# TunnelBear Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra > Is TunnelBear the right VPN solution for you? Explore 470 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice. Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/146806/TunnelBear/reviews --- TunnelBear 4.5 (470) [View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/146806/TunnelBear/alternatives/) Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/) * * * Last updated March 13th, 2026 # Reviews of TunnelBear Ease of use 4.7 Customer Service 4.4 ## Pros and Cons in Reviews LG Linet G Accounts Payable SpecialistAutomotive, 201 - 500 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Also i am in a better situation to secure sensitive data such as my credit card information and address.“ September 30, 2024 DB Derek B OnwerReal Estate, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Not entirely stable and I had some issues with more complex Apps I use.“ June 6, 2025 DB Derek B OnwerReal Estate, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: 6-12 months. “Allowing access country choice from free version is great.“ June 6, 2025 ZM Zakaria M Assistant ManagerManagement Consulting, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “I slightly dislike that it does not alert the user via the ROAR sound when disconnecting.“ November 14, 2024 ZM Zakaria M Assistant ManagerManagement Consulting, 11 - 50 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “It offers a wide range of server locations for all continents.“ November 14, 2024 AC Annalisa C Regulatory consultantPharmaceuticals, 10,001+ employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “At one point I had to reinstall the software as it has stopped working“ August 23, 2024 AP Andy P DirectorMarketing and Advertising, 2 - 10 employeesUsed the software for: More than 2 years. “Its been pretty reliable for me and also when you turn it on it makes a raaahhh noise like a bear roaring!“ June 5, 2024 BW Bennett W Director of OperationsFinancial Services, 51 - 200 employeesUsed the software for: 1-2 years. “TunnelBear roars like bear when connecting, but I dislike that it never notify when it disconnects unawares.“ August 23, 2023 ## Showing most helpful reviews Showing 1-25 of 470 Reviews Sort by: Most Helpful Rating Company Size Reviewer's Role Length of Use Frequency of Use Kush M. Intern Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A decent VPN service with quite a few locations" April 2, 2020 5.0 It's a good VPN, I recommend using it for just some private browsing. Pros The UI is nice, the connection is stable with multiple options. It has a kill switch which is very important for VPN services. Cons It comes with a cost which makes it hard to use for freelancing when you are a student. Switched from [Hotspot Shield VPN](https://www.capterra.com/p/186549/Hotspot-Shield-VPN/) Hotspot shield is really good but lacks in the smoothness, it lags sometimes. Review Source Nhan N. Senior Software Engineer Banking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Good VPN for non-pre" May 9, 2021 4.0 I have a good experience with TunnelBear. It works well for me most of the time and has Linux support. Their free plan is quite limited compared to other VPN solutions, but I find the premium price is pretty reasonable if you plan to use the service long-term. Pros \- Non-cluttered UI, simple and easy to use. - Limit support on Linux. Would be nice if they can develop more on this function. Cons \- It doesn't work with Netflix and other streaming services. - Availability is only limited to some countries. - Limited free plan, 500MB monthly at the time I'm writing this. You would need a paid subscription to use it daily Switched from [Hotspot Shield VPN](https://www.capterra.com/p/186549/Hotspot-Shield-VPN/) I find TunnelBear is more reliable than Hotspot Shield Review Source DB Derek B. Onwer Real Estate Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Good VPN with easy location selection" June 6, 2025 3.0 Pretty good, I guess they made VPN fun. Its a good product just wasn't perfect for me. I haven't uninstalled it but I didn't renew premium. Pros Its relatively simple to install and the constant gags about bears and digging are kinda of fetching at first. Allowing access country choice from free version is great. Cons Not entirely stable and I had some issues with more complex Apps I use. Also monthly cost is not that competitive. Review Source MFN Mir Fida N. Website Designer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Best VPN solution for beginners for basic needs" September 28, 2020 5.0 Although,it is not an advanced level VPN but still a better choice for most basic requirements for a VPN features. New users should try it's free plan of 500 Mb per month to know the performance and features then switch to a paid plan.It is not as feature rich as other available VPN software but should be enough for specific task needs that one need to do regularly like IP & traffic security. Ease of use and quick setup makes it a suitable option for start ups and individuals . Pros First of all it is a beginner user friendly software that is get you started as soon as few clicks away.Not much configuration and settings needed. Apps and browser extensions are available for multiple OS and devices like respectively.Free plan is available to test performance for your specific network task requirement.It protects user's privacy through its no logging policy.Security is ensured by independent yearly audit make it a credible software to use. Another good feature is P2P connection which allows for use as secure torrent network.It supports split tunneling but only on android. Cons Major thing is the less support for unblocking streaming services like Netflix, in all locations.Other is customer support which is limited and not always available for solving commonly faced issues. Availability is limited to a set of listed countries.It does not support split tunneling except on android. Alternatives considered [NordVPN](https://www.capterra.com/p/166743/NordVPN/) Reason for choosing TunnelBear Becuase it was quick & easy to get started and running without much hassle. It