Click on the link to **TunnelBear**, a website offering a review. Learn more about this impressive VPN service. Immerse yourself in a realm of secure internet browsing and online protection. Delve into the advantages of utilising a VPN. Unveil the strategies to safeguard yourself on the web. Embark on your path to online security now!
Are you ready to adopt a pet? Because now’s the good time to get a bear. Yes, a motherf****** bear! That’s way more badass than an ass… Indeed, the Canadian TunnelBear is ready for adoption. And it’s been famous for its simplicity and its originality since 2011. Furthermore, if you’re afraid of the Grizzly, you can start with a cute little bear! Let’s review TunnelBear in details now.
A few years back, I received a message from a reader asking for a TunnelBear review. So I decided to give this VPN a whirl. And every now and then I update this review to provide you with the latest information.
Despite being very popular on the web, Tunnel Bear doesn’t offer any particular feature. Indeed, the motto of the company seems to be “keep it simple”. And maybe that’s why CNN recommended it for its simplicity! Anybody can start using TunnelBear VPN in minutes. No need to be a bearded geek.
Select a server and connect. That’s it! You have a new IP address and all you traffic is encrypted. As easy as pie. It’s not clear which ports are used, or the type of driver, speed, options etc. but it works. And they offer native apps for most devices!
I don’t really like the design of their client. Indeed, I’m not a log fan but they pushed their concept to the limit. And they managed to make me smile with that bear pretending to be Mario!
On the privacy side, you should know that Canada is part of the Five Eyes. Therefore sharing signals intelligence with enemies of the Internet, such as UK and the US… And once you accept the terms to use TunnelBear, you’re considered under Canadian laws. Therefore, it’s pretty useless! And I most certainly do not recommend this provider for P2P and torrenting.
To get started, either register on their website or download the VPN client (then register during setup). With their Little package, you get 500MB of data for free. And it’s an interesting trial. However, you can’t use customized tunneling. Therefore you can’t stream movies (streaming requires 1MBps on netflix). Furthermore, there’s no multi-login…
In order to get unlimited data, you have to upgrade. Tunnel Bear offers 2 packages: With a monthly or yearly subscription. There’s no difference between these two plans, they both offer 3 multi-login. With the Giant package you can pay every month and with the Grizzly package you pay only once for a year. Therefore, I would recommend a yearly subscription, to get a significant discount!
As usual, click on the picture above to get the latest promotions from TunnelBear.
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Does it register your activities? | No, you're safe with a strict no-log policy |
| Is it safe for torrenting? | No, you should avoid it for P2P |
| What Netflix catalogue is available? | None |
| Simultaneous logins | Up to 5 connections simultaneously |
| How many countries do it cover? | 23+ |
| On what platforms is it available? | iOS, macOS, Windows, Android, Chrome |
| Money-back guarantee policy | This provider doesn't offer this kind of policy |
| Available protocols | OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| Type of traffic data? | Unlimited |
| Type of Cipher | AES 256 bits, the most secure encryption in the World |
| How many IP Addresses does it provide? | This provider does not disclose the number |
| How many servers are available? | This provider does not disclose them |
As mentioned above, the main advantage for this VPN is its simplicity. So it’s perfect for inexperienced users who want to browse anonymously: Check their emails and visit websites.
Once you have installed the client software for TunnelBear VPN, it is easy to configure. Simply select a country then click the switch and you are ready to roll.
This software is perfect for emailing while travelling. By using the VPN you can encrypt the header and content with the VPN. Therefore you’re hiding all sensitive information.
Ok, a few changes here, for the best! However, as I said, don’t expect too much. Indeed, it’s not what’s best on the market. It is not going to perform any miracle!
The available options are desktop notifications and auto-launch when you start your computer. Then Vigilant (for paid users only) is a kill switch to avoid IP and DNS leaks. Also you can enable TCP override to use a slightly slower, but more reliable protocol (TCP instead of UDP).
And the protection for unsecure WiFi is interesting. Because you can automatically get protection on networks that are completely open and have no password, such as at a coffee shop or library.
Finally, GhostBear (for paid users only) makes your encrypted data less detectable to snoopers. Indeed, it does this by scrambling your VPN communications which makes them harder to detect and block.
IntelliBear is an interesting feature which allows you to select on which website to use the VPN. However, it’s available only for paid users.
If you activate the TunnelBear Maul trackers, the client will block the cookies. Cookies are normally active when you surf on Facebook, general websites or websites which use Google analytics.
It’s a nice option, but it can’t protect your PC from malware and virus. It’s a simple cookie management software inside the client. And it’s not really necessary if you well configured your web browser.
TunnelBear is not Torrent friendly! Therefore it’s NOT recommended to use it for P2P. If you’re looking for a torrent VPN, read the best VPN for torrenting.
Tunnelbear app is available for Android and iOS. However, in the mobile version you won’t find any options. Indeed, you can only select your country and connect.