Head-to-head · VPN
ExpressVPN vs Mullvad VPN
Which one to pick in 2026 — comparing 🇺🇸 ExpressVPN with the European alternative 🇪🇺 Mullvad VPN on the things that actually decide who can read your data.
🇺🇸 ExpressVPNvs🇪🇺 Mullvad VPN
Verdict
Who has stronger privacy guarantees by law?
Mullvad VPN — GDPR-native and outside the US CLOUD Act / FISA 702 reach.
Which one encrypts your data end-to-end by default?
Mullvad VPN ships E2E encryption by default. ExpressVPN does not.
Which one tracks you for ads?
Neither monetises through ad tracking.
Which one is open source?
Mullvad VPN is open source. ExpressVPN is proprietary.
Side-by-side
ExpressVPN vs Mullvad VPN — full comparison
Criteria
🇪🇺 Mullvad VPN
🇺🇸 ExpressVPN
Headquarters
Gothenburg, Sweden
British Virgin Islands
Jurisdiction
Sweden (GDPR)
Owned by Kape Technologies (UK/Israel)
Data location
Sweden + global
Global
GDPR-native
Yes
No
CLOUD Act / FISA exposed
No
Yes
Ad tracking
No
No
End-to-end encryption
Yes
No
Open source
Yes
No
Ownership
Amagicom AB
Kape Technologies
Founded
2009
2009
Make the switch
Try Mullvad VPN instead of ExpressVPN
Anonymous VPN, flat €5/month.
Other European alternatives to ExpressVPN