Head to head
The gap
The security score is not a total of good things. It starts at 100 and eight channels each take a share of what is left, so one channel can settle a record on its own. Both records are drawn here on the same scale — the model’s own cap of 0.9 — rather than on a scale fitted to this pair, which would make every comparison look equally dramatic.
Line by line
Every field the contract publishes about a provider, in the contract’s own groups, including the rows where the two agree — a table that printed only differences would invent a disagreement, and one that printed only the interesting rows would be us choosing what is interesting. Open a group to read its rows; each one says how many it holds and how many of them the two records answer differently.
A green cell means the methodology itself prices that value below the other one, not that we prefer it. Rows the model does not price carry no mark at all: price is never marked, because nothing in the model says cheaper is safer, and neither is coverage, platform count or devices. Where a value was never established the cell says so instead of showing a zero.
What actually happened
Other pairs
Pairs within the top ten get a page — 80 comparisons in all. Records below that are not paired here: a comparison earns a page where the choice between the two is a real one, and that choice is made near the top of the register.
Security
Usability
Rank 3 of 68 in the register
Gibraltar · Commercial VPN
Exits in 41 countries
No demand on the public record
1 documented demand, none of which produced data
Security
Usability
Rank 2 of 68 in the register
Sweden · Commercial VPN
Exits in 50 countries
Recent changes
Open questions
Still open on this record.
One no-logs audit, in 2019. IVPN is unusually explicit about what it does not do: its own post states that its last and only no-logs audit was Cure53 in March 2019, and that it has deliberately not repeated the format because such a stamp describes one day and not the days after it.
What the claim rests on now. Every audit since targets apps and services, so the no-logs claim on the infrastructure rests on the March 2019 engagement and on the February 2023 gateway review, not on anything recent.
The audit not yet published. The eighth annual Cure53 audit was scheduled for July 2026 and no report for 2025 or 2026 is published yet, which is why the latest report date is the April 2024 one.
The August 2026 incident. In August 2026 an attacker exploited a vulnerability in the self-hosted BTCPay Server, before it was public, and took IVPN's own Lightning operating funds. IVPN published the account four days later, unprompted, and scoped it to that machine: the VPN gateways were not involved, no customer records were reached, no customer money was lost.
Why it costs nothing. The model charges nothing for this, which is the point — an operator that says so promptly is behaving the way the field is meant to reward, and the entry is here so a reader knows it happened rather than to move a number.
What the engagements covered. The app pentest (iOS, Android, Electron, the daemon) is from March 2022 and the gateway/server-OS review from February 2023; neither tested the no-logs claim itself, the 2023 report says so explicitly, so retention rests on the privacy policy declaration alone.
The latest report is not the relevant one. April 2024's engagement, Cure53's sixth with IVPN, tested the customer account website, API and hosting; its own scope page names client apps and VPN servers out of scope, so it extends neither the app nor the gateway evidence, and V03_audit_subject reads unknown for it rather than carrying that credit forward. The seventh engagement, on the new email and DNS services, was only announced for May 2025; no report for it is published.
What the primary site never establishes. RAM-only is recorded as partial because IVPN describes it as a transition with test deployments under way, and has not announced its completion. Server hardware ownership (leased vs owned), traffic modification at the exit, and the beneficial owner's personal jurisdiction are unestablished: no primary IVPN page states any of the three, nor does user-base scale.
Three fields the knowledgebase answers, not the pages read at first fill. IP allocation is shared by design — "crowding" pools users on one address to blunt attribution. P2P is allowed everywhere, but IVPN asks customers to avoid US exits, citing upstream DMCA pressure. Streaming carries no guarantee, though the company says many customers do reach it.
Still open on this record.
The audit cadence. Mullvad publishes an audit index in the app repository and it is honest about cadence: the index states outright that the main app audits happen every two years, with extras in between, which is why regularity is recorded as repeated at no fixed interval rather than as an annual series — no annual cadence is claimed by anyone.
Two reports, one date. Two separate engagements share 2026-02-17 and the record names both: Assured's code review of GotaTun, the userspace WireGuard implementation (no critical, high or medium issues; two low and nine notes), and Leviathan's Mobile App Profile assessment of the Android app, whose compliance report gives February 17, 2026 as its date of evaluation and AL2 as its assurance level. One date, two reports, no contradiction.
