{"slug": "mullvad-browser", "name": "Mullvad Browser", "category": "browsers", "category_name": "Browsers and extensions", "description": "Privacy-focused desktop browser from Mullvad and the Tor Project, based on Firefox.", "recommenders": 6, "commenters": 8, "warners": 1, "score": 4.59, "rising": 0.69, "first": "2025-11-09", "latest": "2026-09-02", "why": "Recommended as a Firefox-based alternative that pushes back on browser fingerprinting and works like Tor Browser without Tor plus uBlock Origin, no Mullvad VPN required.", "why_is_quote": false, "has_verdict": true, "sentiment": {"recommend": 6, "neutral": 1, "compare": 0, "warn": 1}, "spark": [2, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0], "listed": true, "loved": ["Firefox alternative", "Anti-fingerprinting"], "caveat": "Performance", "short_quote": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin.", "icon": true, "domain": null, "github_repo": null, "official_url": "https://mullvad.net/en/browser", "pricing": "open source", "aliases": ["Mullvad Browser"], "verdict": [{"text": "Recommended as a Firefox-based alternative", "cites": [{"id": 741183922, "item_id": 46323995, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46323995", "by": "godelski", "date": "2025-12-19", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Go use a fork like the Mullvad browser or Waterfox.", "excerpt": "Last I checked Firefox was sitting at 4% browser market share. If you include Brave you just get to 5%[0]. So truth is that privacy isn't enough to get people to switch. 5% share isn't enough to stay alive and protect privacy. > they are blindly implementing things before they are requested This is the job of every engineer. Your job is to understand the product and where it advances and where it can help the users. ", "context": "Arch user", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Firefox will have an option to disable all AI features"}, {"id": 736265472, "item_id": 46016592, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46016592", "by": "lilsoso", "date": "2025-11-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to the Mullvad browser.", "excerpt": "Thanks for the browser recommendations. I switched to the Mullvad browser. The other recommendation, LibreWolf, provides the following warning on install which scared me away: \"Warning: librewolf has been deprecated because it does not pass the macOS Gatekeeper check! It will be disabled on 2026-09-01.\"", "context": "", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "LibreWolf", "story": "The privacy nightmare of browser fingerprinting"}, {"id": 733844113, "item_id": 45865257, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45865257", "by": "reify", "date": "2025-11-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "change the browser to the Mullvad Browser or and librewolf", "excerpt": "I did this two years ago for a 10 year old. I went with Linux Mint XCFE The issue for all parents is surely online safety, especially so for our youngest. I managed to prevent the 10 year old acccessing porn and other non child friendly sites. change the browser to the Mullvad Browser or and librewolf --------------------- make sure you change the DNS in network manager and the the browser. https://mullvad.net/en/hel", "context": "set up a computer for a 10 year old", "use_case": "child-safe browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: How would you set up a child\u2019s first Linux computer?"}]}, {"text": " that pushes back on browser fingerprinting and works like Tor Browser without Tor plus uBlock Origin, no Mullvad VPN required.", "cites": [{"id": 766827728, "item_id": 47926733, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47926733", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-04-27", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I recommend anyone to use email aliasing and perhaps the Mullvad browser", "excerpt": "I recommend anyone to use email aliasing and perhaps the Mullvad browser (if every fucking website using browser fingerprinting is getting a little tiring). These companies are just trying to suck up as much data as possible and ruin the web. Email aliasing prevents spam or linking of your emails by giving you a seperate email address to give to each service. When that service inevitably leaks your data, the leaked a", "context": "", "use_case": "resisting browser fingerprinting", "switched_from": "", "story": "You have to have an account to read IMDB reviews now"}, {"id": 786376192, "item_id": 49148512, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49148512", "by": "rustcleaner", "date": "2026-08-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin.", "excerpt": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin. No you don't need Mullvad VPN to use Mullvad Browser.", "context": "", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023)"}]}, {"text": " The one complaint is that, like other Firefox derivatives, it can feel sluggish and heavy on memory and energy.", "cites": [{"id": 775658337, "item_id": 48478646, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48478646", "by": "prmph", "date": "2026-06-10", "stance": "warn", "quote": "Even today it is difficult for me to use Firefox, Mullvad, etc.", "excerpt": "Firefox and Firefox-derivative browsers have and