10 Reasons Why Mullvad VPN Disappoints
Hey everyone, Tom Spark here with another honest VPN review. Before I dive into today's breakdown of Mullvad's shortcomings, I want to remind you about my top recommended VPN: NordVPN.
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NordVPN delivers everything Mullvad lacks - excellent streaming compatibility, great long-term deals, a robust affiliate program for content creators like me, wide device support including Apple TV, and account recovery options. Now, let's examine why Mullvad falls short in my testing.
1. Netflix Incompatibility - Streaming Failures
One of the most significant drawbacks of Mullvad is its consistent failure to work with Netflix. In my extensive testing across multiple regions and servers, Mullvad simply cannot reliably bypass Netflix's VPN detection systems. For many of my viewers who use VPNs primarily for streaming, this is an immediate dealbreaker. While Mullvad focuses on privacy, their complete neglect of streaming functionality makes them unsuitable for a large segment of VPN users who expect both security and entertainment value.
2. No Long-Term Subscription Deals
Mullvad's pricing model is stuck in a one-size-fits-all approach with their flat €5 monthly fee. While this might seem straightforward, it actually means you're paying significantly more over time compared to competitors offering long-term deals. Most premium VPNs offer substantial discounts on 1-2 year plans, often reducing the effective monthly cost by 60-70%. Mullvad's refusal to offer these long-term savings means that over a two-year period, you could end up paying more than double what you'd pay with services like NordVPN or Surfshark.
3. No Affiliate Program for Content Creators
Mullvad's lack of an affiliate program is often misinterpreted as some badge of honor indicating they're "too pure" for marketing, but this perspective fundamentally misunderstands the modern content creation ecosystem. Let me be completely transparent with you guys: ad revenue alone is practically dead for most YouTube creators in 2025. The CPM rates have crashed to the point where even channels with millions of views struggle to sustain operations purely on ad revenue. This harsh economic reality means that honest reviewers like myself depend on affiliate partnerships to fund the extensive testing setups, multiple subscriptions, and countless hours of testing required to deliver thorough, objective reviews. Hell, I just spent $200 doing this test in one day.
What Mullvad doesn't seem to grasp is that by refusing to establish an affiliate program, they're not eliminating bias – they're actually making the problem worse. Here's the uncomfortable truth: VPN companies with generous affiliate programs will continue to receive coverage, while services like Mullvad fade from view regardless of their technical merits. This creates a landscape where only VPNs with affiliate programs get comprehensive coverage, and the most aggressive affiliate payers receive disproportionate attention. My testing lab costs thousands to maintain (paying for VPNs, paying for equipment and computers to test them etc), with dozens of devices across multiple platforms and location tests to provide you with accurate performance data. Without affiliate support, many independent reviewers are forced to either abandon comprehensive testing or accept direct sponsorships that come with far more strings attached than transparent affiliate relationships.
The most disturbing outcome of Mullvad's approach is that it actually empowers the exact problem they claim to stand against: paid-for reviews. When legitimate reviewers who disclose affiliate relationships can't sustain their operations through transparent means, the void is filled by outlets that accept direct payments for positive coverage while hiding this arrangement from viewers. I've always been upfront about my affiliate links – they support my channel while allowing me to maintain complete editorial independence. I regularly criticize services I have affiliate relationships with when they deserve it. By contrast, the shadowy world of undisclosed paid reviews flourishes in the absence of transparent support systems for honest creators. Mullvad's principled stand sounds noble in theory but in practice contributes to a less transparent, less honest reviewing ecosystem that ultimately hurts consumers seeking genuine guidance.
Despite this frustrating situation, I still review Mullvad fairly and comprehensively in my comparison videos. You might have noticed I include them in my monthly VPN roundups and technical deep-dives because my ultimate loyalty is to you, the viewer, not to affiliate commissions. I pay for my Mullvad subscription out-of-pocket just like any other customer, run them through the same rigorous testing protocols, and acknowledge their strengths in privacy and security when appropriate. That's why you've heard me praise their privacy in previous videos. My criticism of their affiliate stance doesn't change my commitment to honest analysis, but it's important for viewers to understand the broader market dynamics at play and why extensive, detailed reviews of services like Mullvad become increasingly difficult to sustain in the current content economy.
4. Removal of Port Forwarding
Mullvad's recent decision to remove port forwarding functionality represents a significant downgrade in service. For many advanced users, particularly those who use torrenting or host game servers, port forwarding is an essential feature. I've received countless comments from frustrated viewers who relied on this feature and were forced to switch providers when Mullvad eliminated it. This removal signals a concerning trend of Mullvad actually reducing functionality over time rather than expanding their feature set like most competitive VPNs.
