Analysis: What is the best VPN for the mobile operating system Sailfish OS

Which VPN is best for Sailfish OS? A pragmatic, geeky (and slightly opinionated) review

Sailfish OS is that rare beast: a mobile Linux that rewards curiosity. It lets you peek under the hood, tinker with networking, and—if you care about privacy—configure your own VPN. But VPN vendors don’t all play nicely with niche OSes. Some provide easy WireGuard configs you can drop in and go others provide closed-source Linux clients that expect systemd or NetworkManager (which Sailfish doesn’t use). The question, then: which VPN is the best fit for a Sailfish device?

Quick summary (if you just scrolled to the end)

• Best overall for Sailfish OS: Mullvad — excellent WireGuard support, privacy-first policies, simple, no-nonsense setup files that work well for manual configuration.
• Strong alternatives: Proton VPN and IVPN — both provide good WireGuard/OpenVPN support and privacy guarantees, but have different trade-offs (Proton’s ecosystem vs IVPN’s simplicity and anti-tracking stance).
• What to avoid if you want minimal fuss: VPNs that only ship heavy, distro-specific Linux clients or require NetworkManager/systemd services — these are harder to make work on Sailfish.

How Sailfish OS affects VPN choice

Sailfish is Linux-based but it doesn’t use NetworkManager or always match the Linux distributions targeted by mainstream VPN clients. Instead it typically uses connman for connectivity and expects manual, distro-agnostic configurations for VPN protocols. That makes these factors important:

• WireGuard support: A clean, modern protocol that’s easy to configure with a single concise .conf file. Providers that supply downloadable WireGuard configs are favored.
• OpenVPN support: More universal, but configuration can be fiddly if providers only offer GUI installers.
• Manual config friendliness: Providers that allow you to download keys, .conf files, or give detailed Linux command-line instructions are ideal.
• Privacy policy and logging: This matters more on a privacy-focused OS like Sailfish. Providers with minimal logs and jurisdictional advantages score higher.
• Payment options: Anonymous payment methods (cash, crypto) can be a bonus for privacy enthusiasts.

The contenders — short reviews

Mullvad

Why it fits Sailfish: Mullvad is practically built for people who want to set up VPNs manually. They generate per-account WireGuard config files that you can download and use immediately. No mandatory GUI, no telemetry, and first-class WireGuard docs.

Privacy usability: Zero-knowledge account IDs, cash/crypto options, and a strong no-logs ethos. Mullvad’s small, focused feature set is exactly what a Sailfish user needs: minimal fuss, maximum control.

Mullvad VPN

Proton VPN

Why it fits Sailfish: Proton provides WireGuard and OpenVPN configs and has a strong privacy track record. Their documentation is thorough and they’ve historically supported Linux users well.

Trade-offs: Proton pushes its ecosystem (mail, drive) which may or may not appeal. Proton has a free tier (with limitations) and pays attention to auditability and transparency.

Proton VPN

IVPN

Why it fits Sailfish: IVPN is privacy-focused, pragmatic, and provides WireGuard configs suitable for manual installation. They’re friendly to non-standard Linux setups and emphasize simple, secure defaults.

IVPN

NordVPN Surfshark

Both are large providers with good WireGuard support (Nord’s implementation is called NordLynx). They have fast infrastructure and many servers. However, their Linux offerings often rely on packaged clients and system expectations that don’t map perfectly to Sailfish. If you’re comfortable extracting keys and doing manual setup, they’re usable—but not as turnkey as Mullvad.

NordVPN Surfshark

Comparison table

Why Mullvad gets the crown (and a small trophy)

Mullvad’s workflow is about as close to IDEAL for Sailfish as you can get: you create an account ID (no email required), choose WireGuard, and download a ready-to-use configuration. That config contains the private key, peer keys, and the remote endpoint. On a Linux-y OS where you don’t want to install a heavy vendor client, that matters tremendously.

Other advantages:

• Privacy-first policies and simple billing options (including anonymous cash).
• Small, transparent feature set — fewer background processes that might conflict with Sailfish’s architecture.
• Clear documentation aimed at users who know their way around a terminal (or at least aren’t scared of a text file).

Practical setup notes and tips (high level)

Because Sailfish differs from mainstream desktop Linux, expect to do a little manual work. Here’s the pragmatic flow:

1. Pick a provider that gives WireGuard configs (Mullvad, Proton, IVPN, etc.).
2. Download the WireGuard .conf file for your chosen server.
3. Use whatever WireGuard tooling is available on your Sailfish build. Recent kernels and Sailfish releases increasingly support WireGuard if your image doesnt include wg-quick, check the community repositories or consider adding userspace tools (exercise caution and back up your device first).
4. Apply the config and test connectivity. If you’re comfortable with logs, check interface routing to ensure DNS leaks are not happening.

If you prefer OpenVPN: most providers supply .ovpn bundles. OpenVPN is more ubiquitous but requires more options (auth-user-pass files, ca certs, etc.), and you may need to adapt example configs to match connman or whichever system your Sailfish image uses.

Features to care about (and which providers give them)

• Kill switch / network block: Useful if your VPN drops and you want to avoid accidental leaks. Not all providers offer an easy-to-enable kill switch unless you use their full client. Manual firewall rules can replicate this on Linux, but require more work on Sailfish.
• Split tunneling: Handy for routing only certain traffic through the VPN. Harder to manage manually on mobile OSes unless you control routing tables directly.
• Multi-hop / double VPN: Privacy theater for some, actually useful for others. Mullvad currently focuses on clean WireGuard endpoints rather than complex multi-hop configurations.

Final verdict

For typical Sailfish users who value privacy and want a minimal, robust setup: Mullvad is the best starting point. If you want a broader ecosystem and a free tier to test, Proton VPN is an excellent runner-up. IVPN is a close third for those who prioritize privacy and simplicity but like a smaller provider feel.

Whatever you choose, look for downloadable WireGuard configuration files, strong privacy policies, and good Linux-friendly documentation. Sailfish rewards users who tinker — but that doesn’t mean you should be forced into twisting vendor-specific clients into something they aren’t.

Sources further reading

• Mullvad — WireGuard help
• Proton — What is WireGuard?
• IVPN — Official site
• WireGuard — official
• OpenVPN — official
• Sailfish OS — official site and resources
• Sailfish OS community forum — practical tips from other users

Geek closure: the best VPN for Sailfish is the one that respects your privacy, hands you a neat WireGuard .conf, and doesn’t demand a heavy-handed, distro-specific client. In other words: give me the keys, I’ll make them sing.