On the internet, nobody knows you're a dog—or a bear. That used to be the case, anyhow. These days, advertisers, corporations, and governments know a lot about you. Using a VPN makes it harder for spies, your ISP, and advertisers to track you online. Among the best VPNs we've tested is TunnelBear VPN, a surprisingly whimsical app bursting with design charm. More importantly, it has an outstanding position on transparency and consumer privacy, and its adoption of unlimited simultaneous connections makes it even more attractive. It's particularly well-suited to first-time VPN subscribers, earning it a PCMag Editors' Choice award.
How Much Does TunnelBear VPN Cost?
TunnelBear VPN is one of the few providers we've reviewed that offers a truly free VPN service. However, the Free subscription tier restricts you to a mere 500MB of data per month. You can earn more data by Tweeting about the company, which raises your limit to 1.5GB for one month. You can repeat this process each month to receive the bonus. TunnelBear VPN offers additional free bandwidth for users in countries with repressive internet policies. Overall, we prefer Proton VPN's free offering because it places no restrictions on data. However, that service does limit you to just a few server locations, while TunnelBear VPN lets free subscribers use its whole server network.
How a VPN Works
If you decide to pay for TunnelBear VPN, it won't hit your wallet too hard. An Unlimited plan costs $9.99 per month—just a dime and a nickel above the $9.84 per month average for a VPN we've tested. TunnelBear VPN also has longer-term subscriptions: an annual plan that costs $59.88, which is less than the average $66.28 per year among VPNs we've tested, and a three-year plan that runs $120. You can still get an excellent VPN for less than TunnelBear VPN. Editors' Choice winner Mullvad VPN, for example, costs just 5 euros per month ($5.40 as of this writing).
Although the savings of a long-term subscription are enticing, we highly recommend starting with the company's free or monthly plans so you can test out TunnelBear VPN in your own home to make sure it works for you.
Similar Products
Proton VPN
NordVPN
Hide.me VPN
Surfshark VPN
ExpressVPN
IPVanish VPN
PureVPN
Mullvad VPN
IVPN
You can purchase a TunnelBear VPN subscription with a major credit card. A few other VPN services offer more anonymous payment options. Mullvad VPN and IVPN, both Editors' Choice winners, accept payments in cash. TunnelBear VPN website says it will accept jars of honey, but using this payment method may be a challenge in practice.
What Do You Get for Your Money With TunnelBear VPN?
TunnelBear VPN's recent change to its subscription structure dramatically alters its value proposition. Now, TunnelBear VPN places no limit on simultaneous connections, compared to an average of just five connections that we've seen across the industry. This means families or people with numerous devices can protect everything with a single account. It joins a growing cadre of VPNs that have abandoned connection limits, including Atlas VPN, Avira Phantom VPN, IPVanish VPN, Private Internet Access VPN, and Editors' Choice winner Surfshark VPN.
(Editors' Note: IPVanish VPN is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag's parent company.)
Despite that improvement, TunnelBear VPN's biggest drawback hasn't changed—the service doesn't offer much beyond VPN protection. Editors' Choice winners IVPN, Mullvad VPN, NordVPN, and Proton VPN are among the few VPNs that offer multi-hop connections, which use a second VPN server for extra security. A few grant push-button access to the free Tor anonymization network. TunnelBear VPN has neither feature.
The service also includes split tunneling, which lets you designate what traffic should pass through the VPN or bypass the VPN. This is currently only supported on Android, iOS, and macOS.
One feature TunnelBear VPN does offer is obfuscated connections, a feature the company calls GhostBear. When activated, this disguises VPN traffic as HTTPS traffic, making it more likely to sneak past restrictive censorship. Other VPN services provide similar obfuscation but brand it differently. Note that this feature only works when using VPN protocols other than WireGuard.
Some VPNs have expanded their purview beyond securing web traffic. NordVPN and Surfshark VPN now offer antivirus features (although we were not overly impressed with either). A Proton VPN subscription gives all subscribers access to the company's encrypted email and cloud storage service. At the same time, established antivirus companies are starting to add their own VPN products to massive product suites. For its part, TunnelBear VPN only offers a free, standalone tracker blocker for the Chrome browser.
VPNs do a great job of keeping your online activity private, even from your ISP, but there are many advanced ways to track your movements online. A VPN will also do precious little to protect you against phishing and malware. We highly recommend that everyone enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible, use antivirus software, and create unique passwords with a password manager.
