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Developer Tools · head to head

Helix vs Mullvad VPN

Helix logo

Helix

Developer Tools

Post-modern modal text editor for the terminal, written in Rust

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
M

Mullvad VPN

Cybersecurity

Privacy-first VPN with one flat price and no email required to sign up

From
$5/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Helix has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Helix no official GUI application yet, so it requires comfort with terminal workflows.; Mullvad VPN offers no free trial or free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors.
  • They diverge on capability: Helix covers Multiple Selections, Mullvad VPN covers Flat single pricing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Helix and Mullvad VPN actually diverge.

Attributes where Helix and Mullvad VPN differ
AttributeHelixMullvad VPN
Starting priceFree$5/month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
Platformslinux, mac, windowswindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Helix

  • Multiple Selections
  • Tree-sitter Syntax Trees
  • Built-in LSP Support
  • Fuzzy File Finder
  • Project-wide Search

Only in Mullvad VPN

  • Flat single pricing
  • Account-number signup
  • Cash and crypto payments
  • WireGuard support
  • Independent audits

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Helix

  • Editing code over SSH or in tmux sessionsnot Mullvad VPN
  • Working with syntax-aware selection and navigationnot Mullvad VPN
  • Getting IDE-like completion and diagnostics without plugin setupnot Mullvad VPN
  • Lightweight, low-resource code editing on laptopsnot Mullvad VPN

Mullvad VPN

  • Paying for a VPN anonymously with cash or cryptocurrencynot Helix
  • Avoiding tiered upsells with a single flat-rate plannot Helix
  • Signing up without providing an email addressnot Helix
  • Verifying a provider's privacy claims via independent auditsnot Helix

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Helix

  • No official GUI application yet, so it requires comfort with terminal workflows.
  • Plugin ecosystem is far smaller than Vim's or Neovim's, limiting customization.
  • Keybindings differ from both Vim and Kakoune, adding a learning curve for users of either.
  • Configuration is more limited than Neovim's Lua-based extensibility.

Mullvad VPN

  • Offers no free trial or free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors.
  • Lacks a bundled tiered structure, so there is no cheaper limited plan for occasional users.
  • Server network and streaming-unblocking performance is smaller than large mainstream VPN providers.
  • No annual discount, meaning long-term subscribers pay the same monthly rate as short-term users.

Pricing, plan by plan

Helix

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full editor, no paid tiers

Mullvad VPN

$5/month
  • Mullvad VPN$5/month
    • Flat rate regardless of subscription length
    • 5 simultaneous devices
    • No email required

Which should you pick?

Choose Helix if

  • You need multiple selections.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on linux, mac, windows.
  • You also want tree-sitter syntax trees.
Helix review

Choose Mullvad VPN if

  • You need flat single pricing.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want account-number signup.
Mullvad VPN review

Questions people ask

Is Helix or Mullvad VPN better?
Neither clearly leads. Helix starts at Free and Mullvad VPN at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Helix or Mullvad VPN?
Helix has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Helix and $5/month for Mullvad VPN.
Does Helix or Mullvad VPN run on more platforms?
Helix runs on linux, mac, windows. Mullvad VPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use Helix for free?
Yes. Helix has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mullvad VPN starts at $5/month.
What is Helix best used for?
Helix is most often used for editing code over ssh or in tmux sessions, working with syntax-aware selection and navigation, getting ide-like completion and diagnostics without plugin setup, lightweight, low-resource code editing on laptops. Of those, editing code over ssh or in tmux sessions and working with syntax-aware selection and navigation are not what Mullvad VPN is typically brought in for.
What can Helix do that Mullvad VPN cannot?
Helix covers Multiple Selections, Tree-sitter Syntax Trees, Built-in LSP Support, Fuzzy File Finder. Mullvad VPN covers Flat single pricing, Account-number signup, Cash and crypto payments, WireGuard support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Helix: Is Helix free to use?

Yes, Helix is free and open source, licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL-2.0), with no paid tiers or subscriptions.

Source
Helix: How do I install Helix?

Install via your operating system's package manager, or download pre-built binaries from GitHub Releases; the nightly version requires building from source.

Source
Helix: Does Helix support plugins?

Not yet. Helix currently has no plugin system, though the project intends to add one eventually; it instead ships with built-in LSP and tree-sitter support out of the box.

Source
Helix: How do I configure Helix?

Helix ships with sane modern defaults requiring much less config-file fiddling than Vim, though settings can still be customized in a config.toml file.

Source
Helix: Where can I get help or support?

Support is community-driven via GitHub for code and issues, the Matrix chat for discussion, and OpenCollective for funding ongoing development.

Source
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