Windscribe and Mullvad get recommended in the same threads, usually by people who don’t trust big VPN marketing. Both are fast, both run RAM-only servers, both block ads. Past that, they’re built for different people.
In our database Mullvad comes out ahead, 4.04/5 against 3.82/5. The gap is almost entirely about one thing: proof.
The short answer
Pick Mullvad if anonymity is the point. It’s audited, takes cash, and doesn’t ask for an email. Pick Windscribe if you want a usable free plan, unlimited devices or a VPN that works with Netflix. If you want strong privacy and streaming in one, look at Proton VPN instead (more on that below).
Windscribe vs Mullvad: the scores
All figures come from our comparison database. Scores are out of 5.
| Criterion | Windscribe | Mullvad |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 3.82 | 4.04 |
| Speed | 5 | 5 |
| Audited no-logs policy | 2 | 4 |
| Jurisdiction | 4 (Canada, Five Eyes) | 4 (Sweden, Fourteen Eyes) |
| RAM-only servers | 5 | 5 |
| Encryption | 3 | 5 |
| Protocols | 4 | 5 |
| Server network | 3 (undisclosed, 63 countries) | 4 (769, 37 countries) |
| Apps and platforms | 5 | 3 |
| Payments | 4 | 5 (cash accepted) |
| Bypassing restrictive networks | 2 | 4 |
| Streaming | 3.5 | 2 |
| Ethics | 4 | 5 |
| Ownership transparency | 4 | 5 |
| Bug bounty | 3 | 0 |
| Customer support | 3 | 3 |
| Ad-blocker | 5 | 5 |
| Price per month | $9.00 | $5.50 |
| 1-year plan | $69 | $66 |
| Free plan | Yes (10 GB/month) | No |
| Devices | Unlimited | 5 |
| Money-back guarantee | 3 days | 30 days |
Privacy and logging: Mullvad wins
This is the category that decides the match.
Mullvad’s no-logs claims have been checked by Cure53, which earns it 4/5 on our audit criterion. More convincing still, they’ve been tested in the real world. In April 2023, Swedish police arrived at Mullvad’s office with a search warrant, and left without any customer data because there was none to take. You sign up with a random account number, no email, and you can post cash in an envelope.
Windscribe scores 2/5 on the same criterion because it hasn’t commissioned an independent audit. It does publish a transparency report, and it has its own real-world test: in April 2025, an Athens court dismissed a case against Windscribe’s CEO over activity on one of its servers, after the company said it had no logs to hand over. That counts for something. But Windscribe’s own policy admits it keeps some account data, such as bandwidth used, which we break down in does Windscribe keep logs?
Jurisdiction is a draw on our scale: Canada is in the Five Eyes, Sweden in the Fourteen Eyes, and both get 4/5.
Signing up: two very different experiences
The difference shows up before you even connect. Mullvad’s signup is a single button: it generates a 16-digit account number, and that’s your login. No email, no name, no password. Lose the number and you lose the account, which is the price of anonymity. You then pay by card, PayPal, crypto or cash.
Windscribe asks for a username and password. An email is optional, but you’ll want one for password recovery, and confirming it is what unlocks the full free allowance. It’s a more normal experience, closer to what most people expect from an app. Neither approach is wrong. They just tell you who each service was built for: Mullvad for people who want to leave as few traces as possible, Windscribe for people who want a friendly VPN that’s honest about what it does.
Speed: a tie
Both score 5/5 on speed. Both support WireGuard. Mullvad went further and removed OpenVPN entirely on 15 January 2026, so every connection now uses WireGuard. Windscribe still offers OpenVPN and IKEv2 alongside WireGuard, plus its own obfuscation options, which is handy on networks that block standard VPN traffic.
Streaming: Windscribe wins
Not a close one. Windscribe scores 3.5/5 on streaming, with Good results on Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video and Variable on BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max and Peacock. Mullvad scores 2/5: no luck on Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max or Peacock, and Variable on Prime Video.
Mullvad doesn’t really try here. That’s consistent with what it is, but it means it’s the wrong VPN for a TV.
Price and plans: it depends how you pay
Mullvad’s pricing is refreshingly simple: $5.50 a month, whatever the duration, which works out at $66 for a year. No intro discount, no renewal jump.
Windscribe costs $9.00 month to month or $69 for a year. Its real advantage is the free plan: 10 GB a month, with a smaller choice of locations. For checking email on café Wi-Fi, that’s enough. It’s one of the better free tiers around, as we note in our best free VPN roundup.
Watch the refund window, though. Windscribe’s money-back guarantee is only 3 days in our database. Mullvad’s is 30 days.
Devices and apps: Windscribe wins
Windscribe allows unlimited devices and has apps for nearly everything we check, including browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox and smart TVs (5/5 on availability). Mullvad caps you at 5 devices and has no Chrome extension or smart TV app (3/5).
Restrictive networks: Mullvad wins
Mullvad scores 4/5 for getting through restrictive networks, with Shadowsocks support, obfuscation and Tor integration. Windscribe scores 2/5 in our database. If you travel to countries that interfere with VPN traffic, Mullvad is the safer bet of the two.
Torrenting: Windscribe has the edge on features
Both VPNs are fine for legal P2P traffic: both are fast, both run RAM-only servers, and neither throttles file sharing. The practical difference is port forwarding, which helps you connect to more peers. Windscribe offers it as a paid add-on through a static IP. Mullvad removed port forwarding in 2023, saying it was being abused. If you seed a lot, that tips things towards Windscribe, though it comes at the cost of a stable identifier tied to your account. Our best VPN for torrenting guide compares more options.
Support: both are basic
Neither offers 24/7 live chat. Both score 3/5 on customer support in our database: email tickets and a help centre, with Windscribe also active on Reddit and Discord. If you expect to need hand-holding, a provider like NordVPN or Surfshark (5/5 on support) will feel easier.
Want to compare all VPNs side by side? Check our full VPN comparison table with scores across 18 criteria.
Who should pick Windscribe?
- You want a free VPN you can actually use, and 10 GB a month is enough
- You want streaming to work on Netflix and Prime Video at least some of the time
- You need more than 5 devices on one account
- You like extras such as Windscribe’s R.O.B.E.R.T. DNS blocker
Who should pick Mullvad?
- You want the VPN provider to know as little about you as possible
- You want an audited no-logs policy and a track record under a real police search
- You travel to places with restrictive networks
- You don’t care about streaming
The middle ground: Proton VPN
If you’re torn because you want Mullvad’s privacy but Windscribe’s streaming and free plan, Proton VPN covers both better than either. It scores 4.24/5 overall: Swiss jurisdiction (5/5), a KPMG-audited no-logs policy (5/5), RAM-only servers, 5/5 speed and 4/5 on streaming. Its free plan has no data cap at all. The paid plan is $47.88 for the first year (about $3.99 a month).
For more detail on each provider, read our Mullvad review and Windscribe review. And if you’re choosing between Mullvad and another privacy specialist, our Mullvad vs IVPN comparison is the next stop.
Mullvad wins, 4.04/5 against 3.82/5. Its Cure53-checked no-logs policy, cash payments, email-free signup and 4/5 on restrictive networks make it the better privacy VPN. Windscribe wins on streaming (3.5/5 vs 2/5), unlimited devices and its 10 GB free plan, so it's the better pick for casual use. If you want strong privacy and working streaming in one subscription, Proton VPN beats both at 4.24/5.