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Government · head to head

CityView vs TunnelBear

CityView logo

CityView

Government

Community Development Software

From
$10000/year
Free plan
No
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

  • Only TunnelBear has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: CityView high implementation and licensing costs for smaller municipalities; TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • They diverge on capability: CityView covers Building Permits, TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CityView and TunnelBear actually diverge.

Attributes where CityView and TunnelBear differ
AttributeCityViewTunnelBear
Starting price$10000/yearFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded1976Unknown

Identical on both: 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 CityView

  • Building Permits
  • Business Licensing
  • Code Enforcement
  • Inspections Management
  • Online Citizen Portal
  • Esri ArcGIS
  • Microsoft Office
  • Payment Gateways

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.

CityView

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

TunnelBear

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

Where each one falls short

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

CityView

  • High implementation and licensing costs for smaller municipalities
  • Complex setup and customization requiring expert assistance

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

CityView

$10000/year

No published plan breakdown. See the CityView review.

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 CityView if

  • You need building permits.
  • You also want business licensing.
CityView 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 CityView or TunnelBear better?
Neither clearly leads. CityView starts at $10000/year and TunnelBear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CityView or TunnelBear?
TunnelBear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $10000/year for CityView and Free for TunnelBear.
Does CityView or TunnelBear run on more platforms?
CityView runs on Web. TunnelBear runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use TunnelBear for free?
Yes. TunnelBear has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CityView starts at $10000/year.
What is CityView best used for?
CityView 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 CityView do that TunnelBear cannot?
CityView covers Building Permits, Business Licensing, Code Enforcement, Inspections Management. TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CityView: Is CityView cloud-based or on-premise?

CityView offers both cloud-based SaaS deployments and on-premise options depending on municipality preference and requirements.

Source
CityView: What modules are included?

CityView Suite includes Property Information, Permits and Inspections, Planning, Code Enforcement, Licensing, Animal Licensing, Service Requests, Rental Housing, Cemetery Management, Parking Management, and Cashiering modules.

Source
CityView: How long has CityView been in the market?

CityView has over 40 years of experience serving local governments with community development and municipal land management solutions.

Source
CityView: What is the pricing structure?

CityView pricing ranges from $10,000 to $75,000+ per year for mid-sized municipalities, or approximately $100 to $250 per user per month for SaaS deployments, depending on modules selected.

Source
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