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Browse, stream, and stay private - with simple, honest VPN reviews.
Browse, stream, and stay private - with simple, honest VPN reviews.
Friendly and trustworthy — a simple VPN with great privacy practices, but limited features.
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TunnelBear is a charming, beginner-friendly VPN known for its playful design and clear privacy stance. Based in Canada, it’s one of the few VPNs that undergoes independent security audits every year, helping build trust in how it protects your data. While it doesn’t offer many advanced tools or flexible settings, it’s a strong choice if you want simple, trustworthy protection with minimal fuss.
TunnelBear performs well on nearby servers. Everyday browsing and video calls work smoothly, and speeds hold up for most common tasks. But it’s not built for long-distance performance — if you’re connecting halfway around the world, you might run into some slowdowns.
TunnelBear is strong on transparency and privacy. It’s based in Canada, which is part of the 5-Eyes alliance — a group of countries that sometimes share intelligence data — but TunnelBear doesn’t log your activity, and it goes further than most by publishing an independent security audit every year. These audits are available publicly and show how their systems are tested and improved.
You can also sign up without providing any personal information — even an email address isn’t required if you’re on the free plan.
That said, it doesn’t offer some of the extras found in more advanced services, like obfuscation (which hides VPN traffic from detection) or RAM-only servers (which don’t store data on hard drives). But if your goal is basic online privacy backed by transparency, TunnelBear delivers well.
TunnelBear doesn’t reliably let you access popular streaming services like Netflix or Hulu from other regions. In our tests, results were hit or miss — especially on the free plan.
If watching shows from different countries is a priority, you’ll likely need a VPN that actively supports that use case.
The free version also has a 2GB monthly data cap, which is enough for a few short sessions but not ideal for regular viewing.
This is where TunnelBear shines. Every app is beautifully designed, with fun animations and a clear, friendly layout. There are no complicated settings, and connecting takes one tap. If you’re new to VPNs or just want something that “just works,” TunnelBear is about as easy as it gets.
TunnelBear offers apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. It also has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox. But that’s about it — there’s no support for routers, smart TVs, Fire TV, or game consoles, and no Smart DNS option. That means you’re limited to the devices with official apps.
The paid plan supports up to 5 devices at once.
TunnelBear is a minimalist VPN. You’ll find a kill switch (called VigilantBear), which stops your internet if the VPN disconnects, and GhostBear, which helps disguise VPN traffic in certain regions. But it doesn’t offer split tunneling (choosing which apps use the VPN) or other advanced tools found in higher-tier services.
It’s ideal if you just want a basic VPN with strong privacy — but not if you want to customize or fine-tune your experience.
TunnelBear offers a free plan with 2GB of data per month — useful if you only need occasional protection. Its paid plans are affordable and billed annually.
It also provides a 30-day money-back guarantee on desktop purchases, so you can try the full version and cancel if it's not right for you.
Cheapest Plan: $3.33 USD/month
Plan Length: 3 years
Total Cost: Billed as $120.00 USD every 3 years
TunnelBear provides support via email and a searchable help center. There’s no live chat, and responses typically take several hours. The support articles are well written but limited in scope compared to top-tier services.
If you think you’ll need fast or detailed help, this is one area where TunnelBear might fall short.
