Mullvad Browser vs Tor Browser: privacy compared
Mullvad Browser and Tor Browser are both rated in browsers against the same 8 public criteria. Mullvad Browser does better on blocks trackers by default. Tor Browser does better on independent audit. Mullvad Browser is based in Sweden (Fourteen Eyes); Tor Browser is based in the United States (Five Eyes).
| Criterion | Mullvad Browser Our pick | Tor Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | Grade A A (90/100) | Grade A A (93/100) |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden Fourteen Eyes | United States Five Eyes |
| Open source Is all the source code needed to run the product public? | Yes source | Yes 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 | Yes source |
| No ads or data sales Is the product funded without advertising, ad targeting or selling user data? | Yes source | Yes source |
| Independent audit Has an independent security or privacy audit been published within the last three years? | No | Yes source |
| Blocks trackers by default Are third-party trackers blocked by default, without installing extensions? | Yes source | Partial 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).
Tor Browser. Tor Browser scores 93 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, independent audit, fingerprinting protection, no calls to big-tech services and timely security updates. It partly meets blocks trackers by default. It is based in the United States: Five Eyes member; subject to the US CLOUD Act.