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Government · head to head

Citizen vs TunnelBear

Citizen logo

Citizen

Government

Real-time Safety Alerts

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
T

TunnelBear

Cybersecurity

Consumer VPN with a limited free tier and a bear-themed, beginner-friendly app

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Citizen no premium or paid features mentioned; TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • They diverge on capability: Citizen covers Real-time Alerts, TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Citizen and TunnelBear actually diverge.

Attributes where Citizen and TunnelBear differ
AttributeCitizenTunnelBear
PlatformsIos, Androidwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2016Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Citizen

  • Real-time Alerts
  • 911 Monitoring
  • Live Video
  • Safety Map
  • Personal Safety
  • Emergency Services
  • Social Media
  • Location Services

Only in TunnelBear

  • Encrypted VPN tunnel
  • Server location switching
  • GhostBear obfuscation
  • Browser extensions
  • Teams account management

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Citizen

  • Citizen Servicesnot TunnelBear
  • Records Managementnot TunnelBear
  • Public Safetynot TunnelBear
  • Civic Engagementnot TunnelBear

TunnelBear

  • Casual browsing protection on public Wi-Finot Citizen
  • Occasional geo-unblocking with a light free allowancenot Citizen
  • Bypassing network-level VPN blocking via obfuscationnot Citizen
  • Managing VPN access for a small team with centralized billingnot Citizen

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Citizen

  • No premium or paid features mentioned
  • App is completely free with no monetization model disclosed
  • No in-app purchases or premium tier mentioned
  • Subscription or paid features may exist but not disclosed

TunnelBear

  • Free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • Lacks advanced features like dedicated IP addresses or split-tunneling controls found in some rival VPNs.
  • Server network is smaller than large competitors like NordVPN or ExpressVPN.
  • No standalone router-level app, limiting whole-network protection options.

Pricing, plan by plan

Citizen

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Real-time Alerts
    • Incident Feed
    • Safety Map

TunnelBear

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 2GB of data per month
    • Access to VPN servers
    • Unlimited devices
  • Unlimited$9.99/month
    • Unlimited monthly data
    • All server locations
    • Cheaper on annual/3-year billing
  • Teams$undefined/month
    • Unlimited data
    • 5 connected devices per user
    • Dedicated account manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Citizen if

  • You need real-time alerts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android.
  • You also want 911 monitoring.
Citizen review

Choose TunnelBear if

  • You need encrypted vpn tunnel.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want server location switching.
TunnelBear review

Questions people ask

Is Citizen or TunnelBear better?
Neither clearly leads. Citizen starts at Free and TunnelBear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Citizen or TunnelBear?
Citizen starts at Free and TunnelBear at Free.
Does Citizen or TunnelBear run on more platforms?
Citizen runs on Ios, Android. TunnelBear runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use Citizen for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Citizen best used for?
Citizen is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what TunnelBear is typically brought in for.
What can Citizen do that TunnelBear cannot?
Citizen covers Real-time Alerts, 911 Monitoring, Live Video, Safety Map. TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Citizen: How much does Citizen cost?

Citizen is available as a free app download for iOS and Android. The app includes core safety and alert features at no cost.

Source
Citizen: Are there paid features or premium subscriptions in Citizen?

Citizen's website does not mention paid features, premium subscriptions, or in-app purchases. All advertised features appear to be included in the free app.

Source
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