continue to be seriously sluggish and memory and energy hogs. This should not be swept under the rug. Even today it is difficult for me to use Firefox, Mullvad, etc. When I used to use them, almost every time my machine became slow the solution was to kill Firefox. EDIT: It's true folks, I would love to be able to use Firefox as my primary browser. But all my experienc", "context": "", "use_case": "web browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Google Chrome is killing all uBlock Origin bypasses, Edge, Opera to follow"}]}], "praise": [{"label": "Firefox alternative", "summary": "Suggested as a Firefox fork to switch to, including over LibreWolf.", "quotes": [{"id": 741183922, "item_id": 46323995, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46323995", "by": "godelski", "date": "2025-12-19", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Go use a fork like the Mullvad browser or Waterfox.", "excerpt": "Last I checked Firefox was sitting at 4% browser market share. If you include Brave you just get to 5%[0]. So truth is that privacy isn't enough to get people to switch. 5% share isn't enough to stay alive and protect privacy. > they are blindly implementing things before they are requested This is the job of every engineer. Your job is to understand the product and where it advances and where it can help the users. ", "context": "Arch user", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Firefox will have an option to disable all AI features"}, {"id": 736265472, "item_id": 46016592, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46016592", "by": "lilsoso", "date": "2025-11-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to the Mullvad browser.", "excerpt": "Thanks for the browser recommendations. I switched to the Mullvad browser. The other recommendation, LibreWolf, provides the following warning on install which scared me away: \"Warning: librewolf has been deprecated because it does not pass the macOS Gatekeeper check! It will be disabled on 2026-09-01.\"", "context": "", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "LibreWolf", "story": "The privacy nightmare of browser fingerprinting"}, {"id": 733844113, "item_id": 45865257, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45865257", "by": "reify", "date": "2025-11-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "change the browser to the Mullvad Browser or and librewolf", "excerpt": "I did this two years ago for a 10 year old. I went with Linux Mint XCFE The issue for all parents is surely online safety, especially so for our youngest. I managed to prevent the 10 year old acccessing porn and other non child friendly sites. change the browser to the Mullvad Browser or and librewolf --------------------- make sure you change the DNS in network manager and the the browser. https://mullvad.net/en/hel", "context": "set up a computer for a 10 year old", "use_case": "child-safe browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: How would you set up a child\u2019s first Linux computer?"}]}, {"label": "Anti-fingerprinting", "summary": "Recommended for people tired of websites fingerprinting their browser.", "quotes": [{"id": 766827728, "item_id": 47926733, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47926733", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-04-27", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I recommend anyone to use email aliasing and perhaps the Mullvad browser", "excerpt": "I recommend anyone to use email aliasing and perhaps the Mullvad browser (if every fucking website using browser fingerprinting is getting a little tiring). These companies are just trying to suck up as much data as possible and ruin the web. Email aliasing prevents spam or linking of your emails by giving you a seperate email address to give to each service. When that service inevitably leaks your data, the leaked a", "context": "", "use_case": "resisting browser fingerprinting", "switched_from": "", "story": "You have to have an account to read IMDB reviews now"}, {"id": 786376192, "item_id": 49148512, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49148512", "by": "rustcleaner", "date": "2026-08-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin.", "excerpt": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin. No you don't need Mullvad VPN to use Mullvad Browser.", "context": "", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023)"}]}, {"label": "Secondary browser", "summary": "Kept as a basic browser used alongside a main one.", "quotes": [{"id": 792483025, "item_id": 49530189, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49530189", "by": "Forgeties79", "date": "2026-09-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I actually don't want a super basic, boring browser - that's what I have mullvad browser for!", "excerpt": "Normally I'd agree but at this point it's basically \"Firefox is mismanaged, updoots to the left my 1337zors\" behavior. It's basically a meme. It's always at the top of every single firefox thread no matter what is being posted. Yes they make mistakes. Yes they can be frustrating. But it is still so much better than using a chromium browser, and that must be acknowledged. People whine about the features every time. Gu", "context": "", "use_case": "basic browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Hang on to Your Firefox"}, {"id": 788636803, "item_id": 49289800, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49289800", "by": "al_borland", "date": "2026-08-13", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I also use Mullvad\u2019s browser from time to time at home.", "excerpt": "Safari is my main browser at home and has been pretty much since its inception. Periodically I go off and use Firefox, Arch, and other such things, but I always come back to Safari. It just gets out of my way, while integrating a few quality of life features that normally end up as extensions in other browsers. My big gripe with Safari is the extensions being moved to the App Store. This creates a lot of unnecessary ", "context": "", "use_case": "occasional browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What browser do you use?"}]}, {"label": "uBlock, no VPN", "summary": "Ships with uBlock Origin and does not require Mullvad VPN.", "quotes": [{"id": 786376192, "item_id": 49148512, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49148512", "by": "rustcleaner", "date": "2026-08-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin.", "excerpt": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin. No you don't need Mullvad VPN to use Mullvad Browser.", "context": "", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023)"}]}], "caveats": [{"label": "Performance", "summary": "One commenter finds Firefox-derived browsers, including Mullvad, sluggish and memory- and energy-hungry.", "quotes": [{"id": 775658337, "item_id": 48478646, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48478646", "by": "prmph", "date": "2026-06-10", "stance": "warn", "quote": "Even today it is difficult for me to use Firefox, Mullvad, etc.", "excerpt": "Firefox and Firefox-derivative browsers have and continue to be seriously sluggish and memory and energy hogs. This should not be swept under the rug. Even today it is difficult for me to use Firefox, Mullvad, etc. When I used to use them, almost every time my machine became slow the solution was to kill Firefox. EDIT: It's true folks, I would love to be able to use Firefox as my primary browser. But all my experienc", "context": "", "use_case": "web browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Google Chrome is killing all uBlock Origin bypasses, Edge, Opera to follow"}]}], "who": [{"by": "godelski", "context": "Arch user", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46323995", "date": "2025-12-19"}, {"by": "reify", "context": "set up a computer for a 10 year old", "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45865257", "date": "2025-11-09"}], "tags": ["for privacy-conscious users", "for family computers", "for Linux users", "for macOS users"], "use_cases": ["privacy browsing", "basic browsing", "occasional browsing", "web browsing", "resisting browser fingerprinting", "child-safe browsing"], "compared": [{"slug": "librewolf", "name": "LibreWolf", "co": 3, "switched_from": 1, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "firefox", "name": "Firefox", "co": 5, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "chrome", "name": "Chrome", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}, {"slug": "tor-browser", "name": "Tor Browser", "co": 2, "switched_from": 0, "switched_to": 0}], "makers": [], "threads": [{"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49527748", "title": "Hang on to Your Firefox", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49286427", "title": "Ask HN: What browser do you use?", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49136821", "title": "How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023)", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48471970", "title": "Google Chrome is killing all uBlock Origin bypasses, Edge, Opera to follow", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47925845", "title": "You have to have an account to read IMDB reviews now", "mentions": 1}, {"url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46316409", "title": "Firefox will have an option to disable all AI features", "mentions": 1}], "sentiment_by_month": {"2025-11": {"recommend": 2}, "2025-12": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-01": {}, "2026-02": {}, "2026-03": {}, "2026-04": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-05": {}, "2026-06": {"warn": 1}, "2026-07": {}, "2026-08": {"recommend": 1, "neutral": 1}, "2026-09": {"recommend": 1}, "2026-10": {}}, "quotes": [{"id": 792483025, "item_id": 49530189, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49530189", "by": "Forgeties79", "date": "2026-09-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I actually don't want a super basic, boring browser - that's what I have mullvad browser for!", "excerpt": "Normally I'd agree but at this point it's basically \"Firefox is mismanaged, updoots to the left my 1337zors\" behavior. It's basically a meme. It's always at the top of every single firefox thread no matter what is being posted. Yes they make mistakes. Yes they can be frustrating. But it is still so much better than using a chromium browser, and that must be acknowledged. People whine about the features every time. Gu", "context": "", "use_case": "basic browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Hang