TunnelBear vs Proton VPN (2026)
Head-to-head on price, speed, privacy posture and features - based on our independent reviews of both providers.
Score comparison
| TunnelBear | Proton VPN | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 7.6 | 9.3 | Proton VPN |
| Speed & reliability | 8.0 | 9.1 | Proton VPN |
| Privacy & trust | 7.8 | 9.8 | Proton VPN |
| Features & coverage | 6.4 | 9.4 | Proton VPN |
| Value for money | 7.4 | 9.2 | Proton VPN |
| Ease of use | 9.8 | 8.8 | TunnelBear |
Side by side
| TunnelBear | Proton VPN | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $4.99/mo | $3.59/mo |
| Service types | Consumer VPN, Free VPN | Consumer VPN, Free VPN |
| Jurisdiction | Canada in the 5 Eyes | Switzerland outside 5/9/14 Eyes |
| Logging policy | No-logs, independently audited | No-logs, independently audited |
| Independent audits | Cure53 (2024) | Securitum (2025) Securitum (2024) |
| Network | 5K servers | 12K servers |
| Country coverage | 47 | 117 |
| Money-back guarantee | - | 30 days |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✓ |
| Support | email, knowledge-base | tickets, email, knowledge-base |
| Pay with crypto | - | ✓ |
Which should you pick?
Choose TunnelBear if this fits: best vpn for beginners and nervous first-timers. TunnelBear turned annual public audits into an industry norm and wraps serious engineering in the least intimidating interface anywhere. Not for torrenting or streaming.
Choose Proton VPN if this fits: best vpn for privacy, and the best free tier anywhere. Proton VPN is the strongest overall package for anyone who cares why they are buying a VPN: open-source audited apps, Swiss jurisdiction, and a free tier with no data cap and no catch.
Overall, our scores favor Proton VPN (9.3 vs 7.6) - but the right choice depends on which trade-offs matter to you. Read the full TunnelBear review and Proton VPN review.