# 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 Intuitive and engaging interface design 98% positive reviews out of 57 Most reviewers find user interface visually appealing, easy to navigate, and accessible for all experience levels. Unstable and inconsistent connectivity 49% negative reviews out of 74 Some reviewers report connection frequently drops, takes long to establish, and lacks clear notifications for disconnections. Bennett W Director of Operations, 51 - 200 employees. "TunnelBear roars like bear when connecting, but I dislike that it never notify when it disconnects unawares." Charming visuals and playful animations 98% positive reviews out of 41 Most reviewers indicate design and animation create a pleasant, user-friendly experience with clear, delightful visual cues. Frequent slowdowns and lag issues 62% negative reviews out of 47 Most reviewers report performance and speed suffer from sluggish servers, slow connections, and noticeable delays during use. Effortless multi-platform installation process 100% positive reviews out of 38 Most reviewers describe setup as straightforward, requiring minimal technical knowledge and offering quick, easy deployment. Recurring reliability and stability problems 59% negative reviews out of 39 Some reviewers indicate bugs and issues cause crashes, glitches, update failures, and unreliable account recovery processes. ## 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 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 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 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 MC Marian C. IT Technician Industrial Automation Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Secure your connection" May 21, 2024 5.0 TunnelBear is a great VPN app, is fast and secure. I have used the free plan at the beginning and really liked it, upgrade was necessary. Pros Setting up the app and the browsers extension is very easy and straightforward. The VPN connection is really fast and I don't even feel I use it. There are a lot of servers to choose from and the price is good in a way. Cons Huge discount on for first year of using. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Student E-Learning Used the software for: I used a free trial ### "Best VPN ever!" March 20, 2022 5.0 Pros I have tried countless VPN already, and no one can compare to TunnelBear! Sure, I only used the free trial, which is 500 mb a month, but that alone is enough for it to make an impact on me. A lot of VPN that I have tried that said are offering free service doesn't really work for me. The only one that worked is TunnelBear. The free trial is very important because it is what will make the user to decide whether to pay for the service or not. And I'm pretty sure that when the time comes, I'll gladly pay for their service! It's very easy to use, and they have a really cute layout. It's not "complicated-looking", and it worked really great as a VPN. Highly recommended! Cons Since I only tried using the free trial, I can say that the only con that I am seeing is the fact that you can only use 500 mb per month. That is something that of course, can be solved when you decide to pay for their service. Review Source VR Verified Reviewer Founder Higher Education Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Secure your internet activities" August 31, 2019 5.0 TunnelBear helps me in maintaining my privacy over my internet activities. It is easy to use and cheap, making it possible for me to subscribe to its plan. Pros TunnelBear is very easy to use! You just need to click or tap on the server's location that you want to use and voila! You are connected to the server. It is also cheap compared to other similar services, yet offer good service to the users. Cons It offers a free version but with very limited data it offers, it's better to just subscribe to the basic plan. Another negative point is that sometimes, the connection becomes lagging. While it is understandable since I am using VPN service but I hope this can be addressed somewhat. Review Source Signe J. Owner Writing and Editing Used the software for: 6-12 months ### "Great for basic VPN" July 28, 2021 5.0 The price is right fort this VPN and I am very satisfied with Tunnelbear. Pros Tunnelbear does a great job of protecting privacy, and it's very affordable. For $10/month, you can protect 5 separate devices. Additionally, the cute cartoon bears make this VPN fun. It takes a scary issue -- privacy violation -- and turns it into something nonthreatening. Cons Some VPNs offer additional services and protections beyond the basic VPN. However, Tunnelbear is limited to VPN only. For my needs, that's perfectly fine. However, some users will want a more inclusive solution if they have more complex needs. Additionally, Tunnelbear can be slow at times depending on which server you connect to. It's mostly fine, but once in a while it crawls. Review Source Leon C. IT Recruiter Used the software for: 1-2 years ### "This is probably the cutest and most effective VPN software in the market. " June 4, 2018 5.0 Great and functional VPN software. Pros First of all, this software has one of the most beautiful and easy to use interfaces I have seen, also their website graphics revolved around cute vectorized bears. It works marvelous, it is simple to use, effective, connects quickly and in addition; it is inexpensive (You can use around 500 MB for free in a monthly basis, and if you tweet about TunnelBear you can get some extra MBs, also their monthly and yearly plans are very affordable). I wholeheartedly recommend TunnelBear! Cons This is one of those few cases were I don't really have anything negative to say about a software. I believe TunnelBear is great. Review Source Héctor A. CEO / Lead Architect Information Technology and Services Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Easiest to use VPN Service with bear puns included" July 31, 2019 5.0 Best UI in a VPN Client, Easy to use and fast to connect, if you're an advance user some options will not be available and you cannot go wrong with this one. Pros It was really easy to use and setup, the UI was excellent, variety of countries to use, it connected really quick, and the price is right. Cons Lack of advance options in comparison to PIA and that McAfee acquired them about 2 years ago, for some people that might be bad but the product itself it's been amazing and you cannot torrent with it. Review Source JR Jyoti R. Owner/Practitioner Health, Wellness and Fitness Used the software for: 2+ years ### "Good, reliable product" August 5, 2021 4.0 Pros I used Tunnel Bear for several years so I could easily switch country by IP address using a VPN. I was impressed by the simplicity of it. Clean, uncluttered - very easy to install and navigate. Any time there was an issue, the customer support team was very responsive. Cons My only real gripe with this software, and the reason I eventually moved over to a competitor, was that they seemed unable to adequately keep up with changes. Large companies are constantly trying to thwart VPNs and stealth IP addresses and it's an ongoing game to adapt the technology. It seemed that TunnelBear wasn't fast enough in developing their product to keep ahead of the changes. 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