Why the count reads eight. The audit count is eight because the GotaTun review sits outside the app repository's own list. Before them, a 30 person-day X41 D-Sec review across all five platforms found six vulnerabilities — three high, two medium, one low, none critical.
What no engagement covers. What none of these engagements covers is the server fleet: every one of them examines the app or the tunnel protocol, which is why fleet coverage is recorded as not applicable rather than as a sample. The no-logs claim on the infrastructure side therefore rests on the April 2023 search warrant — Swedish police came for customer data and left without it — and not on any audit.
Reproducible builds, Android only. Reproducible builds are Android-only, from version 2025.2 onward, so the field stays partial; the desktop and iOS builds are not verifiable bit-for-bit. Turkey is the one mandate country on the offered list and the hosting behind it is not established.
Nothing published about demands. Nothing on record rests on anything the provider publishes about demands it receives: there is no transparency report and no warrant canary, so the April 2023 seizure carries that ground alone. Kill-switch coverage and P2P policy are unestablished; the latest audit is a protocol code review, not a no-logs engagement, so V11 is silent and retention leans on the declaration.
Notes
On the record as a whole.
First fill 2026-08-26. Sourced entirely from ivpn.net's own pages, the Cure53 audit PDFs and IVPN's blog — no affiliate or review-aggregator site cited.
On the record as a whole.
The April 2023 search warrant is the strongest single item in this record: police attended the office and left with nothing, which is practice evidence rather than paper and ages far more slowly than an audit. Pricing is a flat 5 EUR/month on every term; U04_price_monthly carries 5.80 (the USD equivalent Mullvad states on its own page); U04b_price_yearly is 69.60, the full year at that rate.
12 Sep 20265 changes
Security scoresecurity.score
42 changed to 40
IP allocation modelC03_ip_sharing
not on the record changed to shared
P2P allowedU12a_p2p_allowed
not on the record changed to partial
Major streaming services reachableU12b_streaming_works
not on the record changed to partial
Subject of the latest auditV03_audit_subject
app_security, infrastructure changed to not on the record
25 Sep 20261 changes
Monthly price USD, month-to-month plan, as chargedU04_price_monthly
5.8 changed to 5.69
12 Sep 20264 changes
Security scoresecurity.score
65 changed to 64
Security scoresecurity.score
64 changed to 60
Works under active censorshipU06_censorship_circumvention
none changed to claimed
Usability scoreusability.score
55 changed to 64
| ChannelPressure taken from what was left | IVPNDominant channel: Retention0 to 0.9, longer is worse | Mullvad VPNDominant channel: Retention0 to 0.9, longer is worse |
|---|---|---|
| RetentionDoes a record exist that links traffic to a person, and who checked? | 0.526 | 0.218 |
| IgnoranceHow much of this did nobody establish? | 0.061 | 0.103 |
| HygieneWhat identifying material is collected in passing, and can the client be checked at all? | 0.063 | 0.050 |
| JurisdictionCan someone compel what exists, without the provider getting a say? | 0.030 | 0.050 |
| ArchitectureWho operates the exit, and what does it do to the traffic? | 0.050 | 0.050 |
| DisclosureHas it already handed something over? | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| IntegrityHas it been caught saying one thing and doing another? | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| SilenceTen years, millions of users and nothing on record? | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| What is left of 100The channels multiply: each one takes a share of what the one before it left standing | 38 | 60 |
| IVPN | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Security | 38 weak · rank 3 of 68 | 60 acceptable · rank 2 of 68 |
| Usability | 66 out of 100 | 64 out of 100 |
| Record completeness | 89% usability 100% | 87% usability 75% |
| IVPN | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Who operates the exit | Run by the provider itself provider_operated | Run by the provider itself provider_operated |
| Retention as declared | Nothing that links traffic to a person none_linkable | Nothing that links traffic to a person none_linkable |
| RAM-only diskless servers | Part of the fleet partialBivpn.net · | Yes, on the provider's word yes_declaredBmullvad.net · |
| IP allocation model | Exit address shared between users shared | Exit address shared between users shared |
| Signup without email | Yes, on the provider's word yes_declared | Yes, on the provider's word yes_declared |
