Alternatives
Best Mullvad VPN alternatives in 2026
Data compiled by Toolradar Updated How we rate
Cite this list: Toolradar, best Mullvad VPN alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/mullvad
7 direct alternatives to Mullvad VPN, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.
Quick answer
- NordVPN is the top alternative to Mullvad VPN on our list, followed by ExpressVPN and Surfshark.
- 1 of the 7 alternatives has a free plan, starting with Proton VPN.
- Highest rated: ExpressVPN, 4.6 out of 5 from 291 ratings, Sep 2026.
- 7 alternatives
- 1 with a free plan
Top 3 alternatives to Mullvad VPN
NordVPN
#1 Top pickOnline VPN service for privacy
Starting price
From $3.49 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of October 2026
4.0 /5 across G2, Capterra, SourceForge and more · 18,319 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best overall
ExpressVPN
#2Secure your connection, access global content, and enjoy fast speeds
Starting price
From $3.49 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of October 2026
4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 291 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Highest rated
Surfshark
#3Unlimited devices, all-in-one online security and privacy
Starting price
From $2.49 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of October 2026
4.3 /5 across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra · 923 ratings, Sep 2026
Mullvad VPN vs 7 alternatives
| Tool | Starting price (Oct 2026) | Free plan | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Price: $5/mo | Free plan: No | 3.7 out of 5, from 154 ratings across G2, SourceForge and Trustpilot (154) |
| Price: $3.49/mo | Free plan: No | 4.0 out of 5, from 18,319 ratings across G2, Capterra, SourceForge and more (18,319) |
| Price: $3.49/mo | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 291 ratings across G2 and Capterra (291) |
| Price: $2.49/mo | Free plan: No | 4.3 out of 5, from 923 ratings across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra (923) |
 | Price: $2.19/mo | Free plan: No | 4.1 out of 5, from 750 ratings across SourceForge, Capterra and Trustpilot (750) |
 | Price: $1.88/mo | Free plan: No | 4.6 out of 5, from 38 ratings on SourceForge (38) |
 | Price: $6.99/mo | Free plan: Yes | 4.3 out of 5, from 5 ratings on G2 (5) |
 | Price: $2.03/mo | Free plan: No | n/a |
Why people consider alternatives to Mullvad VPN
Mullvad VPN is a privacy-focused VPN service that takes anonymity seriously. No email or personal info required to create an account - just a random account number. Pay with cryptocurrency or even cash by mail for complete anonymity.
Teams most often switch away when one of these starts to bite:
- Pricing at scale as usage or premium tiers add up.
- Missing integrations with the rest of your stack.
- Performance or scale limits as your needs grow.
- A specific feature gap you have hit in vpn.
The 7 alternatives below cover the same core job (VPN) with different trade-offs.
Mullvad VPN by the numbers
Toolradar data: Mullvad VPN's entry paid plan ($5/mo, billed monthly) ranks #10 of 18 (joint) for price among the VPN tools with a verified entry price and no stated unit, where the median is $4.25/mo. It is listed as an alternative to 16 other tools on Toolradar, ranking #4 of 37 in VPN. As of Nov 2026.
- #3 most-listed alternative in Privacy Management, out of 52 tools in Privacy Management. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
- #55 (joint) most-listed alternative in Security, out of 735 tools in Security. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
- #4 most-listed alternative in VPN, out of 37 tools in VPN. Source: Toolradar data, Nov 2026.
| Metric | Mullvad VPN | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | $5/mo, billed monthly | $4.25/mo | #10 of 18 (joint) tools with no stated price unit, verified price |
| Free plan | No | 21 of 37 have one | n/a |
| Listed as an alternative to | 16 tools | 4 | #4 of 37 |
| User rating | 3.7/5 (across the web, 154 ratings) | 4.3/5 | #25 of 27 tools with 20+ reviews |
| Compare-page visits, last 30 days | 63 visits | 45 | #9 of 30 tools with 20+ compare-page visits |
Visitors most often compare Mullvad VPN with WireGuard (last 30 days, Nov 2026).
