Mullvad DNS review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Mullvad DNS is the pick for readers who want a browser, private DNS and search covered by one subscription with no logs kept. Entry sits at €5, under the €6.84 median for listed rivals, and the software is open source.
Key facts
- Best for
- Private DNS and search on a fixed budget, from an open source, no logs operator in Sweden.
- Price from
- €5 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- Windows, MacOS, Linux, iOS, Android (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- Doh, Dot (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- No activity logs or metadata stored; minimal data retention (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- SE (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Privacy tool type
- Browser, Private-dns, Search (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Mullvad VPN AB (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Sweden (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 2009 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre, Community (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Official website
- mullvad.net
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
- Elsewhere
- WikidataWikipediaLinkedInXgithub.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- One subscription covers browser, private dns and search, so DNS and search sit alongside the browser
- No activity logs or metadata stored, and data retention is kept minimal
- Open source, so the software can be inspected by anyone
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
Cons
- There is no free plan, so the €5 entry price is the only way in
- Support runs on email, help centre and community only, with no live chat or phone line
- The service falls under SE law as Mullvad VPN AB, so readers elsewhere have no local entity to approach
Who it suits
- People who want DNS lookups and search kept private, not just browsing
- Readers who put open source software and short data retention above brand recognition
- Anyone willing to pay a small monthly fee with no free tier to try
Who should look elsewhere
- Apple Hide My Email, if all you need is address masking rather than private DNS
- Apple Inc., if you would rather keep privacy tools inside an existing device ecosystem
- EasyOptOuts, if your goal is removing broker records rather than hiding lookups
Plans and renewals
The subscription starts at €5 and carries the same rate at renewal, so the entry figure is the figure you keep paying. There is no introductory discount, since the pricing is a single tier. A free plan is not offered, which puts Mullvad DNS outside the 72.3% share of listed rivals that hand one out. For comparison, entry prices across listed brands run to a €6.84 median.
How Mullvad DNS compares
8.9 vs 9.1
8.9 vs 8.8
8.9 vs 8.5
8.9 vs 9.5
8.9 vs 9.4
8.9 vs 9.1
8.9 vs 9.2
8.9 vs 9.4
8.9 vs 9.2
8.9 vs 8.8
8.9 vs 9.3
8.9 vs 9.0
8.9 vs 9.0
8.9 vs 9.4
Frequently asked questions
What does Mullvad DNS cost to start?+
The subscription begins at €5. The operator is Mullvad VPN AB, based in Sweden, so the figure is quoted in euro rather than converted per market. Set it beside the €6.84 median entry price across the brands listed here.
Is there a free plan or an introductory discount?+
There is no free plan, and no opening discount either. One flat rate applies from the first payment onwards. Most of the field does offer a free tier, since 72.3% of the brands listed provide one, so Mullvad DNS asks for a payment before you can try it.
Does the price change at renewal?+
No, and that is the point. There is a single tier rather than a low opening rate that climbs later, so €5 is both the entry and the renewal figure. Readers weighing long commitments can put that number next to the €3.97 median for longer term pricing.
What does one subscription include?+
A single payment covers browser, private dns and search, so the browser tool, private DNS and search all run on the same subscription. Encrypted lookups use doh and dot, which keeps DNS queries from travelling in the clear. There is no separate fee for adding the search or DNS piece.
What data does Mullvad DNS keep?+
The stated position is simple: No activity logs or metadata stored; minimal data retention. Nothing about activity or metadata is written down, and retention is kept to the bare minimum. That is a policy commitment, and it matters most to readers who want fewer records held in the first place.
Which devices can I use it on?+
The apps cover Windows, macOS and Linux. Private DNS only helps on the devices actually making lookups, so that list is the deciding detail for anyone moving between a desktop and a phone. The same subscription covers each of the listed systems.
Who runs it, and where from?+
The service is run by Mullvad VPN AB, headquartered in Sweden and operating under the same jurisdiction. The company has been working since 2009, and it publishes the client code openly, so the software can be checked by anyone.
How do I get help if something breaks?+
Support comes through email, help centre and community. The help centre handles the everyday setup questions, and the community channel covers less common configurations. If you want to speak to someone during an outage, this is not the fit, since those listed channels do not include chat or phone.
Sources
- mullvad.net checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Platforms
“Compatible with: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android”
- mullvad.net/en/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Privacy tool type
“March 2009 - The Mullvad VPN service launches!”
- mullvad.net/en/help/dns-over-https-and-dns-over-tls checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Protocols
“Our public encrypted DNS service uses DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNS over TLS (DoT).”
- mullvad.net/en/help/faq checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Where can I share a bug/idea? Report it on Github or send an email to support@mullvadvpn.net”
- mullvad.net/en/help/privacy-policy checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Logging policy
“it is our policy to never store any activity logs or metadata and to have as minimal data retention as possible”
- mullvad.net/en/help/terms-service checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Jurisdiction, Legal entity
“Address: PO Box 53049, 40014 Gothenburg, Sweden”
- mullvad.net/en/open-source checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Open source
“All of Mullvad's open-source projects are available on GitHub.”
- mullvad.net/en/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free plan, Price from
“Why no free plan? Free services nearly always come at some cost ... We don't operate that way, at all.”
Compiled from 8 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free plan limits.
Related by the facts
Mullvad DNS
Private DNS and search on a fixed budget, from an open source, no logs operator in Sweden.