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Cybersecurity · head to head

Mullvad VPN vs Windscribe

M

Mullvad VPN

Cybersecurity

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

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
W

Windscribe

Cybersecurity

VPN and firewall service with a generous free data tier and a customizable Build-A-Plan option

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Windscribe has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mullvad VPN offers no free trial or free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors.; Windscribe free tier's 10GB cap still requires email confirmation and social sharing to unlock, unlike some no-strings-attached competitors.
  • They diverge on capability: Mullvad VPN covers Flat single pricing, Windscribe covers Firewall / default block.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Mullvad VPN and Windscribe differ
AttributeMullvad VPNWindscribe
Starting price$5/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Platformswindows, mac, linux, ios, androidwindows, mac, linux, ios, android, web
Founded2009Unknown

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

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 Mullvad VPN

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

Only in Windscribe

  • Firewall / default block
  • Unlimited simultaneous devices
  • Build-A-Plan
  • R.O.B.E.R.T. content blocker
  • Static IP and port forwarding add-ons

What people use each for

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

Mullvad VPN

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

Windscribe

  • Running a free VPN across unlimited personal devicesnot Mullvad VPN
  • Buying access to just a few specific server locations cheaplynot Mullvad VPN
  • Blocking ads and trackers at the DNS level while browsingnot Mullvad VPN
  • Preventing IP leaks with a default-block firewall rulenot Mullvad VPN

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Windscribe

  • Free tier's 10GB cap still requires email confirmation and social sharing to unlock, unlike some no-strings-attached competitors.
  • Build-A-Plan's low cost only covers selected locations, so broad global coverage still requires the full Pro plan.
  • Server speeds and streaming reliability are inconsistent compared to larger premium VPN providers.
  • Customer support is primarily ticket/community-based rather than live chat for lower tiers.

Pricing, plan by plan

Mullvad VPN

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

Windscribe

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10GB of data per month with confirmed email
    • 10 server countries
    • Unlimited devices
  • Build-A-Plan$3/month
    • Pay per selected server location ($1/location)
    • $3 minimum purchase
    • Unlimited data on selected locations
  • Pro$9/month
    • Unlimited data
    • 69+ countries
    • $69/year on annual billing

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Windscribe if

  • You need firewall / default block.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android, web.
  • You also want unlimited simultaneous devices.
Windscribe review

Questions people ask

Is Mullvad VPN or Windscribe better?
Neither clearly leads. Mullvad VPN starts at $5/month and Windscribe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mullvad VPN or Windscribe?
Windscribe has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/month for Mullvad VPN and Free for Windscribe.
Does Mullvad VPN or Windscribe run on more platforms?
Mullvad VPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android. Windscribe runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android, web.
Can I use Windscribe for free?
Yes. Windscribe has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mullvad VPN starts at $5/month.
What is Mullvad VPN best used for?
Mullvad VPN is most often used for paying for a vpn anonymously with cash or cryptocurrency, avoiding tiered upsells with a single flat-rate plan, signing up without providing an email address, verifying a provider's privacy claims via independent audits. Of those, paying for a vpn anonymously with cash or cryptocurrency and avoiding tiered upsells with a single flat-rate plan are not what Windscribe is typically brought in for.
What can Mullvad VPN do that Windscribe cannot?
Mullvad VPN covers Flat single pricing, Account-number signup, Cash and crypto payments, WireGuard support. Windscribe covers Firewall / default block, Unlimited simultaneous devices, Build-A-Plan, R.O.B.E.R.T. content blocker.
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