Mullvad VPN review: Still our favorite ultra-private VPN

Sam Singleton

Sam Singleton

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    </div></figure><p class="imageCredit">Sam Singleton</p></div>

When you open Mullvad’s Windows app it strikes one as modern and clean, and very much like a Windows Store app. It starts with a non-interactive map in the primary section of the window to show which location you’re connected to, or your default location at the country level.

Towards the bottom of the app screen you’ll find a button showing your currently selected VPN server and below that a Secure my connection button, which you can click to connect to the server.

When connected, you’ll see a Switch location and Disconnect button at the bottom of the window. The top of the screen, meanwhile, shows a green banner with the Mullvad VPN logo, indicating you’re connected.

Sam Singleton

            <div class="lightbox-image-container foundry-lightbox"><div class="extendedBlock-wrapper block-coreImage undefined"><figure class="wp-block-image size-full enlarged-image"><img decoding="async" data-wp-bind--src="selectors.core.image.enlargedImgSrc" data-wp-style--object-fit="selectors.core.image.lightboxObjectFit" src="" alt="Mullvad VPN" class="wp-image-2287288" width="392" height="733" loading="lazy" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><p>Mullvad VPN&rsquo;s server network is on the small side, but it should still be enough for most users.</p>

Sam Singleton

    </div></figure><p class="imageCredit">Sam Singleton</p></div>

If you jump into the country listings, you can either select a country, select a specific location within the country if more than one is available, and drill down to individual servers. The app doesn’t show any specific metrics about each server such as ping times or load, but if there’s a red circle next to it that means it’s not available for use. Green, meanwhile, means it’s working.

With around 650 total servers, Mullvad VPN’s server network is rather small compared to some of its competitors. Services such as CyberGhost VPN and Private Internet Access boast server networks over 10,000. Still, I never felt that I was limited in my options while using Mullvad’s service.

The app itself is very easy to read and understand both in the Windows and Android versions. The default window panel is permanently fixed to the bottom-right corner of the screen, but you can change this under settings if you wish.

Mullvad traditionally hasn’t been big on extra features or services compared to other VPNs. It doesn’t promise to get past Netflix VPN restrictions (though sometimes it does), there aren’t any double-hop connections, or smart DNS; however, that doesn’t mean it’s a barebones VPN by any stretch.