NordVPN vs Mullvad vs ProtonVPN should start with the privacy evidence and the account you are willing to create. Mullvad emphasizes a numbered account with no email requirement. Proton VPN provides a free entry point alongside paid plans. NordVPN publishes independent assurance of its no-logs practices. These differences give you a shortlist without pretending that one service wins every use case.
This comparison uses provider documentation and published audit summaries. The recommendations are editorial judgments about documented features. It does not assign speed, streaming-reliability or usability scores from personal use.
Compare the decision that matters to you
| Priority | Starting point | Evidence to inspect |
|---|---|---|
| Minimize registration details | Mullvad | Numbered accounts and data-retention policy |
| Try a continuing free service | Proton VPN Free | Included features and paid-plan exclusions |
| Evaluate a commercial provider’s logging assurances | NordVPN, alongside the others | Independent assurance scope and access to reports |
| Avoid long subscription commitments | Mullvad | Published flat monthly pricing |
| Obtain browsing anonymity | Reconsider the category | A VPN provider remains a network trust point |
Start with what makes a VPN actually private if you need the criteria behind this comparison. For the last row, Tor vs VPN for anonymity explains the architectural decision before a subscription choice.
No-logs evidence: compare the scope
NordVPN
NordVPN’s no-logs documentation describes repeated independent assurance engagements, including reviews by Deloitte. That is evidence to examine, not a promise that every category of account information is absent.
When assessing its reports, separate activity logging from billing, support and account administration. Also distinguish an infrastructure logging review from an application-security audit. The word “audited” does not make those engagements interchangeable.
Mullvad
Mullvad’s policy describes what it does not collect and how it handles the data needed for accounts and payments. Read the payment-method details as well as the activity-logging statement.
Mullvad also published its account of a search-warrant visit in 2023. It says the visit ended without equipment being seized or customer data being compromised. That supports a specific historical account. It should not be retold as a seized server being examined and found empty, nor treated as a guarantee about every future request.
Proton VPN
Proton VPN’s audit publication describes independent examination of its no-logs practices. Its policy explanation addresses VPN activity, including the free service.
Evaluate VPN evidence on its own terms. A statement about a different Proton product does not establish what the VPN logs. The useful comparison is the relevant policy, audit period, systems examined and any stated limitations.
Mullvad vs ProtonVPN: signup and payment privacy
Account creation is a separate privacy dimension from what happens inside a tunnel. This distinction matters even when two providers make similar activity-logging claims.
Mullvad issues a random account number without asking for an email address or username. Its pricing page lists cash and cryptocurrency among the payment choices. A payment option alone does not establish that an account is unidentifiable; the method’s records and the provider’s retention rules still matter.
Proton VPN uses a Proton Account. Its free-account instructions describe account creation and recovery details. Review the current signup flow and consider whether using an existing account matches your goal of keeping activities separate. Do not assume that a disposable recovery address makes every other account signal anonymous.
Our interpretation: Mullvad’s numbered-account design is the clearer starting point when reducing registration data is the priority. Proton VPN is the clearer starting point when access to a free tier is the deciding requirement. Neither choice removes the trust placed in the network provider.
Free tier, pricing and commitment
Mullvad lists a flat monthly rate of €5 and does not offer a free plan. The published rate provides a straightforward way to compare the cost of short-term use with a longer commitment.
Proton VPN Free is advertised without data or time limits. It is still a different offering from its paid service: check the current feature comparison for server selection, supported activities and device limits. Do not interpret a free tier as a paid-plan trial with every feature included.
For NordVPN, check the total charge, renewal conditions and included plan features at checkout rather than comparing only a monthly-equivalent promotional headline. Our free VPN privacy guide explains how to assess the business model behind a free option.
How to make the final choice
Choose the requirement you cannot compromise on, then inspect that provider’s evidence:
- Choose Mullvad as the first candidate if minimal signup data and straightforward monthly pricing matter most.
- Choose Proton VPN as the first candidate if you want to begin with a free tier and assess whether its limits fit.
- Include NordVPN in the shortlist if you want to examine its documented logging assurances against the same criteria.
- Revisit Tor Browser if your actual requirement is to distribute network trust rather than select one VPN company.
Provider headquarters alone cannot settle the comparison. Use VPN jurisdiction compared alongside the policies, and VPN ranking methodology to understand how the criteria are weighted. The privacy resources directory links to the underlying documentation.
Keep the account layer in view as well. PassMgrLab’s Bitwarden vs 1Password comparison covers password-manager selection. For the operational habits around separate activities, AnonGuide’s OPSEC mistakes guide complements this tool comparison.
