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Ever feel like the internet’s watching your every move? Yeah, me too. These days, it’s hard to scroll, shop, or stream without someone tracking what you’re doing. That’s where TunnelBear VPN comes in.
Now, if you’ve never heard of TunnelBear, don’t worry. I hadn’t either until I needed something simple to protect my privacy online. It’s a friendly-looking VPN with a cute bear mascot—but don’t let that fool you. TunnelBear is built to help keep your data safe and your location hidden when you're online.
In this review, I’ll walk you through what TunnelBear is used for, what’s free, how to download it, and even how to check if it’s working. I’ll also share whether you can actually trust it (spoiler: I looked into it so you don’t have to).
So if you’re curious about TunnelBear VPN, or just want a safer way to browse without all the techy jargon, stick around. Let’s break it all down—one bear-sized step at a time.
So, let’s start with the basics—what is TunnelBear actually used for?
Think of TunnelBear as your little bodyguard for the internet. When you go online without it, websites can see your real location and sometimes even track what you do. Kinda creepy, right? But when you turn on TunnelBear VPN, it hides your IP address and makes it look like you’re in a different place. That way, your online stuff stays private.
I first tried TunnelBear when I was traveling and wanted to watch my favorite shows from back home. Boom—problem solved. I connected to a server in my home country, and Netflix thought I was right there on the couch. Pretty cool.
But TunnelBear isn’t just for watching shows. People also use it to:
Why TunnelBear is the right VPN solution for you？
TunnelBear works quietly in the background to protect all of your devices. With apps for phones, laptops, desktops and browser extensions, you can secure all of your data, no matter what device you're on, or where you are.
Using TunnelBear is easy. Once you've installed TunnelBear, you just pick a country and turn it on. All of the complicated work is done for you.
Next up, we’ll check out some of TunnelBear’s key features that make it stand out from the rest.
So, what makes TunnelBear VPN worth checking out? Let’s break it down into four simple parts—don’t worry, no tech degree needed. Just imagine a bear that knows how to protect your internet stuff. Here’s what it does best:
Let’s say you’re at your favorite coffee shop. You connect to their free Wi-Fi, sip your latte, and check your bank app. But guess what? That Wi-Fi isn’t safe. Hackers love spots like this.
With VigilantBear, TunnelBear blocks all unsecured traffic if your connection gets disrupted, ensuring your data stays safe until it's reconnected.
Even better? TunnelBear has a no-logging policy. That means it doesn’t keep records of where you go online—not even for itself. So your digital life stays your business.
Ever tried a VPN and felt like your internet was stuck in slow motion? That’s a common complaint. But with TunnelBear VPN, the speed holds up pretty well—even when you're watching videos or playing games.
For example, I tested TunnelBear while streaming a 4K movie on Netflix using the “Fastest Tunnel” option. No lag. No buffering. It just worked.
Fastest Tunnel determines which tunnel is best for you by connecting you to the location that is closest to you. This means that your data travels the shortest distance possible, ensuring that you get the best possible speed results. This feature is available on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS devices. To use this feature, select 'Fastest' from the drop down list of countries.
It’s not magic—it just connects you to the best server automatically, so you don’t have to figure anything out.
Okay, let’s talk about encryption. Sounds intense, right? But it’s simple. Think of encryption like putting your data in a locked box. TunnelBear uses AES 256-bit encryption, which is basically the gold standard—banks and governments use this stuff.
Here’s an example: You’re shopping online and entering your credit card info. With TunnelBear turned on, that info is scrambled so no one can intercept it. Even if someone could grab your data, it would just look like random nonsense to them.
Depending on the device you use, they currently support 3 VPN protocols in TunnelBear： WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. They also support an Auto option, which just means you prefer to let your Bear decide which protocol you should use (this is the default selection for TunnelBear).
For a full breakdown of which VPN protocols they currently support:
| Auto (default) | WireGuard | OpenVPN | IKEv2 | |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| macOS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| iOS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | N/A |
Ever tried to watch a YouTube video and got the dreaded “Not available in your country” message? Ugh. With TunnelBear VPN, you can switch your virtual location to over 46 different countries. Want to access UK content while you’re in the U.S.? Done. Need to check something on a website that only works in Canada? Just pick a Canadian server.
This is super helpful for travelers too. I once used TunnelBear while visiting China, where a lot of Western apps are blocked. The VPN lets me access Gmail and Google Maps like normal.
And yes—you can use TunnelBear on all your devices. Laptop, phone, tablet, even browser extensions. One account covers it all.
Let’s talk money. I know, not the most fun topic—but hey, before you can start using TunnelBear, you’ll need to pick a plan. There are three choices:
Since we were just testing TunnelBear for regular, everyday use, we picked the Unlimited plan—it’s the one made for individuals like you and me.
