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Highly recommended
TunnelBear®
TunnelBear Review — Quick Summary
TunnelBear is a decent free VPN and one of the most intuitive VPNs out there. I’ve used it on multiple occasions during my travels over the past 5+ years, and I always had a fun time using it thanks to its fun app design — plus, it also provided me with good online security.
I honestly think TunnelBear is a really good VPN for beginners — both its desktop and mobile apps have a really intuitive design, and they also provide great entertainment since they’re full of cute animated bears and bear-themed puns. Plus, the provider allows unlimited connections, so everyone in your family can install and use it on their devices.
Plus, TunnelBear also comes with other perks — it provides access to a good free plan, it has a large server network (5,000+ servers in 45+ countries), it works without issues in restrictive countries in China and Russia, and it has all essential VPN security features. Also, it provides very good speeds on both nearby and distant servers. And it allows split-tunneling on all devices, including iOS (most top VPNs don’t support split-tunneling on iOS).
But the VPN also has some drawbacks that are really hard to ignore — it doesn’t work with most streaming sites (like Netflix and BBC iPlayer), it doesn’t allow torrenting on its servers, it doesn’t have router support, it doesn’t have live chat support, and it lacks a refund policy.
In addition to the free plan, TunnelBear has an affordable paid version, with prices starting at $3.33/month. While the VPN is pretty good, I still think there are much better VPNs on the market.
Quick TunnelBear Review | |
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Rating | |
Overall rank | 11 out of #19 |
Netflix | |
Server Network | 5,000+ servers in 45+ countries |
Number of Devices | Unlimited |
Starting Price | $3.33/month |
Money-Back Guarantee | |
Coupons | TunnelBear Coupon 67% OFF |
TunnelBear Security Features Security Features
TunnelBear uses the following industry-standard security features:
- 256-bit AES encryption — This is the same level of encryption that the military and banks use to secure their data. Encryption basically makes sure nobody can spy on your internet traffic.
- Kill switch — Called VigilantBear, this security feature disables all internet access if the VPN connection drops. It does this to prevent any potential traffic leaks. TunnelBear’s kill switch is available on all of its apps (Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android).
- No-logs policy — TunnelBear has a strict no-logs policy that doesn’t collect your browsing traffic or your IP address.
- DNS leak protection — TunnelBear ensures that all traffic from your device, including your DNS queries is properly routed through the VPN tunnel. This prevents DNS leaks, which would normally allow your internet service provider (ISP) to spy on which sites you access.
TunnelBear also uses the following VPN protocols: OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPSec. This is a really good selection, as all of these protocols provide very good security. They’re also all fast, though I should note that WireGuard is by far the fastest one. I also put together this table to showcase which VPN apps come with which VPN protocols:
VPN Protocols | Windows | macOS | iOS | Android |
---|---|---|---|---|
WireGuard | ||||
OpenVPN | ||||
IKEv2/IPSec |
And on top of DNS leak protection, the provider also prevents IPv6 and WebRTC leaks. This is really good to see, as some top VPNs don’t have full leak protection (for example, Surfshark only prevents DNS leaks). I also tested TunnelBear’s leak protection by running leak tests on servers in 15+ countries, and I’m happy to say I never experienced any issues.
TunnelBear also uses advanced security tools. It comes with perfect forward secrecy, which changes the encryption key for each VPN session. And while it doesn’t have RAM-only servers, the provider’s server configuration forces its servers to act like RAM-only servers — this means that all data on the servers is deleted after each server reboot.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear provides very good security, as it comes with all essential VPN security features. Plus, it also has IPv6 and WebRTC leak protection, and it uses advanced security tools, including perfect forward secrecy and server configuration that deletes all server data after each reboot.
TunnelBear Privacy Features Privacy Features
TunnelBear Logging Policy | |
---|---|
📍 IP Address | |
🌐 Web Traffic | |
📧 Email Address | |
⏱️ Connection Timestamps | |
💽 Bandwidth Usage |
TunnelBear is a great VPN service for protecting your privacy — it comes with a strict no-logs policy that’s actually written in such a way that pretty much anyone can read and understand it.
The provider doesn’t store logs of your IP address and web traffic (which sites you visit, or what files you download). Also, it doesn’t log your connection timestamps. TunnelBear only collects your email address since it needs it to communicate with you. And it also logs data usage, which it needs to do to manage its free plan and improve its server network.