| Anonymous payment options | Cash · Cryptocurrency paid directlyBivpn.net · 2 sources · | Cash · Cryptocurrency paid directly · Prepaid voucher or gift cardBmullvad.net · |
| Own DNS inside the tunnel | Yes, on the provider's word yes_declared | Yes, on the provider's word yes_declared |
| Worst third-party SDK category in the app | No third-party SDK none | No third-party SDK none |
| Worst third-party tracker category on the site | Analytics analyticsBivpn.net · | No third-party tracker noneBmullvad.net · |
| Who owns the hardware | — not establishedno source published | Owned and rented both mixedBmullvad.net · |
| Offered countries that sit under a logging mandate | NoneBivpn.net · | 1 TurkeyBmullvad.net · |
| Hosting in the mandate countries it offers | — the question does not ariseno source published | — not establishedno source published |
| Incorporation country mandates retention | No such mandate no | No such mandate no |
| Beneficial owner sits under a retention regime | — not establishedno source published | No such regime noCmullvad.net · |
| Persistent device identifier | An identifier scoped to the app app_scoped_idBivpn.net · | None held noneBplay.google.com · |
| Weakest protocol still offered | — the question does not arise | — the question does not arise |
| What the exit does to passing traffic | — not established | — not established |
| IVPN | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| At least one independent audit | Yes, and the report was read yes_verified | Yes, and the report was read yes_verified |
| How the report is published | The full report is published full_pdf | The full report is published full_pdf |
| Subject of the audit | — not establishedAcure53.de · | The protocol · The app's securityAassured.se · 2 sources · |
| Server fleet coverage | — the question does not arise | — the question does not arise |
| Auditor name | Cure53Acure53.de · 3 sources · | Assured Security Consultants (GotaTun code review) and Leviathan Security Group (Android Mobile App Profile assessment) — two engagements, both reports dated 2026-02-17 |
| IVPN | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Server seizure by law enforcement | No seizure on record none_knownBivpn.net · | Seized, and nothing usable was on it seizure_no_dataBmullvad.net · |
| Actual disclosure history | No disclosure on record none_known | No disclosure on record none_known |
| Court record of compelled production | Told a court it had nothing to produce unable_to_produceBivpn.net · 2 sources · | No court record none_knownBmullvad.net · |
| Response to a national logging mandate |
| IVPN | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Documented gap between claim and behaviour | No documented lie none | No documented lie none |
| Marketing against audit findings | No gap on record none | No gap on record none |
| Ownership structure transparency | Ownership is stated and checkable clear | Ownership is stated and checkable clear |
| Adverse events on the owner group record | Nothing adverse on record clean | Nothing adverse on record clean |
| How the service is paid for | Paid subscriptions only paid_only | Paid subscriptions only paid_only |
| Claims of 100% anonymity or military-grade crypto | Makes no such claim noBivpn.net · | — not establishedno source published |
| Aggressive lifetime subscriptions | Does not no |
| IVPN | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | IVPN Limited, 5 Secretary's lane, GX11 1AA, GibraltarBivpn.net · | Mullvad VPN AB, Box 53049, 400 14 Gothenburg, SwedenBmullvad.net · |
| Where the company sits | Gibraltar GIBivpn.net · 2 sources · | Sweden SEBmullvad.net · |
| Year the service launched | 2009 | 2009 |
| User base scale (mass >=10M, mid >=1M, niche <1M) | — not establishedno source published | Mid: a million users or more mid |
| IVPN | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms with a client | 6 Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, RoutersBivpn.net · | 5 Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, WindowsBmullvad.net · |
| Countries with an exit | 41 countriesBivpn.net · | 50 countriesBmullvad.net · |
| Paying monthly | $6.00 per monthBivpn.net · | $5.69 per monthBmullvad.net · |
IVPN and Mullvad VPN were assessed by the HushFleet team: IVPN scores 38/100 for security, in the Weak band, and Mullvad VPN 60/100, in the Acceptable band. They share an independent audit, independent ownership and sign-up without an account. The 22-point gap opens widest on Retention — “Does a record exist that links traffic to a person, and who checked?” — taking 53% from IVPN and 22% from Mullvad VPN.
