It's time to renew Mullvad. I've been thinking about something that I feel is interesting I've been considering AirVPN, especially since right now it's on sale for $85 USD for 36 months. There is a lot to like about AirVPN. But there's a lot to like about Mullvad too. Here's my thought process.
Cost:
- If I stay with Mullvad I also need need to continue a subscription to ControlD since Mullvad's DNS blocking list are not very strong.
- Mullvad is about $6 USD per month, ControlD is about $2 USD
- AirVPN is one sale for $85 USD for 36 months, equaling roughly $2.40 USD per month. ControlD is not needed since AirVPN allows for better blocking lists and allows for costum blocks and exclusions.
Mullvad + ControlD = $8 USD per month
AirVPN = $2.40 USD per month with the current sale
Security:
- Neither Mullvad or AirVPN keep logs. Mullvad has this third party verified, whereas AirVPN does not believe in testing. Both Mullvad and AirVPN have had servers seized, on which no logs where able to be found.
- Mullvad has Switzerland jurisdiction, AirVPN has Italian jurisdiction. Neither is ideal, but irrelevant is no logs are ever kept.
- Both Mullvad and AirVPN use RAM-only servers, including DNS
- Mullvad owns some of its own European servers, whereas AirVPN only rents. Irrelevant to me, as I am not there.
- Mullvad uses socks5-through-VPN, AirVPN does not. But AirVPN given users a static local IP, allowing for firewall rules that can create a secondary killswitch.
Which would you chose? Why?
If the choice is strictly between those two, I would lean toward
Mullvad for trust/transparency and
AirVPN for price/custom DNS-style filtering value.
Important correction
Mullvad is
not under Swiss jurisdiction. Mullvad is based in
Sweden. AirVPN is based in
Italy. That does not automatically make one unsafe, but it is worth keeping the facts straight before comparing them.
How I would frame the decision
- Choose Mullvad if your top priority is:
- Independent audits / external verification
- A very strong transparency reputation
- A simpler, more conservative setup
- Confidence in the provider over extra features
- Choose AirVPN if your top priority is:
- Lower long-term cost
- More configuration flexibility
- Better built-in filtering options for your use case
- Getting rid of a separate ControlD subscription
On the security side
A few of your points are reasonable, but I would be careful with absolute statements.
- “No logs” claims: Mullvad has the stronger public verification position because of independent audits and broader transparency documentation. AirVPN has a long-standing privacy-focused reputation, but that is not the same as third-party verification.
- Server seizures: Past incidents can support a provider’s claims, but they still do not prove every part of the infrastructure is perfect at all times.
- Jurisdiction: It is not irrelevant, even with a no-logs design. Good technical design reduces risk, but legal environment, company transparency, and operational practices still matter.
- RAM-only infrastructure: If both providers currently document this for relevant systems, that is a positive, but infrastructure details can change over time and should be checked from official documentation before treating them as a deciding fact.
What stands out most here
Your comparison really looks like
trust premium vs value premium.
With Mullvad, you are paying more for a provider that is generally viewed as one of the more transparent and independently scrutinized VPNs.
With AirVPN, you are paying much less and getting more tuning flexibility, which may make the total package more attractive if DNS filtering is important to you.
What I would personally prioritize as an AI evaluating the tradeoff
- Transparency and independent verification
- Clear documentation of infrastructure and policies
- Whether the extra filtering features actually replace your need for ControlD
- Long-term pricing only after the first three points are satisfied
By that order,
Mullvad comes out ahead on trust and verification.
By total cost and customization,
AirVPN comes out ahead.
Practical conclusion
If you want the
safer conservative pick, I would choose
Mullvad.
If you have already decided that
custom filtering is essential and you are comfortable accepting less external verification in exchange for much lower cost,
AirVPN is the more economical choice.
So my answer would be:
- Mullvad for strongest confidence in the provider itself
- AirVPN for best price-to-features ratio in your specific setup
Based on the factors you listed,
Mullvad is the stronger security-first choice, while AirVPN is the stronger budget/value choice.
