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Government · head to head

ShotSpotter vs TunnelBear

ShotSpotter logo

ShotSpotter

Government

Gunshot Detection Technology

From
$5000/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: ShotSpotter shotSpotter now trades as SoundThinking and shotspotter.com redirects to soundthinking.com; TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.
  • They diverge on capability: ShotSpotter covers Gunshot Detection, TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ShotSpotter and TunnelBear actually diverge.

Attributes where ShotSpotter and TunnelBear differ
AttributeShotSpotterTunnelBear
Starting price$5000/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Androidwindows, mac, linux, ios, android
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded1996Unknown

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 ShotSpotter

  • Gunshot Detection
  • Location Triangulation
  • Real-time Alerts
  • Forensic Analysis
  • Historical Data
  • CAD Systems
  • 911 Centers
  • Camera Systems

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.

ShotSpotter

  • Gunshot detection and location alerting for police departmentsnot TunnelBear
  • Directing patrol response to outdoor firearm dischargesnot TunnelBear
  • Building incident data for law enforcement analysisnot TunnelBear

TunnelBear

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

Where each one falls short

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

ShotSpotter

  • ShotSpotter now trades as SoundThinking and shotspotter.com redirects to soundthinking.com
  • No pricing is published; the site routes to contact and demo requests with no published rate, minimum or cost driver
  • The service depends on an acoustic sensor array installed across a defined coverage area rather than being software alone

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

ShotSpotter

$5000/month
  • Detection Service$5000/month
    • Gunshot Detection
    • Real-time Alerts
    • Forensic Reports

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 ShotSpotter if

  • You need gunshot detection.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want location triangulation.
ShotSpotter 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 ShotSpotter or TunnelBear better?
Neither clearly leads. ShotSpotter starts at $5000/month and TunnelBear at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ShotSpotter or TunnelBear?
TunnelBear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $5000/month for ShotSpotter and Free for TunnelBear.
Does ShotSpotter or TunnelBear run on more platforms?
ShotSpotter runs on Web, 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. ShotSpotter starts at $5000/month.
What is ShotSpotter best used for?
ShotSpotter is most often used for gunshot detection and location alerting for police departments, directing patrol response to outdoor firearm discharges, building incident data for law enforcement analysis. Of those, gunshot detection and location alerting for police departments and directing patrol response to outdoor firearm discharges are not what TunnelBear is typically brought in for.
What can ShotSpotter do that TunnelBear cannot?
ShotSpotter covers Gunshot Detection, Location Triangulation, Real-time Alerts, Forensic Analysis. TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ShotSpotter: Does SoundThinking publish ShotSpotter pricing?

No. SoundThinking does not disclose ShotSpotter pricing on their website. Interested municipalities and organizations must request a consultation, contact the sales team, or book a demo.

Source
ShotSpotter: How do I get a ShotSpotter quote?

SoundThinking directs prospects to book a demo, contact them directly, or request a consultation through their website. No self-serve pricing, calculator, or trial is available.

Source
ShotSpotter: Who is ShotSpotter for?

ShotSpotter is a gunshot detection system designed for law enforcement and municipalities to improve public safety response.

Source
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