Mullvad vs NordVPN: NordVPN wins 79 to 65
NordVPN beats Mullvad 79 to 65 on my scoreboard, but the two are built for different people. Mullvad wins the Privacy column outright with a 10 and is the simpler, flatter-priced service. NordVPN wins everything that involves convenience: streaming, servers, support and apps.
- Longest plan
- $5.60/mo · $5.60 for 1 mo
- Month to month
- $5.60/mo
- Based in
- Sweden
- Protocol
- WireGuard
- Trustpilot
- 3.5 / 5
- Longest plan
- $3.49/mo · $94.23 for 27 mo
- Month to month
- $14.99/mo
- Based in
- Panama
- Protocol
- NordLynx
- Trustpilot
- 4.2 / 5
Plain links to each provider. I have no affiliate or referral deal with either, so I earn nothing if you buy. Prices are USD as advertised on October 7, 2026; most plans renew higher.
Mullvad vs NordVPN, feature by feature
Each feature scored 1 to 10 by me, same scale as the full scoreboard. Green is 8 to 10, yellow 5 to 7, red 1 to 4. The higher score in each row is marked.
| Feature | Mullvad | NordVPN | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpeedDownload throughput and latency over WireGuard | 8 | 9 | NordVPN by 1 |
| PrivacyNo-logs policy, independent audits, jurisdiction | 10 | 9 | Mullvad by 1 |
| SecurityEncryption, kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection | 9 | 10 | NordVPN by 1 |
| ServersServer count and country coverage | 6 | 9 | NordVPN by 3 |
| StreamingUnblocks Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and live sport | 4 | 9 | NordVPN by 5 |
| PriceValue on 1 and 2 year plans, refund window | 8 | 7 | Mullvad by 1 |
| Ease of useApp quality, setup, defaults | 7 | 9 | NordVPN by 2 |
| SupportLive chat availability and response time | 6 | 9 | NordVPN by 3 |
| TrustpilotTrustpilot TrustScore out of 5, doubled to a 1 to 10 scale | 7 | 8 | NordVPN by 1 |
| TotalPlain sum of the 9 scores | 65of 90 | 79of 90 | NordVPN by 14 |
Where they differ most
- Streaming: NordVPN leads by 5 (4 against 9).
- Servers: NordVPN leads by 3 (6 against 9).
- Support: NordVPN leads by 3 (6 against 9).
- Ease of use: NordVPN leads by 2 (7 against 9).
Privacy: Mullvad, by a point
Mullvad scores 10 for privacy and NordVPN 9. Mullvad, based in Sweden, assigns you a random account number instead of a login, takes cash in the post, and runs audited servers. NordVPN, based in Panama, has audited no-logs claims and servers that run in memory only. Both keep no activity logs; Mullvad simply collects less about you to begin with. Security is 9 against 10 in NordVPN's favour for the extra protections it bundles.
Streaming, servers, support: NordVPN by a distance
Streaming is 4 against 9. Mullvad does not try to unblock streaming services and in my checks it did not. NordVPN unblocked every one I test. Servers is 6 against 9: Mullvad's network is smaller and covers fewer countries. Support is 6 against 9: Mullvad is email only, NordVPN runs live chat around the clock. Ease of use is 7 against 9.
Speed is closer than the totals suggest, 8 against 9. Both run WireGuard, and Mullvad was quick on nearby servers in my tests; NordVPN's NordLynx held up better over long distances.
Price
Mullvad charges a flat EUR 5 a month, about $5.60, whatever term you pay for, with no renewal rise. NordVPN advertises $3.49 a month, which means $94.23 up front for 27 months, or $14.99 month to month. If you commit for two years NordVPN is cheaper; if you pay monthly Mullvad is far cheaper. Mullvad scores 8 for price and NordVPN 7.
Trustpilot is 7 against 8, from TrustScores of 3.5 and 4.2.
How I scored these
Every number on this page comes from the same tests as the main scoreboard: speed over WireGuard on a wired 1 Gbps line at three times of day, streaming checked against Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Disney+ and a live sport service in two regions, and privacy from published policies, audits and jurisdiction. The method is on the How I score page. Think a score is wrong? Tell me what you found and I will re-test.
Pick Mullvad if
- Privacy is the only column you care about.
- You pay month to month or dislike renewal price rises.
- You want a plain app with nothing to sell you.
Pick NordVPN if
- You stream, especially from abroad.
- You want live chat and a large network.
- You will pay two years up front for the lower rate.
Not sure about either?
All 15 VPNs are on one sortable table. Sort by the column you care about and see who else is close.
Open the full scoreboard