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Government · head to head

NextRequest vs TunnelBear

NextRequest logo

NextRequest

Government

Public Records Request Management

From
$300/month
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: NextRequest now sold as part of the CivicPlus product line rather than standalone, and nextrequest.com redirects into the CivicPlus site; TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • They diverge on capability: NextRequest covers Request Intake, TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which NextRequest and TunnelBear actually diverge.

Attributes where NextRequest and TunnelBear differ
AttributeNextRequestTunnelBear
Starting price$300/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2015Unknown

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 NextRequest

  • Request Intake
  • Workflow Management
  • Document Redaction
  • Public Portal
  • Reporting
  • Document Systems
  • Email
  • Payment Processors

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.

NextRequest

  • Receiving and routing public records and FOIA requestsnot TunnelBear
  • Tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrallynot TunnelBear
  • Redacting documents before release with RapidReviewnot TunnelBear
  • Invoicing and collecting payment for records requestsnot TunnelBear
  • Publishing a public-facing request portal for residentsnot TunnelBear

TunnelBear

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

Where each one falls short

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

NextRequest

  • Now sold as part of the CivicPlus product line rather than standalone, and nextrequest.com redirects into the CivicPlus site
  • Pricing is not published
  • Aimed at government agencies, so it is not a general purpose request or ticketing tool

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

NextRequest

$300/month
  • Standard$300/month
    • Request Management
    • Document Redaction
    • Public Portal

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 NextRequest if

  • You need request intake.
  • You also want workflow management.
NextRequest 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 NextRequest or TunnelBear better?
Neither clearly leads. NextRequest starts at $300/month and TunnelBear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, NextRequest or TunnelBear?
TunnelBear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $300/month for NextRequest and Free for TunnelBear.
Does NextRequest or TunnelBear run on more platforms?
NextRequest 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. NextRequest starts at $300/month.
What is NextRequest best used for?
NextRequest is most often used for receiving and routing public records and foia requests, tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrally, redacting documents before release with rapidreview, invoicing and collecting payment for records requests. Of those, receiving and routing public records and foia requests and tracking request status and statutory deadlines centrally are not what TunnelBear is typically brought in for.
What can NextRequest do that TunnelBear cannot?
NextRequest covers Request Intake, Workflow Management, Document Redaction, Public Portal. TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

NextRequest: What is the price of NextRequest FOIA management?

NextRequest pricing is not published on their website. Customers must request pricing directly through the website contact form or call the sales team at 888-228-2233.

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