5. No Apple TV Application
The absence of an Apple TV app reveals Mullvad's limited approach to platform support. In my connected home testing lab, this creates a significant gap in coverage compared to providers like ExpressVPN and NordVPN that offer native Apple TV apps. For cord-cutters who use Apple TV as their primary streaming device, Mullvad requires cumbersome router-level setup instead of a simple app installation. This limitation is particularly disappointing as smart TV usage continues to grow rapidly among privacy-conscious consumers.
6. Account Recovery Nightmare
Mullvad's account system based on generated codes creates a serious liability: if you lose your account number, you lose everything. During my stress testing of recovery systems, Mullvad was the only major provider where account access couldn't be recovered through any backup method. This unforgiving approach puts users at constant risk of permanent account loss due to a simple mistake or device failure. For a service that prides itself on security, creating this type of single point of failure for users is ironically insecure from a usability perspective.
7. Limited Server Network
Mullvad's server network is significantly smaller than industry leaders, limiting both performance and geographic diversity options. In my comparative network testing, Mullvad's more limited infrastructure resulted in higher congestion during peak hours and fewer options for finding optimal connections. While they maintain servers in about 39 countries, this pales in comparison to NordVPN's 60+ country coverage or ExpressVPN's 94 country presence. This limitation becomes particularly noticeable for users in Asia, Africa, and South America, where Mullvad's coverage is especially thin.
8. Outdated and Clunky User Interface
The Mullvad app interface feels like it's stuck in the past compared to the sleek, intuitive designs offered by competitors. During my usability testing with VPN newcomers, Mullvad consistently scored poorly in terms of navigation and feature discovery. The app lacks the polish and user-friendly design elements that have become standard in the industry. While function certainly matters more than form, the dated interface creates unnecessary friction for users, especially those who are less technically inclined but still deserve strong privacy protection.
9. Limited Customer Support Options
Mullvad's customer support infrastructure lags significantly behind industry standards. In my response time testing, their email-only support system often took 24+ hours to address even basic questions. The absence of live chat support means users facing connection issues or account problems are left waiting for extended periods. This support limitation becomes particularly problematic for less technical users who might need immediate assistance to resolve configuration issues or connectivity problems, potentially leaving them unprotected while waiting for email responses.
10. The community
I’ll be honest here. Mullvad’s community is the most outspoken gate-keeping community in the privacy space. It almost feels like every person discussing Mullvad is a paid shill. But since there is no affiliate program, all I am left to believe is that they’ve created this vacuum where their most zealous fans act as unpaid attack dogs against creators like me who present balanced perspectives, while Mullvad sits back and benefits from this toxic evangelism without taking any responsibility for the harassment it enables.
The irony is that this elitism drives away normal users who might otherwise benefit from better privacy tools, ultimately creating an echo chamber that serves neither consumers nor the privacy movement as a whole.
What's particularly troubling is the toxic elitism that's developed around Mullvad in certain corners of YouTube and platforms like Privacy Guides. I've experienced firsthand how these self-appointed privacy gatekeepers will harass and attempt to discredit anyone who dares to criticize their sacred cow or recommend alternatives based on actual testing data.
Channels like Techlore and their followers have repeatedly attacked my videos, left misleading comments, and even tried to report my content when I've presented legitimate criticisms of Mullvad. This cultish behavior goes completely unchecked by Mullvad themselves, who maintain zero engagement with the broader VPN reviewing community.
And sure, I get it. Lots of vpn review websites are sellouts with no verifable data system to rate VPNs, and I know that a lot of vpn review sites are openly owned by VPNs—so it can be frustrating for people and VPNs alike with the situtation—but that said—ignoring the issue and not being apart of the conversation doesn’t help either.
Conclusion:
In the final analysis, Mullvad's approach to the VPN market appears to be fundamentally disconnected from the realities of how most consumers discover and evaluate privacy tools in 2025. While they offer certain technical strengths in specific privacy areas, their systematic failure to address streaming compatibility, platform support, payment flexibility, and content creator relationships reveals a service that prioritizes ideological purity over practical usability for the average person seeking better online privacy. What's most disappointing is that these limitations aren't technical constraints but deliberate business decisions that restrict Mullvad's accessibility and relevance in today's digital landscape. As I always tell my viewers, the best privacy tool isn't the one with the most hardline stance or the most technical features – it's the one you'll actually use consistently. Until Mullvad recognizes this fundamental truth and evolves beyond their current limitations, I simply cannot recommend them as a primary VPN solution for most of my viewers who deserve both strong privacy protection and a service that meets their real-world needs without unnecessary compromises or elitist gatekeeping from its community.