on to Your Firefox"}, {"id": 788636803, "item_id": 49289800, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49289800", "by": "al_borland", "date": "2026-08-13", "stance": "neutral", "quote": "I also use Mullvad\u2019s browser from time to time at home.", "excerpt": "Safari is my main browser at home and has been pretty much since its inception. Periodically I go off and use Firefox, Arch, and other such things, but I always come back to Safari. It just gets out of my way, while integrating a few quality of life features that normally end up as extensions in other browsers. My big gripe with Safari is the extensions being moved to the App Store. This creates a lot of unnecessary ", "context": "", "use_case": "occasional browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: What browser do you use?"}, {"id": 786376192, "item_id": 49148512, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49148512", "by": "rustcleaner", "date": "2026-08-02", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin.", "excerpt": "I use Mullvad Browser, which is Tor Browser -Tor +uBlock Origin. No you don't need Mullvad VPN to use Mullvad Browser.", "context": "", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "How Google helped destroy adoption of RSS feeds (2023)"}, {"id": 775658337, "item_id": 48478646, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48478646", "by": "prmph", "date": "2026-06-10", "stance": "warn", "quote": "Even today it is difficult for me to use Firefox, Mullvad, etc.", "excerpt": "Firefox and Firefox-derivative browsers have and continue to be seriously sluggish and memory and energy hogs. This should not be swept under the rug. Even today it is difficult for me to use Firefox, Mullvad, etc. When I used to use them, almost every time my machine became slow the solution was to kill Firefox. EDIT: It's true folks, I would love to be able to use Firefox as my primary browser. But all my experienc", "context": "", "use_case": "web browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Google Chrome is killing all uBlock Origin bypasses, Edge, Opera to follow"}, {"id": 766827728, "item_id": 47926733, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47926733", "by": "Cider9986", "date": "2026-04-27", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I recommend anyone to use email aliasing and perhaps the Mullvad browser", "excerpt": "I recommend anyone to use email aliasing and perhaps the Mullvad browser (if every fucking website using browser fingerprinting is getting a little tiring). These companies are just trying to suck up as much data as possible and ruin the web. Email aliasing prevents spam or linking of your emails by giving you a seperate email address to give to each service. When that service inevitably leaks your data, the leaked a", "context": "", "use_case": "resisting browser fingerprinting", "switched_from": "", "story": "You have to have an account to read IMDB reviews now"}, {"id": 741183922, "item_id": 46323995, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46323995", "by": "godelski", "date": "2025-12-19", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "Go use a fork like the Mullvad browser or Waterfox.", "excerpt": "Last I checked Firefox was sitting at 4% browser market share. If you include Brave you just get to 5%[0]. So truth is that privacy isn't enough to get people to switch. 5% share isn't enough to stay alive and protect privacy. > they are blindly implementing things before they are requested This is the job of every engineer. Your job is to understand the product and where it advances and where it can help the users. ", "context": "Arch user", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Firefox will have an option to disable all AI features"}, {"id": 736265472, "item_id": 46016592, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46016592", "by": "lilsoso", "date": "2025-11-22", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "I switched to the Mullvad browser.", "excerpt": "Thanks for the browser recommendations. I switched to the Mullvad browser. The other recommendation, LibreWolf, provides the following warning on install which scared me away: \"Warning: librewolf has been deprecated because it does not pass the macOS Gatekeeper check! It will be disabled on 2026-09-01.\"", "context": "", "use_case": "privacy browsing", "switched_from": "LibreWolf", "story": "The privacy nightmare of browser fingerprinting"}, {"id": 733844113, "item_id": 45865257, "url": "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45865257", "by": "reify", "date": "2025-11-09", "stance": "recommend", "quote": "change the browser to the Mullvad Browser or and librewolf", "excerpt": "I did this two years ago for a 10 year old. I went with Linux Mint XCFE The issue for all parents is surely online safety, especially so for our youngest. I managed to prevent the 10 year old acccessing porn and other non child friendly sites. change the browser to the Mullvad Browser or and librewolf --------------------- make sure you change the DNS in network manager and the the browser. https://mullvad.net/en/hel", "context": "set up a computer for a 10 year old", "use_case": "child-safe browsing", "switched_from": "", "story": "Ask HN: How would you set up a child\u2019s first Linux computer?"}]}