provides less features which are not needed by average user client, but on a value for money price plans.Security and privacy policy make it an authentic VPN software for common use. Review Source JL Jason L. Product Designer Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "A VPN experience that delights" May 27, 2021 5.0 \- Sign Up is simple & easy - To start, TunnelBear offers a 500MB free trial that renews every month - Subscription payment was straightforward and fast - They offer apps across many different platforms so that I can use my account across all of my devices - Each app is more or less the same on all devices and intuitive and user-friendly experience - Changing VPN location is a breeze. Performance and reliability is great. - Cancelling was easy and straightforward when I no longer needed a VPN. - Resubscribing again when I needed was also very simple. Overall, there were no moments of frustration or even the slightest hang-up in the entire experience. I never got unnecessary notifications, pop-ups, or emails that disrupt my focus. Pros The overall UX is very pleasant and there is little to no friction at any point in the customer journey. Most importantly for me, TunnelBear focuses solely on their VPN and therefore doesn't attempt to cross-sell a suite of other products to me. Cons TunnelBear as of right now (5/27/21) offers servers in 38 countries. Some of the more established VPN providers offer more countries. I sometimes wish to access content from Russia that is otherwise blocked in the US however, TunnelBear does not have servers in Russia. Other providers do. Switched from [CyberGhost VPN](https://www.capterra.com/p/176238/CyberGhost-VPN/) I wanted a simpler and more reliable experience Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Affiliate Manager Marketing and Advertising Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "The best VPN with a bear" February 18, 2021 5.0 My company have bought paid subscription for another VPN client, which has really terrible support and doesn't do the basic thing it is supposed to change your location and IP. Since I have to do my work and the other VPN didn't work as supposed to I had to install the TunnelBear app and use the free option in order to finish my work. Pros This is the easiest most user friendly VPN which I have ever used. And I've used a lot. I really like that it is fool prof, works fast, you can try it for free and does what it is supposed to do. Cons I would've like to have the chance of choosing different servers on a specific location. Other than that there is nothing more I would add Switched from [PureVPN](https://www.capterra.com/p/143321/PureVPN/) Terrible support and doesn't really do what it is supposed to - change your location and let you browse content from another countries. Review Source TH TIm H. Insight Executive Market Research Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Simple to use and set up" July 4, 2025 4.0 Very good - easy to use and set up and does exactly what you need it too without being too in-your-face about upgrading. Pros It is easy to use and has a fun and engaging user interface. The base allowance of 2GB before upgrading is ok for the more occasional on-the-go use. Cons Only having 2GB free when you are on trips or occasions which don't always warrant an entire month (or yearly) subscription. Perhaps a day or week option. Review Source ZM Zakaria M. Assistant Manager Management Consulting Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A Daily User Perspective " November 14, 2024 5.0 Pros I use TunnelBear on a daily basis to access geo-locked websites from my local IP. Unlike alternatives, TB does not require credit card to create a free trial. It offers a wide range of server locations for all continents. Cons I slightly dislike that it does not alert the user via the ROAR sound when disconnecting. Review Source LG Linet G. Accounts Payable Specialist Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Accessing Geo-locked Websites made Easy by TB" September 30, 2024 5.0 Pros TunnelBear allows me to browse 💻anonymously which help protect my identity from online attackers. Also i am in a better situation to secure sensitive data such as my credit card information and address. Cons I only dislike that TunnelBear has limited server locations on free version compared to alternatives such as Hotspot Shield. Review Source JA Julian A. IT Specialist Medical Practice Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "Great VPN App" April 9, 2025 5.0 Pros Awesome VPN that I use almost every day. It really works if you know how to use it. Cons Sometimes it spams asking you to buy the full version if you do not have it. Review Source JM John M. Software Engineer Automotive Used the software for: 2+ years ### "J.Mwangi TB Insight" July 29, 2024 5.0 TunnelBear protect my identity online from attackers. Pros TunnelBear allows me to effectively access geo-locked website by just switching to my favorite server IP. Cons This is the most robust VPN tool that I have ever used with zero flaws. Review Source LK Liam K. CMO Automotive Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Tunnel your connection" May 23, 2024 5.0 TunnelBear is a good VPN app that I have used for more than one year and everything working as it should be. The connections are fast and secure. Pros An easy to setup VPN app, installing the app takes a minute or so. Connections are fast and you don't even know the connection is secured and hidden. Another nice feature is browser extension, i you dont want to install the app and use the VPN just for browsing, the extension is perfect. Cons Free tier has a small bandwidth, but nothing is free nowadays. Review Source cL christophere L. founder of vangogh get it Arts and Crafts Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "very user friendly powerful and entertaining platform " December 4, 2019 5.0 My overall experience was that of pleasantry in the aspects of I felt confidant that tunnel bear had my back and put the time and effort into there software so I never felt that my privacy was in question and to be quite honest I am a big kid so I enjoyed the