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 2 of 68 in the register
Sweden · Commercial VPN
Exits in 50 countries
1 documented demand, none of which produced data
1 documented demand, none of which produced data
Security
Usability
Rank 8 of 68 in the register
United States · Commercial VPN
Exits in 20 countries
Open questions
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.
Still open on this record.
No independent audit. No third-party security, infrastructure or no-logs audit of OVPN's own systems was found on its site, in press or in help documentation; the closest adversarial test of its no-logs claim is the 2020 Swedish court proceeding, which is not an audit and does not speak to the current WireGuard/OpenVPN stack in detail.
Owner-group history predates OVPN's acquisition. The adverse finding behind this record's inclusion (X04) is a 2017 complaint against AnchorFree, Pango's corporate predecessor, over Hotspot Shield's ad-network data sharing — six years before Pango acquired OVPN. It was never adjudicated by the FTC, and OVPN's own infrastructure and policies are separately documented in this record.
Corporate structure split across two entities. OVPN's current Terms of Service and Privacy Notice name OVPN Inc. (Redwood City, California) as the contracting party, while OVPN's own help center names OVPN Integritet AB (Sweden, org. no. 556999-4469) as the operator. Both are described as under the same ultimate owner, Pango; which entity holds the infrastructure and legal responsibility for a given user was not resolved further.
Notes
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.
Recent changes
1 change logged, on 13 Sep 2026
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
13 Sep 20261 changes
Security scoresecurity.score
25 changed to 24
| ChannelPressure taken from what was left | Mullvad VPNDominant channel: Retention0 to 0.9, longer is worse | OVPNDominant channel: Retention0 to 0.9, longer is worse |
|---|---|---|
| RetentionDoes a record exist that links traffic to a person, and who checked? | 0.218 | 0.329 |
| IntegrityHas it been caught saying one thing and doing another? | 0.000 | 0.323 |
| IgnoranceHow much of this did nobody establish? | 0.103 | 0.227 |
| JurisdictionCan someone compel what exists, without the provider getting a say? | 0.050 | 0.200 |
| HygieneWhat identifying material is collected in passing, and can the client be checked at all? | 0.050 | 0.104 |
| 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 |
| 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 | 60 | 24 |
Mullvad VPN and OVPN were assessed by the HushFleet team: Mullvad VPN scores 60/100 for security, in the Acceptable band, and OVPN 24/100, in the Insufficient band. They share sign-up without an account. The 36-point gap opens widest on Integrity — “Has it been caught saying one thing and doing another?” — taking 0% from Mullvad VPN and 32% from OVPN.
By circumstance
| Mullvad VPN | OVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Torrenting | — not established | Allowed yes |
| Streaming | — not established | Reachable yes |
| Devices at once | 5 | 4 |
| Under censorship | Claimed to work claimed | Claimed to work claimed |
| Exits in mandate countries | 1 Turkey | None |
| Hosting in those countries | — not established | — the question does not arise |
| Company under a mandate | No such mandate no | — not established |
| Secret orders | Orders go through a judge judicial_only | National security letters or their equivalent nsl_equivalent |
| Mullvad VPN | OVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Security | 60 acceptable · rank 2 of 68 | 24 insufficient · rank 8 of 68 |
| Usability | 64 out of 100 | 62 out of 100 |
| Record completeness | 87% usability 75% | 70% usability 100% |
| Mullvad VPN | OVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes, on the provider's word yes_declared | Yes, on the provider's word yes_declared |
| IP allocation model | Exit address shared between users sharedBmullvad.net · | Dedicated address offered as an option dedicated_optionBsupport.ovpn.com · |
| 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 directly · Prepaid voucher or gift cardBmullvad.net · | Cryptocurrency through a processorBsupport.ovpn.com · |
| 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 noneBmullvad.net · | Crash reporting crashBapps.apple.com · |
| Worst third-party tracker category on the site | No third-party tracker noneBmullvad.net · | Analytics analyticsBovpn.com · |
| Who owns the hardware | Owned and rented both mixedBmullvad.net · | Owned by the provider ownedBovpn.com · |
| Offered countries that sit under a logging mandate | 1 TurkeyBmullvad.net · | NoneBovpn.com · |
| Hosting in the mandate countries it offers | — not establishedno source published | — the question does not ariseBovpn.com · |
| Incorporation country mandates retention | No such mandate noBmullvad.net · | — not establishedno source published |
| Beneficial owner sits under a retention regime | No such regime noCmullvad.net · | — not establishedno source published |
| Persistent device identifier | None held none | None held none |
| 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 |
| Mullvad VPN | OVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| At least one independent audit | Yes, and the report was read yes_verifiedBgithub.com · | — not establishedno source published |
| How the report is published | The full report is published full_pdfBgithub.com · | — not establishedno source published |
| Subject of the audit | The protocol · The app's securityAassured.se · 2 sources · | — not establishedno source published |
| Server fleet coverage | — the question does not ariseno source published | — not establishedno source published |
| Mullvad VPN | OVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Server seizure by law enforcement | Seized, and nothing usable was on it seizure_no_dataBmullvad.net · | No seizure on record none_knownBovpn.com · |
