TunnelBear review 2024: Cost, features and more

TunnelBear VPN is a lightning-fast VPN, offering the single fastest average download speed of any VPN on our best business VPNs list. While short-term plans are priced in line with the industry average, the Unlimited plan comes with a bargain price of $3.33 per month. And for business teams, costs are reasonable at $5.75 per user per month.

While there’s no money-back guarantee, you can try out TunnelBear VPN for free with limited features. The free plan offers 2 GB of data to test out the VPN or businesses can get a one-week free trial of the Teams plan to test out the VPN’s full feature set. Upload speeds are slower than the fastest VPNs we’ve reviewed, but will be fine for most users.

Perhaps the biggest drawback for privacy-centric users is the company’s headquarters in Canada, which is a country under the five eyes jurisdiction. The five eyes are made up of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.

These five countries have an intelligence-sharing agreement that could require VPN companies to cooperate with government requests for data.

Note: A strict no-log policy is a great defense against data requests. If VPN companies don’t log any of your data, there’s nothing for them to share. Be sure the VPN company you choose has an audit-verified no-log policy, like TunnelBear.

TunnelBear is our top pick for the best VPN. For the average user, TunnelBear is a very good choice. Unless you’re looking for a specific feature that TunnelBear is missing (there are not many) or want a VPN based in a more privacy-friendly location, TunnelBear is worth putting on your list of VPNs to consider for your small business.

TunnelBear overview and facts

TunnelBear is a VPN company based in Toronto, Canada. It provides high-speed VPN connections with very competitive pricing, particularly for the three-year plan for individual users. 

While our experience testing the VPN was excellent, user reviews on TrustPilot are average with 3.2 out of 5 stars with some complaints of connections dropping and slow speeds. Positive reviews discuss easy connections, fast downloads, and a helpful free plan for users on an extremely tight budget or with minimal usage needs.

TunnelBear VPN pricing

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TunnelBear VPN offers two main plans. The first is a free plan with limited data and servers. Paid users can access the Unlimited plan as an individual or team. Free plans work for testing purposes and very light internet usage. Most users must upgrade to a paid plan to use a VPN for all internet activity.

Free

The Free plan includes 2 GB of data and a limited subset of available servers. You won’t get all features or full speeds, but it’s a good way to try out the TunnelBear apps for your devices. With just 2 GB of data, you’re mostly limited to basic email and web browsing. For reference, 2 GB is equivalent to a two-hour movie.

Data caps reset monthly. While there’s no free trial for paid plans, you can use this free plan indefinitely. If you’re on the fence about TunnelBear, the free plan gives you a taste of what it’s like without the financial commitment.

Unlimited and teams

With either paid option, you can access the full TunnelBear VPN experience. You can pick any server, including the premium tunnel locations (optimized servers) in the U.S. and Canada. As an individual user, pricing varies based on how long you commit to the service upfront. 

Unlimited

The Unlimited plan starts at $3.33 per month. It offers unlimited devices and secure browsing, along with premium servers. It also has priority customer support and a city-level server selection for its customers.

Teams

For business teams, you’ll pay a flat rate of $5.75 per user per month. Signing up for a Teams plan can be done online for two to 199 users. If your business has 200 or more users, you’ll need to contact TunnelBear for custom pricing.

TunnelBear VPN plans

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Plans are divided between free and paid. Paid plans are available for individuals or teams. Aside from a data limit and blocking premium servers, both plans have similar features.

Free

Free users should think of this plan as an unlimited free trial. You can download and test out the software with limited data and servers. But it’s the same app, so it works more or less the same regarding features.

With only 2 GB of data per month, using the free plan indefinitely will only make sense for those who have minor VPN needs. Otherwise, most users will want to upgrade to a paid plan for full speed and unlimited data.

Unlimited and teams

With paid plans, you get access to the full scope of TunnelBear VPN.

• Unlimited data.
• Unlimited simultaneous connections.
• VigilantBear – kill switch.
• GhostBear – VPN mask.
• SplitBear – split tunneling.
• Auto-connect.
• AES 256-bit encryption.
• Servers in 47+ countries.
• Optimized servers.
• No-log policy.
• Knowledge base and customer support.

If you regularly travel or spend a lot of time on public Wi-Fi, such as in airports, hotels and coffee shops, a paid VPN plan is a great way to keep your data private. TunnelBear, like other VPNs, keeps your traffic and connection private, even from your internet service provider (ISP), when working from home or an office.

TunnelBear add-ons and optional features

TunnelBear doesn’t offer any add-ons. Paid users can access all features, including DNS protection measures, a kill switch (VigilantBear) and split tunneling (SplitBear). However, SplitBear only works on Windows.

The only feature TunnelBear is missing is a dedicated IP address, which isn’t necessary for all users. When you connect to a VPN, your data is encrypted and you can browse the internet using one of the VPN provider’s IP addresses to keep your personal information (connected to your real IP) hidden. A dedicated IP address allows you to use the same IP address every time you connect to your VPN, instead of being assigned a random IP. This can be helpful if your business uses programs with numerous authentication steps. However, a dedicated IP is by no means mandatory to keep your online activity private.

TunnelBear customer support and experience

TunnelBear provides a knowledge base on its website to help users with common questions and issues. If you need further assistance, you can reach out for support by email using a contact form. According to TunnelBear, they try to respond to all requests within 48 hours.

