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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThere is no single best choice for everyone: Mullvad is a strong fit if you value account-number signup and a straightforward privacy-focused service, while Proton VPN is the better fit if you want a free plan, broader platform coverage, streaming features, or port forwarding. The right pick depends on which of those trade-offs matters to you; VPN features and access can change.
At a glance: how Mullvad and Proton VPN differ
| What matters | Mullvad | Proton VPN |
|---|---|---|
| Account signup | Uses a randomly generated account number rather than requiring an email address, according to RTINGS’ comparison, updated July 30, 2026. | Proton says it has a strict no-logs policy and open-source, audited apps; see its features page. |
| Free plan | No free plan is established in the sources reviewed here. | Offers a Free plan with unlimited bandwidth and no time or data limit, according to Proton’s plan comparison. The free and paid plans differ in features, speed, server selection, streaming, and device access. |
| Port forwarding | Not supported. Mullvad says new port forwarding was disabled on May 29, 2023, and existing ports were scheduled for deletion on July 1, 2023; see its connectivity FAQ. | Listed as a feature for P2P performance and accessing local resources on Proton’s features page. |
| Devices and platforms | See the providers’ current app details when checking your specific devices; the cited comparison does not establish a complete platform inventory here. | Proton lists apps for major desktop, mobile, and TV platforms and browser extensions. RTINGS reports support for up to 10 simultaneous devices; check the current plan terms. |
| Streaming | The cited sources do not establish a streaming feature comparison for Mullvad. | Proton says it supports many popular streaming services, and streaming is included with paid plans. Availability is not guaranteed for every service, country, or catalog. |
| Price | Current price was not readable from the pricing page reviewed. | Current price was not reliably rendered on the pricing page reviewed. Check the live checkout for your country, subscription term, taxes, and renewal amount. |
RTINGS compared Proton VPN Plus with Mullvad using Methodology v0.11 and favored Mullvad overall, citing account-number registration and privacy-policy clarity. Its result is one publisher’s assessment, not a universal ranking; the same comparison identifies advantages for Proton, including more server countries, up to 10 simultaneous devices, and port forwarding.
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Choose Mullvad if account-number signup is your priority
RTINGS describes Mullvad’s signup model as using a randomly generated account number instead of requiring an email address. That may appeal if you want to minimize the personal information tied to creating a VPN account. It does not make you anonymous or protect you from every online threat: a VPN changes how your internet traffic is routed, but your activity, device, accounts, and other identifying details can still matter.
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RTINGS also favored Mullvad for privacy-policy clarity in its July 30, 2026 comparison. Treat this as an assessment of the policies it reviewed, not proof that either VPN can make a user fully private. Proton, for its part, describes its own service as having a strict no-logs policy and open-source, audited apps on its features page. The sources cited here do not establish a comparable chronology and scope for each provider’s latest independent audits, so they do not support a claim that one is more audited than the other.
#1 Best Overall
- 【Five Gigabit Ports】1 Gigabit WAN Port plus 2 Gigabit WAN/LAN Ports plus 2 Gigabit LAN Port. Up to 3 WAN ports optimize bandwidth usage through one device.
- 【One USB WAN Port】Mobile broadband via 4G/3G modem is supported for WAN backup by connecting to the USB port. For complete list of compatible 4G/3G modems, please visit TP-Link website.
- 【Abundant Security Features】Advanced firewall policies, DoS defense, IP/MAC/URL filtering, speed test and more security functions protect your network and data.
- 【Highly Secure VPN】Supports up to 20× LAN-to-LAN IPsec, 16× OpenVPN, 16× L2TP, and 16× PPTP VPN connections.
- Security - SPI Firewall, VPN Pass through, FTP/H.323/PPTP/SIP/IPsec ALG, DoS Defence, Ping of Death and Local Management. Standards and Protocols IEEE 802.3, 802.3u, 802.3ab, IEEE 802.3x, IEEE 802.1q
Choose Proton VPN for a free plan or more features
If you want to try a free VPN
Proton says its Free plan has unlimited bandwidth and no time or data limit. It is not equivalent to the paid offering: Proton’s free-versus-paid comparison distinguishes plans by features, speed, server selection, streaming, and device access. Review those differences against what you need before relying on the free plan for a particular task.
If you need port forwarding
Proton lists port forwarding as a feature for P2P performance and access to local resources. Mullvad does not support it: its connectivity FAQ says new ports were disabled on May 29, 2023, with existing ports scheduled for deletion on July 1, 2023. If incoming connections are important to your setup, this is a concrete reason to favor Proton.
Rank #2
- 【AC1200 Dual-band Wireless Router】Simultaneous dual-band with wireless speed up to 300 Mbps (2.4GHz) + 867 Mbps (5GHz). 2.4GHz band can handles some simple tasks like emails or web browsing while bandwidth intensive tasks such as gaming or 4K video streaming can be handled by the 5GHz band.*Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【Easy Setup】Please refer to the User Manual and the Unboxing & Setup video guide on Amazon for detailed setup instructions and methods for connecting to the Internet.
- 【Pocket-friendly】Lightweight design(145g) which designed for your next trip or adventure. Alongside its portable, compact design makes it easy to take with you on the go.
- 【Full Gigabit Ports】Gigabit Wireless Internet Router with 2 Gigabit LAN ports and 1 Gigabit WAN ports, ideal for lots of internet plan and allow you to connect your wired devices directly.
