Is Mullvad or Private Internet Access better?

Mullvad scores higher overall, 85.5 against 73.0, a gap of 12.5 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, Mullvad or Private Internet Access?

Private Internet Access, at $2.03/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, most recently in 2024 against Private Internet Access’s 2022.

Does jurisdiction differ between them?

Yes. Mullvad operates from Sweden and Private Internet Access from United States. Private Internet Access is outside the Fourteen Eyes agreement; the other is not.

Head to head · Updated August 13, 2026

Mullvad vs Private Internet Access

Mullvad takes it by 12.5 points, 85.5 against 73.0. That margin is worth reading past — Private Internet Access wins 2 of the seven criteria outright.

Mullvad

85.5

The 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

Visit Mullvad

We earn nothing from Mullvad. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.

Private Internet Access

73.0

The only provider here whose no-logs claim has been tested by a court rather than only by an auditor — but it is a US company.

From: $2.03/mo
Based in: United States
Devices: Unlimited
Audits: 1

Visit Private Internet Access

We earn nothing from Private Internet Access. This link is included because the ranking says it belongs here.

Criterion by criterion

Mullvad wins 4, Private Internet Access wins 2, 1 tied. Each row shows the raw score out of ten and the weighted contribution to the total.

Criterion	Weight	Mullvad	Private Internet Access	Winner
Independent audit	20	10/10 (20.0)	7/10 (14.0)	Mullvad
Jurisdiction and ownership	15	6/10 (9.0)	3/10 (4.5)	Mullvad
Protocol and crypto stack	15	9/10 (13.5)	9/10 (13.5)	Tied
Leak protection	15	10/10 (15.0)	8/10 (12.0)	Mullvad
Transparency	15	10/10 (15.0)	8/10 (12.0)	Mullvad
Price and refund terms	10	7/10 (7.0)	9/10 (9.0)	Private Internet Access
Platform coverage	10	6/10 (6.0)	8/10 (8.0)	Private Internet Access
Total	100	85.5	73.0	Mullvad

Where each one actually wins

Mullvad is ahead on

Independent audit. Recurring published audits by Assured AB and Cure53 covering infrastructure, apps and extension.
Jurisdiction and ownership. Sweden participates in the Fourteen Eyes agreement, but Mullvad holds no email, name or payment identity to hand over.
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.

Private Internet Access is ahead on

Price and refund terms. Effective $2.03/month on a three-year term with unlimited devices, though that means a long lock-in.
Platform coverage. Broad platform coverage with unlimited connections, but no Apple TV application.

Choose Mullvad if

Readers who want the least possible account data held about them.

Choose Private Internet Access if

Readers who want open-source clients and granular control over encryption settings.

Reasons to pick neither

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.

Skip Private Internet Access if: Your threat model includes US legal process. No amount of open-source client code changes where the company is incorporated.

Questions

Is Mullvad or Private Internet Access better?: Mullvad scores higher overall, 85.5 against 73.0, a gap of 12.5 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, Mullvad or Private Internet Access?: Private Internet Access, at $2.03/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, most recently in 2024 against Private Internet Access’s 2022.
Does jurisdiction differ between them?: Yes. Mullvad operates from Sweden and Private Internet Access from United States. Private Internet Access 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.