Listed as an alternative to: #2 on 2026-10-16 to #4 on 2026-11-02 (rank among 37 tools, 1 is best).
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. A lower entry price ranks higher; prices are read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis. All VPN data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source.
Cite this: Toolradar, “Mullvad VPN by the numbers”, Nov 2026.
VPN leaderboards from Toolradar data
Toolradar ranks VPN tools on one measure at a time, only where at least 8 tools have data. As of Nov 2026.
Lowest entry price, plans with no stated unit
Cheapest standard paid plan per month (annual prices divided by 12), read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis.
Counted among 18 tools with no stated price unit, verified price.
| # | Tool | Entry plan |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | CyberGhost VPN | $2.03/mo, billed monthly |
| 2 | IPVanish | $2.19/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | Surfshark | $2.49/mo, billed monthly |
| 3 | ZoogVPN | $2.49/mo, billed monthly |
| 5 | Bitdefender | $2.50/mo, billed yearly |
Most visited, last 30 days
Distinct visitor sessions on the tool's Toolradar page over the last 30 days, with bots excluded by our analytics. A session counts once however many times it reloads the page.
Counted among 8 tools with 50+ visits.
| # | Tool | Visits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proton VPN | 1,427 visits |
| 2 | Hide.me | 834 visits |
| 3 | Windscribe VPN | 639 visits |
| 4 | Opera | 619 visits |
| 5 | ZoogVPN | 365 visits |
A position exists only when at least 8 tools have data for that metric. 18 of 37 VPN tools have a verified price; the others publish none we could read (often "contact sales"). Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source. How we compute this. Cite this: Toolradar, “VPN leaderboards”, Nov 2026. Data licensed CC BY 4.0. All VPN statistics.
7 alternatives to Mullvad VPN
Ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review, plus how directly they replace Mullvad VPN.
- 1
NordVPN
Paid Higher rated by usersOnline VPN service for privacy
4.0 /5 across G2, Capterra, SourceForge and more · 18,319 ratings, Sep 2026
From $3.49/mo, billed monthly
- 2
ExpressVPN
Paid Higher rated by usersSecure your connection, access global content, and enjoy fast speeds
4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 291 ratings, Sep 2026
From $3.49/mo, billed monthly
- 3
Surfshark
Paid Higher rated by usersUnlimited devices, all-in-one online security and privacy
4.3 /5 across Trustpilot, G2 and Capterra · 923 ratings, Sep 2026
From $2.49/mo, billed monthly
- 4
IPVanish
Paid Higher rated by usersDigital Security, Privacy, & Freedom with VPN, Secure Browser, and Cloud Storage.
4.1 /5 across SourceForge, Capterra and Trustpilot · 750 ratings, Sep 2026
From $2.19/mo, billed monthly
- 5
Private Internet Access
Paid Higher rated by usersSecure your online privacy and access content globally with a fast, no-logs VPN service.
4.6 /5 on SourceForge · 38 ratings, Mar 2026
From $1.88/mo, billed monthly
- 6
Proton VPN
Free plan Cheaper than Mullvad VPNSwiss privacy protection with unlimited bandwidth
4.3 /5 on G2 · 5 ratings, May 2026
From $6.99/mo, billed yearly; free plan available
- 7
CyberGhost VPN
PaidSecure your online activity, hide your IP, and access content globally with a fast and private VPN.
From $2.03/mo, billed monthly
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Mullvad VPN?
Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to Mullvad VPN are NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.
Is there a free alternative to Mullvad VPN?
There is no fully free alternative in this list. Proton VPN is freemium: a permanent free tier plus paid plans (Swiss privacy protection with unlimited bandwidth).
Why do people look for Mullvad VPN alternatives?
Common reasons teams switch away from Mullvad VPN: pricing that scales aggressively, missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in vpn. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with different trade-offs.
Side-by-side comparisons
In-depth comparison pages for Mullvad VPN versus each alternative.
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