You should select Mullvad’s automatic protocol for the most city-level options. For example, Osaka and Marseille are not available when using OpenVPN. We like Mullvad’s approach because it prioritizes security and guarantees no accidental exposure of your real IP address.ĮXPERT TIP: Some of Mullvad’s city locations disappear if you change protocol.
Many VPNs make the kill switch optional, or have it off by default (like Surfshark). Mullvad has an in-built kill switch, so it’s always running, ready to stop your entire internet connection should the VPN connection drop, and you cannot turn it off. Split tunneling, which lets you decide which programs should use the VPN connection and which ones shouldn’t, is also only available on Windows, Android, and Linux. It’s a shame that Bridge Mode isn’t available on WireGuard and multi-hop isn’t available on OpenVPN. You can also choose between IPv4 and IPv6 connections, or stay with automatic.įor OpenVPN, you can choose between UDP and TCP connections and enable Bridge Mode, which is Mullvad’s anti-censorship obfuscation technology. For WireGuard you can enable multi-hop VPN servers for double protection, or change your port. Under Advanced in the settings menu, there are additional settings for each protocol. Even Mozilla VPN and Malwarebytes Privacy use Mullvad’s trailblazing WireGuard servers. Mullvad actually donated money towards the development of the WireGuard protocol and was one of the very first VPNs to implement it, which has since become industry practice. Mullvad has two protocols: WireGuard and OpenVPN. The owners and sole shareholders of Amagicom AB are Fredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson, who describe themselves as “idealists.” The company is based at Engelbrektsgatan 28, 411 37 Göteborg, Sweden.Īs more VPNs get acquired and consolidated under larger companies like Kape Technologies (owner of ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, ZenMate), Ziff Davis (IPVanish, StrongVPN, SaferVPN), and Cyberspace (NordVPN, Surfshark, AtlasVPN) Mullvad remains an independent VPN service provider and the owners “are not interested in ever selling it.” Mullvad VPN is owned by Swedish company Amagicom AB and run by its CEO, Jan Axel Jonsson. Since we do not have any VPN activity logs, they get very similar responses that we have no information that could help their investigation, and that all our IP-addresses are shared by our users.” Who Is Behind Mullvad VPN? “We frequently get requests regarding IP-addresses and if we know which user was using it at a certain time. While Mullvad does receive information requests about its users, it has no information to provide. Mullvad advises you to refrain from entering personal data when contacting support. The only other data Mullvad collects is the content of emails and problem reports that you send, as well as the email address you use. We like that Mullvad is transparent about this and warns potential subscribers, and suggests a way around it. “Please avoid making payments through bank wire if you do not want your Mullvad account to be traceable to you.”įor maximum privacy, Mullvad allows subscribers to pay via Bitcoin and even cash. For this reason, Mullvad warns against paying for its service through bank wire. Stripe: Stripe charge ID, expiration date, last four digits of the card, card type, and origin country.Īs you can see, if you pay via bank wire your Mullvad account number is associated with personally-identifiable information.PayPal: transaction-ID, your name, country of origin, email address.Bank wire: your name, address, bank account number and Mullvad account number.Here’s what Mullvad knows based on your payment method: We just wish it worked on streaming sites too. Overall, Mullvad is fast, secure, and simple. Inconsistency creates confusion, but we like the way the Mullvad apps look and work generally. For example, split tunneling isn’t available on macOS or Windows, and OpenVPN protocol isn’t available on iOS. While Mullvad has a number of advanced features, they are dependent on what device you’re using.
It’s an independent VPN that comes with a safe logging policy and industry-standard protections, including AES-256 encryption, WireGuard and OpenVPN protocols, full IPv6 support, manual settings for custom DNS, and a watertight kill switch system.
Mullvad has chosen to focus on internet privacy, and it’s doing that job very well.
It has no Fire TV Stick app or smart DNS, either, and we can’t recommend it for Apple TV. Mullvad won’t unblock US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, DAZN, or most other international streaming sites. If you want a VPN to stream georestricted content, look elsewhere. Mullvad is a beginner-friendly VPN with some advanced tools for privacy-seekers.