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IVPN vs TunnelBear

IVPN logo

IVPN

Software

Privacy-focused VPN with anonymous account numbers instead of email signup

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TunnelBear logo

TunnelBear

Software

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TunnelBear has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: IVPN has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.; TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • They diverge on capability: IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which IVPN and TunnelBear actually diverge.

Attributes where IVPN and TunnelBear differ
AttributeIVPNTunnelBear
Starting price$6/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes

Identical on both: platforms (windows, mac, linux, ios, android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 IVPN

  • Anonymous account numbers
  • Multi-hop connections
  • Independent audits
  • WireGuard and OpenVPN support
  • AntiTracker

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.

IVPN

  • Signing up for a VPN without providing an email addressnot TunnelBear
  • Verifying a VPN's no-logs claims via independent auditsnot TunnelBear
  • Layering multi-hop routing for higher-anonymity browsingnot TunnelBear
  • Blocking trackers and ads via built-in AntiTrackernot TunnelBear

TunnelBear

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

Where each one falls short

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

IVPN

  • Has no free tier, unlike several consumer VPN competitors with limited free plans.
  • Standard plan's two-connection limit is lower than many rivals offering five or more devices.
  • Smaller server network than large mainstream VPN providers, which can limit streaming unblocking.
  • Pricing is higher than budget VPN competitors for comparable simultaneous-connection counts.

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

IVPN

$6/month
  • Standard$6/month
    • 2 simultaneous connections
    • $60/year billed annually
    • WireGuard and OpenVPN support
  • Pro$10/month
    • 7 simultaneous connections
    • Multi-hop connections
    • $100/year billed annually

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 IVPN if

  • You need anonymous account numbers.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
  • You also want multi-hop connections.
IVPN 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 IVPN or TunnelBear better?
Neither clearly leads. IVPN starts at $6/month and TunnelBear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, IVPN or TunnelBear?
TunnelBear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for IVPN and Free for TunnelBear.
Does IVPN or TunnelBear run on more platforms?
Both run on windows, mac, linux, ios, android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use TunnelBear for free?
Yes. TunnelBear has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. IVPN starts at $6/month.
What is IVPN best used for?
IVPN is most often used for signing up for a vpn without providing an email address, verifying a vpn's no-logs claims via independent audits, layering multi-hop routing for higher-anonymity browsing, blocking trackers and ads via built-in antitracker. Of those, signing up for a vpn without providing an email address and verifying a vpn's no-logs claims via independent audits are not what TunnelBear is typically brought in for.
What can IVPN do that TunnelBear cannot?
IVPN covers Anonymous account numbers, Multi-hop connections, Independent audits, WireGuard and OpenVPN support. TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions.
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