Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026
FastestVPN vs Mullvad
Mullvad takes it by 37.5 points, 85.5 against 48.0. That margin is worth reading past — FastestVPN wins 3 of the seven criteria outright.
FastestVPN
48.0Priced below everything else here, and documented below everything else here. Those two facts are related.
- From
- $1.11/mo
- Based in
- Cayman Islands
- Devices
- 15
- Audits
- None published
We earn a commission if you subscribe through this link. It does not change FastestVPN’s score.
Mullvad
85.5The strongest privacy posture of any provider in this dataset, and the only one we cannot earn a commission from.
- From
- $5.50/mo
- Based in
- Sweden
- Devices
- 5
- Audits
- 2
We earn nothing from Mullvad. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.
Criterion by criterion
FastestVPN wins 3, Mullvad wins 4. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.
| Criterion | Weight | FastestVPN | Mullvad | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent audit | 20 | 0/10 (0.0) | 10/10 (20.0) | Mullvad |
| Jurisdiction and ownership | 15 | 7/10 (10.5) | 6/10 (9.0) | FastestVPN |
| Protocol and crypto stack | 15 | 8/10 (12.0) | 9/10 (13.5) | Mullvad |
| Leak protection | 15 | 5/10 (7.5) | 10/10 (15.0) | Mullvad |
| Transparency | 15 | 2/10 (3.0) | 10/10 (15.0) | Mullvad |
| Price and refund terms | 10 | 8/10 (8.0) | 7/10 (7.0) | FastestVPN |
| Platform coverage | 10 | 7/10 (7.0) | 6/10 (6.0) | FastestVPN |
| Total | 100 | 48.0 | 85.5 | Mullvad |
Where each one actually wins
FastestVPN is ahead on
- Jurisdiction and ownership. Cayman Islands sits outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement.
- Price and refund terms. $1.11/month is the lowest here, but it requires a five-year prepayment and the refund window is 15 days.
- Platform coverage. Broad platform list with 15 simultaneous connections.
Mullvad is ahead on
- Independent audit. Recurring published audits by Assured AB and Cure53 covering infrastructure, apps and extension.
- Protocol and crypto stack. WireGuard and OpenVPN only, with no proprietary protocol in the stack.
- Leak protection. Kill switch is always on by design across desktop and mobile, with IPv6 and DNS resolved in-tunnel.
- Transparency. All clients are open source, signup issues a random account number with no email, and cash payment is accepted by post.
Choose FastestVPN if
Readers whose only constraint is the lowest possible headline price.
Choose Mullvad if
Readers who want the least possible account data held about them.
Reasons to pick neither
Skip FastestVPN if: You need evidence rather than assurances. With no audit and no transparency reporting, every privacy claim here rests on the company’s own word.
Skip Mullvad if: Your main reason for buying a VPN is watching a specific streaming catalogue. Mullvad does not chase streaming platforms and does not claim to.
Questions
- Is FastestVPN or Mullvad better?
- Mullvad scores higher overall, 85.5 against 48.0, a gap of 37.5 points out of 100. The strongest privacy posture of any provider in this dataset, and the only one we cannot earn a commission from.
- Which is cheaper, FastestVPN or Mullvad?
- FastestVPN, at $1.11/mo against $5.50/mo. Both rates require committing to the provider’s longest term; the monthly rates are considerably higher.
- Which one has been audited more recently?
- Mullvad. FastestVPN has published no independent audit at all.
- Does jurisdiction differ between them?
- Yes. FastestVPN operates from Cayman Islands and Mullvad from Sweden. FastestVPN is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.
Related comparisons
Comparison generated from the same dataset as the ranking. Emphasis criterion definitions are on the rubric page. Criterion labels: Independent audit, Jurisdiction and ownership, Protocol and crypto stack, Leak protection, Transparency, Price and refund terms, Platform coverage.