TunnelBear uses encryption technology to secure your data and prevent hackers and advertisers from tracking you online, as well as protecting when using public Wi-Fi connections and working across devices.
These desktop apps may look cute, but their graphics usage is high – taking up an estimated 131MB on Windows and using 2-5% of CPU resources when idle. Furthermore, many key features like dedicated IP addresses and router configuration are missing from these desktop apps.
Free plan
TunnelBear VPN service is user-friendly and offers a limited free plan with limited data and servers, perfect for temporary solutions or testing the waters before making a commitment. Plus, no logs of user data are kept; however its location in Canada could pose problems when considering privacy-minded users; Five Eyes countries could require them to share your personal data voluntarily with law enforcement authorities.
Tunnelbear’s desktop apps are easy to navigate and feature an intuitive user interface, without overwhelming you with options or cluttering up your screen with options. Finding and connecting to servers takes some getting used to; there’s also an inbuilt dashboard which displays data usage as well as how much free MB you still have left over.
TunnelBear does provide fast download speeds and an intuitive interface, but isn’t an ideal choice for business or streaming use due to below-average ratings on App Store and TrustPilot, and numerous customers reporting issues with their connections.
The service can be utilized on various devices, including Windows, Macs, iOS and Android smartphones and tablets. It even works on some Linux systems although no native client exists and there is limited support provided. Windows customers must download a 131 MB client which consumes 2-5% of CPU resources when running in the background.
TunnelBear’s paid plans are highly comparable with those offered by other top VPN services, with both its Unlimited and Teams plans falling below industry average and offering one week trial periods to new subscribers. Note, however, that with an unlimited plan you do not receive a dedicated IP address or router configuration.
TunnelBear does not offer a money-back guarantee with their free VPN, though they will honor some refund requests on an individual basis. They have limited data usage to 500MB monthly which might not meet all user needs and do not support P2P and various encryption protocols.
Premium plan
TunnelBear stands out as an exceptional VPN provider, boasting easy-to-use clients that’ll make any VPN beginner feel confident right from the start. Plus, its adorable bear motif makes for an irresistibly cute experience! However, competitors offer faster connections and more servers. Furthermore, businesses and individuals can take advantage of premium plans available that give more than enough data for light streaming and basic Internet tasks, but may not suffice for heavy usage.
TunnelBear stands out as an exceptional VPN by allowing multiple devices to be linked under one subscription, protecting all of your devices simultaneously. Since most VPN services only support one connection at once, this feature makes a welcome difference!
TunnelBear stands out as an attractive choice due to its no-log policy, providing users with privacy from government surveillance. Furthermore, this company publishes annual transparency reports detailing how it uses user data.
TunnelBear stands out from its competition by having a slightly higher price point and no money-back guarantee, though their FAQ states they may provide refunds based on individual circumstances.
TunnelBear VPN stands out as an inexpensive option, starting at just $3.33 a month for individual plans and offering both monthly and annual subscription options; though we believe most will find their monthly plan more suitable.
TunnelBear provides mobile apps for iOS and Android. Their app boasts an easy, straightforward design with fast performance; not only offering basic security features such as blocking ads and trackers but also supporting various tunneling protocols such as SSTP, L2TP/IPSec, and OpenVPN tunneling protocols.
TunnelBear provides a strong security infrastructure and can unblock most major streaming services, but doesn’t offer as many server locations or payment options as its rivals do. Furthermore, some users might find its limited payment methods disappointing.
Servers
TunnelBear was established with a goal to develop an intuitive, reliable privacy app to combat global censorship. Their aim was also to ease people’s fears regarding online security and technology. TunnelBear stands out among competitors by not monitoring or logging your activity while using its service; additionally, audits detailing data requests received from governments are published to inform customers and help prevent any potential compromises to customer privacy.
TunnelBear goes beyond standard AES-256 encryption by employing the US government-approved SHA-256 algorithm for authentication of its data. This helps ensure only authorized people have access to your information compared to VPNs that rely on RSA-2048 or less secure ciphers like AES-128 ciphers; additionally, their system does not use identical keys for every connection thereby making cracking encryption harder.
This service offers a host of features, from automatic server connection to the VigilantBear feature that prevents data leakage by automatically terminating connections if it detects anomalies or errors, DNS leak detection software as well as IPv6 leakage detection – making this solution accessible across Windows, macOS and Android platforms.
TunnelBear’s desktop app is not overly complex, though it does take some time to learn its ways and select servers. It features an eye-catching world map dotted with yellow Super Mario Bros.-like pipes — complete with an icon representing your physical location marked with an image of sheep that transforms into a bear when VPN is activated — with one sheep residing near where you live before digging underground to your destination and emerging at the other end.
TunnelBear stands out with its no-log policy, yet does not offer as many features as other providers. Free accounts only provide 500MB monthly data limit which doesn’t go very far when streaming or downloading content; also, Canada has stringent copyright laws which may preclude P2P torrenting with this provider.
Pricing
TunnelBear stands out from other VPN services with its distinctive bear-themed user interface and will likely make learning to use software less intimidating for newcomers. Plus, with “always-on” activated when powering up devices it automatically launches TunnelBear to connect to servers based on OpenVPN or IKEv2 protocols; soon WireGuard support will also be offered!
Although this company doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee, they do provide a limited free plan that grants access to its servers. Anyone with Internet access and a computer or mobile device is eligible for this plan; however, you are limited to 2GB per month as data storage capacity and you won’t find as many configuration options or protocols compared with other free VPNs.
TunnelBear provides two subscription models: Unlimited and Teams. The former may be paid monthly, annually, or every three years and starts at $9.99 a month; its prices are higher than most VPN services but still more affordably priced.
Committing to a longer subscription term with TunnelBear Unlimited can save money, with three year contracts being the least costly option. Plus, long-term customers enjoy discounted rates as well as premium server discounts! Furthermore, TunnelBear boasts competitive pricing while providing superior security features including an automatic kill switch and NAT firewall firewall protection – not bad when combined!
TunnelBear is an excellent way for users to protect their privacy online. The service follows a strict no-log policy and regularly has its systems audited by independent companies. Furthermore, transparency reports detailing data requests from government agencies were previously posted; however, these have now been discontinued and an external auditor is no longer hired as often to assess privacy policies.
