Head-to-head · VPN
NordVPN vs Mullvad VPN
Which one to pick in 2026 — comparing 🇺🇸 NordVPN with the European alternative 🇪🇺 Mullvad VPN on the things that actually decide who can read your data.
🇺🇸 NordVPNvs🇪🇺 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. NordVPN does not.
Which one tracks you for ads?
Neither monetises through ad tracking.
Which one is open source?
Mullvad VPN is open source. NordVPN is proprietary.
Side-by-side
NordVPN vs Mullvad VPN — full comparison
Criteria
🇪🇺 Mullvad VPN
🇺🇸 NordVPN
Headquarters
Gothenburg, Sweden
Panama / USA ops
Jurisdiction
Sweden (GDPR)
USA-aligned (Nord Security)
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
Nord Security
Founded
2009
2012
Make the switch
Try Mullvad VPN instead of NordVPN
Anonymous VPN, flat €5/month.
Other European alternatives to NordVPN