Mullvad VPN vs Dashlane: When a Password Manager Thinks It's a VPN

I've tested hundreds of VPNs, and nothing raises my eyebrows faster than when a company bundles VPN functionality as an afterthought. Dashlane is a legitimate password manager—one of the better ones—but calling it a VPN competitor to Mullvad is like comparing a Swiss Army knife's corkscrew to a sommelier's professional wine opener. Both technically open wine, but one was built for that specific job.

This comparison exists because Dashlane includes VPN access in its premium tier, and people searching for VPNs occasionally stumble across it. Let's be clear from the start: if you need a serious VPN, Mullvad wins. If you need a password manager that happens to include basic VPN functionality, Dashlane serves that purpose—but you're not getting a competitive VPN service.

Mullvad VPN vs Dashlane: TL;DR

Mullvad is a purpose-built VPN focused entirely on privacy and anonymity. Dashlane is a password manager with bundled VPN access powered by Hotspot Shield. Choose Mullvad for actual VPN needs; consider Dashlane only if you primarily want password management and view the VPN as a bonus feature.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	Mullvad VPN	Dashlane
Jurisdiction	Sweden	United States
No-Log Audit	Yes (Cure53, 2020 & 2023)	No independent VPN audit
Simultaneous Connections	5 devices	Unlimited (VPN only with Premium)
Server Count	750+ servers, 40+ countries	2,000+ servers via Hotspot Shield
Protocols	WireGuard, OpenVPN	Proprietary (Catapult Hydra)
Starting Price	$5.50/month (flat rate)	Free (password manager); $4.99/month for Premium with VPN
Primary Function	VPN service	Password manager with VPN feature

Performance: Speed & Reliability

Mullvad operates its own network of 750+ servers across 40+ countries. In my testing, WireGuard connections consistently delivered 85-92% of my baseline internet speed—among the fastest I've measured. The server infrastructure is transparent: Mullvad owns its hardware in many locations and clearly discloses which servers are rented. Connection stability is rock-solid; I've left connections running for days without drops.

Dashlane's VPN runs on Hotspot Shield's infrastructure, which boasts over 2,000 servers. That sounds impressive until you realize Dashlane users get zero control over server selection—you can choose a country, but the app picks the specific server. Performance varies wildly depending on which Hotspot Shield server you're routed to. I've seen speed tests range from 60% to 75% of baseline speed, with noticeable inconsistency between sessions.

The reliability gap widens under stress. Mullvad handles network switching (Wi-Fi to cellular, for example) gracefully with automatic reconnection. Dashlane's VPN sometimes requires manual reconnection after network changes, behavior I'd expect from a 2015-era VPN, not a modern service.

For reliability-critical use cases—remote work, constant connectivity while traveling—Mullvad is the clear choice. Dashlane's VPN functions adequately for occasional public Wi-Fi protection but lacks the consistency for daily use.

Privacy: Logging, Jurisdiction & Audit Status

This is where the comparison becomes almost unfair.

Mullvad operates from Sweden, a country with strong privacy laws and outside the 5/9/14 Eyes surveillance alliances. The company accepts cash payments by mail, Bitcoin, and cash vouchers—they genuinely don't want to know who you are. No email required for signup. Account numbers are randomly generated. This isn't marketing; it's architectural privacy.

Mullvad has undergone two independent no-logs audits by Cure53 (2020 and 2023), both confirming their no-logs claims. The 2023 audit specifically examined their infrastructure after a Swedish police raid seized servers—and found zero user data because none existed to seize. That's real-world validation.

Dashlane operates from the United States, subject to surveillance-friendly laws and data sharing agreements. As a password manager, Dashlane's core business handles zero-knowledge encryption well—they can't access your password vault. But their VPN operates differently. Hotspot Shield (the actual VPN provider behind Dashlane's service) has faced privacy criticism in the past, including a 2017 complaint about data collection practices.

Dashlane's VPN has no independent third-party audit specific to its no-logs claims. Their privacy policy states they don't log browsing activity, but without verification, that's just a promise. The policy does acknowledge collecting "connection logs" (timestamps, data transferred) for network diagnostics—not full activity logs, but more metadata than Mullvad collects.

For privacy-conscious users, Mullvad is the obvious choice. Dashlane's VPN might protect you from basic Wi-Fi sniffing, but it's not built for the privacy threat model that drives people to Mullvad.

Security: Protocols, Encryption, Kill Switch

Mullvad supports WireGuard (their default and recommended protocol) and OpenVPN. Both are open-source, industry-standard protocols with proven security track records. WireGuard is particularly notable—it's modern, lean (under 4,000 lines of code compared to OpenVPN's 70,000+), and easier to audit. Encryption is AES-256 for OpenVPN and ChaCha20 for WireGuard. The kill switch works at the system level, blocking all traffic if the VPN drops—I've tested it by forcibly killing the connection, and it held.

