If you set it to automatic, Mullvad won't use Shadowsocks if everything is working fine. If this all sounds hard to set up, don't worry-Mullvad uses it right out of the box! If you look in the Advanced settings in Mullvad, you'll see a setting called 'Bridge Mode.' This is the Shadowsocks implementation and it's set to automatically turn on by default. By using Shadowsocks, you have your own proxy server which makes it a lot harder for a firewall to find. If a firewall owner wants to block specific VPNs, it can look at how it operates and add it to the blacklist. So, how is Shadowsocks different from using the VPN by itself? The key here is that Shadowsocks has no affiliation to the VPN. Some private browsers use Shadowsocks to hide their tracks. Shadowsocks achieves this by encrypting the data you're sending and passes it to a proxy server, which then sends your data to the VPN service. Mullvad offers a Shadowsocks proxy, similar to Surfshark ( our review), which helps VPNs bust through restrictive firewalls, like the Great Firewall of China. Mullvad's Shadowsocks Implementation: Best VPN for China?

If none of them work, you can quickly move to New York and try the servers there. If a server in Dallas, Texas can't get through a US-based geo-block, you can try Dallas' other servers. This wide range of servers makes it good for cracking geo-locations.

You can then pay the monthly fee under this number to start the service. By clicking 'Generate Account' on the main page, you're instantly given a number to use as your login code. You get a number and use that as your personal identifier. How Do You Make a Mullvad Account?Īs we discussed, Mullvad doesn't use accounts. Unfortunately, while you can buy months in bulk, you get no discount for doing so. This is cheaper than the $7-9 some VPNs charge per month. It's at a very agreeable €5.00 a month-that's around $5.50 in USD. These payments can be made using card, PayPal, cash, bank transfer, or even Bitcoin.Īnother aspect that makes Mullvad unique is its price. You can subscribe if you like, but the option for one-off payments is available. For one, you don't need to set up a recurring subscription to use Mullvad. Mullvad's payment plans are unique compared to other VPN providers. Sweden however, is located in the Nine-Eyes Alliance, which means they can be compelled to turn over data to the Swedish government and, by extension, any of their intelligence partners.

Neither owner has any shady past or things to hide, but even if they did, Mullvad's unique login method makes this irrelevant. They even have a website called Am I Mullvad that tests if your VPN's connection is secure.įredrik Strömberg and Daniel Berntsson own the company, and they run a small team of developers who work on Mullvad. 'Amagicom' in Swedish means 'Free Communication,' which fits their pro-privacy stance. Mullvad is owned by Amagicom AB, located in Sweden. This is an important step to take, as many VPNs are owned by either the same companies or companies with shady ownership and untrustworthy backgrounds. With the formalities out of the way, let's take a look at who is behind Mullvad.

Mullvad VPN doesn't have any additional extras that make it suitable for high-risk use, but privacy features and ease of use make it a fine tool for anyone who wants to mask their presence on the internet.

Mullvad reviews