| Actual disclosure history | No disclosure on record none_known | No disclosure on record none_known |
| Court record of compelled production | No court record none_knownBmullvad.net · | Told a court it had nothing to produce unable_to_produceBovpn.com · |
| Response to a national logging mandate |
| Mullvad VPN | OVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 cleanCmullvad.net · | A history of adware or malware adware_malware_historyAcdt.org · |
| How the service is paid for | Paid subscriptions only paid_only | Paid subscriptions only paid_only |
| Claims of 100% anonymity or military-grade crypto | — not established |
| Mullvad VPN | OVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal entity | Mullvad VPN AB, Box 53049, 400 14 Gothenburg, SwedenBmullvad.net · | OVPN Inc.Bovpn.com · |
| Where the company sits | Sweden SEBmullvad.net · | United States USBovpn.com · |
| Year the service launched | 2009Bmullvad.net · | 2014Bovpn.com · |
| User base scale (mass >=10M, mid >=1M, niche <1M) |
| Mullvad VPN | OVPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms with a client | 5 Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, WindowsBmullvad.net · | 6 Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, RoutersBovpn.com · |
| Countries with an exit | 50 countriesBmullvad.net · | 20 countriesBovpn.com · |
| Paying monthly | $5.69 per monthBmullvad.net · | $12.00 per monthBovpn.com · |
| Auditor name | Assured Security Consultants (GotaTun code review) and Leviathan Security Group (Android Mobile App Profile assessment) — two engagements, both reports dated 2026-02-17Aassured.se · 3 sources · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Auditor category | A security specialist security_specialistBgithub.com · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Assurance standard | Another standard otherBgithub.com · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Date of latest report | 2026-02-17Aassured.se · 2 sources · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Audit cadence | Repeated, at no fixed interval repeated_irregularBgithub.com · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Total published audits | 8Bgithub.com · 2 sources · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Retention as the report states it | The report does not address retention not_statedBgithub.com · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Client source code published | Every client allBgithub.com · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Reproducible builds | On some platforms partialBmullvad.net · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Separate pentest | Yes, and the report was read yes_verifiedAx41-dsec.de · 2 sources · | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Strength of the assurance opinion | — the question does not ariseno source published | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
no_presence| — not establishedno source published |
| Transparency report | — not establishedno source published | Current, with request numbers fresh_with_numbersBovpn.com · |
|---|
| Reported numbers plausible for this scale | — the question does not ariseno source published | — not establishedno source published |
|---|
| Warrant canary discipline | — not established | — not established |
|---|
| Requests received | — not establishedno source published | 0Bovpn.com · |
|---|
| Requests that produced data | — not establishedno source published | 0Bovpn.com · |
|---|
| Secret-order regime | Orders go through a judge judicial_onlyBmullvad.net · | National security letters or their equivalent nsl_equivalentBeff.org · |
|---|
| Chronology of documented enforcement events | 1 documented demandBmullvad.net · | 1 documented demandBovpn.com · |
|---|
Claims total anonymity or military-grade encryption yesBsupport.ovpn.com · |
| Aggressive lifetime subscriptions | Does not no | Does not 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_promptBmullvad.net · | No incident on record none_knownBovpn.com · |
|---|
| Affiliate programme and payout tier | No affiliate programme noneBmullvad.net · | A standard payout standardBovpn.com · |
|---|
| 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 |
|---|
Mid: a million users or more midBmullvad.net · |
| — not establishedno source published |
| Ultimate beneficial owner as written | Amagicom AB, 100% owned by founders Fredrik Stromberg and Daniel BerntssonBmullvad.net · | PangoBsupport.ovpn.com · |
|---|
| Other businesses of the owner group | None disclosedBmullvad.net · | A portfolio of other appsCen.wikipedia.org · |
|---|
| Country of the ultimate beneficial owner | SEBmullvad.net · | USBovpn.com · |
|---|
| Owner group | independentBmullvad.net · | pangoBsupport.ovpn.com · 2 sources · |
|---|
| Date the current owner took control | — the question does not ariseno source published | 2023-05-08Bovpn.com · |
|---|
| Role of this brand inside the group | The group's principal brand principalBmullvad.net · | A brand the group acquired acquired_brandBovpn.com · |
|---|
| Infrastructure shared with cluster siblings | Separate infrastructure separate | Separate infrastructure separate |
|---|
| Paying yearly |
|---|
| $69.60 a year at renewal, billed onceBmullvad.net · |
| $59.88 a year at renewal, billed onceBovpn.com · |
| 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 | 1 WireGuardBmullvad.net · 2 sources · | 3 OpenVPN, WireGuard, An obfuscated protocolBovpn.com · 2 sources · |
|---|
| Kill switch coverage | — not establishedno source published | On desktop only desktop_onlyBsupport.ovpn.com · |
|---|
| Split tunneling available | Available yes | Available yes |
|---|
| Simultaneous connections | 5Bmullvad.net · | 4Bsupport.ovpn.com · |
|---|
| Friction to start using it | No account needed no_account | No account needed no_account |
|---|
| P2P allowed | — not establishedno source published | Allowed yesBsupport.ovpn.com · |
|---|
| Major streaming services reachable | — not establishedno source published | Reachable yesBsupport.ovpn.com · |
|---|