Sadly, TunnelBear’s no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited yet. This isn’t a huge drawback since I am fully confident that this VPN service protects your privacy — not to mention its apps, codeware, and infrastructure undergo regular security audits. But I’d really like to see it follow in the footsteps of other top vendors (like ExpressVPN and Private Internet Access), and have its no-logs policy audited.
But I like how the provider releases a regular transparency report, just like CyberGhost VPN does. The report details all of the requests for user data TunnelBear received from third parties, and how it didn’t comply with them.
TunnelBear is headquartered in Canada, which is sadly a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances (a group of countries that share surveillance data with each other). That said, the VPN service doesn’t log any user data, so it doesn’t have anything to share even if the authorities ask for it.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear provides very good privacy, as it has a strict no-logs policy, it releases a regular transparency report, and it undergoes security audits (though, its no-logs policy hasn’t been audited yet)
TunnelBear Additional Features Additional Features
TunnelBear provides access to the following extra VPN features:
The provider also offers ad blocking via TunnelBear Blocker, but I can’t really consider this an additional feature — that’s because it’s not built into the VPN apps. Instead, it’s a standalone browser extension for Chrome. It blocks ads, ad trackers, malware and more, and it works well, but I still prefer built-in VPN ad blockers, like the ones offered by Private Internet Access and NordVPN.
SplitBear (Split-Tunneling)
This is TunnelBear’s split-tunneling feature, which lets you pick which apps and sites use the VPN connection, and which apps and sites use your local internet network. I often use this tool while torrenting with TunnelBear — I only route traffic from my P2P app through the VPN, and that increases my download speeds.
I really like how the VPN lets you split-tunnel both apps and sites (just like Private Internet Access does). Many top VPNs only let you split-tunnel apps, which is a shame — for example, it’s much more convenient to only split-tunnel Netflix’s site instead of having to split-tunnel the whole browser I use to access Netflix.
And TunnelBear supports split-tunneling on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. Even though split-tunneling is limited on iOS (it only lets you exclude websites from the VPN connection), I still think it’s impressive seeing this feature present on iOS — very few VPNs offer it on this platform.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear provides very good split-tunneling via its SplitBear tool. It lets you split-tunnel both apps and sites, it works without issues, and it’s available on all of the provider’s apps (even on iOS).
GhostBear (Obfuscation)
GhostBear is TunnelBear’s obfuscation tool, which is a feature that hides your VPN traffic by enveloping it in an additional layer of encryption. By doing this, the VPN provides additional privacy and also helps you circumvent VPN blocks, as nobody can detect, monitor, and block your VPN traffic anymore.
The provider’s obfuscation tool works very well, as its customer support reps confirmed that the VPN works without issues in restrictive countries, such as China, Egypt, and the UAE. On my end, I can also confirm that I never experienced any issues accessing the free web while using TunnelBear in China.
GhostBear is available on all servers on Windows, macOS, and Android. Also, you can only use this feature via the OpenVPN protocol. If you want to also use obfuscation on iOS and via multiple protocols, check out ExpressVPN instead — it supports obfuscation on all of its apps and protocols, and it also works without issues in restrictive regions, such as China and Russia.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear’s GhostBear tool provides very good obfuscation, as it works without problems in restrictive countries. I also like how this feature is available on all VPN servers on the majority of the provider’s VPN apps.
Tor Support
TunnelBear supports Tor traffic on all server locations. This means you can first connect to TunnelBear to secure your data before using the Tor browser to surf the dark web. This way, you protect your privacy against potential IP leaks or IP logging on the Tor network.
Keep in mind that Tor over VPN connections are usually pretty slow — that’s because you’re adding multiple layers of encryption to your connection. Plus, the Tor network itself is slow since there aren’t enough Tor servers for how many Tor users there are. Still, I maintained pretty decent browsing speeds with TunnelBear, as most .onion links took just 7–8 seconds to fully load.
But I ultimately think NordVPN and Proton VPN are better for surfing Tor sites. That’s because both VPN services come with dedicated VPN servers that automatically route your traffic through the Tor network — and that allows you to surf .onion links in regular browsers (like Chrome and Firefox), which is more convenient than using the Tor browser.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear is great for securely surfing Tor sites, as it allows dark web traffic on all of its servers. Plus, it also maintains pretty good load times on its Tor over VPN connections
TunnelBear Streaming Support Streaming Support
TunnelBear Works With | |
---|---|
Netflix | |
Amazon Prime Videos | |
BBC iPlayer | |
Max | |
HBO Max | |
Disney+ | |
Hulu | |
YouTube TV |
I don’t really recommend getting TunnelBear for streaming. It doesn’t mention how many streaming services it works with, but it’s only compatible with Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV anyway — it doesn’t work with other top sites, such as Netflix, Max, and Disney+.