animation of the bear I would always pick a far off server just to watch the bear. Pros So what I have to say first because it is my favorite aspect of this software was the user friendly and visually gratifying layout of this software, So many VPN software's can be very confusing to a person with not very much background in the pc world. The layout of this software visually makes it to where you can understand what is happening. Picture this you have a map with a little bear sitting in a pipe that has an uncanny resemblance to Mario and has multiple locations across the globe for you to choose from . Now once you pic a location you see the bear hop down his pipe and quite literally dig a tunnel to the location of the server you are wanting to connect to. The re ups in data quantity is also very cost friendly they do not tax you hardcore there server connections listed are consistent and they care about there customers what else could you really ask for. Cons The only complaint and it may have been I just had a hard time doing it and I have computer background so I am quite positive our less knowledgeable users definitely would is that merging your vpn information into the windows 10 operating system was a little harder them I would have like but in the end I just kept it as tunnel bear it was more fun to look at anyways. Reason for choosing TunnelBear The one reason was Tunnel Bear was far more cost effective people by Nord mainly for the name at this point there not really getting more protection then say other VPN software's like Tunnel Bear are offering. Review Source AR Arshad R. Student Education Management Used the software for: 2+ years ### "TunnelBear" October 23, 2021 5.0 I like tunnel bear for it good speeds and availability of a lot of servers in different regions. Pros TunnelBear is a very powerful and efficient virtual private network creation software that also serve cyber protection. It has a simple design which makes it easy to use. Also you can use a single subscription over multiple computer or handheld devices. Cons The problem that I encounter with tunnelbear is about the vpn server city. I select some city in it and the ip adress checking sites shows some other city in results. Switched from [ExpressVPN](https://www.capterra.com/p/170765/ExpressVPN/) Because of it better browsing speeds Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Owner Internet Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "A Free VPN That's Easy To Use And Just Works" April 8, 2020 5.0 I use TunnelBear for access to sites that are IP blocked in my home country - eg, some US websites are not GDPR compliant and block European visitors. TunnelBear gets round that problem. Installation and use is simple and the connection can be quickly switched on and off to conserve data. If accessing a proxy was more mission-critical for my business then I may look at alternatives but for my uses, TunnelBear is a friendly and easy to use service. Pros Such an easy product to use - just select the country you want to tunnel to (there are 22 at the moment), and TunnelBear does the rest. It's free to use for up to 500MB per month, but if you tweet about it, you gain an extra 1GB per month. Connection speeds were variable - I find European speeds can be slow - maybe a few MB/s, but itr seems to depend on the time of day. Cons The main drawback is the amount of data you obtain for free: 1.5GB won't go far if you use this every day. That said, for occasional use that doesn't require very high speeds, it's perfect. If you want to gain access to unlimited data you'll be paying $9.99 a month or $4.99 if you pay for a year in one go. Review Source Bernado C. Construction Engineer Civil Engineering Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Internet Activity Monitoring Solution" June 24, 2022 4.0 Accessing geo-locked websites that are restricted on our company internet IP. Pros I like that I do not necessarily require to upgrade with money to use TunnelBear since it offers MBs by inviting users and tweeting them. Cons TunnelBear doesn’t allocate a wide range of server locations for some locations where we have most of our clients. Review Source EM Erik M. Graphic Designer Graphic Design Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "Keeps your devices protected with surprise and delight at every corner" February 22, 2021 5.0 I recommend TunnelBear to all of my colleagues and friends. It is ingeniously designed, fun to use, and completely private. I rest easy knowing my devices are protected by their VPN while my data remains private, too! Pros My favorite thing about TunnelBear is the clean user interface, fun animations, and thoughtful details they have added to every step of their user journey. I am always delighted by the subtle animations and clean design elements they use to convey clear messages to me about how TunnelBear is protecting my device. On mobile, it's even better! They have integrated their values into their product by offering pride bears and different options for your home screen icon - how cute is that?! Cons I don't have anything negative to say about TunnelBear. They obviously listen to what their users want and need without sacrificing their values or integrity. I love knowing my devices are fully protected by an adorable team of bears! Review Source Joel M. VP Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Multi-platform VP goodness" April 6, 2021 5.0 I have used Tunnelbear to protect public internet connections for over 3 years. The company kept a clean interface and make it easy to use and promote. Pros It is so easy to deploy, manage and use. It protects and has clear notifications of when it is one, how it is connected, and where it is connected to. They audit their software and make the 3rd party report publically available so that you can trust your data is even private from them. Cons Nothing, I have had great experiences, it is low overhead and easy to deploy. The price is a bit more than similar solutions. Not crazy it is owned by McAfee now. Alternatives considered [NordVPN](https://www.capterra.com/p/166743/NordVPN/) Reason for choosing TunnelBear It was made in Canada. Review