Good news first: TunnelBear VPNdoes offer a free plan. It’s perfect if you just want to try it out or use it once in a while. You get 500MB of data per month, which is enough for checking emails, some light browsing, or a quick scroll on Instagram. But streaming a whole movie? Nah, that’ll eat up the limit fast.
Now, if you tweet about TunnelBear, they’ll even toss in an extra 1GB—yep, just for spreading the word. I mean, who knew your tweets could pay off?
The Unlimited plan has no data caps and can work on any number of devices. It also lets you choose the VPN server location on a city level – something the free plan doesn’t allow users to do.
TunnelBear also has a plan called Teams, which is great if you’re running a business with at least two people. Like the personal plan, it gives you unlimited data and lets each person connect up to five devices. But here’s the bonus—you also get a dedicated account manager and an easy way to handle all your billing in one place.
This plan costs $5.75 per user per month, which is a bit more than the personal plan at $3.33/month. But honestly, you’re paying for the convenience—someone to help out when you have questions, and no need to juggle a bunch of separate VPN accounts.
So now you know what TunnelBear costs—and whether the TunnelBear VPN free version is enough for you. Next up, let’s look at how to get it on your device and start using it in just a few clicks.
First, go to TunnelBear.com. On the homepage, you’ll see a big friendly “Get TunnelBear” button. Click it. That’s your starting line.
TunnelBear works on all the usual stuff—Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and even some browsers. Choose the version that matches your device. For example, if you’re on an iPhone, go for the iOS version. If you’re using a laptop, pick Windows or Mac.
Hit “Download” and the file will start saving to your device. Easy peasy.
Once the download is done, open the file and follow the setup steps. You know, the usual “click next, next, agree to the terms” stuff. It’ll only take a minute or two.
Now, you’ll need to sign up for a TunnelBear account. Just pop in your email and set a password. That’s it. If you’re trying the TunnelBear free plan first, no credit card is needed. (Yes, really.)
After creating the account and verifying the email address, slides appear to give you a brief tour of how TunnelBeal VPN secures your connection. I recommend going through all provided slides.
After logging in, you’ll see a simple map and a big switch. Pick a location—maybe the U.S., Canada, or anywhere else—and flip the switch. TunnelBear will connect, and boom—you’re protected. That’s the TunnelBear VPN magic.
If you’re not sure it’s working, no worries. The bear growls (adorably) when it connects, and the app shows a little tunnel animation. You can also check your IP address online to make sure it’s changed. Want more details on this? We’ll cover how to check if TunnelBear is working in the next section.
So, you’ve downloaded TunnelBear, turned it on, and now you’re wondering—is it actually working? Don’t worry, I had the same thought when I first tried it out. Good news: it’s super easy to check if TunnelBear VPN is doing its job.
This one’s easy. Open the app and check if the bear is tunneling to your chosen country. If it says “Connected” and shows a tunnel from your real location to, say, Germany or Canada, that’s a good sign. But don’t stop there—let’s double-check.
To check if TunnelBear is working, turn the app on, then visit Bearsmyip. If the website shows that you're connected to a server in the country you've chosen, you're secure! You should also see a green banner that says, "Your location is private and encrypted with a Bear."
If you are having issues connecting, please visit our connection help article.
For example, if you picked the UK, it should show a UK location. If it still shows your real city, something’s not right.
Want to test it out in a fun way? Try visiting a website or video that’s normally blocked in your country. For instance, if a British news video is usually blocked for you, turn on TunnelBear, choose a UK server, and see if it plays. If it does—boom—it’s working!
If you really want to be sure TunnelBear is protecting your privacy, head over to dnsleaktest.com or ipleak.net. These tools check if any of your real internet info is slipping through. If all the data points show the VPN location (not your real one), you’re good.
Sometimes, even if you’re connected, a slow or weird internet connection might mean something’s off. Try switching to another TunnelBear server (a different country) or restart the app. That usually fixes things fast.
And there you have it! That’s how you check if TunnelBear is actually working. The process is pretty quick, and once you get the hang of it, it’ll feel like second nature. Plus, it’s kinda fun to see your internet “move” to a totally different country in seconds.
Yes, you can. TunnelBear doesn’t track what you do online. They also have regular security checks by outside experts. That means they take your privacy seriously and try to be as transparent as possible.
Yep! Even with the free plan, you can use TunnelBear on multiple devices. That means you can protect your laptop, phone, and tablet all at once.
Yes. TunnelBear VPN helps protect your data when you’re on public Wi-Fi, like at coffee shops or airports.
TunnelBear works on Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. You can also use it on browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge.
Just open the app, pick a new country from the map or list, and flip the switch. That’s it.
If you want an easy way to stay safe online, TunnelBear VPN is a solid pick. It’s simple, works on all your devices, and even the TunnelBear free plan is great for trying it out. I had the same question—“Can I trust TunnelBear?”—and after using it and checking their privacy practices, I’d say yes. It does what it promises, without tech stress. Just turn it on, pick a country, and browse with peace of mind.