And TunnelBear is also missing a smart DNS tool. This is a good streaming feature that allows you to access streaming sites and content on devices that don’t support VPN apps — like certain smart TV models or gaming consoles, for example.
If you want to use a VPN for streaming, just go with ExpressVPN instead. It works with 100+ streaming platforms, including all of the ones TunnelBear can and can’t access — plus, it also provides access to a smart DNS. And ExpressVPN is also the best Netflix VPN on the market, as it works with 15+ Netflix libraries, including top ones like Netflix US and Netflix UK.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear has pretty bad streaming support, as it can’t access most popular streaming services (including Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+) — it’s only compatible with Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV. Also, the provider is missing a smart DNS.
TunnelBear Torrenting Support Torrenting Support
I don’t recommend TunnelBear for torrenting since it lacks P2P support. I tried torrenting on servers in 20+ countries, and my P2P downloads always stalled. The files only resumed downloading when I disconnected from TunnelBear’s servers.
If you want to torrent with a VPN, there are much better options out there. My personal favorite is Private Internet Access, as it allows P2P traffic on servers in 90+ countries, it supports port forwarding (connect to more peers for faster downloads), and it has SOCKS5 proxy support, which hides your IP address but doesn’t provide encryption to ensure super fast downloads. In addition, the VPN also provides high-end security and privacy for torrenting.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear lacks P2P support — all downloads stall when you connect to it. If you want to secure your P2P traffic with a VPN, I recommend getting Private Internet Access, as it’s the best VPN for torrenting in 2024.
TunnelBear Gaming Support Gaming Support
TunnelBear is just decent for online gaming. I used the VPN to play a few rounds of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and I generally maintained good speeds — my ping was stable and average, and my connections to the gaming server never dropped or froze.
The VPN is also good at protecting you from Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. That’s because it hides your IP address, so that nobody can use it to DDoS your network. What’s more, all of TunnelBear’s servers come with anti-DDoS protection, meaning nobody can DDoS your connection to the VPN server either.
But I don’t like how TunnelBear is missing router support. This means you can’t use it to play online games on devices that don’t natively support VPN apps, like Xbox or PlayStation gaming consoles.
In addition, the VPN doesn’t guarantee cloud gaming support. This means it might not work with platforms that stream video games to portable devices, like laptops and smartphones. I was able to successfully use it with GeForce Now, but I can’t guarantee you’ll have the same results as me.
To be honest, ExpressVPN is a much better gaming VPN — it too maintains very good gaming speeds and has anti-DDoS protection, but it also comes with a dedicated router app and cloud gaming support.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear is good for basic online gaming, as it maintains good speeds and provides anti-DDoS protection. But it’s sadly missing router support, and it also doesn’t guarantee that it will work with cloud gaming services.
TunnelBear Server Network Server Network
TunnelBear Server Network | |
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Number of Servers | 5,000+ |
Number of Countries | 45+ |
P2P Servers | |
Virtual Locations | |
Dedicated IP Addresses |
TunnelBear has a pretty big server network, numbering 5,000+ servers in 45+ countries. Its number of countries is still smaller than other top VPN providers, though — for example, ExpressVPN has servers in 100+ countries, and CyberGhost VPN has servers in 95+ countries. That said, TunnelBear’s server locations are evenly spread across the globe, which makes it easy for most users to find and connect to nearby servers to get fast speeds.
But I don’t like how TunnelBear’s servers don’t support torrenting — I tried downloading torrents on servers in 20+ countries and was never able to do it. I find this very weird, as pretty much all the top VPNs in 2024 allow torrenting on their servers (Private Internet Access is my #1 P2P VPN).
Bottom Line: TunnelBear has a decently-sized server network, which should allow most people to use nearby servers that are not overcrowded to get good speeds. But it sadly doesn’t allow torrenting on any of its servers.
TunnelBear Speed Tests Speed Tests
I travel very often, so I can’t perform the speed tests myself. If I were to do that, the results would be really different for each VPN review, as the VPN speeds would depend a lot on the original speeds I’d have in the country I’m currently in. So the results wouldn’t be consistent, which would mean the vendor speed comparisons would be unfair.
So I asked my friend from Romania to run the speed tests for me. He doesn’t travel like I do, so he can provide you with consistent VPN speed test results for each vendor review. For this review, he told me that he used Ookla Speedtest and the VPN provider’s WireGuard protocol.
