Surfshark vs Mullvad: More Devices or More Privacy
Surfshark is my pick for a household, since it allows unlimited devices and costs £2.49 a month on its 12-month plan. Mullvad suits the reader who puts privacy first, since connecting takes nothing but an account number and no personal details. The VPN Advisor's own comparison data, checked in October 2026, measures Mullvad's latency at 20 ms against 23 ms for Surfshark, with downloads at 94 Mbps and 96 Mbps.
Surfshark covers every device in the house
Surfshark runs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone, on Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV sets, on routers, and as Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions. Its Starter, One and One+ plans all allow unlimited devices at once, though the rule doesn't extend to its Antivirus service. Family members can share one subscription by signing in with the same details. Surfshark says it sets no bandwidth limit, so adding devices doesn't slow the connection.
A year on that plan comes to £29.88 on The VPN Advisor's figures. Surfshark's App Store listing says subscriptions renew by themselves unless you switch auto-renewal off at least 24 hours before the period ends. Its 7-day free trial covers 3 devices, then unlimited. A 30-day money-back guarantee then runs once the trial is over.
Mullvad needs no account details at all
Mullvad gives you a 16-digit account number that doubles as your password, Yahoo Tech reports. Its terms make that number your only proof of the right to use the service or claim a refund, so write it down. Mullvad's privacy policy allows data collection in exactly two cases, Yahoo Tech says: paying by anything other than a voucher or cash, or opening a support ticket. Macworld notes you can buy its prepaid cards so no payment information is logged.
Mullvad's terms of service set the price at €5 a month for one account on up to 5 devices. Awebanalysis says it has run since 2009 and sells that one plan with no tiers and no annual discount, so a long commitment saves you nothing. It also accepts crypto and cash.
Mullvad's no-logging rules go further
Mullvad's terms say it never stores activity logs or metadata and keeps data retention minimal. Its no-logging policy rules out traffic, DNS requests, connections, timestamps, IP addresses and bandwidth. Simultaneous connections are the one thing it counts, because each account gets five. Connection checks sit in temporary memory and never reach a disk.
Amagicom AB runs Mullvad from Gothenburg under Swedish law, and PCMag says the company has promised to shut down rather than spy on users if the law ever demands it. Swedish police searched its headquarters with a warrant in April 2023 and left with nothing. Mullvad has passed four independent infrastructure audits, the latest by Cure53 in 2024. PCMag adds that it has committed to annual audits. Every server sits where its label says, with no virtual locations. Its Android app passed an NCC Group audit in March 2025, Awebanalysis reports.
Surfshark's privacy record and extras
Surfshark and Mullvad both keep their servers on RAM only. Surfshark is based in Amsterdam and says Dutch law doesn't require it to keep user data. Its App Store listing adds that it doesn't monitor, track or store what you do online. Awebanalysis says Deloitte checked its no-logs policy twice, in 2023 and 2025, with Cure53 having done the first audit back in 2018. On code, Surfshark and Mullvad split: The VPN Advisor's data lists Surfshark's apps as closed source, where Mullvad publishes its own.
Surfshark's Dynamic MultiHop routes your traffic through two servers you choose, so each pair of hops is one you picked yourself. Alternative ID generates a second email address and name for sign-ups. Siri Shortcuts work too. Support runs by live chat, email and a knowledge base. Its app also has a kill switch that cuts your connection if the VPN drops.
Mullvad speed and features in testing
PCMag measured Mullvad slowing downloads by 8.04% and uploads by 5.54%, with latency up 74.78%. Its Windows app filters servers by provider and by whether the company owns or rents each machine, an option PCMag hasn't seen elsewhere. Split tunneling works on Windows and macOS but not on iOS. Port forwarding is missing, the one major gap Yahoo Tech found. Mullvad connects over WireGuard alone, where Surfshark offers OpenVPN, WireGuard and IKEv2. Its support comes by email and a knowledge base, in business hours only on The VPN Advisor's data.
Surfshark for families, Mullvad for anonymity
Choose Surfshark if several people need cover on one subscription for a low yearly cost, with live chat when something breaks, accepting closed-source apps and a plan that renews by itself. Choose Mullvad if you want to connect without handing over any personal details, and can live with a five-device cap, no port forwarding and support in business hours. Mullvad also serves anyone who wants one flat monthly price, paid in crypto or cash, rather than a longer plan with a discount.