What VPN Protocols Does TunnelBear VPN Offer?
TunnelBear secures your connection with the OpenVPN protocol on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. IKEv2 is also available for iOS and Windows clients. We have long preferred OpenVPN because it's open-source and can be scoured for potential vulnerabilities.
TunnelBear VPN now supports WireGuard—the open-source heir apparent to OpenVPN—in its iOS, macOS, and Windows apps, and we're told that support is coming to Android soon.
TunnelBear VPN's Servers and Server Locations
TunnelBear VPN has servers in 47 countries. That's ever so slightly below the average we've seen across the products we review. This collection covers the essential locations and has expanded to encompass more of South America and Africa—two continents frequently ignored by other VPN companies. TunnelBear VPN still has only a limited presence in regions with repressive internet policies, lacking servers in Russia, Turkey, or Vietnam, for example. TunnelBear also moved its servers out of Hong Kong and Ukraine.
Many VPN companies use virtual servers, single hardware servers playing host to multiple virtual servers. Some servers can also be configured to appear as if they are in a different country—what we call virtual locations. Neither is inherently problematic, but we like to see companies be transparent about their use.
A representative tells us the company does not use virtual locations. If you're using TunnelBear VPN, your data is exactly where it's supposed to be. The company told us it uses a mix of physical and cloud-based servers. It also does not own its server infrastructure, which is not unusual. A company representative told us that TunnelBear VPN builds and provisions its servers and that third-party providers do not have access to server code or data.
We were told by a TunnelBear VPN representative that the company has taken steps to limit the damage a successful attack on its server infrastructure might cause. The servers contain no identifiable user information, and the drives are encrypted. Some companies, including NordVPN and Surfshark VPN, now run their servers on RAM-only settings, which do not write any data to disk.
Your Privacy With TunnelBear VPN
Beyond its powerful bears, TunnelBear VPN's greatest strength is its stance on privacy. It has one of the best privacy policies we have seen, explaining in detail and with plain language exactly what data it collects and why. It also includes discussion sections, where the company explains how it arrived at a particular decision. Other VPN companies should take note of this approach.
The company says it will not disclose, sell, or trade personal information with third-party companies. Additionally, a company representative confirmed TunnelBear VPN's only source of revenue is subscriptions—not data mining or ad retargeting. The company says it does not collect information about users' web activity or store originating IP addresses, timestamps, or DNS queries. The company does rely on an account system, so it requires some personal information. Mullvad VPN's unusual system does not use accounts and requires almost no user information, which we appreciate.
For free subscribers, TunnelBear VPN does record the overall bandwidth to enforce its data cap. This is reset to zero at the end of each month.
The company is based in Toronto, Canada, and incorporated in Delaware. In 2018, the company was purchased by antivirus developer McAfee. Canada and the US do not have mandatory data retention laws. The company says it has legal teams for responding to legal requests for data, but "we have no information that can connect customers to usage, so we're unable to provide law enforcement with anything not in our Privacy Policy." We've been told the most information the company can provide is whether a certain email address was used to open an account. That's excellent.
The company issued a robust transparency report for 2020 in 2021, which confirmed it had not provided information to law enforcement beyond confirming an individual had an account with the company. We would like to see the company issue a new report soon. TunnelBear VPN does not maintain a warrant canary—a tool intended to warn of law enforcement action where the target is prohibited from disclosing the action. Only a few VPNs maintain warrant canaries.
Additionally, TunnelBear VPN has the notable distinction of having completed not just one but five independent audits and publicly released the results of those audits. That's excellent, and we're pleased to see that TunnelBear VPN is committed to an annual public review process. A company representative described these audits to us as "security audits of our whole stack, which includes our backend servers, our VPN servers, and VPN clients." More companies should have this degree of investment in transparency.
Hands On With TunnelBear VPN for Windows
We tested the Windows client on an Intel NUC 11 (NUC11PHKi7C, 'Phantom Canyon') desktop running the latest version of Windows 11. TunnelBear VPN also offers browser plug-ins for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera that function as proxies (distinct from VPNs) to reroute your traffic through a TunnelBear VPN server.
The TunnelBear VPN app is one of the most charming VPN experiences out there. A recent update streamlined the interface, and the app is snappier and more responsive. Thankfully, it's still cute and colorful without ever being overbearing or cloying. For example, whenever you connect to a VPN server, a notification appears bearing a bear with a hat representative of that country. Exquisite. TunnelBear VPN already has a winning design, so these tweaks around the edges help keep it fresh.