- 【Keep your Internet Safe】IPv6 supported. OpenVPN & WireGuard pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers. Cloudflare encryption supported to protect the privacy.
If you need particular devices or streaming access
Proton lists support for major desktop, mobile, and TV platforms, along with browser extensions. It also lists split tunneling on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Android TV, and browser extension. RTINGS reports up to 10 simultaneous devices, but check Proton’s current app and plan details to confirm support for your exact devices and allowance.
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Proton says it supports many popular streaming services and includes streaming with paid plans. That is a provider claim, not a promise that a specific service or catalog will work from every location. Streaming libraries and VPN access can vary by country, platform, and time; verify the service and region you intend to use.
Rank #3
- New-Gen WiFi Standard – WiFi 6(802.11ax) standard supporting MU-MIMO and OFDMA technology for better efficiency and throughput.Antenna : External antenna x 4. Processor : Dual-core (4 VPE). Power Supply : AC Input : 110V~240V(50~60Hz), DC Output : 12 V with max. 1.5A current.
- Ultra-fast WiFi Speed – RT-AX1800S supports 1024-QAM for dramatically faster wireless connections
- Increase Capacity and Efficiency – Supporting not only MU-MIMO but also OFDMA technique to efficiently allocate channels, communicate with multiple devices simultaneously
- 5 Gigabit ports – One Gigabit WAN port and four Gigabit LAN ports, 10X faster than 100–Base T Ethernet.
- Commercial-grade Security Anywhere – Protect your home network with AiProtection Classic, powered by Trend Micro. And when away from home, ASUS Instant Guard gives you a one-click secure VPN.
Compare cost using your actual subscription terms
The available pricing evidence does not establish reliable current amounts for either service. Proton’s pricing page did not render dependable figures, and readable pricing details were not exposed on the Mullvad page reviewed. Rather than compare a possibly stale or incomplete number, check each provider’s live checkout for the country and subscription term you intend to buy. Include taxes, renewal charges, and any discount conditions in your comparison. Proton’s pricing page lists Free, VPN Plus, and Proton Unlimited structures and a 30-day money-back guarantee; verify the current terms there before purchase.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which VPN should you choose?
- Choose Mullvad if account-number signup and a privacy-focused, straightforward service matter most, and you do not need port forwarding.
- Choose Proton VPN if you want a free plan, broader platform coverage, streaming features, or port forwarding.
- Compare the exact plan and checkout terms if price, device allowance, or a particular streaming service will decide the purchase.
Do not treat a single overall score as a substitute for your own requirements. The head-to-head comparison cited here reports no controlled same-network speed result, so it cannot establish which service will be faster on your connection.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Next-Gen Gigabit Wi-Fi 6 Speeds: 2402 Mbps on 5 GHz and 574 Mbps on 2.4 GHz bands ensure smoother streaming and faster downloads; support VPN server and VPN client¹
- A More Responsive Experience: Enjoy smooth gaming, video streaming, and live feeds simultaneously. OFDMA makes your Wi-Fi stronger by allowing multiple clients to share one band at the same time, cutting latency and jitter.²
- Expanded Wi-Fi Coverage: 4 high-gain external antennas and Beamforming technology combine to extend strong, reliable, Wi-Fi throughout your home.
- Improved Battery Life: Target Wake Time helps your devices to communicate efficiently while consuming less power.
- Improved Cooling Design: No heat ups, no throttles. A larger heat sink and redefined case design cools the WiFi 6 system and enables your network to stay at top speeds in more versatile environments.
Rank #4
- 【DUAL BAND WIFI 7 TRAVEL ROUTER】Products with US, UK, EU, AU Plug; Dual band network with wireless speed 688Mbps (2.4G)+2882Mbps (5G); Dual 2.5G Ethernet Ports (1x WAN and 1x LAN Port); USB 3.0 port.
- 【NETWORK CONTROL WITH TOUCHSCREEN SIMPLICITY】Slate 7’s touchscreen interface lets you scan QR codes for quick Wi-Fi, monitor speed in real time, toggle VPN on/off, and switch providers directly on the display. Color-coded indicators provide instant network status updates for Ethernet, Tethering, Repeater, and Cellular modes, offering a seamless, user-friendly experience.
- 【OpenWrt 23.05 FIRMWARE】The Slate 7 (GL-BE3600) is a high-performance Wi-Fi 7 travel router, built with OpenWrt 23.05 (Kernel 5.4.213) for maximum customization and advanced networking capabilities. With 512MB storage, total customization with open-source freedom and flexible installation of OpenWrt plugins.
- 【VPN CLIENT & SERVER】OpenVPN and WireGuard are pre-installed, compatible with 30+ VPN service providers (active subscription required). Simply log in to your existing VPN account with our portable wifi device, and Slate 7 automatically encrypts all network traffic within the connected network. Max. VPN speed of 100 Mbps (OpenVPN); 540 Mbps (WireGuard). *Speed tests are conducted on a local network. Real-world speeds may differ depending on your network configuration.*
- 【PERFECT PORTABLE WIFI ROUTER FOR TRAVEL】The Slate 7 is an ideal portable internet device perfect for international travel. With its mini size and travel-friendly features, the pocket Wi-Fi router is the perfect companion for travelers in need of a secure internet connectivity on the go in which includes hotels or cruise ships.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
