Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

TunnelBear vs Veriff

T

TunnelBear

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Veriff logo

Veriff

Cybersecurity

Document and biometric identity verification with published per-check pricing

From
$0.8/verification
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only TunnelBear has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: TunnelBear free plan's data cap is small compared to competitors offering more generous free allowances.; Veriff you pay per verification attempt, not per verified customer, so a confusing capture flow or poor lighting on mobile makes you pay two or three times for one onboarding.
  • They diverge on capability: TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Veriff covers Document verification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which TunnelBear and Veriff actually diverge.

Attributes where TunnelBear and Veriff differ
AttributeTunnelBearVeriff
Starting priceFree$0.8/verification
Pricing modelfreemiumPer verification
Free tierYesNo
Platformswindows, mac, linux, ios, androidWeb, iOS, Android, API

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 TunnelBear

  • Encrypted VPN tunnel
  • Server location switching
  • GhostBear obfuscation
  • Browser extensions
  • Teams account management

Only in Veriff

  • Document verification
  • Biometric liveness
  • Hybrid review
  • Screening add-ons
  • Ongoing monitoring
  • Age estimation

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

TunnelBear

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

Veriff

  • A crypto exchange that needs a published rate to model unit economics before committing to a KYC vendornot TunnelBear
  • A marketplace verifying sellers in dozens of countries where a single document library matters more than depth in one marketnot TunnelBear
  • A mobility platform running age and licence checks at signup with volumes too small for an enterprise contractnot TunnelBear
  • A regulated firm wanting automated decisions by default but human review on borderline cases, priced explicitlynot TunnelBear

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Veriff

  • You pay per verification attempt, not per verified customer, so a confusing capture flow or poor lighting on mobile makes you pay two or three times for one onboarding.
  • The headline $0.80 covers the document and selfie check only; adding PEP and sanctions screening at $0.64 nearly doubles the per-check cost, which is the number regulated buyers actually need.
  • Monthly minimums of $49 and $99 are low but real, so a product with seasonal signup patterns pays in quiet months.
  • Automated decision quality varies sharply by document type and issuing country, so a strong global average conceals weak performance in specific markets you may depend on.
  • Standard data retention is short and extending it to two years is a $0.30 per verification add-on, which matters because most financial regulators require records for five years or more.

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Veriff

$0.8/verification
  • Essential$0.8/verification
    • Fully automated decisions
    • $49 per month minimum
    • Documents from 230+ countries
  • Plus$1.39/verification
    • Hybrid automation with human review
    • $99 per month minimum
    • Enhanced fraud prevention for regulated industries
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Volume pricing negotiated
    • Dedicated support and custom SLAs
    • Custom data retention and residency terms

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Veriff if

  • You need document verification.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
  • You also want biometric liveness.
Veriff review

Questions people ask

Is TunnelBear or Veriff better?
Neither clearly leads. TunnelBear starts at Free and Veriff at $0.8/verification, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, TunnelBear or Veriff?
TunnelBear has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for TunnelBear and $0.8/verification for Veriff.
Does TunnelBear or Veriff run on more platforms?
TunnelBear runs on windows, mac, linux, ios, android. Veriff runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Can I use TunnelBear for free?
Yes. TunnelBear has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Veriff starts at $0.8/verification.
What is TunnelBear best used for?
TunnelBear is most often used for casual browsing protection on public wi-fi, occasional geo-unblocking with a light free allowance, bypassing network-level vpn blocking via obfuscation, managing vpn access for a small team with centralized billing. Of those, casual browsing protection on public wi-fi and occasional geo-unblocking with a light free allowance are not what Veriff is typically brought in for.
What can TunnelBear do that Veriff cannot?
TunnelBear covers Encrypted VPN tunnel, Server location switching, GhostBear obfuscation, Browser extensions. Veriff covers Document verification, Biometric liveness, Hybrid review, Screening add-ons.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Veriff: What does a verification actually cost?

$0.80 on Essential or $1.39 on Plus, before add-ons. Sanctions and PEP screening adds $0.64 and ongoing monitoring $0.09 per verification.

Veriff: Are failed attempts charged?

Sessions are charged, so retries by the same user generally cost you again. Ask for the exact billing definition of a session before signing.

Veriff: How long is data retained?

The default retention period is short and two-year extended retention is a paid add-on at $0.30 per verification, which is worth checking against your regulatory record-keeping obligations.

Share

Related pages

More on TunnelBear

More on Veriff

Keep looking

Other head to heads