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Mullvad vs NordVPN

Comparing
two VPNs
Decided by
Independent no-logs audits
Last reviewed
2026-08-26
MullvadTakes bitcoin

No email, no username, no password: a random account number, cash or Monero in an envelope, and a police raid that came away with nothing.

NordVPNTakes bitcoin

Six independent no-logs assurance engagements, more than anyone else here, and crypto refunds that are actually paid out.

Verdict: NordVPN

NordVPN carries more independent audits of its no-logs claim: 6 against 4 for Mullvad. We publish no rating for VPNs, so the audit count is the one criterion that decides.

Criterion
Independent no-logs audits
Mullvad
4
NordVPN
6

Mullvad and NordVPN, fact by fact

Every row is from the two reviews as of their review dates, with sources on each. A check marks the side a decidable criterion favours; rows without one are information, not a score.

Mullvad and NordVPN compared fact by fact from their reviews; a check marks the side a decidable criterion favours.
FactMullvadNordVPN
Independent audits4, latest 20246, latest 2025 (favoured on this row)
Real-world tests10
Incidents on record01
Market exits01
OwnerMullvad VPN ABNord Security
JurisdictionSwedenPanama
Eyes allianceFourteen EyesOutside
PriceFlat EUR 5/mo, any termFrom $3.39/mo on the 2yr plan
Money-back14 days30 days
Crypto acceptedbitcoin, bitcoin cash, monerobitcoin, ethereum
Anonymous signupYesNo
Free tierNoneNone
ServersVendor publishes a live server list, running to roughly 550 servers, and marks which are owned rather than rentedVendor states thousands of RAM-only servers across roughly 125 countries
Last reviewed2026-08-262026-08-26

No-logs evidence, side by side

Dated audits and real-world tests from each review. An empty column is a finding: the claim has not been independently checked.

Mullvad

  • 2024Audit by Cure53: fourth infrastructure audit, covering one OpenVPN and one WireGuard server plus the Ansible deployment code
  • 2023At least six officers from the Swedish police National Operations Department searched Mullvad's Gothenburg office with a warrant seeking customer data: Mullvad showed the data did not exist and the officers left without seizing equipment or obtaining any customer information
  • 2021Audit by Cure53: infrastructure audit that found no personally identifiable information or privacy leaks
  • 2020Audit by Cure53: penetration test and source code audit of the apps across Windows, Android and iOS
  • 2018Audit by Cure53: penetration test and source code audit of the VPN client app

NordVPN

  • 2025Audit by Deloitte Lithuania: sixth no-logs assurance engagement under ISAE 3000 (Revised), covering standard, Double VPN, obfuscated and Onion Over VPN servers
  • 2024Audit by Deloitte: fifth no-logs assurance engagement
  • 2023Audit by Deloitte: fourth no-logs assurance engagement
  • 2022Audit by Deloitte: third no-logs assurance engagement, the first conducted by Deloitte rather than PwC
  • 2020Audit by PwC Switzerland: second and broader assurance engagement on the no-logs claim, reported 28 May 2020
  • 2018Audit by PwC Switzerland: first independent assurance engagement on the no-logs claim

Frequently asked questions

Is Mullvad or NordVPN better for privacy?

NordVPN carries more independent audits of its no-logs claim: 6 against 4 for Mullvad. We publish no rating for VPNs, so the audit count is the one criterion that decides. Audits, court and seizure records and incidents are dated on each review with their sources.

Can I pay Mullvad or NordVPN with bitcoin?

Mullvad takes bitcoin, bitcoin cash and monero (processor: In-house, on self-hosted full nodes). NordVPN takes bitcoin and ethereum (processor: CoinGate). Each review quotes the vendor's own refund sentence for crypto purchases verbatim.

Which is cheaper, Mullvad or NordVPN?

Mullvad: Flat EUR 5/mo, any term. NordVPN: From $3.39/mo on the 2yr plan. Money-back: Mullvad 14 days, NordVPN 30 days. Prices are from each vendor's own page as of the review date.

Where are Mullvad and NordVPN based?

Mullvad: Sweden (fourteen eyes member). NordVPN: Panama (outside the five, nine and fourteen eyes alliances). A jurisdiction matters less than a court record showing what the provider could hand over; the reviews carry those where they exist.

The full reviews: Mullvad and NordVPN, each with its sources, and every VPN we review.

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