By circumstance
| IVPN | Mullvad VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Torrenting | Allowed on some servers partial | — not established |
| Streaming | Some services reachable partial | — not established |
| Devices at once | 5 | 5 |
| Under censorship | Claimed to work claimed | Claimed to work claimed |
| Exits in mandate countries | None | 1 Turkey |
| Hosting in those countries | — the question does not arise | — not established |
| Company under a mandate | No such mandate no | No such mandate no |
| Secret orders | No secret-order regime on record none_known | Orders go through a judge judicial_only |
| Auditor category | A security specialist security_specialist | A security specialist security_specialist |
|---|
| Assurance standard | Another standard other | Another standard other |
|---|
| Date of latest report | 2024-04-08Acure53.de · | 2026-02-17Aassured.se · 2 sources · |
|---|
| Audit cadence | An annual series annual_seriesBivpn.net · 4 sources · | Repeated, at no fixed interval repeated_irregularBgithub.com · |
|---|
| Total published audits | 7Bivpn.net · | 8Bgithub.com · 2 sources · |
|---|
| Retention as the report states it | The report does not address retention not_stated | The report does not address retention not_stated |
|---|
| Client source code published | Every client all | Every client all |
|---|
| Reproducible builds | — not establishedno source published | On some platforms partialBmullvad.net · |
|---|
| Separate pentest | Yes, and the report was read yes_verified | Yes, and the report was read yes_verified |
|---|
| Strength of the assurance opinion | — the question does not arise | — the question does not arise |
|---|
Was never present in that country no_presence |
Was never present in that country no_presence |
| Transparency report | Current, with request numbers fresh_with_numbersBivpn.net · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Reported numbers plausible for this scale | The numbers are plausible at this scale plausibleno source published · | — the question does not ariseno source published |
|---|
| Warrant canary discipline | Kept current maintainedBivpn.net · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Requests received | 34Bivpn.net · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Requests that produced data | 0Bivpn.net · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Secret-order regime | No secret-order regime on record none_knownBivpn.net · 2 sources · | Orders go through a judge judicial_onlyBmullvad.net · |
|---|
| Chronology of documented enforcement events | 0 No demand on the public recordBivpn.net · 2 sources · | 1 documented demandBmullvad.net · |
|---|
no| Coverage exists only on affiliate sites | Covered outside affiliate sites too no | Covered outside affiliate sites too no |
|---|
| Security incident and how it was disclosed | Disclosed by the provider, promptly self_disclosed_prompt | Disclosed by the provider, promptly self_disclosed_prompt |
|---|
| Affiliate programme and payout tier | No affiliate programme none | No affiliate programme none |
|---|
| Owner-run review media discloses the tie | — the question does not arise | — the question does not arise |
|---|
| App store declaration | The store form matches the published policy matches_policy | The store form matches the published policy matches_policy |
|---|
| Ultimate beneficial owner as written | Nicholas Pestell, founder and CEO, 100% owner of IVPN LimitedBivpn.net · | Amagicom AB, 100% owned by founders Fredrik Stromberg and Daniel BerntssonBmullvad.net · |
|---|
| Other businesses of the owner group | None disclosed | None disclosed |
|---|
| Country of the ultimate beneficial owner | — not establishedno source published | SEBmullvad.net · |
|---|
| Owner group | independent | independent |
|---|
| Date the current owner took control | — the question does not arise | — the question does not arise |
|---|
| Role of this brand inside the group | The group's principal brand principal | The group's principal brand principal |
|---|
| Infrastructure shared with cluster siblings | Separate infrastructure separate | Separate infrastructure separate |
|---|
| Paying yearly | $60.00 a year at renewal, billed onceBivpn.net · | $69.60 a year at renewal, billed onceBmullvad.net · |
|---|
| Usable free tier | No free tier none | No free tier none |
|---|
| Works under active censorship | Claimed to work claimed | Claimed to work claimed |
|---|
| Protocols offered | 4 WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, An obfuscated protocolBivpn.net · 2 sources · | 1 WireGuardBmullvad.net · 2 sources · |
|---|
| Kill switch coverage | On every platform all_platformsBivpn.net · 2 sources · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Split tunneling available | Available yes | Available yes |
|---|
| Simultaneous connections | 5 | 5 |
|---|
| Friction to start using it | No account needed no_account | No account needed no_account |
|---|
| P2P allowed | Allowed on some servers partialBivpn.net · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Major streaming services reachable | Some services reachable partialBivpn.net · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
