Tunnelbear Review (2024)

5/5
SpecsInfo
⭐ Rating:3.8 ★★★★☆
🥇 Overall rank:#21 out of #29
📖 No logs policy:No logs
💵 Price:$4.99/month
🖥️ Servers:400+
🍿 Streaming services:None

If you are searching for the best Tunnelbear review at the internet? No problem, we got you covered at ProXPN. The last couple of years, we saw an enormous growth in the amount of VPN providers at the market, which is quite logical since an estimated 35% of internet users have been using VPN services the past year. Choosing the right one can be quite a task, but don't worry about it because we are here to help you out. Read our in-depth Tunnelbear guide and learn everything about this service, we are quite sure that once you’re done with reading you will know if this service suits you best.

Ben Grindlow

Ben Grindlow is the founder of ProXPN, a company that provides reviews about VPN products and services. Ben's interest in cybersecurity and privacy led him to start ProXPN, which has become one of the most well-respected VPN providers in the world. Ben is passionate about his work, and he is constantly exploring new ways to improve ProXPN's in-depth guides.

Last updated: 22:22PM 9/17/2024

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Tunnelbear VPN

Restore online privacy with TunnelBear
$ 4
99
Monthly
  • Global internet access
  • Use on any device
  • Easy to use
First plan

Table of Contents

This virtual private network provider, known as TunnelBear, is well-known for the quality of the free option that it provides. In addition to that, both the website and the program have a concept that is engaging and humorously designed.

In this Tunnelbear review, you will learn about our experiences with this Virtual Private Network (VPN) service, and you will have the opportunity to choose whether or not Tunnelbear satisfies your requirements and demands.

Features TunnelBear

In addition to the entertaining concept, the service that they provide is of a high quality. People that place a high value on their privacy will find the privacy policy to be transparent, reliable, and acceptable for their needs. In addition, the connections appear to be reliable and perform admirably; further information on this topic may be found in the review.

The review that may be seen below provides further details on our experiences with this service. Because we gave Tunnelbear VPN such a comprehensive test, we are able to provide a detailed analysis of its functionality and features. With this information, you will be able to determine whether or not this virtual private network (VPN) service is suitable for you.

Servers

At this time, Tunnelbear has servers located in forty-one different countries. This number is not particularly huge; however, a service such as NordVPN really has a great deal more places to which you may connect.

However, if you use Tunnelbear, you will discover that they offer servers in every country that might potentially interest you in seeing information that is prohibited due to its location. However, getting around the restrictions imposed by the various streaming sites does not appear to be working very effectively as of late.

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Streaming in UK

For instance, despite the fact that TunnelBear's servers are located in the UK, the BBC iPlayer can no longer be accessed in multiple other European countries while using the service. These days, the BBC is able to identify the IP addresses of the Tunnelbear servers and will prohibit access to those addresses.

Streaming in The Netherlands

Despite the fact that they have servers in countries like the Netherlands, they do not make it possible to view Dutch television from outside that country. It appears that Dutch broadcasters and streaming applications are also blocking the IP addresses of servers belonging to Tunnelbear.

Streaming is a problem with Tunnelbear

In addition to the limited number of places that are offered As was previously said, the number of servers is on the lower end when compared to other VPN services about whom we have written reviews. If you wish to view a local TV show from outside the country but the Tunnelbear servers in the Europe are either overloaded or unavailable, this might be an issue for you. During the past several months, extra servers have been deployed, thus the likelihood of this happening has significantly decreased.

Streaming platformWorking
NetflixYes
DAZNYes
YouTubeYes
HuluYes
BBC iPlayerYes

Software Tunnelbear

In addition to this, they are well renowned for the intuitive software that they have developed. This service is actually usable by everyone, regardless of their level of technological expertise; all you need is a basic understanding of the internet to get started.

Tunnelbear on Windows and Apple computers

The program that runs on Microsoft Windows and Apple machines that run Mac OS X has the same appearance. The motif of Tunnelbear is actually maintained throughout the software, which is something that we think is extremely pleasant and unique.

  • In addition to that, the program operates really smoothly and intuitively. You may view a snapshot of the page that allows you to decide with which location you wish to set up a VPN connection by clicking on the “Screenshot” link below.
  • Despite the fact that Tunnelbear is extremely user-friendly, it is also an excellent VPN service for those that have somewhat higher requirements.
  • You will discover choices such as a killswitch, automatic starting and connection, and adding trusted networks, for instance, under the menu that is designated for settings. Overall, a very feature-rich virtual private network (VPN) program for both Windows and Mac OS X.

It's interesting to note, by the way, that the software that comes with Tunnelbear decides for itself which protocol to use on Windows and Mac. IKEv2 or OpenVPN might be selected as the protocol to use in this scenario. This is determined by the program based on which protocol answers more quickly.

Tunnelbear on iPhone and Android

During the course of our examination of the TunnelBear applications for the iPhone and Android phones, we discovered that everything was user-friendly and performed admirably. It explains itself and is quite clear about what is taking place and what options are available to customize it. Obviously, you can also use these applications on your iPad or your Android tablet.