The app is built around a central map of the world displaying the company's server locations, shown as Mario-esque pipes. Select your desired location from the menu above or click on the map to switch protection on, and you're treated to a surprisingly smooth animation of a bear tunneling away from your current location and emerging from a pipe in your chosen location. All the TunnelBear VPN apps use the same design, so you'll have a familiar experience no matter where you go with TunnelBear VPN.
Switching the VPN on automatically selects what the app thinks is the best server location. Clicking the dropdown box to the right reveals the full list of options. A recent update lets you select cities within the US and Canada. That's a good move, but we'd like to see TunnelBear VPN find a deft and simple way to let customers select specific servers.
The TunnelBear VPN app does include some useful additional features, such as Trusted Networks, which is a whitelist of Wi-Fi networks you trust. Another important tool is VigilantBear, which works as a Kill Switch and prevents data from slipping through whenever you become disconnected from the VPN. Like GhostBear, VigilantBear is incompatible with WireGuard.
One new addition we are particularly happy to see is a Settings option to select a VPN protocol manually. The default is WireGuard, and most people will never need to change that, but it's still good to see and a sign that TunnelBear VPN is trying new ideas.
When we test VPNs, we check to confirm our IP address changes and the name of our ISP is hidden. We also use the DNS Leak Test to see if DNS information is, well, leaking. TunnelBear VPN passed all these tests easily, but we only checked one server. Other servers could be misconfigured.
In our testing, we were able to stream Netflix content while connected to a US-based server. That was true when we tested the service, but your mileage may vary—as is always the case when you try to use a VPN with Netflix.
TunnelBear VPN Speed Test Results
No matter the VPN you choose, you'll likely see a decrease in download and upload speeds and an increase in latency. To get a sense of that impact, we run a series of tests with and without each VPN using the Ookla speed test tool. We then compare those figures to find a percent change. We have a whole feature on how we test VPNs, so read it for more on our methodology and the limits of our tests.
(Editors' Note: Ookla is owned by Ziff Davis, PCMag's parent company.)
In our most recent round of speed testing, TunnelBear VPN didn't fare as well as it previously did. We found that it slowed download and upload results by 42.6% and 63.3%, respectively. TunnelBear VPN increased latency by 48.9% in our testing. None of these results were better than the median in each category.
You can see how TunnelBear VPN compares in the chart below.
Speeds are a perennial concern for consumers, but we discourage anyone from using speed results alone as a benchmark for choosing a VPN service. Results depend on time and place and are not nearly as important as a VPN's features or overall value. Remember, too, that the performance you experience will likely differ from ours.
Hands On With TunnelBear VPN for macOS
Tunnelbear’s whimsical good looks extend to its macOS VPN application. For this test, we used a MacBook Pro running macOS Ventura.
TunnelBear’s app for macOS includes a list of countries where servers are located, as well as a map showing all of the server locations. The app also includes website-level split tunneling, which is called SplitBear. In testing, this feature failed to function, as attempts to toggle it only reset the server connection without allowing me to add websites to the server blocklist. Another feature is VigilantBear, the auto-reconnect option present in all other versions of the app.
We visited DNSLeakTest.com and ran an extended test to see if TunnelBear VPN was leaking our true IP address or DNS requests. Our test, connected to a server in Slough, UK, showed no leaks.
To determine whether a random VPN server connection is fast enough for video streaming, we watched a YouTube video about the origins of fungi while connected to a TunnelBear server in Canada. We did not experience any buffering or other video interruptions while watching the video. We also visited Twitch.tv and watched a musician play a live set for her viewers. The stream started instantly, and it did not have any connection issues throughout the duration of our 10-minute viewing experience.
Hands On With TunnelBear VPN for iPhone
TunnelBear VPN’s iPhone app is cute and easy to use. For this test, we used an iPhone XS running iOS 16.5.1.
The colorful user interface of TunnelBear's iPhone VPN app features an interactive map populated with animated tunneling bears, and you can use it to choose your VPN server location. Unlike Proton VPN, TunnelBear VPN doesn’t allow you to choose individual servers. Instead, it offers a list of countries where servers are located. If you want to use a server in the US or Canada, you can choose from specific cities. A white button at the bottom of the app window indicates whether the device is connected to a VPN. Just tap the toggle to turn the VPN on and off.
