Mullvad VPN is a fan favourite amongst privateness fanatics for its emphasis on anonymity and transparency. However, NordVPN persistently ranks as a prime VPN choice for its intensive server community, further safety capabilities and polished utility.
With this in thoughts, it might be troublesome to determine which VPN is finest to your wants. Fortuitously, we’ve rounded up all of the necessary data and information it’s good to select which VPN is the fitting alternative for you and your small business.
Let’s dive in and see whether or not Mullvad VPN or NordVPN is the most effective match for you.
- Mullvad VPN: Finest for people who prioritize privateness and absolute anonymity with their private info and shopping information.
- NordVPN: Finest for many companies, massive or small, that want an all-around VPN with dependable speeds, a sturdy server community and extensive platform assist.
Semperis
Staff per Firm Measurement
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Massive (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Massive (1,000-4,999 Staff), Enterprise (5,000+ Staff)
Massive, Enterprise
Options
Superior Assaults Detection, Superior Automation, Wherever Restoration, and extra
ESET PROTECT Superior
Staff per Firm Measurement
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Massive (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Any Firm Measurement
Any Firm Measurement
Options
Superior Risk Protection, Full Disk Encryption , Trendy Endpoint Safety, and extra
ManageEngine Log360
Staff per Firm Measurement
Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Massive (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+)
Micro (0-49 Staff), Small (50-249 Staff), Medium (250-999 Staff), Massive (1,000-4,999 Staff), Enterprise (5,000+ Staff)
Micro, Small, Medium, Massive, Enterprise
Options
Exercise Dashboard, Superior Risk Analytics, Analytics/Reporting, and extra
Mullvad VPN vs NordVPN: Comparability
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Mullvad VPN vs NordVPN: Pricing
Mullvad VPN pricing
Mullvad VPN is the one VPN I’ve tried that has a flat charge for all its contract choices. Other than the same old one-month and one-year subscriptions, Mullvad VPN additionally presents a singular one-decade subscription choice.
- 1 month: $5.40 monthly.
- 1 12 months: $5.40 monthly.
- 1 decade: $5.40 monthly.
If you wish to be taught extra, learn our full Mullvad VPN evaluation.
Sadly, Mullvad VPN doesn’t provide a free trial of its paid VPN. Whereas it gives clients with a 30-day money-back assure, I hope Mullvad considers providing a free trial on any certainly one of its VPN shoppers, particularly since different VPNs, like NordVPN, provide free trial entry — even when a few of them are solely via their cell utility.
NordVPN pricing
NordVPN categorizes its paid plans into three tiers: Fundamental, Plus and Final. NordVPN presents function upgrades as you progress as much as the Final plan, with all three subscription tiers providing a month-to-month, annual and two-year subscription.
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NordVPN has a seven-day free trial via its Android utility. Whereas I want Nord gave Apple and desktop customers the identical entry to a free trial, it’s nonetheless quite a bit higher in comparison with Mullvad VPN, which doesn’t provide any form of check trial entry. Fortunately, you should use NordVPN on desktop after accessing the free trial by way of its Android cell app.
SEE: NordVPN vs ExpressVPN: Which VPN Is Finest? (TechRepublic)
Like Mullvad, NordVPN additionally gives a 30-day money-back assure to its clients, permitting them to refund their subscription throughout the interval in the event that they discover it isn’t a very good match.
If you wish to be taught extra, take a look at our full NordVPN evaluation.
Mullvad VPN vs NordVPN: Function comparability
Safety protocols and encryption
Winner: Tie
Each Mullvad VPN and NordVPN include the high-quality safety protocols we would like out of modern-day VPNs. Mullvad VPN makes use of the OpenVPN and WireGuard tunneling protocols. However, NordVPN carries OpenVPN and NordLynx — its in-house VPN protocol primarily based on WireGuard.
I recognize how each VPNs don’t sacrifice consumer flexibility in selecting to incorporate each OpenVPN and WireGuard/NordLynx. With these protocols, companies can simply change between having the robust safety of OpenVPN or the quick speeds of WireGuard/NordLynx when connecting to a VPN server from both supplier.
SEE: Surfshark vs NordVPN: Which VPN Is Higher in 2024? (TechRepublic)
For encryption, I’m joyful to see that each Mullvad VPN and NordVPN use the industry-standard AES-256 encryption algorithm. AES encryption is extraordinarily safe, with banks and authorities businesses alike utilizing it to encrypt and shield their information.