Different protocols on different devices

Additionally on Android and iOS, Tunnelbear chooses the VPN protocol that will be utilized for the connection to the VPN service. OpenVPN is utilized on Android, whilst IKEv2 is utilized on iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad.

Because Tunnelbear is compatible with the OpenVPN protocol, users are able to install it on a variety of different devices. This is important information to have. Because OpenVPN uses open source, it is compatible with a wide variety of platforms and devices. It is feasible to set up on various operating systems, however the process can be a little bit more difficult.

ProXPN Expert Tip

When choosing a VPN, it’s important to consider everything that it offers. Many alternative options, like NordVPN, offer similar (or even better) no-logs policies, independent audits, and security features – without any doubts about their overall security practices.

Works on router and Linux systems

Because of this, it is also possible to utilize Tunnelbear on a PC running Linux, as well as on routers running DD-WRT, Tomato, Openelec, and a great deal of other operating systems.

When you install Tunnelbear on your router, all of the devices in your network may access the internet securely over a virtual private network (VPN). This enables you to do things like use a virtual private network (VPN) connection on your Chromecast, Apple TV, or other smart TV.

Automatic connection and killswitch

When you start up your computer, the TunnelBear program will attempt to connect to your preferred server automatically. This is a highly safe practice, especially if you are going to be away from home for business or pleasure. In the event that you are unable to establish a connection to the VPN server, the killswitch feature of TunnelBear will immediately stop all internet traffic. TunnelBear refers to this setting as the watchful option.

This option is not currently accessible for Android and iPhone, which is something that we feel is really regrettable and a wasted opportunity. It goes without saying that you have your phone turned on the vast majority of the time. If you wish to make advantage of your VPN connection on an ongoing basis, all you have to do is keep the app in the connect state.

Extension for Google Chrome

A fantastic option is available in the form of a browser plugin if all you want to do with Tunnelbear is ensure that your web browsing is secure. You may ensure that the only internet traffic that is encrypted and that is routed via the VPN connection by ensuring that it is the only internet traffic that travels through your browser. Note that when you use the browser extension, all of your other internet traffic will simply be sent and received without using encryption. Please take this into consideration.

  • It is a benefit of this Chrome extension, in contrast to other virtual private network (VPN) services, that you do not need to install the typical client software in order to make use of the Chrome VPN extension.
  • This makes it such that the service may likewise be utilized on a Chromebook, which is something that is often a great deal more challenging to do. If you are looking for a VPN that is optimized for Chrome, then you should give consideration to using Tunnelbear.

Tunnelbear has created a user-friendly extension for Chrome that can be downloaded and installed quickly and easily from the Chrome Web Store. Additionally, interested consumers won't have to pay anything to make use of this service.

Privacy and safety

The 128-bit encryption is the one that is utilized by default for the regular OpenVPN connection that is utilized by TunnelBear. Even while 256-bit encryption is even more secure than 128-bit encryption, it is still extremely unlikely that anybody will ever be able to crack 128-bit encryption. In addition to this, the pace is somewhat increased due to the fact that less calculations are required.

Best alternative for your privacy

When you connect to the Internet via a VPN, the VPN app on your device (also called a VPN client) establishes a secure connection to a VPN server. Your traffic still goes past your internet provider, but they can no longer read it or see its final destination.

The websites you visit can no longer see your original IP address, only the IP address of the VPN server which is shared with many other users and changes regularly.

ProXPN Expert Score

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Transparant privacy policy

The terms and conditions regarding users' privacy that are provided on TunnelBear's website are impeccable and leave nothing to be desired. We like to read privacy policies that are open and honest, but this is not always possible with virtual private network (VPN) services. It can be heard quite clearly what data is stored and what data is not stored.

For instance, you could read that transactions made with credit cards are saved, but the reason for doing so is to prevent fraudulent use of credit cards. They also make it very apparent that they do not record any data associated with the usage of the service. More specifically, they do not save the websites that you visit or the times that you utilize the VPN connection.

  • In addition, the shared IP principle is used within the TunnelBear VPN service. This indicates that a single endpoint IP is shared between numerous users. This is your unique Internet Protocol (IP) address, which allows you to communicate with the rest of the computers on the internet.
  • When it is determined who utilized the end point at the same time, it will be impossible to determine who was given what information since this will have ensured that there is no way to do so.

When we consider all of these factors together, we are left with the feeling and the experience that Tunnelbear is quite trustworthy in terms of both privacy and security.

Speed Tunnelbear

The speeds of the VPN connections provided by Tunnelbear are about par for the course. The connections are quick enough to allow for anonymous web surfing; but, if you want to stream a lot of films at once, it might seem sluggish and the buffering time needs to be increased.

  • During the time we had for the test, the level of speed experience was enough. If speed is something that truly matters to you, then you should keep exploring for a different service; ExpressVPN comes highly recommended.
  • The reliability of connections to Tunnelbear's servers is quite high. We have not had any issues with the connection, such as breakdowns or interruptions.

