TunnelBear VPN Review

4 / 10Mediocre
BestVPNEditorial Team of BestVPN.fyi
Secure Your Digital Life with TunnelBear
"Enjoy robust privacy features, support for multiple devices, and a user-friendly experience with TunnelBear VPN."

Pros & Cons

  • Great platform compatibility
  • Supports split tunneling and Kill Switch
  • Free plan available
  • Unlimited concurrent devices
  • Independent security audits
  • Competitive pricing for long-term subscriptions
  • No-logs policy
  • No money-back guarantee
  • Limited payment options, no support for cryptocurrencies or digital wallets
  • No ad and malware blocker
  • Based in a Five Eyes country (Canada)

Quick facts

  • 📱Devices (up to): 101
  • 🖥️Servers:
  • 🌍Available countries: 47
  • 📍Company location: Canada
  • 🔒Logging policy: No logs
  • 🎥Streaming: no
  • 🌊Torrenting: no

Embrace Online Privacy

3.33EUR / month

Coupon codes are not applicable

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Subject to additional terms and conditions of TunnelBear.

Summary

In our exploration of virtual private network (VPN) services, we turn our attention to TunnelBear VPN, a popular provider known for its high security standards and user-friendly interface. Originating from Canada, TunnelBear has made a name for itself with a unique bear-themed approach to privacy, promising strong protection of your online activities across computers, smartphones, and tablets.

With its network of VPN servers spread across 49 countries, TunnelBear provides a consistent user experience across devices, ensuring an attractive interface paired with a unified functionality. It is praiseworthy for its commitment to transparency and high-speed connectivity offered on local servers.

Despite its many strengths, TunnelBear is not without its limitations. For instance, the lack of support for manual server configuration and video streaming are notable drawbacks. While the service can unblock several major streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Kodi, the streaming experience is hampered by slow connection speeds on international servers. Furthermore, the absence of city-level locations restricts alternative server options, making TunnelBear less suitable for users seeking an optimal streaming experience.

It's worth noting that TunnelBear's GhostBear feature can unblock several streaming services, but at the cost of slowing down the connection due to an extra layer of encryption. Consequently, platforms like BBC iPlayer, Disney+, ESPN, and ESPN+ successfully blocked TunnelBear, limiting its potential as a tool for bypassing geographical restrictions.

The service offers a free version limited to 500 Megabytes of data per month, but for users seeking more extensive usage, a paid subscription is available. Despite its drawbacks, particularly for streaming enthusiasts, TunnelBear shines as a service designed primarily to protect its users' privacy on the internet.

In terms of security, TunnelBear does not disappoint. It employs AES 256-bit encryption, and its security has been independently evaluated, affirming its robustness. The service does not store VPN logs, and features like VigilantBear and GhostBear further strengthen its security measures.

However, TunnelBear's performance differs significantly between local and international servers. While local servers provide good speeds, international servers fall short, making activities like streaming or downloading torrents difficult due to slow speeds.

In essence, TunnelBear VPN emerges as a strong contender in the field of internet privacy, especially for users prioritizing security and user-friendliness over unimpeded streaming. Its commitment to transparency and privacy protection are commendable, although its performance limitations with streaming and international server speeds require consideration.

To summarize, TunnelBear VPN is a secure and user-friendly service that provides robust privacy protection, though it may not satisfy users seeking optimal streaming capabilities or high-speed international connections.

Pricing, Trial, Money Back, Cancellation

TunnelBear operates on a tiered pricing structure that incentivizes long-term commitments from its users. The monthly price starts at $9.99 but decreases significantly when you choose longer plans. The yearly plan and the two-year plan cost $4.99 per month, while the three-year plan is priced at $3.33 per month. These are very competitive prices in the VPN market.
For those who are unsure if TunnelBear is the right VPN for them, it offers a free plan to test out its basic features. This is a welcome feature for those hesitant to make a financial commitment upfront. However, TunnelBear does not offer a money-back guarantee, which is uncommon among VPN providers.
The subscription can be canceled monthly, which provides flexibility for users who may not need a long-term VPN service.