With each Mullvad VPN and NordVPN utilizing AES-256, I’m glad to report a tie within the encryption spherical of this match-up.
VPN server community and places
Winner: NordVPN
For server suites, NordVPN takes the decisive win over Mullvad VPN. As of July 2024, NordVPN has over 6,400+ servers throughout 111 international locations in its server community. This covers places within the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Center East.
On the flipside, Mullvad VPN presents 680+ servers from 44 international locations and 81 cities. That is considerably smaller than NordVPN and is on the decrease finish in comparison with the typical 2,000–4,000 servers we see in different VPN suppliers as nicely.
The big server pool benefit advantages potential VPN customers who need to unblock geo-restricted content material present in different international locations. Theoretically, this will additionally assist with connection speeds because you’ll have extra choices to decide on servers nearer to your space — diminishing latency and lag.
SEE: 4 Totally different Sorts of VPNs & When to Use Them (TechRepublic)
That being stated, I recognize how Mullvad VPN gives an in depth view of its server community on its official web site. It reveals the obtainable servers on its community, its respective suppliers and, extra critically, server possession.
This degree of transparency doesn’t go unnoticed, and I commend Mullvad for not being afraid to reveal which servers they’re renting and which of them they really personal.
Regardless of this, it’s nonetheless clear that NordVPN is the higher alternative if your small business is searching for a VPN with a various and strong server fleet.
Third-party audits and observe file
Winner: Mullvad VPN
Mullvad VPN wins by way of third-party testing and total observe file. With Mullvad’s heavy emphasis on transparency, it has proven a powerful dedication to common unbiased assessments performed by third-party consultants. Actually, Mullvad’s most up-to-date infrastructure audit end result was revealed on June 28, 2024.
Mullvad VPN has audits on completely different elements of its service courting again to 2017, all of which can be found on its official web site. Additionally it is fully open-source, and its supply code is obtainable for public viewing and evaluation.
SEE: 6 Finest Nameless (No-Log) VPNs for 2024 (TechRepublic)
One other massive indicator of its robust safety is an incident in April 2023, the place Swedish Cops visited Mullvad VPN places of work searching for buyer information. As a result of Mullvad VPN was a no-logs VPN and truly held true to this declare, the law enforcement officials left its places of work empty-handed. With this, Mullvad confirmed it isn’t bluffing when it says it doesn’t file any form of buyer info.
That’s to not say NordVPN lacks within the third-party testing division — removed from it. NordVPN has its service repeatedly audited as nicely, with its most up-to-date audit end result revealed in January 2024. It’s additionally closed-source software program, which isn’t essentially a foul factor.
However should you worth third-party testing and staunch firm transparency, I discover Mullvad VPN to have a slight edge over NordVPN.
Efficiency and pace
Winner: NordVPN
For pace and real-world efficiency, NordVPN earns the win. Throughout my testing, NordVPN gave me constant and quick speeds with my common workflow as a author. This concerned doing work on Google apps like Docs and Drive; attending on-line video conferences; doing analysis on a number of browser tabs; and streaming the occasional 1080p movies.
It additionally carried out exceptionally nicely with pace assessments, recording solely a 5.80% lower in obtain pace and a 16.2% drop in add pace in comparison with my web service supplier.
However, I had a optimistic expertise with Mullvad VPN’s servers. I didn’t expertise any critical slowdown whereas doing the identical duties and was pretty impressed with the general reliability of Mullvad VPN’s servers.
SEE: The way to Begin a Profession in Cybersecurity (TechRepublic Premium)
Nonetheless, Mullvad VPN is let down by its pace check outcomes. For downloads, Mullvad VPN had a 40.8% drop in pace, whereas it had an 89.8% lower for uploads — a lot bigger deficits in comparison with what NordVPN supplied.
Whereas pace assessments don’t essentially inform the entire story, this may be an indicator that Mullvad may have much less constant outcomes throughout connection-intensive duties. Due to this, NordVPN will get the win for pace and efficiency.
Standout security measures
Winner: Tie
Whereas NordVPN comes with a big quantity of further security measures, I feel Mullvad VPN holds its personal with its distinctive, privacy-focused value-adds.
First, Mullvad VPN makes use of a definite nameless account numbering system for all its paid customers. Because of this Mullvad clients don’t want to supply an e mail tackle, password or username to have a Mullvad VPN account — including an additional layer of privateness to the top customers.