If you’re not tech-savvy and are worried about facing tech issues with a VPN, you may want to search for an alternative with live chat support. Phone support is nearly non-existent in this industry, so live chat will likely provide you the best technical support. However, most issues can be resolved using self-help guides, and TunnelBear is easy to install and activate.

You can find apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices, or download a browser extension for Chrome or Firefox (it also works with other Chromium-based browsers). Though TunnelBear isn’t available on Linux computers, routers or smart TVs.

TunnelBear vs. NordVPN

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NordVPN is a well-known VPN provider with one of the biggest networks around. Though that doesn’t mean it’s the best business VPN.

If you choose NordVPN as your VPN provider, you’ll pay more per month for comparable VPN features. NordVPN offers several pricing tiers, with its standard VPN plan starting at $12.99 per month when you pay monthly. If you want access to all of NordVPN’s features, you’ll need to choose its top-tier Complete plan for $14.99 per month. 

TunnelBear has a free plan but also paid plans starting at $3.33 per month. Prices for both companies decrease with longer-term commitments and become more comparable. However, if you’re looking at business plans for your entire team, NordVPN’s business plan, NordLayer, consistently costs more and requires a greater number of users (five user minimum).

NordVPN is available on more devices than TunnelBear, including those using Linux, and includes a dedicated IP address; however, most users will prefer the faster download speeds and better price of TunnelBear.

TunnelBear vs. ExpressVPN

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ExpressVPN is another industry leader. Download speeds lag behind TunnelBear, but upload speeds are significantly faster at ExpressVPN. ExpressVPN is more expensive than TunnelBear, but it also comes with better customer service and a wider variety of supported devices. ExpressVPN supports all of the same devices as TunnelBear, plus compatible routers, gaming systems, and smart TVs.

With competitively priced business plans and faster download speeds, TunnelBear is attractive to small businesses looking for a simple, fast VPN that does the job without breaking the bank. If you want more robust features, additional supported devices and live customer support, ExpressVPN may be worth the higher cost.

Read our full ExpressVPN review.

Is TunnelBear right for your business?

TunnelBear is a good choice for anyone searching for a fast VPN with unlimited data and very low monthly costs with a long-term commitment. You can try it out for free with up to 2 GB of data per month, or upgrade to a paid plan for the full TunnelBear experience.

With competitive pricing for businesses, teams of two or more may like TunnelBear’s Teams package. And solo entrepreneurs may do well with TunnelBear’s Unlimited plan. Both options include all of TunnelBear VPN’s features and servers, providing users with a fast VPN that’s easy to install and use on unlimited devices.

Aside from a headquarters in a five eyes country, which should only be a concern to the most privacy-focused users, TunnelBear is a top choice in the VPN industry.

If you’re worried about law enforcement snooping on your internet activities, the most secure possible experience we found came from IVPN. But for speed and cost, TunnelBear is hard to beat — only Surfshark comes close.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Does TunnelBear offer a free trial?

Businesses can try TunnelBear Teams with a one-week free trial and individuals can sign up for a free plan with limited data and features. TunneBear’s free plan is above average compared to most other VPN providers. While 2 GB of data is very limited, TunnelBear still gives users access to all 47+ countries within its network. Most free VPNs limit users to a select few server locations.

Where is TunnelBear based?

TunnelBear is based in Toronto, Canada. Canada is one of the countries known as the five eyes, five countries that signed a data-sharing agreement that could require VPN companies to cooperate with government data requests. However, TunnelBear has an audit-verified no-log policy, so its headquarters location shouldn’t concern most users.

Where are TunnelBear’s VPN servers?

TunnelBear operates servers in over 47 countries. The precise number of servers isn’t shared publicly, but it was recently reported to be more than 3,000. This is smaller than a few of the largest competitors in the industry but has plenty of computing power for the high speeds it can provide to users.

How secure is TunnelBear?

TunnelBear is extremely secure. It upholds a strict no-log policy and has no history of data breaches or hacking. While a headquarters in Canada may be a minor concern to the most privacy-centric users, your TunnelBear account and encrypted activity is private and secure with this VPN.

What VPN protocols does TunnelBear offer?

TunnelBear supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. You cannot manually configure TunnelBear to work through third-party or open-source VPN applications. You can only log in and connect using the TunnelBear-provided apps and extensions.

How do I connect to TunnelBear’s VPN?

To connect to TunnelBear, you must download and install the appropriate app for your Windows, Mac, iOS or Android device. You can also install TunnelBear as a browser extension for Chrome and Firefox. 

If you install the full TunnelBear application, all traffic on your device is encrypted by default. When you use the browser plugin, only website traffic in that browser is protected by the VPN.

Does TunnelBear keep logs?

TunnelBear operates with a strict no-log policy. You’ll need to create a user account with a working email address to use TunnelBear, including the free version. TunnelBear doesn’t collect your name, but it collects and stores some general information, including total data usage and payment information.

How fast is TunnelBear?

TunnelBear clocks in with an average download speed of 381 Mbps. That makes it one of the fastest VPNs available. Uploads are a bit slower, with an average speed of 87 Mbps. Both are more than fast enough for typical internet users. For example, if your internet speed can keep up (determined by your internet service provider), TunnelBear can easily support multiple simultaneous video streams.

What devices work with TunnelBear VPN?

TunnelBear works with Windows and Mac computers, as well as iOS and Android mobile devices. However, you can’t install TunnelBear on a router for full-office or full-home coverage. Though this may not be an issue because TunnelBear provides unlimited simultaneous connections for paid plans.