TunnelBear review
Updated September 28, 2026 · ShieldCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
TunnelBear suits people who want a quiet, audited VPN and a capped free tier, and its audited no activity logging is the detail that separates it from cheaper rivals. A free plan is included, and server reach runs to from 46 countries, which is where the trade-off sits: the network is modest, not sprawling.
Key facts
- Best for
- A small business team or traveller who wants audited no activity logging at a low monthly rate.
- Monthly price
- $3.33 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Long-term plan price
- $3.33 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Server countries
- from 46 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- No-logs audit
- Cure53 2023 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Money-back period
- 30 days (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- CA (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Kill-switch, Split-tunnelling, Obfuscation (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, Browser (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Owner
- TunnelBear LLC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Longest plan (months)
- 12 months (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- TunnelBear LLC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Canada (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- No logs, Travel
- Audience
- Business
- Pricing model
- Free
- Official website
- tunnelbear.com
Privacy tools
- Price from
- $3.33 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan
- Yes (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free plan limits
- 2GB of secure browsing (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Platforms
- iOS, Android, MacOS, Windows, Browser (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Protocols
- WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Logging policy
- No activity logging: does not store connected user IP addresses, DNS queries, or the apps, services and sites used while connected (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Jurisdiction
- CA (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Open source
- No (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Privacy tool type
- Ad-blocker, Browser (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- TunnelBear LLC (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Canada (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- Free
Pros and cons
Pros
- Independent security audits are listed at Cure53 2023, which is unusual at this price
- Support runs on email and help centre, so help is written and email based
- A free plan is included with 2GB of secure browsing of secure browsing
- Travel is listed as a use case, alongside a kill switch, split tunnelling and obfuscation
Cons
- The free plan is capped at 2GB of secure browsing, so heavy browsing needs a paid plan
- Support runs on email and help centre only, with no chat or phone line
- Server reach is from 46, below the 46.5 typical for the category
Who it suits
- Small business teams that need travel cover and a single audited VPN
- People who want a free tier for light browsing and pay only when they need more
- Readers who put audit history and jurisdiction ahead of the widest network
Who should look elsewhere
- People who need the largest server list, where brands with wider reach fit better
- Anyone who wants live chat or phone support, which Sinew Software Systems style support listings may offer
- Heavy data users, since the free plan is limited to 2GB of secure browsing
Audits, logging and jurisdiction
TunnelBear is based in Canada and is owned by TunnelBear LLC. Its logging policy is a clear no activity logging one: connected user IP addresses, DNS queries and the apps, services and sites used while connected are not stored. Independent security audits are recorded at Cure53 2023, which is a stronger privacy signal than most services at this price point. The combination of a stated jurisdiction and a named auditor is what makes the claim easy to check.
The company behind it
The legal entity is TunnelBear LLC, with its headquarters in Canada. Support is handled through email and help centre, so questions are answered by email or through the help centre rather than a live agent. There is no live chat or phone line listed, which is worth weighing if you expect urgent troubleshooting while travelling. The business audience is the stated one, so the plan is shaped for teams rather than casual consumers.
How TunnelBear compares
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 8.5
9.1 vs 9.5
9.1 vs 9.4
9.1 vs 9.1
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 9.4ESET Brasil reaches 40 to 70 server countries, wider coverage if country choice matters more than the audit trail.
9.1 vs 9.2
9.1 vs 8.8
9.1 vs 9.3
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.0
9.1 vs 9.4
Frequently asked questions
What does TunnelBear cost at the entry level?+
The listed entry price is $3.33, and the long term plan price sits at $3.33. The longest plan runs 12 months. Against the market, the site median monthly price is €7.89, so TunnelBear sits below the middle of the price range.
Is there a free version, and what are its limits?+
Yes, a free plan is included. Its limit is 2GB of secure browsing, which suits browsing on public wifi or light travel rather than heavy streaming. Paid plans remove that cap. The free model is common, since 76% covers a large share of the VPN listings.
Does TunnelBear keep activity logs?+
No activity logging is stated: connected user IP addresses, DNS queries, and the apps, services and sites used while connected are not stored. That claim is backed by independent security audits listed at Cure53 2023, so the policy is not just a promise in the privacy policy. The company sits in the jurisdiction of CA.
Which devices and platforms are supported?+
Apps are listed for iOS, Android and macOS, which covers phones, desktops and a browser extension. The apps are distributed by the provider rather than through an app store policy, so the versions listed are the ones to check. Platform coverage is one of the reasons a small team can standardise on it.
How many server countries does TunnelBear run?+
Server reach is from 46, which is close to the category median of 46.5. It is a compact network, fine for privacy and travel use, but narrower than the widest listings. Protocols supported include WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2.
What protections does the paid plan include?+
The plan includes a kill switch, split tunnelling and obfuscation, all listed under kill switch, split tunnelling and obfuscation. A kill switch cuts the connection if the VPN drops, split tunnelling sends only chosen traffic through it, and obfuscation helps on restrictive networks. These are the features that separate a paid TunnelBear plan from the free tier.
Who is TunnelBear aimed at?+
The stated audience is business, so the plans are shaped for small business use rather than casual streaming. Business is a common segment in the VPN listings, covering 100% of the category. It also suits travellers, since travel is listed among its use cases.
What support can you get, and is there a refund?+
Support runs on email and help centre, meaning email and the help centre, with no live chat listed. A money back period of 30 days applies, which gives room to try a paid plan. Help centre coverage is high across the category, at 94%.
Sources
- tunnelbear.com/about checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters, Jurisdiction
“The Bear Cave Toronto, Canada”
- tunnelbear.com/blog/tunnelbear-completes-7th-annual-indep... checked September 26, 2026
Backs: No-logs audit
“Cure53 was instrumental in conducting our 2023 security audit”
- tunnelbear.com/download checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Platforms
“Or get TunnelBear for a different device”
- tunnelbear.com/features checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Features, Features, Protocols, Server countries
“TunnelBear does NOT log any activity of customers connected to our service”
- tunnelbear.com/pricing checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Free plan, Free plan limits, Long-term plan price, Pricing model, Price from, Monthly price, Privacy tool type
“For businesses securing 2+ users”
- tunnelbear.com/privacy-policy checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Logging policy
“TunnelBear explicitly does NOT collect, store or log the following data: IP addresses visiting our website, IP addresses upon service connection, DNS Queries while connected, Any information about...”
- tunnelbear.com/terms-of-service checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Longest plan (months), Money-back period, Open source, Owner, Support channels
“TunnelBear LLC. ("TunnelBear") reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to modify or replace the terms of this Agreement”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Devices.
Related by the facts
TunnelBear
A small business team or traveller who wants audited no activity logging at a low monthly rate.