Analysis: What is the best VPN for the mobile operating system Mobian

Which VPN is Best for Mobian? A Practical, Slightly Geeky Review

Mobian is a delightful Debian-on-phones project aimed at making the Linux mobile experience actually usable. It runs on ARM devices like the PinePhone and PinePhone Pro, uses Phosh, and — importantly for our purposes — behaves like a normal Linux distribution under the hood. That independence is liberating, but it also means some desktop-first VPN vendors dont automatically hand you an arm64 .deb and a friendly GUI. This article evaluates which VPNs make life easiest and safest on Mobian, and how to get them running without crying in a terminal.

Criteria: what I judged these services by

• ARM / Debian friendliness: Does the provider support arm64 or at least provide configs that work with standard Linux tools (WireGuard/OpenVPN/NetworkManager)?
• Privacy open-source credentials: Are the clients open-source, or can you use a vendor-provided configuration with open tooling?
• Battery performance: WireGuard support matters for low CPU/battery usage on phones.
• Usability on a phone UI: Ease of switching servers and integrating with NetworkManager or simple CLI tools.
• Value features: Kill switch / DNS leak protection / multihop / refund policy.

Short verdict

Mullvad is the best overall VPN for Mobian. It nails privacy, plays very nicely with WireGuard and open tooling, and offers a simple account model. Proton VPN is a very close second (great privacy pedigree, easier signup and a free tier), and NordVPN / PIA / IVPN are respectable alternatives depending on what you value most (speed, price, or hand-holding). Crucially: if your chosen vendor supports WireGuard or hands you OpenVPN/WireGuard configs, it will work well on Mobian — even if they dont ship an arm64 GUI.

Why Mullvad wins

• Privacy-first: Account numbers instead of emails, transparent policies, regular audits.
• WireGuard first: Mullvad strongly embraces WireGuard. You can generate WireGuard configs from their site for any device. WireGuard is low-latency and power-efficient — perfect for phones.
• Open tooling friendly: If they dont ship a prebuilt arm64 GUI for Mobian, no problem: use wireguard-tools or NetworkManagers WireGuard plugin. Mullvad provides clear docs and downloadable configs.
• Works with NetworkManager (or wg-quick) so you can integrate it into Phosh without a custom app.

In short: Mullvad gives you privacy and the protocols you want, and Mobian gives you the tools to run it. A match made in a mildly nerdy heaven.

Runner-ups and when to choose them

• Proton VPN: Great privacy reputation, official Linux support, and a usable free tier. If you want a name you already trust and a smooth experience, pick Proton.
• IVPN: Excellent privacy and transparent policies fewer servers but excellent security focus.
• NordVPN: Tons of servers and fast proprietary servers. Works on Mobian via WireGuard (NordLynx) or OpenVPN configs, but their desktop clients are often desktop/amd64-first.
• Private Internet Access (PIA): Highly configurable with a strong feature set and manual Linux setup options.

Practical setup notes for Mobian

If your VPN vendor offers an arm64 Debian package for Linux, great — install it with apt. But many do not. Fortunately Mobian, being Debian, has excellent native tools:

1. Install WireGuard and NetworkManager WireGuard plugin: sudo apt install wireguard wireguard-tools network-manager-wireguard.
2. Import the vendor-generated WireGuard config into NetworkManager or use wg-quick: sudo wg-quick up /etc/wireguard/mullvad.conf.
3. To prevent DNS leaks, ensure your resolver is set to use the VPN interface (NetworkManager usually handles this). Consider using systemd-resolved integration if you run it.
4. For a kill switch, add an nftables or iptables rule that blocks traffic not on the wg0 (or vpn) interface, or use NetworkManager per-connection “block” options.

Tip: on phones, WireGuard tends to be both faster and less battery-hungry than OpenVPN. If your provider supports WireGuard (Mullvad, Proton, IVPN, Nord via NordLynx), use it.

Comparison table

Security and privacy caveats specific to phones

• Always double-check DNS: phones sometimes try to use hardcoded DNS paths. Use NetworkManager or system resolver settings that follow the VPN interface.
• Kill-switch is non-negotiable: mobile networks reconnect, and you don’t want flaky reconnections leaking traffic.
• Watch for IPv6 leaks: many VPNs dont route IPv6 by default. Disable IPv6 or ensure your VPN supports it.

Further reading and sources

• Mobian project: mobian-project.org
• Mullvad Linux help WireGuard: mullvad.net/en/help/
• Proton VPN Linux app: protonvpn.com/support/linux-vpn-tool/
• WireGuard official site (why WireGuard matters on phones): wireguard.com
• NordVPN Linux guide (NordLynx): support.nordvpn.com
• IVPN documentation: ivpn.net
• PIA Linux setup: support.privateinternetaccess.com

Final notes — practical recommendation

If you want one sentence: get Mullvad if privacy and minimalism matter, get Proton if you want a familiar brand and a free tier to test, and assume you will be using WireGuard or OpenVPN configs with NetworkManager on Mobian. Be comfortable in a terminal — but rejoice, because on Mobian that terminal is your friend, and once configured you have a faster, more private phone than 99% of the mainstream gadgets out there. Go forth and route your packets wisely.

And if your VPN vendor only offers an x86 GUI: don’t panic. Grab a WireGuard config, install the packages from Debian, and you’ll be up in minutes — with less battery drain and probably a smug sense of superiority. Nerdy, but deserved.