Pros
ConsThe details
TunnelBear was started back in 2011 by founders Daniel Kaldor and Ryan Dochuk. They both have years of experience, which they gained from working for giant companies like Goldman Sachs, Microsoft and RIM.
So you can rest easy knowing that you’re using a VPN created by professional and trusted gurus in the tech world. Here is how TunnelBear stacks up against other free VPNs.
Speed
The greatest concern when using a free VPN is its performance in speed and sadly, TunnelBear is no exception. Although the local servers are relatively fast, international servers are quite slow.
So if you’re looking to download torrents or stream international t.v. shows, you’re better off paying for a reliable VPN.
Our research indicates that this VPN suffers 63% speed loss. This loss was calculated by factoring in servers that were both close and distant.
Based on this stat, TunnelBear ranks at the middle of the pack when it comes to speed. While it’s not the slowest, its speed loss is way higher than that of paid VPNs like Surfshark and ExpressVPN, which average 27% and 2% loss, respectively.
Protection
As you can expect from a free VPN, the extent to which your browsing activity is protected by the VPN, is usually limited. With TunnelBear’s free plan, you only get 500MB of secure browsing.
Should you choose to upgrade to one of their paid plans and enjoy unlimited secure browsing, you’d have to part with $3.33 a month.
In terms of the technology, TunnelBear uses OpenVPN protocol for all operating systems, that is, iOS, Android, Windows and macOS. That said, clients using iOS and Windows can also opt for IKEv2.
Ease of use
This is one of its strongest points. TunnelBear sports a user-friendly design that helps you get started with just a few clicks.
Its apps are also nice and clean. But if you don’t want to go this route, the VPN offers browser extensions for Opera, Firefox and Chrome.
Value
For those on a shoestring budget, TunnelBear’s free pricing plan is a nice option. You get a decent 500Mb of monthly traffic, which is sufficient to stream a few episodes of your favorite shows and browse. That said, brace yourself for a slow performance if you’re using international servers.
Final verdict
TunnelBear may not have the longest list of features, but it does a great job of providing security. It has a user-friendly platform, which is easy to navigate even for individuals who’ve never used VPNs before. Plus, its transparency shines through in the way the VPN gets its systems audited independently.
