Mullvad has been our top choice as the most private VPN for years, but there's always been a catch: The Swedish VPN provider didn't offer mobile client apps.
Instead, users had to download third-party OpenVPN Android or iOS apps, then configure them with Mullvad's configuration scripts. The somewhat tricky procedure could quickly become a pain, and a big contrast from the dead-easy Windows, Mac and Linux Mullvad desktop applications.
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All that has finally changed. Last week, the company officially released the Mullvad iOS app, which had been in beta for more than a year. Instead of the OpenVPN protocol, the new iOS app uses the light, fast and simple WireGuard VPN protocol. You can even sign up for the service in the app instead of going to the Mullvad website.
Meanwhile, the Mullvad Android beta app, which has been available since September 2019, now also uses WireGuard exclusively. Unlike the iOS app, you'll have to get an account on the Mullvad website before you can use the Android beta.
Why you should use Mullvad VPN
Mullvad is unique among VPN services in that you don't need a username or password to use it.
Instead, the Mullvad servers spit out a randomly generated 16-digit account number when you sign up. The account number logs you into the service. (You can even sign up for Mullvad service via the Tor anonymizing protocol.)
The company never needs to know your name, email address or other personal information. You can pay for its service in cold, hard cash (bills only, please) "in any valid currency". Just mail the money to Mullvad's post-office box in Gothenburg, Sweden and include your account number on a piece of paper.
Mullvad does accept credit cards and PayPal, for which you do have to provide personal information. It also takes Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, its own Mullvad coupons, wire transfers and the Swedish mobile-payment service Swish.
After a three-hour trial period, Mullvad service costs 5 euros, or about $5.50, per month. Alas, there are no discounts if you pay for more than one month at once. But even at about $65 per year, Mullvad is quite moderately priced for a VPN service.
