Comparison

Mullvad VPN vs Orbot

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Mullvad VPN

This service encrypts your internet traffic, masking your identity and location to protect your online privacy. It offers anonymous accounts, no activity logs, and uses a secure VPN protocol. Enhance your privacy further by using it with a companion browser.

Highlights
  • Anonymous account creation
  • No activity logs
  • Anonymous payment options
  • WireGuard protocol
  • Encrypted traffic tunnel
  • Blocks third-party cookies (with companion browser)
Features
Read full description

Free the internet from data collection with Mullvad VPN – a service that helps keep your online activity, identity, and location private. Only €5/month. GET STARTED 1. Install the app. 2. Create an account. 3. Add time to your account via in-app purchases, vouchers or on our website. To make sure to block third-party cookies and other tracking technologies – use Mullvad VPN together with Mullvad Browser (free of charge). ANONYMOUS ACCOUNTS – NO ACTIVITY LOGS * Creating an account requires no personal info - not even an email address. * We keep no activity logs. * We offer the possibility to pay anonymously with cash or cryptocurrency. * Our app uses WireGuard, a superior VPN protocol that connects fast and doesn’t drain your battery. HOW DOES MULLVAD VPN WORK? With Mullvad VPN, your traffic travels through an encrypted tunnel to one of our VPN servers and then onward to the website you are visiting. In this way, websites will only see our server’s identity instead of yours. Same goes for your ISP (internet service provider); they’ll see that you’re connected to Mullvad, but not your activity. It also means that all the third-party actors with technology integrated into the various websites you visit can’t sniff out your IP address and use it to track you from one site to another. Using a trustworthy VPN is a great first step to reclaim your privacy online. In combination with Mullvad Browser you make sure to block third-party cookies and other tracking technologies. FREE THE INTERNET FROM MASS SURVEILLANCE AND DATA COLLECTION A free and open society is a society where people have the right to privacy. That’s why we fight for a free internet. Free from mass surveillance and censorship. Free from big data markets where your personal information is up for sale. Free from authorities mass monitoring every click you make. Free from an infrastructure mapping your whole life. Mullvad VPN and Mullvad Browser is our contribution to the fight. TELEMETRY AND CRASH REPORTS The app collects a very minimal amount of telemetry, and it does not in any way tie it to an account number, IP or other identifiable information. Account numbers are used for authentication. App logs are never sent automatically but are rather explicitly sent by the user. App version checks are performed every 24 hours to tell the app if there are any upgrades available and if the currently running version is still supported.

About

Orbot

This app provides a free and open-source Tor-powered VPN for enhanced internet safety and privacy. It allows users to browse the web over Tor, secure their traffic, and access .onion sites. While it offers increased privacy, users should be aware that browsing speeds may be slower than a standard VPN.

Highlights
  • Browse internet over Tor
  • Secure traffic from insecure networks
  • Access .onion sites
  • Free and open-source
Features
Read full description

Orbot is the original free and open-source Tor-powered VPN for iOS and macOS. Orbot helps you access the internet with more safety and privacy, and no extra cost to you. FEATURES: - Browse the internet over Tor. - Secure your traffic from insecure wireless networks and ISPs. - Access .onion sites that are only accessible over Tor. DISCLAIMERS: - Web browsing is much slower than through a normal VPN because your traffic is encrypted and relayed through the Tor network. - Orbot might not work on networks with advanced network restrictions. If the app does not connect, try using bridges (or a different type of bridge). - Use of Orbot is at your own risk; remember that sensitive data does not always belong on a mobile device. ** Orbot is free and open-source software. You can read more about Orbot and how to support development of Tor on iOS by visiting orbot.app **

Screenshots

Mullvad VPN4 screens
Orbot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Mullvad VPN at 4.1 against Orbot's 3.0. Mullvad VPN also leads on review sentiment (58% vs 25%) and chart position (#46 vs unranked). Orbot's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Mullvad VPN sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Orbot asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Mullvad VPN holds the better App Store score, 4.1 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 971 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Mullvad VPN's written reviews are positive against 25% of Orbot's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Mullvad VPN versus Orbot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMullvad VPNOrbot
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (1.4K ratings) — better3.0 (971 ratings)
Positive reviews58.2% of reviews — better25.4% of reviews
Number of ratings1.4K — better971
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscriptionFree — better
Best chart rank#46 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMullvad VPN ABThe Tor Project, Inc

Customer experience

Mullvad VPN

All ratings1,443 ratings
Positive76.7%
Neutral4.6%
Negative18.6%
Written reviews586 reviews
Positive58.2%
Neutral8.4%
Negative33.4%

Orbot

All ratings970 ratings
Positive47.3%
Neutral6.0%
Negative46.7%
Written reviews473 reviews
Positive25.4%
Neutral7.2%
Negative67.4%

User reviews

Mullvad VPN

From 1.4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and reliable connection
  • 🔒 Excellent privacy and security
  • 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
  • 💰 Affordable pricing
  • 🌐 Wide server selection

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnects and reconnection issues
  • 🔋 High battery drain
  • ⚠️ Blocked by some websites and services
  • 🌍 Limited server availability in certain regions

Orbot

From 971 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fast and reliable connection
  • 🔒 Secure and private browsing
  • 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
  • 🌐 Bypasses censorship and internet restrictions

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent disconnections and unstable connection
  • 🔋 High battery drain
  • ⚠️ Incompatible with some iOS versions and devices
  • 🕰️ Slow connection speeds

Bugs and requests

Mullvad VPN

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App freezes or becomes unresponsive
  • Inability to connect or reconnect after device idle or network changes
  • Inconsistent behavior across iOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Split tunneling support
  • Favorite/frequently used server options
  • Automatic server selection based on performance
  • Integration with iOS features (e.g., Control Center, Shortcuts)

Orbot

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Fails to connect at 50% or gets stuck in a connection loop
  • Causes Wi-Fi or mobile data connection issues
  • Randomly disconnects without warning
  • Onion Browser integration is unreliable

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add manual bridge configuration options
  • Implement a kill switch to block internet access when VPN disconnects
  • Improve compatibility with other iOS apps and services
  • Provide more detailed connection logs and diagnostics

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Mullvad VPN

One-time4
  • 30 day subscription$5.79
  • 30 days subscription$5.89
  • 90 day subscription$17.00
Show 1 more
  • 90 days subscription$17.49
None

Orbot

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Mullvad VPN free?
Mullvad VPN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Orbot free?
Orbot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Mullvad VPN or Orbot?
Mullvad VPN is rated higher. Mullvad VPN averages 4.1 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Orbot averages 3.0 from 971 ratings.
Do Mullvad VPN or Orbot have ads?
Neither Mullvad VPN nor Orbot shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Mullvad VPN or Orbot?
Mullvad VPN ships an update monthly, and Orbot monthly. Most recently, Mullvad VPN was updated on October 18, 2026 and Orbot on October 19, 2026.

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