VPN Tactics

Proton VPN vs Mullvad for qBittorrent Port Forwarding

Mullvad removed port forwarding in 2023; Proton VPN supports it via NAT-PMP. How to set it up for qBittorrent and what each does well.

Reviewed 2026-10-192 min read“protonvpn vs mullvad for port forwarding qbittorrent”Comparison

The short answer

  • 1.If you need an open port, Proton VPN (paid plans, P2P servers) is the one of the two that can provide it.
  • 2.Mullvad remains attractive for anonymous payment and simplicity but doesn't forward ports.
  • 3.Proton's forwarded port can change, so qBittorrent needs to be updated when it does.

Side by side

Proton VPNMullvad
Port forwardingYes (NAT-PMP, supported servers)No (removed in 2023)
Anonymous accountEmail-based sign-upAccount number, no email
Payment optionsCards, PayPal, crypto and cash optionsCards, Monero, cash and more
WireGuard config downloadYesYes
As last reviewed; confirm on each provider's site.

Proton port forwarding with qBittorrent

  1. 01Generate a WireGuard config with NAT-PMP enabled and a P2P server.
  2. 02Connect the tunnel and request a mapping from the gateway.
  3. 03Copy the port to qBittorrent → Options → Connection and untick random ports.
  4. 04Renew the mapping regularly, or let a tool such as Gluetun do it for you.
Terminal
# Requires libnatpmp. Keeps the mapping alive and prints the port.
while true; do
  natpmpc -a 1 0 udp 60 -g 10.2.0.1 && natpmpc -a 1 0 tcp 60 -g 10.2.0.1
  sleep 45
done

Questions people also ask

+Do I need a paid Proton plan?

Port forwarding is a paid-plan feature at the time of review.

+Which is more private?

Both publish audits and no-logs policies; Mullvad's account system collects less up front.

Provider features, prices and streaming compatibility change often. We don't run lab benchmarks; confirm details on the provider's own site before buying. Read our responsible-use stance.

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