One of the drawbacks of using Tunnelbear is that it is extremely difficult to use virtual private network connections within China. China is making concerted efforts to circumvent virtual private network connections. However, some virtual private network (VPN) providers are able to circumvent this precaution and do function normally in China. Tunnelbear, on the other hand, does not appear to function very effectively.

TunnelBear and torrenting

As you have seen, we believe that TunnelBear maintains a privacy policy that is both very excellent and dependable. Additionally, just lately, Tunnelbear added support for BitTorrent downloads. On the Tunnelbear VPN network, it appears that one can now engage in this activity, despite the fact that it was previously forbidden.

The number of complaints that Tunnelbear received from different content providers used to be high (video, software, music etc producers). They took the decision to restrict traffic from torrent sites. It would appear that this roadblock has been removed at this point.

When we tested many VPN servers, we found that the service was suitable for torrent downloading thanks to its high download speeds across the board.

TunnelBear to watch Netflix

The use of a virtual private network (VPN) allows users to access information that is restricted in their location. It is very intriguing to watch American Netflix outside of the United States since there are more programs to watch and they are available earlier than in the Netherlands.

However, Netflix makes an effort to prevent users from accessing their platform if they are utilizing a virtual private network (VPN) provider. It would appear that Tunnelbear is unable to get beyond the blockage that Netflix has in place. At the time of this writing, using a connection to the United States provided by Tunnelbear renders it impossible to access the American version of Netflix while located in the European countries.

Therefore, using Netflix and Tunnelbear together is not a wise decision. We have compiled a list of VPNs that are compatible with Netflix and placed it on a dedicated page for your convenience.

TunnelBear pricing

The following VPN costs are associated with purchasing a premium subscription to Tunnelbear:

If you wish to use Tunnelbear on a regular basis, however, you will need to pay for a membership to the service. You have the option of paying for one month, one year, or two years at a time.

  • The cost of a yearlong membership is less expensive than the cost of a monthly subscription, but the cost of a subscription for two years is even less expensive; it is $4.17 per month.
  • The cost of a monthly subscription is $9.99, whereas the cost of an annual subscription is $4.99 per month when converted.
  • The price of this virtual private network (VPN) service is above average, and in our opinion, it is actually excessively pricey for what you get. You get the same quality at places like the far more affordable Surfshark, for example.

You cannot pay with either PayPal or iDeal, which is still another drawback that is associated with the pricing. At the time of this writing, credit cards are the sole form of payment that are accepted.

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Free membership to TunnelBear.com

Tunnelbear used to have a lot of users due to the fact that it provided customers with the opportunity to utilize their VPN service for free. And as you can see with Windscribe, offering something for free is almost always a certain method to achieve massive success.

Unfortunately, Tunnelbear is no longer providing this complimentary subscription service. There is still a page on our site that compiles what we consider to be the top free VPN providers. You should pay close attention to the information on this page if you wish to make use of a VPN connection without spending any money. You will also learn the repercussions of subscribing to a free VPN service.

Conclusion TunnelBear

TunnelBear is a user-friendly virtual private network (VPN) service that offers downloadable apps for the majority of popular OS systems as well as mobile devices.

The service satisfies our security needs and offers both OpenVPN and IPSec, both of which come equipped with robust encryption. The privacy policy has been carefully crafted, and this fact is stated on the website in a way that is both plain and concise.

At the very least, we had a favorable experience with Tunnelbear over the course of our evaluation of this service. The service was dependable and adequate in terms of download speed, making for a pleasant overall internet experience. On the other hand, we believe that the price is a little steep in comparison to the benefits that come with it.

Frequently asked questions

TunnelBear VPN is a free and simple-to-use software that allows you to browse the web securely and privately. Cybercriminals are unable to access your favorite sites or applications while Tunnelbear encrypts your online privacy by preventing them from doing so.

TunnelBear does not save any records. This means they don't keep any data on you while you're connected to their secure and private VPN. To learn more about how TunnelBear goes above and beyond to protect your privacy, see their Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

TunnelBear was acquired by cybersecurity firm McAfee in 2018 and subsequently fell under the purview of the United States. McAfee planned to integrate TunnelBear's technology with its own VPN service. At the time of acquisition, TunnelBear was expected to continue using its own brand for products.

There is no doubt about it. TunnelBear's security and privacy policies are straightforward, thorough, and up to date. TunnelBear is a Canadian VPN service that offers complete online anonymity with military-grade encryption protocols (OpenVPN 256-bit Windows, Mac OS). iOS and Windows support IKEv2 as well. Both OpenVPN and IKEv2 are secure and dependable VPN technologies.

Simply said, TunnelBear creates a virtual private network whenever you're connected to the Internet at home or while using Wi-Fi in public. As a result, your Internet Security Provider will only see you connecting to the VPN servers, not what sites you'll visit.

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