As with Mullvad VPN’s iPhone app, TunnelBear VPN’s feature list is also short and sweet on the iPhone. The app lacks a Kill Switch, app-level split tunneling, or advanced network settings. There are, however, two features of note. The first is Splitbear, which allows you to browse selected websites without your traffic being routed through the VPN. The second is VigilantBear, which sounds noble, but it’s just an auto-reconnect option.
Other features include Bear Sounds, which are bear-like sound effects that play when you connect or disconnect from a VPN server, and an assortment of cute and colorful app icons.
We visited DNSLeakTest.com and ran an extended test to see if TunnelBear VPN was leaking our real IP address or DNS requests. No leaks were found while testing one server in Washington, DC.
While connected to a TunnelBear VPN server, we watched a PBS Eons video about the evolution of the human diet on YouTube about the evolution of the human diet without any pauses or interruptions due to an unstable or slow connection. To test the live streaming capabilities, we watched a streamer play through Diablo IV. The stream loaded instantly, and we saw no skips or buffering.
Hands On With TunnelBear VPN for Android
TunnelBear's VPN app for Android offers just as much ease of use and fun design as the iOS version but with one helpful difference: users on Android get access to split tunneling. We tested with a Samsung Galaxy A71 5G running Android 13.
TunnelBear’s cheerful and cute user interface features an interactive map that is home to an animated bear whose sole purpose is to show you the location of your VPN server. Like the iOS app, TunnelBear VPN’s Android app offers a list of countries where servers are located, but you can choose from a list of cities when picking from the Canada or US server lists.
A toggle at the bottom of the app window indicates whether the device is connected to a VPN. The Android app lacks a Kill Switch but offers app-level split tunneling, which is absent in the iOS version. VigilantBear is the auto-reconnect option, and GhostBear makes your VPN connection appear as regular internet traffic when VPN activity is blocked. Of course, we can’t forget to mention the lovable Bear Sounds options in the Settings menu—roars that play whenever you connect or disconnect from a VPN server.
We visited DNSLeakTest.com and ran an extended test to see if TunnelBear VPN was leaking our real IP address or DNS requests. We found no leaks while testing a server in Slough, UK. We also connected to a server in Greece, opened the YouTube app, and watched a video of a man grimacing while ingesting several boxes of chicken tenders coated with extremely hot sauce. Even when the show was interrupted by ads for BetterHelp’s mental health services between painful bites, the VPN connection remained steady without any interruptions. While connected to the same server in Greece, we watched a Twitch streamer play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The stream started immediately and did not stutter or lag throughout the viewing period.
Hands On With TunnelBear VPN for Chrome OS
TunnelBear continues its run as the cutest VPN service on the market with its ChromeOS application. To look beyond the visual appeal and see how well it performs on Google's operating system, we tested it on a Dell Chromebook 3100.
Unlike the Android and iOS apps, TunnelBear’s app for ChromeOS does not include a list of countries where servers are located. You can type a country name into a search bar within the connection tab, but we prefer a dropdown list of countries.
The ChromeOS app includes app-level split tunneling, which is called SplitBear. Note that the iOS version lacks this particular tool (and bear). Other features offered are VigilantBear, the auto-reconnect option, and GhostBear, which makes your VPN connection appear as regular internet traffic in instances where VPN activity is blocked.
We visited DNSLeakTest.com and ran an extended test to see if TunnelBear VPN was leaking our real IP address or DNS requests. We found no leaks while testing a server in Athens, Greece.
Watching YouTube videos and Twitch streams to determine whether a random VPN server connection is fast enough to do the things most people do online is usually our favorite part of VPN testing. Unfortunately, TunnelBear’s VPN connection in Spain wasn't fast enough to load YouTube.com or Twitch.tv using the Google Chrome browser. The connection was also too slow to load the YouTube app on our Chromebook. Some VPN servers may be faster than others, however. To see whether other TunnelBear VPN servers were usable, we connected to a server in Portugal, and we were able to watch videos and live streams without interruptions.
This VPN Is Just Right
TunnelBear VPN succeeds because it dares to be lighthearted. The company has always put a premium on design and user experience, which is sorely needed in all digital security. And its excellence is not only skin-deep: TunnelBear VPN offers a robust service and strong transparency principles. Other VPNs may have more bells and whistles than TunnelBear, but this genial VPN might fit perfectly into your life and remains a PCMag Editors' Choice winner, particularly for beginners.
Forget complicated apps and edgy graphics and let the cute-but-powerful TunnelBear VPN defend your web traffic. It's easy to use and protects your entire household with just one account.
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