Mullvad is independently operated from Sweden and built around collecting as little identifying information as possible. IPVanish is owned by Ziff Davis and operates from the United States. The two services start from opposite assumptions about what a VPN relationship between a user and a provider should look like.

What you get that Mullvad doesn't offer

Unlimited simultaneous connections. SOCKS5 proxy built in. More accommodating long-term value position. Streaming access maintained as a product commitment. Fire TV and Firestick interface.

What you give up

United States is a 5-eyes member. No published independent audit. IPVanish's clients are closed-source. Ziff Davis owns IPVanish as part of a digital media portfolio. Account registration requires personal information; Mullvad requires none. Cash payment is not accepted. The trust model at IPVanish rests entirely on stated policy; Mullvad's was tested in the field in 2023.

What you get that IPVanish doesn't offer

Account creation with no personal data — number only, no email. Physical cash accepted. 2023 police office search: hardware seized, zero data recovered — architecture verified under real conditions. Fully public audit reports, downloadable without account. Independent ownership — no parent company. Sweden outside 5-eyes (14-eyes), with a real-world test of that jurisdiction. Flat pricing, no upsell.

What you give up

IPVanish allows unlimited simultaneous connections — Mullvad caps at five. SOCKS5 proxy built in at IPVanish. IPVanish's long-term value position is more accommodating. Mullvad doesn't position around streaming access; IPVanish does. Fire TV and Firestick interface is more developed at IPVanish.