Features

TunnelBear has a robust set of features to ensure user privacy and smooth browsing experience:
  • Kill Switch: This is a vital feature that prevents your data from being exposed if your VPN connection unexpectedly drops. TunnelBear’s implementation of this, known as VigilantBear, ensures your data stays secure.
  • Split Tunneling: TunnelBear supports split tunneling, a feature that allows you to decide which part of your internet traffic should go through the VPN and which part should go through your regular ISP. This feature provides you with great control over your internet usage.
  • Concurrent Devices: You can use TunnelBear on up to 101 devices simultaneously, a figure that dwarfs most other VPN providers and is excellent for larger households or small businesses.
  • Unlimited Bandwidth: There’s no need to worry about hitting data caps as TunnelBear offers unlimited bandwidth to its users.
  • Security Audits: TunnelBear has also undergone independent security audits, the source of which is provided on their website. This transparency reinforces their commitment to user privacy.
However, TunnelBear does not provide a Double VPN or TOR over VPN, and there is no ad and malware blocker included.
Dedicated IP
No
Parental Controls
No
Split Tunneling / Bypassing
Yes
P2P Support
Yes
Ad and malware blocking
No
Bandwidth limits and data caps
Yes
Live Chat
No
Customer Service 24/7
No

Is TunnelBear Secure? Privacy & Logging

Security is a primary concern for any VPN user. TunnelBear uses AES-256 encryption, which is the industry standard for top-notch security. It supports OpenVPN and WireGuard, two of the most secure VPN protocols, though IKEv2 and L2TP are not supported.
TunnelBear has a no-logs policy, meaning it does not keep track of your internet activity. Coupled with DNS leak protection and IPv6 leak protection, TunnelBear makes sure your identity and online activities are well-guarded.
However, it’s worth noting that TunnelBear is based in Canada, a member of the Five Eyes alliance, which may be a concern for the most privacy-conscious users.
Encryption
aes-256
OpenVPN
Yes
WireGuard
Yes
IKEv2/IPsec
No
Hydra
No
Config File Generators
No
Kill Switch Feature
Yes
No Logs Policy
Yes
DNS Leak Protection
Yes
IPv6 Leak Protection
Yes
Double VPN / Multi-Hop Feature
No
Server Obfuscation
No
Independent Security Audits
Yes
Warrant Canary
No

About TunnelBear

TunnelBear is a VPN provider headquartered in Canada. While not revealing the exact number of servers, TunnelBear operates in 47 countries. It allows P2P support, making it suitable for torrenting. But, it’s important to note that it does not offer streaming support, which might be a disadvantage for users seeking to bypass geo-restrictions on streaming platforms.
Headquarters
Canada
Founded in

Apps & Platform Support

TunnelBear provides support across various platforms, including Windows, Android, iOS, Mac, and Linux. It also offers extensions for Chrome and Firefox, but there’s no support for Microsoft Edge. This wide range of platform support ensures that most users will be able to use TunnelBear on their device of choice.
iOS
Yes
MacOS
Yes
Android
Yes
Chrome
Yes
Firefox
Yes
Windows
Yes
Linux
Yes

Reviews from Elsewhere

On Trustpilot, TunnelBear has a score of 3.2 based on 74 reviews, suggesting mixed feedback from users. On the Google Play Store, it scores 4.0 based on 304,000 reviews, while on the Apple App Store, it boasts an impressive score of 4.7 based on 59,700 reviews. These scores suggest that the mobile experience of TunnelBear is generally well-received by users.
Trustpilot Rating
3.2 (out of 74 reviews)
Google Play Store Rating
4 (out of 304000 reviews)
iOS App Store rating
4.7 (out of 59700 reviews)

Payment Methods

In terms of payment methods, TunnelBear accepts major credit cards like Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and Amex. However, it does not support digital wallets such as PayPal, Google Pay, or Amazon Pay, nor does it accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum. Wire transfers and cash payments are also not accepted. This somewhat limited range of payment methods might be a drawback for users seeking diverse payment options.
PayPal
No
Sofort (Klarna)
No
Swish
No
iDEAL
No
Giropay
No
Amazon Pay
No
Google Pay
No
Apple Pay
No
Samsung Pay
No
Visa
Yes
Mastercard
Yes
Discover
Yes
American Express
Yes
Monero
No
Bitcoin
No
Ethereum
No
Wire transfer
No
Cash
No

Torrenting with TunnelBear

For users interested in torrenting, TunnelBear provides P2P support on all its servers. This means you can download and share files through torrenting while keeping your IP address hidden, an essential feature for maintaining privacy.
However, TunnelBear does not explicitly advertise itself as a VPN for torrenting. Therefore, while it technically supports this activity, there might be other VPNs on the market that provide more robust infrastructure specifically optimized for torrenting.
Remember, although a VPN can provide an extra layer of security when torrenting, it’s still essential to torrent responsibly and within the bounds of the law.

FAQ