It additionally lets customers pay for a Mullvad VPN subscription by way of nameless cost strategies like money, bodily vouchers or cryptocurrencies. This reduces customers’ digital footprint to a minimal, additional enhancing the nameless shopping expertise we would like with a VPN service.
In fact, I can’t low cost the quantity of further security measures NordVPN contains with its consumer. It has a built-in risk safety system that blocks adverts, malware and trackers. It additionally contains its Meshnet non-public networking system, permitting for safe file sharing and system entry via their VPN.
NordVPN additionally has security-focused server varieties, with obfuscated servers, double VPN capabilities and optimized P2P servers.
Regardless of NordVPN’s abundance of additional security measures, I feel Mullvad VPN’s complete strategy to buyer privateness helps it stand on equal floor with the favored VPN supplier.
Ease of use and design
Winner: NordVPN
Relating to ease of use and total app design, I choose NordVPN. Personally, I feel NordVPN succeeds in having each an aesthetically pleasing design and an intuitive consumer interface.
Whereas NordVPN carries lots of options, I by no means felt overwhelmed as every part was cleanly organized. I additionally appreciated Nord’s glossy and minimalist design, which helps elevate the general UI expertise.
To Mullvad VPN’s credit score, I had zero points utilizing its app as nicely. It was user-friendly and all of the settings and standard VPN options have been the place I anticipated them to be.
I additionally like how Mullvad VPN lets customers make a personalized checklist of their favourite or most used VPN servers. This makes it pretty straightforward to rapidly connect with your small business’ prime server location.
Subjectively talking, nonetheless, I nonetheless want NordVPN’s extra polished UI design over Mullvad VPN’s interface. Whereas Mullvad VPN could be very intuitive, its desktop utility is on the extra dated and cartoon-y aspect in comparison with NordVPN.
Simultaneous system connections
Winner: NordVPN
NordVPN permits extra simultaneous system connections than Mullvad VPN. Proper now, customers can have as much as 10 simultaneous system connections with the NordVPN app. Whereas I might have most popular limitless system connections, that is considerably greater than Mullvad VPN’s present five-device restrict.
If your small business plans to have a number of units related to a VPN server, NordVPN shall be a greater match with its 10 simultaneous system connections.
Mullvad VPN execs and cons
Professionals
- Nameless consumer account quantity system for elevated privateness.
- Constant third-party safety audits.
- Inexpensive month-to-month subscription.
Cons
- Small server community and nation unfold.
- Lack of a devoted free trial.
- Solely 5 simultaneous system connections.
NordVPN execs and cons
Professionals
- Bigger server community of 6,400 servers in 111 international locations.
- Quick and dependable VPN speeds.
- Polished and intuitive consumer expertise.
- Abundance of further safety capabilities.
Cons
- Month-to-month plan is on the costly finish.
- Free trial is by way of Android app solely.
Ought to your group use Mullvad VPN or NordVPN?
Total, NordVPN is the extra well-rounded VPN answer. It carries a sturdy server community of 6,400 servers throughout 111 international locations and contains a wide range of further security measures except for the VPN. It additionally gives extremely constant VPN speeds and efficiency.
NordVPN is finest for many companies, massive or small, that desire a full-featured VPN that may assist unblock geo-restricted content material, simply change system IP addresses and strengthen safety and privateness throughout the group.
Mullvad VPN is finest for particular person customers or particular person enterprise house owners who prioritize anonymity above every part else. It’s additionally an amazing choose for customers who need to depart as little a digital footprint as doable via its random account system and nameless cost choices.
Sadly, Mullvad VPN’s much less developed server community, poorer pace check efficiency and smaller allowable simultaneous system connections maintain it again from getting the win over NordVPN.
Methodology
My comparability of Mullvad VPN and NordVPN concerned real-world analysis of each VPNs and an in depth evaluation of every VPN’s options, worth and efficiency.
To evaluate every VPN, each providers have been scored on every part, from their safety protocols to pricing. Particularly, I took under consideration 5 most important pillars, every having corresponding weights:
- Pricing (20%).
- Core VPN options (30%).
- Ease of use (15%).
- Buyer assist (30%).
- Knowledgeable evaluation (5%).
I additionally took under consideration actual consumer suggestions and respected evaluations to spherical out my remaining suggestions for each Mullvad VPN and NordVPN.
For pace and efficiency, I examined each VPNs on my private Home windows laptop and ran them via Ookla’s public Speedtest. Lastly, I considered which varieties of companies or particular person customers would finest profit from both NordVPN or Mullvad VPN.