2026

Mullvad VPN vs Surfshark

Mullvad VPN and Surfshark compared side by side: protection, performance, pricing, and features. Which antivirus suits you better?

Mullvad VPN

8.3

/ 10

Mullvad VPN is the gold standard for privacy: no account needed, cash payment possible, fully open source and independently audited. The service costs a flat EUR 5/month – no introductory offers or price increases. Mullvad uses the WireGuard protocol and offers solid speeds. The feature set is intentionally minimalist – no streaming focus, no marketing. The best choice for purists.

1st Year PriceCHF 60.00 RenewalCHF 60.00 PlatformsWindows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad

Protection 9.8

Performance 9.0

Best for 7.8

First-year price 8.5

Key features 7.5

Support 7.2

Surfshark

9.1

/ 10

Surfshark stands out with unlimited simultaneous connections – ideal for families and shared households. The Surfshark One suite combines VPN, antivirus, search engine, and alert system. Speeds are very good and the server network spans over 3,200 servers in 100 countries. The value proposition is among the best on the market, especially on the 2-year plan.

1st Year PriceCHF 59.90 RenewalCHF 119.90 PlatformsWindows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad

Protection 9.2

Performance 9.0

Best for 9.2

First-year price 9.4

Key features 9.1

Support 8.5

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Our Verdict

Surfshark narrowly wins – Mullvad VPN is the leaner choice.

Surfshark scores 9.1 / 10 overall and is the stronger pick on protection and feature scope. If you value maximum performance, low resource use and lower renewal costs, Mullvad VPN is the better fit. Both are excellent options for Swiss users.

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Our verdict

Surfshark takes a slight lead in our comparison with an overall score of 9.1 out of 10 – an advantage of 0.8 points over Mullvad VPN. The gap is small but consistent across multiple test dimensions.

On price, Mullvad VPN currently sits at CHF 60 in year one, Surfshark at CHF 60. Watch the renewal price closely: both are transparently listed in the table above and matter more long-term than the introductory price.

Strength profiles: Mullvad VPN scores highest on protection, Surfshark on price-performance. If you care most about one of those dimensions, the choice is clear. For all-round needs, either product is a safe pick.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Criterion	Mullvad VPN	Surfshark
Real-time protection	Yes	Yes
Built-in VPN	No	No
Password manager	No	No
Anti-tracking / anti-phishing	No	No
Parental controls	No	No
Identity protection	No	No
Low system impact	No	No
Platforms	Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad	Windows, Mac, Android, iPhone / iPad
Number of devices (standard licence)	5	999
System impact in daily use	Very low	Very low

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Frequently asked questions about Mullvad VPN vs Surfshark

Which scores higher on protection, Mullvad VPN or Surfshark?

Both reach top scores in AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives – the differences are small. The exact scores are in the comparison table above.

Which is cheaper in year 1 and on renewal – Mullvad VPN or Surfshark?

Look at the price columns above: year-one price and renewal price are stated transparently side by side. The renewal delta is often the bigger cost factor over 3 years.

Which is better for families, Mullvad VPN or Surfshark?

Both offer family plans for 5–10 devices. What matters: does the product have a dedicated parental-controls mode, screen-time management and a smooth setup. Details in the feature table.

Do I get better Mac/mobile support with Mullvad VPN or Surfshark?

Platform support is listed in the comparison above. Generally: macOS performance is best with Bitdefender and Intego; Android protection is most mature with Bitdefender, Norton and Kaspersky.