Reviews

TunnelBear VPN Review: It’s Affordable, But Is It Good & Safe?

TunnelBear VPN is one of the most reputed VPN brands available worldwide. The company’s ‘cutesy branding’ indicates the product’s user-friendliness but does it provide all the privacy features & customizability? Let’s find out everything in detail about TunnelBear VPN in this review! If you are in hurry, you can directly skip to Our Verdict section to know our recommendation!

OVERVIEW: TunnelBear VPN Related Info.
Website  TunnelBear
Based In Toronto, Canada 
Number of Servers  900+ Servers in 34 Countries 
Free Trial  Not Available 
Price Free version = $0
Unlimited version = $3.33/Month
Teams version = $5.75/Month
Logs Very Limited  
Customer Support  Email support only 
Compatibility Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS devices.
Money-Back Guarantee  No Money-Back Guarantee 
IP Masking  Yes 
Encryption  AES-256 encryption
Protocols  OpenVPN, IPSec and IKEv2
Kill Switch  Yes, Available 
Torrenting  Allowed 
Max. Number of Devices Up to five simultaneous connections 
Prevents WebRTC & DNS Leaks Yes, it does 
Unlimited Bandwidth With Paid Versions ONLY 
Streaming Limited  
DNS Leak Protection  Yes 
Our Rating 

In case you missed our previous guide on VPN Terms You Need To Know – VPN Glossary 

TunnelBear VPN Review

Designed & developed in 2011 and based in Canada, TunnelBear is an incredible VPN application, available for both personal and professional users. Equipped with multiple security protocols (OpenVPN, IPSec, and IKEv2), a Kill Switch, an AD Blocker, and more, TunnelBear has over 900+ Servers in 34 Countries. In addition to this, there are a bulk of functionalities offered by TunnelBear which you can explore below! 

HIGHLIGHTS – TunnelBear VPN

Here’s a look at the prominent set of features offered by TunnelBear VPN. 

  • Offers high-speed VPN connection to seamlessly browse the Internet. 
  • Uses strong encryption techniques AES-265, SHA256, Diffie-Hellman Exchange encryption models.   
  • Despite its playful design, it offers robust security using the OpenVPN, IPSec & IKEv2 protocols
  • No IP, WebRTC, or DNS leaks were found during our tests. 
  • Their servers are protected by full disk encryption and intrusive protection software. 
  • Safe Wi-Fi Protection. Helps you to keep you safe while using Public Wi-Fi. 
  • If you want to be secure & not sure which country to connect to? Use their “closest tunnel” feature for top-notch security.
  • A Kill Switch feature, which is termed as VigilantBear, helps you to block unsecured traffic if there’s an occasional drop. 
  • Offers a Split Tunneling feature (termed ad SplitBear). But it is only available for Android users. 
  • A GhostBear feature that helps you become undetectable by other VPN defeating apps. 
  • Easily establish up to five simultaneous connections. 
  • Offers an explicit no-logging policy & is independently audited for security. 
  • Set to launch automatically at startup. No need to worry about reconnecting after restarting your device. 
  • Offers free Google Chrome, Firefox & Opera browser extensions that surely give you high-speed performance. 
  • Wide-platform support for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. 

PROS & CONS – TunnelBear VPN

Pros

  • Effortless to set up & use. 
  • Annual independent audits. 
  • User-friendly design. 
  • Allows torrenting & P2P file sharing. 
  • High-speed VPN connection.
  • Free version available, that works fine. 
  • Wide platform support.
  • Browser extensions, including standalone Ad-Blocker.  
  • Sophisticated security features in an affordable package. 
  • Privacy-friendly logging policy.  

Cons

  • Only 500 MB of data are available with the Free version. 
  • Poor streaming performance. 
  • Lack of geographical diversity in server locations. 
  • Affordable but no refund policy. 
  • No money-back guarantee. 

