Proton VPN vs Mullvad for Canadians (2026)

This page has affiliate links. If you buy through them, freeswan.ca earns a commission; your price stays the same and it does not change what we write. How we review.

Short answer

Pick Proton VPN if you want to start free, need to cover more than 5 devices, or want a 30-day refund window. Pick Mullvad if you want the same price every month with no introductory discount to expire, a server in Calgary, or the option to pay in Canadian dollars. Both are European companies, Swiss and Swedish, and both publish outside audits.

This comparison is an editorial assessment from each provider's published pages and price data, checked on October 6, 2026. We did not run our own tests; our review method explains why.

See Proton VPN plans

See Mullvad's pricing

Side by side

Price and renewal

Mullvad charges EUR 5 a month, VAT included, whether you pay for one month, one year or a decade. Its pricing page shows its own equivalents, including about CA$8 (CA$8.02 when we read it), and lists CAD among the currencies it accepts. Because the rate never changes, there is no renewal surprise.

Proton VPN fills in its pricing page with a script, so we read its prices from Proton's own price data. That data offers only Swiss francs, euros and US dollars. Its US-dollar list prices for VPN Plus on October 6, 2026 were USD 9.99 for one month, USD 83.88 for 12 months and USD 119.76 for 24 months. The data did not include a renewal price. Proton also has a free plan, covered below.

We have not converted any figure, and the two providers price in different currencies. On a month-to-month basis, the cleanest comparison is EUR 5 at Mullvad against USD 9.99 at Proton; check what each shows you at checkout. Our cheapest VPN in Canada page puts these next to other providers.

The free option

Proton's free plan is "Unlimited and free forever", works on 1 device and connects to servers in "10 countries (randomly selected)". Proton says it has no data or speed limits. You cannot pick a Canadian server on it. Mullvad has no free plan; its pricing page has a section headed "Why no free plan?". If you want to try before you pay, Proton is the one to start with. Our free VPN in Canada page covers the free options in more detail.

Servers in Canada

Mullvad's relay list includes Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. Proton's server pages list Canada. Mullvad's extra city is Calgary. If you live in Alberta, that is the one practical difference in Canadian coverage. Elsewhere in the country both list the same three cities.

The networks differ in size. Mullvad's servers page counts 50 countries and 91 cities. Proton's pricing page states "140+ countries, 20,000+ servers".

Protocols and apps

Mullvad uses WireGuard only. Its "Why Mullvad VPN" page describes quantum-resistant connections and obfuscation options: QUIC, LWO, Shadowsocks and TCP. OpenVPN appears on its site only in the company history.

The Proton pages we read did not list the protocols its apps use. The free VPN page mentions a "Stealth VPN protocol". If you need a particular protocol, for example for a router, check Proton's support pages first. If you need OpenVPN specifically, Mullvad is not the right fit.

Privacy and audits

Proton VPN is run by Proton AG in Geneva, Switzerland, according to its privacy policy. Its no-logs audit post says Securitum audits its no-logs policy each year, and that the 2026 report is "the fifth consecutive annual audit".

Mullvad says it is "based in Sweden". Mullvad VPN AB is owned by Amagicom AB, which Mullvad says is wholly owned by its founders. Its about page links to app audits from 2018 and 2020, a Cure53 infrastructure audit in December 2020, an NCC Group audit of the Android app in March 2025 and an Assured website audit in August 2025.

Proton's audits are yearly and focus on no-logs. Mullvad's cover different parts of the service at different times. Read the reports linked from each provider's site to see what was checked.

What they have in common

Readers who compare these two usually care about privacy first. Both companies are based in Europe and both publish audit reports on their own sites. Neither showed us a Canadian-dollar price, apart from Mullvad's own about CA$8 (CA$8.02 when we read it) equivalent.

Both also share the limits of every VPN. The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada noted in a 2017 blog post that a VPN provider is in a "privileged position to monitor, log, or tamper with" the traffic it carries, and that VPNs are a "poor way of guaranteeing online anonymity". Choosing between Proton and Mullvad is choosing which company you trust with that position. Our guide to what a VPN hides covers the rest.

Which to choose

• You want to pay nothing: Proton VPN free.
• You have 6 to 10 devices: Proton VPN Plus.
• You want a flat price that never jumps: Mullvad.
• You want a Calgary server: Mullvad.
• You want to pay in Canadian dollars: Mullvad accepts CAD.
• You want a longer refund window: Proton VPN (30 days).

Try Proton VPN

Visit Mullvad's site

For the full detail, read our Proton VPN review and Mullvad review.

Common questions