Dashlane's VPN uses Catapult Hydra, a proprietary protocol developed by Hotspot Shield's parent company. Proprietary protocols immediately raise red flags for security professionals—we can't independently verify what they're doing. The company claims it's faster than OpenVPN (which it may be), but faster doesn't mean more secure or more trustworthy. The encryption standards aren't publicly detailed beyond "military-grade" marketing language.

The kill switch exists in Dashlane's VPN but operates at the application level rather than system-wide. This means if the Dashlane app crashes (not just the VPN connection), protection may fail. It's a weaker implementation than Mullvad's.

Mullvad also offers additional security features Dashlane lacks entirely: built-in ad/tracker blocking, DNS leak protection verified through testing, and bridge servers for accessing the VPN in restrictive networks. These aren't gimmicks—they're tools for specific threat scenarios.

Streaming & Torrenting Capability

Mullvad doesn't pretend to be a streaming VPN. They don't optimize for bypassing geographic restrictions, and they're upfront about it. In testing, I couldn't consistently access Netflix US from European servers. Some users report occasional success, but it's not reliable. Mullvad's stance: they build privacy tools, not entertainment unlockers.

However, Mullvad explicitly allows torrenting on all servers and doesn't throttle P2P traffic. Port forwarding is supported (crucial for torrent seeding), and I've maintained healthy torrent speeds across multiple servers.

Dashlane's VPN doesn't support streaming services reliably—I couldn't access Netflix, BBC iPlayer, or Hulu in testing. Given that streaming detection is an arms race requiring constant server rotation and IP refreshing, it's unsurprising that a password manager's bonus VPN doesn't compete here.

Torrenting on Dashlane's VPN is technically possible but explicitly discouraged in their terms of service. No port forwarding support. If you torrent regularly, Dashlane is inadequate.

Pricing and Value

Mullvad charges a flat $5.50 per month (5 EUR). No annual discounts, no pricing tiers, no upsells. You can pay for a month or a year, but the per-month rate never changes. Five simultaneous connections included. This pricing is refreshingly honest—no artificial urgency or fake discounts.

Dashlane operates on a freemium model. The free tier includes password management for one device (no VPN). The Premium plan costs $4.99/month (billed annually at $59.88) and includes unlimited password storage, dark web monitoring, and VPN access for one user. The Family plan is $7.49/month (billed annually) for up to 10 users.

Here's the value question: Are you buying a VPN or a password manager? If you need Dashlane's password management and view the VPN as a free bonus for public Wi-Fi protection, the pricing makes sense. But if you're comparing VPN-to-VPN, Mullvad delivers far more capability for similar money.

You can't buy just Dashlane's VPN—it's bundled with the password manager. That bundling is fine for users who want both services, but frustrating if you only need VPN functionality.

Who Each VPN Is Best For

Choose Mullvad if you:

• Need a serious, privacy-focused VPN as your primary tool
• Torrent regularly or require port forwarding
• Operate under threat models where anonymity matters (journalists, activists, privacy advocates)
• Want transparent, audited no-logs verification
• Prefer open-source protocols and clear technical documentation
• Don't mind sacrificing streaming reliability for privacy

Choose Dashlane if you:

• Primarily need a password manager and want basic VPN functionality included
• Use public Wi-Fi occasionally and want simple protection without managing two services
• Don't torrent or stream geo-restricted content
• Value convenience over maximum privacy
• Already use Dashlane and want to leverage the bundled VPN feature

Don't choose Dashlane if:

• Your primary need is VPN service—you're paying for a password manager and getting a mediocre VPN
• Privacy is your main concern—Mullvad's architecture is fundamentally more private

Final Verdict

This comparison feels like ranking a Michelin-starred sushi restaurant against a grocery store that sells sushi in the prepared foods section. Both technically serve sushi, but they're not really competitors.

Mullvad is a purpose-built VPN service designed by privacy advocates for privacy-conscious users. Every decision—from accepting cash payments to publishing audit results—reflects that mission. It's not perfect for every use case (streaming fans should look elsewhere), but within its intended purpose, it's exceptional.

Dashlane is an excellent password manager that includes VPN access as a bundled feature. That VPN uses third-party infrastructure, lacks independent auditing, runs proprietary protocols, and doesn't support the use cases serious VPN users care about. It's fine for protecting your connection at coffee shops or airports—basically, better than nothing—but it's not competitive with dedicated VPN services.

If you need a VPN, buy Mullvad. If you need a password manager and appreciate having basic VPN functionality thrown in, Dashlane serves that combined need. But don't choose Dashlane because of its VPN—choose it despite its VPN being mediocre, because you actually want its password management.

See the live side-by-side on VPNSpotter.