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Cybersecurity · head to head

Mullvad VPN vs ZeroTier

M

Mullvad VPN

Cybersecurity

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

From
$5/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ZeroTier logo

ZeroTier

Networking

Software-defined mesh networking, free up to 10 devices and one network, then billed per device

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only ZeroTier 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.; ZeroTier the free tier caps at 10 devices and 1 network, which a small business will outgrow quickly and then face both a base plan fee and per-device overage charges
  • They diverge on capability: Mullvad VPN covers Flat single pricing, ZeroTier covers Peer-to-peer mesh networking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Mullvad VPN and ZeroTier differ
AttributeMullvad VPNZeroTier
Starting price$5/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionFree up to 10 devices and 1 network, then per additional device per month
Free tierNoYes
Platformswindows, mac, linux, ios, androidWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
CategoryCybersecurityNetworking
Founded2009Unknown

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 Mullvad VPN

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

Only in ZeroTier

  • Peer-to-peer mesh networking
  • Free personal tier
  • Per-device overage pricing
  • Multiple networks
  • Cross-platform clients

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 ZeroTier
  • Avoiding tiered upsells with a single flat-rate plannot ZeroTier
  • Signing up without providing an email addressnot ZeroTier
  • Verifying a provider's privacy claims via independent auditsnot ZeroTier

ZeroTier

  • A hobbyist or small home lab wanting free virtual LAN connectivity across devices without a business tiernot Mullvad VPN
  • A small business connecting a handful of remote offices or remote workers into one virtual network on the Essential plannot Mullvad VPN
  • A growing company scaling past the free device limit that needs multiple networks and predictable per-device overage pricingnot Mullvad VPN
  • A service provider or large IoT deployer needing custom Enterprise or Quantum packaging for very large device countsnot 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.

ZeroTier

  • The free tier caps at 10 devices and 1 network, which a small business will outgrow quickly and then face both a base plan fee and per-device overage charges
  • Per-additional-device pricing on Essential ($2.00 each) is proportionally expensive for a team that grows just past the included count, since the jump from free to paid is immediate once the 11th device joins
  • Relay fallback, when a direct peer-to-peer path cannot be established (common behind certain NAT or firewall configurations), routes traffic through ZeroTier's infrastructure, adding latency and a dependency the buyer does not fully control
  • Enterprise and Quantum tiers are entirely custom-quoted, so very large deployments cannot be budgeted from the public pricing page
  • Network administration for larger deployments (Scale and above) still requires understanding ZeroTier's access control and network rule model, which has a real learning curve beyond simple device joining
  • As with any software-defined mesh network, security depends on correctly configured network authorization; a misconfigured network can expose devices more broadly than intended

Pricing, plan by plan

Mullvad VPN

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

ZeroTier

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • 10 devices included
    • 1 network
  • Essential$18/month
    • 10 devices included
    • 10 networks
    • $2.00 per additional device/month
  • Scale$179/month
    • 100 devices included
    • Unlimited networks
    • $1.80 per additional device/month

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 ZeroTier if

  • You need peer-to-peer mesh networking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want free personal tier.
ZeroTier review

Questions people ask

Is Mullvad VPN or ZeroTier better?
Neither clearly leads. Mullvad VPN starts at $5/month and ZeroTier at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mullvad VPN or ZeroTier?
ZeroTier has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5/month for Mullvad VPN and Free for ZeroTier.
Does Mullvad VPN or ZeroTier run on more platforms?
Mullvad VPN runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android. ZeroTier runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use ZeroTier for free?
Yes. ZeroTier 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 ZeroTier is typically brought in for.
What can Mullvad VPN do that ZeroTier cannot?
Mullvad VPN covers Flat single pricing, Account-number signup, Cash and crypto payments, WireGuard support. ZeroTier covers Peer-to-peer mesh networking, Free personal tier, Per-device overage pricing, Multiple networks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ZeroTier: Is ZeroTier free for personal use?

Yes, the Personal plan is free for up to 10 devices and 1 network.

ZeroTier: How does overage pricing work?

Beyond a plan's included device count, additional devices are billed individually per month, at $2.00 each on Essential and $1.80 each on Scale.

ZeroTier: Is there a nonprofit or education discount?

Yes, registered charities and educational organisations receive up to 50% off.

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