Mullvad Browser vs DuckDuckGo Browser: privacy compared
Mullvad Browser and DuckDuckGo Browser are both rated in browsers against the same 8 public criteria. Mullvad Browser does better on open source, no trackers or telemetry and no ads or data sales. Mullvad Browser is based in Sweden (Fourteen Eyes); DuckDuckGo Browser is based in the United States (Five Eyes).
| Criterion | Mullvad Browser Our pick | DuckDuckGo Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | Grade A A (90/100) | Grade C C (70/100) |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden Fourteen Eyes | United States Five Eyes |
| Open source Is all the source code needed to run the product public? | Yes source | Partial source |
| No trackers or telemetry Are the website and apps free of third-party trackers, with any analytics anonymous and any telemetry off by default? | Yes source | Partial source |
| No ads or data sales Is the product funded without advertising, ad targeting or selling user data? | Yes source | Partial source |
| Independent audit Has an independent security or privacy audit been published within the last three years? | No | No |
| Blocks trackers by default Are third-party trackers blocked by default, without installing extensions? | Yes source | Yes source |
| Fingerprinting protection Does the browser defend against fingerprinting by default? | Yes source | Yes source |
| No calls to big-tech services Does the browser work without background connections to Google, Microsoft or Apple services? | Yes source | Yes source |
| Timely security updates Are security fixes from the upstream engine shipped quickly and automatically? | Yes source | Yes source |
Summaries
Mullvad Browser. Mullvad Browser scores 90 out of 100 (grade A) on the browsers criteria. It meets 7 of 8 criteria: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales, blocks trackers by default, fingerprinting protection, no calls to big-tech services and timely security updates. It does not meet independent audit. It is based in Sweden: Fourteen Eyes member; EU member (GDPR).
DuckDuckGo Browser. DuckDuckGo Browser scores 70 out of 100 (grade C) on the browsers criteria. It meets 4 of 8 criteria: blocks trackers by default, fingerprinting protection, no calls to big-tech services and timely security updates. It partly meets open source, no trackers or telemetry and no ads or data sales. It does not meet independent audit. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act.