If you only care about torrenting and you want the short version, here it is. For Mullvad vs Proton VPN for torrenting privacy in 2026, Proton VPN wins on raw seeding performance because it still offers port forwarding, while Mullvad wins on pure anonymity because it takes no email, no name, and runs every server in RAM. They are both genuinely privacy-first. The right pick depends on whether you seed heavily or just want to disappear.
I have run both for months on a Linux box and a couple of laptops. Below is how they actually compare for P2P, not the marketing version.
The torrenting basics: do they even allow P2P?
Yes, both allow torrenting on their network, and neither throttles it the way mainstream consumer VPNs sometimes do. Mullvad permits P2P traffic on every single server with no special “torrent” tag to hunt for. Proton VPN takes a different route. It funnels P2P through dedicated servers marked with a P2P label, and those cover a huge spread, 90-plus countries by their own count.
The practical difference is small for downloading. Connect to a nearby server on either and you will saturate most home connections. The gap opens up when you start seeding, and that is where port forwarding enters the chat.
Port forwarding is the whole ballgame for seeders
This is the single biggest split between the two, and it decides the comparison for a lot of people.
Mullvad killed port forwarding in 2023. Their reasoning was that abusers were using forwarded ports for bad behavior, which dragged the whole shared-IP pool into trouble. Privacy purists respected the call. Heavy seeders were furious. Without a forwarded port you become “unconnectable” to peers behind their own NAT, which means slower swarm participation and worse ratios on private trackers.
Proton VPN kept port forwarding alive. In 2026 it is available to paid users on Windows and Linux, and it works on the P2P-tagged servers such as the ones in the Netherlands, Switzerland and Singapore. If you live and die by private tracker ratio, this alone settles Mullvad vs Proton VPN for torrenting privacy in Proton’s favor.
If you only grab the occasional public torrent and never seed for hours, the missing port on Mullvad will not hurt you much.
No-logs and jurisdiction: the privacy side
Both companies are about as clean as this industry gets, and both have the audits to back the claims rather than just a marketing page.
- Mullvad jurisdiction: Sweden, under parent company Amagicom AB. Sweden sits inside the 14 Eyes alliance, which sounds scary, but Mullvad simply holds nothing to hand over.
- Mullvad data handling: no email, no name, no password at signup. You get a random 16-digit account number and that is your entire identity. All servers run on RAM only, finished rolling out in early 2025, so a reboot wipes everything.
- Mullvad audits: repeated Cure53 audits across 2018 through 2024, an Assured AB pen-test in August 2025 that came back clean, and an X41 D-Sec audit of the API published January 2026 with no critical or high-severity findings.
- Proton VPN jurisdiction: Switzerland, which is outside both the 5 and 14 Eyes and has strong privacy law. Proton is the same company behind Proton Mail.
- Proton data handling: strict no-logs policy, open-source apps, and a public transparency report. The apps and the policy have been independently audited multiple times. A Securitum review of Proton’s technical architecture in August 2025 found no evidence of data logging.
One honest note. Mullvad’s no-email signup gives it an edge on metadata. Proton wants an account, though you can pay with cash or crypto to keep things loose. For absolute anonymity, Mullvad is harder to tie to a real person.
Speed, price and the side-by-side
Speeds are close enough that real-world torrent throughput rarely comes down to the protocol. Both run WireGuard. In testing, Mullvad pushed roughly 310 Mbps on nearby servers and around 180 Mbps on distant ones, which is plenty to max a gigabit line on local hops.
Pricing is where their philosophies show. Mullvad refuses to play discount games. It is a flat 5 EUR (about $5.50) per month, forever, no tiers, no two-year lock-in, no renewal price hike. Proton uses the standard ladder, cheaper if you commit longer.
| Factor | Mullvad | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Price (monthly) | $5.50 flat, no contract | $9.99 month-to-month |
| Price (best long-term) | $5.50 (no discounts) | $2.99/mo on 2-year Plus |
| Port forwarding | No (removed 2023) | Yes (Windows/Linux, P2P servers) |
| P2P allowed | All servers | P2P-tagged servers, 90+ countries |
| Signup identity | 16-digit number, no email | Email account required |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden (14 Eyes) | Switzerland (outside Eyes) |
| Servers | RAM-only, full network | Audited, no-logs |
| Nearby speed (WireGuard) | ~310 Mbps | Comparable, fast |
My pick for torrenting in 2026
For pure seeding and private tracker ratio, I run Proton VPN. The port forwarding is not optional once a tracker starts judging your upload, and the P2P server spread plus the 2-year price of $2.99 a month make it easy to justify. Get the VPN Plus plan, not the free tier, since free Proton does not include P2P or port forwarding.
For maximum anonymity where I never want my torrent activity tied to an identity, Mullvad is the cleaner machine. No email, RAM-only servers, a flat honest price, and an audit trail most rivals cannot match. The only thing it costs you is seeding performance, and for casual downloading that cost is close to zero.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mullvad bad for torrenting now that port forwarding is gone?
Not bad, just limited for seeders. Downloading public torrents is still fast and unrestricted on every Mullvad server. The trouble is seeding, because without a forwarded port you cannot accept incoming connections from peers behind NAT, which hurts ratio on private trackers.
Which is more anonymous, Mullvad or Proton VPN?
Mullvad, narrowly. It asks for no email or name and issues only a random account number, so there is almost nothing linking the account to you. Proton requires an email account, though you can pay anonymously with cash or crypto to reduce the trail.
Does Proton VPN free work for torrenting?
No. P2P and port forwarding are paid features. The free Proton tier blocks torrent traffic, so you need a paid VPN Plus or Unlimited plan to torrent properly.
Bottom line. Pick Proton VPN if you seed seriously and want port forwarding plus the cheapest long-term price. Pick Mullvad if anonymity and a flat, no-nonsense $5.50 matter more than squeezing out the last bit of upload speed. Both are safe, audited and honest, which is more than most VPNs can say.