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ProtonVPN vs TunnelBear

ProtonVPN logo

ProtonVPN

Software

High-speed Swiss VPN that safeguards your privacy

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: ProtonVPN free plan limited to one device at a time; TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • They diverge on capability: ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy, TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ProtonVPN and TunnelBear actually diverge.

Attributes where ProtonVPN and TunnelBear differ
AttributeProtonVPNTunnelBear
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Androidwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
Founded2014Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), 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 ProtonVPN

  • No-logs policy
  • Secure Core
  • Kill Switch
  • DNS leak protection
  • Tor over VPN
  • Split tunneling
  • NetShield ad-blocker
  • VPN Accelerator

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.

ProtonVPN

  • Privacy-focused browsing without subscription costnot TunnelBear
  • Multi-device protection with Plus plan supporting 10 devicesnot TunnelBear
  • Integrated access to Proton email and cloud services via Unlimited plannot TunnelBear

TunnelBear

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

Where each one falls short

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

ProtonVPN

  • Free plan limited to one device at a time
  • Free plan restricted to 10 countries with random selection
  • Pricing amounts not clearly published; shown as variable

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

ProtonVPN

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the ProtonVPN 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 ProtonVPN if

  • You need no-logs policy.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want secure core.
ProtonVPN 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 ProtonVPN or TunnelBear better?
Neither clearly leads. ProtonVPN 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, ProtonVPN or TunnelBear?
ProtonVPN starts at Free and TunnelBear at Free.
Does ProtonVPN or TunnelBear run on more platforms?
ProtonVPN runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. TunnelBear runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android.
Can I use ProtonVPN for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ProtonVPN best used for?
ProtonVPN is most often used for privacy-focused browsing without subscription cost, multi-device protection with plus plan supporting 10 devices, integrated access to proton email and cloud services via unlimited plan. Of those, privacy-focused browsing without subscription cost and multi-device protection with plus plan supporting 10 devices are not what TunnelBear is typically brought in for.
What can ProtonVPN do that TunnelBear cannot?
ProtonVPN covers No-logs policy, Secure Core, Kill Switch, DNS leak protection. TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions.
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