- Mole is expected to shut down Find Search Proxy on November 27, 2025.
- The move marks a change in Mullvad’s privacy offering
- Leta users are advised to connect Mullvad VPN to a privacy-oriented browser
Mullvads Leta search proxy will be discontinued at the end of this month. according to an advertisement from the Sweden-based VPN provider.
Leta acted as a privacy broker between Mullvad VPN users and major search engines, allowing them to query Google and Brave without revealing IP addresses, cookies or browser fingerprints.
The shutdown is scheduled for November 27, 2025, and comes at a time when search engines are becoming increasingly hostile to proxy access. Mole, the company behind one of the best VPN services available today, admits that this will likely make Leta “less useful over time.”
Why the closure and what else is changing in Mullvad
Mullvad cites “major changes” in the research sector as the main reason for Leta’s impending departure.
By strengthening anti-bot measures, expanding CAPTCHAs and exploiting real-time behavioral signals, modern search engines are making it increasingly difficult for Mullvad to maintain an effective shared proxy.
On November 27, 2025, we will shut down our Leta search proxy. Read more here: https://t.co/4Bbni75TsdNovember 6, 2025
Maintaining a reliable and truly private search portal under current conditions would require continuous technical efforts and frequent updates. Mole would apparently rather use the resources elsewhere, as evidenced by recent additions including QUIC obfuscation for WireGuard.
Earlier this year, Mullvad also announced plans to end support for OpenVPN as of January 16, 2026, in favor of the new, lighter WireGuard protocol. This marks a strategic shift in Mullvad’s core VPN and privacy offering.
The company explains that consolidating the open source WireGuard protocol allows the team to “focus our resources where they can make a difference.” With Leta’s retirement, Mullvad plans to “continue to advance the development of advanced VPN and browser privacy.”
Alternative for Mullvad users looking for private browsing
For users who rely on Leta, the immediate problem is finding a suitable replacement for private search. Fortunately, Mullvad still offers a number of privacy-focused tools, including the Mullvad Browser, which can help maintain the privacy standards that Mullvad is known for.
Mullvad recommends using a virtual private network in combination with a privacy-oriented browser. The most obvious choice for existing subscribers is Mullvad Browser, a tor Browser-derived client that offers the same consistency in fingerprinting, tracking blocking, and fingerprint protection, while routing traffic through a VPN instead of the Tor network.
Mullvad Browser can be paired with any VPN, but Mullvad recommends using it with its own service for optimal protection. Since Mullvad Browser does not rely on Tor-ui routing, it ensures faster page loading and also offers strong privacy guarantees.
Alternatives to the Mulvad browser include Brave or Firefox with advanced settings. Pairing one of these browsers with a quality VPN will hide your IP address from search engines, encrypt DNS queries, and block third-party trackers, providing a level of anonymity comparable to Leta.