Mullvad has charged the same €5/month since 2009. No discounts, no two-year deals, no price changes in sixteen years. That consistency is a feature — you know exactly what year three costs, which is more than the mainstream VPNs can say — but it also means Mullvad is rarely the cheapest option at any given moment.
Right now, that's [Proton](/entry/dashlane-vs-proton-pass-price-point-showdown-for-password-managers) VPN. Its two-year plan runs about $2.99/month (billed as ~$71 upfront), the one-year is $3.99, and even the month-to-month at $9.99 is reasonable. Proton also has something the other two don't: a genuinely usable free tier — 10 locations, unlimited data, no logs — which for light use might be all you need.
| Cheapest monthly | Free tier | Model | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Proton VPN | ~$2.99 (2-yr) | yes — 10 locations, unlimited data | intro discount, standard renewal |
| Mullvad | €5 flat, forever | no | flat rate, no commitment, no change |
| IVPN | ~$6/mo (Standard) | no | flat-ish, privacy-maximalist |
IVPN is the privacy maximalist of the three — no email required to sign up, accepts cash and Monero, and has deliberately removed features (like port forwarding) it judged a privacy risk. It's a little more expensive than Mullvad for a smaller server network, and you're paying for a specific philosophy rather than raw value.
For most people who want a privacy-respecting VPN and care about price, Proton VPN's two-year plan is the value pick, and the free tier means you can test it at zero cost first. Choose Mullvad if predictable pricing and a long track record matter more than saving a couple of dollars — and if you'd rather not have your renewal date be a decision point. Choose IVPN only if the account-anonymity details (no email, cash payment) are things you specifically need.