First, my friend started with a speed test without the VPN. He did that to get a baseline for his online speeds — here are his results:
Next, he tested his VPN speeds on a nearby server in Serbia. He told me he was really happy with the results — he was able to connect to websites instantly, and he never experienced any buffering or long load times when watching HD and 4K videos.
After that, he tested a distant server in the US. While he experienced some slowdowns, they were overall pretty minor — websites continued to load instantly, HD videos loaded instantly as well and didn’t buffer, and 4K videos only took around 2 seconds to load (and there was really minor buffering when skipping through them).
Finally, he tested a very remote server located in Taiwan. Despite the long distance, he still maintained smooth connection speeds — they were mostly similar to his speeds on the provider’s US server. Websites loaded in less than 2 seconds, HD videos loaded instantly, and 4K videos only took around 3 seconds to fully load.
I can also confirm I usually had similar speeds whenever I used TunnelBear while traveling. The provider usually maintained really fast connection speeds while connected to nearby servers, and I only experienced really minor slowdowns whenever I used distant servers to browse sites and watch videos.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear maintains very good connection speeds. You usually don’t notice any slowdowns on nearby servers, and the VPN still maintains fast browsing, streaming, and download speeds on distant servers.
TunnelBear Censorship Bypassing Censorship Bypassing
TunnelBear Works in | |
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🇨🇳 China | |
🇪🇬 Egypt | |
🇹🇷 Turkey | |
🇷🇺 Russia | |
🇦🇪 UAE |
TunnelBear works great in restrictive countries — it has no issues getting around online censorship in places like China, Egypt, and Turkey. I have also used it on many occasions while traveling through China, and it always helped me circumvent the government’s internet censorship.
This is because the provider comes with obfuscation, which helps you avoid VPN traffic blocks. The feature is available on all of the provider’s servers (many of which are near China) and on the majority of its VPN apps — you only have to use the OpenVPN protocol to be able to enable it.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear is a great pick for users living in or traveling through restrictive regions. The VPN works without issues in places like China and the UAE, and it also supports obfuscation on all of its servers and most of its apps.
TunnelBear Apps and Ease of Use Apps and Ease of Use
TunnelBear has apps for several devices, including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It also comes with browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. Sadly, it’s missing an app for Linux and smart TVs, and it also doesn’t support router setups — if that’s a dealbreaker, I recommend getting ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access instead.
I think it’s really easy to install TunnelBear on your device — it only took up to 1 minute to install it on my smartphone, and less than 2 minutes to download and install it on my laptop.
And I love how the VPN allows unlimited connections, which means you can install and use TunnelBear on as many devices as you want — most VPNs only support 5–10 simultaneous connections. This makes TunnelBear a really good pick for large families and people who own tons of web-connected devices.
Android & iOS
I honestly think TunnelBear has some of the most user-friendly mobile apps on the market. The design is very intuitive, and there’s even a digital map that lets you quickly connect to different VPN servers. Plus, I really like how all settings and features come with quick, helpful explanations.
And the VPN’s mobile apps are very fun to use, making this provider a great pick for beginners. For example, the apps feature cute digital bears that dig a tunnel on the map to the location of the VPN server you connect to. In addition, on mobile, you can enable in-app bear sounds — this will make the digital bear roar whenever you connect to or disconnect from a server, which is very cute.
And both the Android and iOS apps are secure, as they both have a kill switch and security-focused protocols. In addition, you get access to split-tunneling on both, which is really great. The only difference is that obfuscation is only available on Android.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear has excellent Android and iOS apps, as they’re extremely intuitive and also really fun to use. What’s more, both apps provide access to strong security tools, and they both come with split-tunneling as well.
Windows & macOS
TunnelBear’s macOS app and Windows app are really fun to use as well, as they both feature the same digital map and animated bears you get on the provider’s smartphone apps. I especially like how most server connection notifications are country-themed — for example, when you connect to a UK server, the notification displays a bear wearing a top hat and a monocle.
I think both desktop apps are equally great, as they both provide access to the same secure protocols and features. I especially like that split-tunneling is available on macOS as well, as some VPNs only include it on Windows.
Bottom Line: I’m very happy with both of TunnelBear’s desktop apps. They’re really intuitive, feature a very fun and beginner-friendly design, and come equipped with the same security features and extras.
