VPN deal of the week: 97% of TechRadar readers would rather pay a flat fee than face price rises — here's the VPN that does that best

Recent polls from TechRadar reveal that 54% of readers find price increases in VPN subscriptions most frustrating, with 97% preferring a flat fee over a discounted rate that escalates later. Most top VPNs, however, charge reduced rates that rise at the end of a fixed plan. Mullvad VPN stands out, offering a consistent €5 monthly fee since its launch in 2009.

This price remains steadfast and anonymous payments are accepted without identification. In addition to the €5 per month plan, Mullvad provides DNS content blocking, multihop connections, split tunneling, obfuscated protocols, and quantum-resistant protocols. Users can sign up for as long as desired and are covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee.

While Mullvad is pricier per month than some competitors, it offers performance that rivals the best VPNs in March 2026 testing. It achieved a speed of 2,308 Mbps using WireGuard, only slightly behind PrivadoVPN. Mullvad also performs well with streaming services, lagging behind only in Disney+ and Prime Video in certain regions, but excelling with Netflix libraries and local services like BBC iPlayer.

However, Mullvad lacks certain security features provided by other VPNs like NordVPN or Surfshark, such as antivirus, password management, and dark web monitoring. These features would need to be sourced from other VPN providers.