The only matchup between the two VPNs real users rank highest — and both are genuinely independent. This isn't about who's trustworthy. It's about maximum anonymity versus maximum capability.
Proton VPN (70.3) and Mullvad (77.7) are the top two scorers in our Sentiment Index, and unlike the brands that dominate affiliate lists, neither is owned by an ad-tech roll-up. Both have also proven their privacy claims in the real world. So you can't lose this one on trust — you choose based on what you actually need.
| Proton VPN | Mullvad | |
|---|---|---|
| Real-user sentiment | 70.3 | 77.7 |
| Price /mo | $2.99 → $6.99 | $5.50 flat |
| Account model | Email signup | Anonymous number, no email |
| Jurisdiction | Switzerland | Sweden |
| Ownership | Non-profit Proton Foundation | Founder-owned (Amagicom) |
| Latest audit | Securitum 2025 (no-logs) | Cure53 2024 (infrastructure) |
| Proven under pressure | Swiss legal limits known | 2023 police raid → nothing |
| Streaming / extras | Secure Core, strong streaming | Minimal by design |
Mullvad is the purist's pick and the highest-rated VPN in our index. You sign up with a randomly generated account number — no email, no name — and can even pay in cash. It collects so little that there is effectively nothing to hand over, a stance validated in April 2023 when Swedish police raided its office with a warrant and left with nothing because no user data existed. Its pricing is radically honest: a flat €5/$5.50 a month, no discounts, no renewal trap. The trade-off is deliberate minimalism — fewer features, no aggressive streaming optimization, no hand-holding.
Proton VPN comes from the ProtonMail team, is controlled by the non-profit Proton Foundation (a structure built to resist acquisition), and is based in Switzerland. It scores nearly as high with users and does much more: Secure Core multi-hop routing, reliable streaming, a genuinely usable free tier, and tight integration with Proton's broader privacy ecosystem. The fair caveat is the 2021 episode where ProtonMail — not the VPN — was legally compelled by a Swiss order to log a user's IP. It's a reminder that even the best provider operates under its home country's law, though it was an email-service order, not a VPN logging failure.
Choose Mullvad if your priority is anonymity and simplicity: the least data collected, the cleanest pricing, and the strongest real-world proof of its no-logs claim. Choose Proton VPN if you want near-equal privacy with far more capability — streaming, multi-hop, a free tier, and a non-profit governance model — and you're comfortable with email signup. Notably, Proton's discounted intro can undercut Mullvad in year one, but Mullvad's flat rate wins over the long run and never surprises you.
It's a tie you break on need, not quality. For maximum anonymity and the strongest proof-under-pressure, Mullvad — our highest-rated VPN. For maximum capability with privacy that's still excellent, Proton VPN. Either way you're choosing from the top of the real-user rankings and outside the affiliate-driven mainstream — which is the actual win.
VPNInsider.org · Head to Head · June 2026.