TunnelBear Review

TunnelBear made two lasting contributions to this market. It proved a VPN could be genuinely approachable, with bear puns and animations instead of protocol dropdowns, and in 2017 it became the first consumer VPN to publish a full independent security audit, repeating it annually ever since. Cure53 has now examined the apps, extensions and infrastructure many times over.

The free plan is small but honest: 2 GB a month, the full server network, unlimited devices, no advertising and no data collection to fund it. It is the standard recommendation for someone who just needs occasional protection on public Wi-Fi.

The paid product is straightforward: unlimited data, unlimited devices, WireGuard speeds, a kill switch called VigilantBear, split tunneling, and GhostBear obfuscation for networks that block VPN protocols.

The trade-offs are notable. Torrenting is not permitted, streaming platforms block it consistently, there is no cryptocurrency payment, no port forwarding, no multi-hop, and no money-back guarantee at all, though the free tier lets you test first.

McAfee acquired TunnelBear in 2018 and, to its credit, left the product and the audit programme intact. Canadian jurisdiction with a US parent is still the weakest column on the sheet.

Recommended for beginners, cautious users and anyone who values a company that has been transparent for longer than most competitors have existed. Not the right tool for media use.