Mullvad Browser vs WaterFox: privacy compared
Mullvad Browser and WaterFox are both rated in browsers against the same 8 public criteria. Mullvad Browser is based in Sweden (Fourteen Eyes); WaterFox is based in the United Kingdom (Five Eyes).
| Criterion | Mullvad Browser Our pick | WaterFox |
|---|---|---|
| Grade | Grade A A (90/100) | Grade B B (85/100) |
| Jurisdiction | Sweden Fourteen Eyes | United Kingdom 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 | 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 | Partial 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 |
Which is more private, Mullvad Browser or WaterFox?
Mullvad Browser scores higher on the public criteria: 90 out of 100, against 85 for WaterFox. Mullvad Browser does better on fingerprinting protection. How scoring works
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).
WaterFox. WaterFox scores 85 out of 100 (grade B) on the browsers criteria. It meets 6 of 8 criteria: open source, no trackers or telemetry, no ads or data sales, blocks trackers by default, no calls to big-tech services and timely security updates. It partly meets fingerprinting protection. It does not meet independent audit. It is based in the United Kingdom: Five Eyes member; GDPR-style data protection law; CLOUD Act data access agreement with the US.
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