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Cybersecurity · head to head

Motorola Vigilant vs TunnelBear

Motorola Vigilant logo

Motorola Vigilant

Cybersecurity

Fixed and mobile licence plate recognition with a shared law enforcement plate database

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
T

TunnelBear

Cybersecurity

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: Motorola Vigilant state law can decide eligibility outright: California's SB 34 imposes operator duties and restricts sharing ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies, and agencies have been audited and found non-compliant.; TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • They diverge on capability: Motorola Vigilant covers Fixed LPR cameras, TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Motorola Vigilant and TunnelBear actually diverge.

Attributes where Motorola Vigilant and TunnelBear differ
AttributeMotorola VigilantTunnelBear
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotefreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, iOS, Androidwindows, mac, linux, ios, android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 Motorola Vigilant

  • Fixed LPR cameras
  • Mobile LPR
  • LEARN database
  • VehicleManager analytics
  • Hotlist alerting
  • Published API
  • Audit logging

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.

Motorola Vigilant

  • A police department building a hotlist alerting network on arterial roads into a jurisdictionnot TunnelBear
  • An investigator reconstructing a suspect vehicle's movements across multiple agency jurisdictionsnot TunnelBear
  • A toll or parking authority enforcing against a registered vehicle listnot TunnelBear
  • A sheriff's office locating a vehicle associated with an active AMBER or missing person alertnot TunnelBear

TunnelBear

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

Where each one falls short

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

Motorola Vigilant

  • State law can decide eligibility outright: California's SB 34 imposes operator duties and restricts sharing ALPR data with out-of-state and federal agencies, and agencies have been audited and found non-compliant.
  • Local surveillance technology ordinances increasingly require a published usage policy, retention limits and a public council hearing before purchase, which can add many months or block the procurement entirely.
  • Motorola has faced litigation over its dual role as ALPR operator and end user, so the legal exposure of the data-sharing model is unresolved and sits partly with the purchasing agency.
  • The value comes from the shared LEARN database, which means the capability an agency actually buys depends on what other agencies contribute, and that can shrink if peers withdraw for legal or political reasons.
  • Nothing is published on price, and camera hardware, database subscription and analytics are separate line items, so the multi-year total is far higher than the initial camera quote suggests.

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

Motorola Vigilant

On request
  • Vigilant LPR$undefined/year
    • Fixed and mobile camera hardware quoted per unit
    • LEARN database access subscribed per agency
    • Analytics software licensed separately

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 Motorola Vigilant if

  • You need fixed lpr cameras.
  • You work on Web, Windows, iOS, Android.
  • You also want mobile lpr.
Motorola Vigilant 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 Motorola Vigilant or TunnelBear better?
Neither clearly leads. Motorola Vigilant starts at On request and TunnelBear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Motorola Vigilant or TunnelBear?
TunnelBear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Motorola Vigilant and Free for TunnelBear.
Does Motorola Vigilant or TunnelBear run on more platforms?
Motorola Vigilant runs on Web, Windows, iOS, Android. 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. Motorola Vigilant starts at On request.
What is Motorola Vigilant best used for?
Motorola Vigilant is most often used for a police department building a hotlist alerting network on arterial roads into a jurisdiction, an investigator reconstructing a suspect vehicle's movements across multiple agency jurisdictions, a toll or parking authority enforcing against a registered vehicle list, a sheriff's office locating a vehicle associated with an active amber or missing person alert. Of those, a police department building a hotlist alerting network on arterial roads into a jurisdiction and an investigator reconstructing a suspect vehicle's movements across multiple agency jurisdictions are not what TunnelBear is typically brought in for.
What can Motorola Vigilant do that TunnelBear cannot?
Motorola Vigilant covers Fixed LPR cameras, Mobile LPR, LEARN database, VehicleManager analytics. TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Motorola Vigilant: What is LEARN?

The Law Enforcement Archival Reporting Network, the shared database where plate reads from subscribing agencies are stored and queried. It is the core of the product.

Motorola Vigilant: Can any agency buy it?

No. Several states restrict ALPR use and data sharing, and many municipalities require a published usage policy and a public hearing first. Check statute and local ordinance before budgeting.

Motorola Vigilant: Does California allow sharing with federal agencies?

SB 34 restricts sharing ALPR information with out-of-state and federal agencies, and California agencies have been audited on precisely that point.

Motorola Vigilant: Is it only for police?

No. Toll and parking authorities, and some commercial repossession and insurance operations, also use LPR, though the LEARN law enforcement network is agency restricted.

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