HOW TO USE: TunnelBear

Well, TunnelBear is undoubtedly one of the easiest-to-use VPN Clients available in the market right now. Its interface is very user-friendly and you can easily log in and get connected to any of the servers of your choice. Follow the steps below to get started with TunnelBear: 

STEP 1- Download, install and launch TunnelBear VPN from the official website. 

STEP 2- You need to log in with your account to get started with the TunnelBear VPN. 

STEP 3- On the main dashboard, you’ll see the ON & OFF button. Below that you can find the Country option, where you can choose the respective location where you would like to establish the connection.  

STEP 4- After you have selected the country, simply switch ON the button. 

STEP 5- As soon as TunnelBear establishes the successful connection, the VPN map will turn into Green. 

Easy, right? Let’s explore the pricing models offered by TunnelBear VPN. 

PRICING MODELS – TunnelBear VPN

The VPN Service is known for offering an incredible set of features at very reasonable pricing. Hence, you certainly don’t need to spend a huge amount to get protection for your device. 

Payment Methods: TunnelBear accepts International payment methods through AliPay UnionPay PayPal, Stripe, Bitcoin, BitCash, and Debit/Credit Cards.

TRUSTWORTHINESS – TunnelBear VPN Reviews On Trustpilot & Google Play Store

Before we conclude our TunnelBear VPN Review, it would be wise that we share some recent feedback and opinion about the VPN Software. Check what its users have to say?

TECH SUPPORT – TunnelBear VPN

TunnelBear offers Email Support but no dedicated service via Live Chat or through Telephone. If you submit a query through an Email Help Request, the support system asks a series of questions to direct your message in a better way. TunnelBear typically answers within 24 hours. Besides this, the company hosts a dedicated Knowledge Base section on their website, which describes all about the product (features, tutorials), initial setup, troubleshooting, and problems related to Billing & Payments. 

 

 

OUR VERDICT – Do We Recommend Using TunnelBear VPN?

To be honest, it is a well-designed and reliable VPN service which makes it a great choice for beginners looking to achieve basic protection, hide their IP Addresses, and secure traffic. But it might not be a suitable option for expert and advanced users. Since there’s a limited number of server locations and it lacks lots of advanced security functionalities. Plus, TunnelBear doesn’t work in highly-censored countries like China and you cannot rely on this VPN solution to unblock Netflix or other popular streaming sites. So, at this point, we’d like to see some significant improvements in the TunnelBear. But if you are a beginner user and simply want to browse the web anonymously, then TunnelBear might be a decent choice for you! 

Editorial’s Choice – Systweak VPN

Systweak VPN is a robust platform that allows users to mask their IP Address and stay anonymous while browsing the web.

Top Five Alternatives To TunnelBear VPN Client (2022)

Want to learn about other VPN Services? Check out these top-notch options available in the market right now at amazing prices and features set. We’ve also linked their complete reviews, in case you want to know about the product in detail! 

Top 5 VPN Providers SystweakVPN Surfshark NordVPN Hotspot Shield VPN CyberGhost VPN
Suitable For  General Users Security Maximalists Brand Loyalists Access Geo-Blocked Content General Users
Free Trial  Yes Yes Yes Yes  No
500 Servers & More Yes Yes Yes Yes  Yes
Supports P2P Or BitTorrent  No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Supports AES-256 Encryption  Yes Yes

 

 

Yes Yes Yes
OS Compatibility  Windows Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Windows, Mac, Linux & FireStick Android, iOS, Chrome, Firefox, Windows, Mac & Linux Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS, Android TV & Chrome Extension Android, iOS, Windows, Mac & Linux
Doesn’t Log Activity  Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Supports >= 5 Simultaneous Connections Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Price $9.95/Month  $11.95/Month $11.95/Month $7.99/Month $12.99/Month
Reviews  Systweak VPN Surfshark NordVPN Hotspot Shield CyberGhost VPN

 

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