4 alternatives comparedLast verified 2026-04-21 Live pricing
Looking for an alternative to Mullvad?
Whether you need better pricing, different features, or a tool that fits your workflow,
we've compared 4 verified vpn alternatives below.
Every price is checked daily against vendor pages — no stale data, no guesswork.
Prices in USD, verified from the United States. Regional pricing may vary.
Proton VPN is the most ethically-positioned VPN — built by the team behind ProtonMail, all apps open-source, based in Switzerland with no data retention requirements. The Free tier is genuinely usable (1 device, 10 countries, medium speed). Proton Unlimited at $9.99/mo annual bundles VPN + Mail + Drive (500GB) + Password Manager — replaces ~4 other subscriptions.
Only VPN in this comparison with a legitimately useful free tier — 1 device, real speed, 10 countries
All apps open-source — you can audit the code for backdoors, telemetry, or logging
Switzerland jurisdiction has the strongest privacy protections in the category
NordVPN is the most-marketed VPN in the world and generally delivers on the core product: fast servers, reliable streaming unlocks, mature apps. The Basic 2-year plan at $3.09/mo is one of the cheapest serious VPN rates — but it's first-term promo pricing that renews at $12.99/mo. Plus and Complete tiers bundle password manager and cloud storage respectively.
7000+ servers across 118 countries — largest network in this comparison
Streaming access (Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer) is consistently reliable — best in category
Third-party audited no-logs policy — provides real credibility vs claims-only competitors
ExpressVPN is the premium VPN — consistently most expensive, consistently most reliable. 2-year at $6.67/mo is 2x NordVPN's equivalent tier ($3.09) but you're paying for RAM-only servers, proprietary Lightway protocol, and unmatched streaming reliability. For non-technical users who want it to just work, ExpressVPN is the safe choice.
RAM-only server architecture — no persistent data to seize even if servers are compromised
Lightway protocol is faster than OpenVPN and has shipped more feature improvements than WireGuard in 2025-2026
Most consistent streaming service unlocks — Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer work reliably across 20+ regions
Surfshark competes on price and unlimited devices. Starter 2-year at $2.19/mo is the cheapest serious VPN — though it renews at $15.45/mo. The unique selling point is unlimited simultaneous device connections; every other major VPN caps at 5-10 devices. For households sharing one account across many devices, Surfshark wins cleanly.
Cheapest 2-year tier in the VPN market — $2.19/mo Starter is 30% less than NordVPN Basic 2-year
UNLIMITED device connections — only VPN here without a cap, unmatched for households
Cure53-audited no-logs policy provides real privacy credibility