Browser Extensions
TunnelBear has really user-friendly browser extensions — the design is very minimalistic, so it doesn’t feel overwhelming to use the extensions. Also, the extensions don’t take up a lot of your screen, so they’re non-intrusive and don’t distract from your web browsing.
The extensions are secure and provide access to all servers. But that’s about it, as you don’t get access to the provider’s other extra features. If that’s an issue and you’d like to use a more feature-rich browser extension, consider using ExpressVPN or Private Internet Access.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear’s browser extensions are very intuitive, as it doesn’t take more than 3 seconds to find and connect to a VPN server. I also like how you get access to all servers, though please keep in mind the extensions aren’t feature-rich.
TunnelBear Pricing and Refund Policy Pricing and Refund Policy
TunnelBear Pricing | |
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Starting Price | $3.33/month |
Free Plan | |
Money-Back Guarantee | |
🔥 Coupons | TunnelBear Coupon 67% OFF |
TunnelBear comes with 3 subscriptions:
- Free.
- Unlimited (has 3 plans).
- Teams (for businesses).
The provider has one of the best free VPN plans on the market — the free plan provides access to all of the VPN’s features, it lets you use all of the provider’s servers, and it allows unlimited device connections. That said, the free version is only good for basic web browsing, as it limits you to 2 GB per month. If the data limit is not enough for you, check out Proton VPN’s free version, as it allows unlimited bandwidth.
The Unlimited subscription is affordable, as prices start at $3.33/month. The provider has a 1-month, a 1-year, and a 3-year plan, with the long-term plans providing the best discounts. Still, I have to mention that top competitors like CyberGhost VPN and Surfshark are more affordable, and also provide slightly better value than TunnelBear.
And the Teams subscription is only ideal for businesses, as it provides access to things like centralized team billing and management, and a dedicated account manager.
The VPN provider only accepts payments via credit cards on its site. This is decent, though I’d like to see it add support for PayPal in the future (which is convenient to use), or cryptocurrency payments, as they provide better privacy.
Unfortunately, TunnelBear lacks a refund policy — it might issue refunds on a case-by-case basis, but that’s about it. I’m a little disappointed to see this, as pretty much all of the top VPNs in 2024 come with a money-back guarantee.
Bottom Line: TunnelBear has a pretty good free plan and an affordable paid version, which provides pretty good value. It only accepts payments via credit cards, and it sadly lacks a money-back guarantee.
TunnelBear Customer Support Customer Support
TunnelBear Customer Support | |
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💬 Live Chat | |
📧 Email Support | |
📚 Support Library | |
📞 Phone Support |
TunnelBear provides access to a few support channels — it has email support and a support library that provides access to troubleshooting guides, announcements, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and setup tutorials.
My main complaint is that the VPN lacks live chat support, as most top VPNs provide access to live chat — this support channel is simply more convenient than emailing the provider. If this is a deal-breaker, check out ExpressVPN or Surfshark instead, as they both provide very good live chat support.
But its email support is pretty good — it generally took around 24 hours to get a reply, and most of the answers I received were pretty helpful and accurate.
And the provider’s support library is pretty good, though it could use some improvement. The FAQs are accurate, the setup guides are easy to follow and have screenshots, and the troubleshooting guides are helpful. Still, I came across a few support articles that were outdated — like the one claiming that TunnelBear allows torrenting, which was last updated over 2 years ago (the provider doesn’t allow torrenting anymore).
Bottom Line: TunnelBear’s customer support is good, but there’s some room for improvement. Its support library is helpful (though I have seen a few outdated articles), and its email support is pretty responsive and helpful — but I’d really like to see the provider add live chat support.
TunnelBear Review 2024 — Final Words Final Words
TunnelBear is a really beginner-friendly VPN, and it also has a good free plan. Its desktop and mobile apps are very simple to navigate and use, and they also come packed with cute digital bears that make them fun to use as well. In addition, the VPN works in restrictive countries without any issues, it provides good speeds on all servers, it has strong security features, it has a pretty big server network, and it supports split-tunneling on iOS (most top VPNs don’t do this).
However, the provider does have some noticeable drawbacks — it’s not compatible with most top streaming services (like Netflix and Disney+), it doesn’t allow torrenting on its servers, it doesn’t support router setups, it doesn’t have live chat support, and it lacks a money-back guarantee.
TunnelBear Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions
About The Author
Hi! I’m Trevor James, a Canadian YouTuber who travels the world full-time. I make videos about food, travel, and cybersecurity. I have been traveling the world and making videos for over 10 years. You can read more about me here.
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