That’s not to say that Mullvad should be totally ignored though, as they have some really unique ways of protecting your privacy online.
Want to put these services through some tests of your own?
Get NordVPN from their website here: https://nordvpn.com/
Maybe give Mullvad a try too: https://mullvad.net/en/