Source Claire N. Business Development Manager Information Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "A secure and powerful VPN service" December 2, 2018 5.0 Overall I love its functionalities as it is running great and very helpful with my work. My experience tells Tunnel Bear is the best VPN service provider that is not even easy to use but also work faster than other VPNs available in the market. Pros If I talk about pros, i would say it is extremely easy to use both on computer as well as on mobile phones. Love everything about this software. The thing I like about Tunnel bear is the amount of servers it provides in several countries. I have been using this software for a long time. I use it when I have to research on projects and my server does not allow the website to be opened. Cons Sometimes hindrance occur in connection due to which system gets slow and also sites take too long time for loading but it happens sometimes otherwise it works fantastically and provides us secure connection. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Senior Investigator Banking Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Instantly browse from different countries" September 19, 2019 5.0 Pros It was so fast and easy to browse from a different country, that I really enjoyed the software. My son installed it on my computer more than 2 years ago and taught me how to use it, and that was easy to remember. Everytime I would stumble on something that wasn't available from the country I was currently browsing, I just switched to a different country and access any material online. Cons The average free space is limited and you have to do some work like sharing their product on twitter to get some extra space. Review Source Will S. Graphic Designer, Character/Concept Artist - Freelance Design Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Best free option for short burst users" November 23, 2018 5.0 I loved its free version when I used it. It was perfect for downloading small files from strange servers... though I would recommend keeping your antivirus active if you plan to do the same! Pros A free VPN with a lot more to offer in paid subscriptions. You get 500 mb free each month, which is great for short burst users -- I used TunnelBear when I downloaded music a few years ago. It is extremely easy to set up and turn on, and definitely all around the most user friendly VPN I have ever seen. Cons 500 mb is plenty for some people, but the more often you plan to use your VPN -- or the larger the files you plan to download -- the less enticing this is. You can opt to pay for TunnelBear, but in my opinion, the free version is where Tunnelbear outshines competitors. If you plan to pay for your VPN, I would hands down recommend NordVPN above any other -- but if you are comfortable with TunnelBear, it may still be the best option for you. Keep in mind, however, that some VPNs have restrictions on download types -- if you plan to torrent, be sure to check TunnelBear's policies on P2P downloading & uploading. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Software Engineer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: Less than 6 months ### "A good way to be safe online" July 22, 2021 4.0 If you're a casual user looking for an economic VPN then I suggest you check out TunnelBear. There's a 500mb free plan that you can use to try it out. I use it all the time when connecting to public networks when I travel around. Pros TunnelBear offers one of the most economic VPN services out there. As an added bonus, it has a very limited free plan as well for those willing to try it out. Just like other good VPN solutions in offers AES-256 encryption, so you know your data packets are encrypted securely. Also, if you're not a very tech-savvy person, you dont have to worry as TunnelBear is very easy to install and use. Cons If you're trying to use this to switch Netflix regions I'm not sure how reliable it'll be. I've tried to do this on multiple occasions but Netflix fails to load. Also, sometimes you'll have to wait a while before it connects you to the networks but this happens rarely and you don't have to wait too long. Apart from that i haven't got any other issues. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Freelance Writer Computer Software Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "TunnelBear - Safe browsing, easy install, no hassle" April 16, 2019 5.0 Pros Just as the title says, this product was easy to install and implement on my network. It provides exactly what it claims to and doesn't have much frill to set up. Additionally, there is a freeware client available for those that just want to give it a try and see what they're missing. The paid version is much better in my opinion as it offers unlimited data streams rather than the 500 mb in the free version. Cons I do not like that this product doesnt offer wiregaurd and does not support Obfsproxy. Those are my only two qualms, but for what I'm paying, I can't really hate too much on this product. It's an incredible bargain. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Growth Marketing Lead Internet Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Friendly and easy to use VPN" May 31, 2021 5.0 Love it, using it to try bunch of things, less for streaming services, and it works great. Pros Super simple to use, fast to connect, reliable plus they offer a generous free plan plus extra data if you share to Twitter Cons That not all of the countries are there, happened a few times that I needed a specific country and it wasn't there. Review Source Moaz T. PHP Developer Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "One of the best VPNs" February 6, 2019 4.0 Pros The ease of use, variety of locations available and the efficiency of service made me use this service. When using this VPN it rarely feels like I'm using VPN at all in terms of internet speed drop and doesn't heat up my device unlike some other VPNs. Cons Would like to see more countries added. Sometimes it takes too long to connect or doesn't connect at all but it displays connected so have to disconnect and connect again. Review Source Similar Products Featured