The Best TunnelBear Alternative for 2024: Finding a Better Free VPN Service
Most free VPNs are insecure and unreliable. TunnelBear is an exception, but it's slow and often fails to bypass geo-restrictions on major streaming websites. In this guide, we help you choose a TunnelBear alternative that’s faster and offers better features.
Written by Arjun Ruparelia (Writer)
Reviewed by Sandra Pattison (Writer, Editor)
Facts checked by Eugenie Tiu (Editorial Assistant)
Last Updated: 2024-10-24T19:26:00+00:00
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: Best TunnelBear Alternatives
Best Free TunnelBear Alternatives:
- PrivadoVPN — Best free VPN
- ProtonVPN — Free VPN with no data limit
- Windscribe — Fastest free VPN
Best Premium TunnelBear Alternatives:
- NordVPN — Best VPN overall.
- Surfshark — Affordable VPN with unlimited connections.
- ExpressVPN — User-friendly TunnelBear alternative.
Facts & Expert Analysis: TunnelBear Alternatives
- TunnelBear is a great free VPN, but it has its shortcomings.
- You only get 2GB of data with TunnelBear. It’s also slow and fails to unblock some major streaming websites.
TunnelBear is an excellent VPN with a great free plan. However, since McAfee acquired TunnelBear in 2018, there have been concerns that it would start logging user data given that it’s a U.S. company. If you’re not a fan of TunnelBear, you might want to look for a TunnelBear alternative.
The privacy issue isn’t the only concern with TunnelBear, though. If you need a VPN to access geoblocked streaming platforms, TunnelBear offers little help, if any. It often fails to get into major streaming platforms (it does unblock Max and Netflix U.S.) and has slow connection speeds, as you can read in our TunnelBear review.
If you’ve made up your mind to switch your VPN service provider, we’ve listed six of the best TunnelBear alternatives below to help you decide on your new VPN, whether it’s a free option like PrivadoVPN or a premium one like NordVPN.
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08/23/2023 Facts checked
Updated Windscribe pricing: the paid plan increased to $5.75 per month from $4.08. The Build-a-Plan minimum purchase also increased to $3 from $2. Also updated Windscribe’s free data cap to 15GB due to it offering 5GB extra permanently when you tweet about the service.
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03/21/2023 Facts checked
TunnelBear changed its free data amount to 2GB per month, up from 500MB per month.
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04/24/2023 Facts checked
We removed Speedify in favor of PrivadoVPN, a much more secure service.
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08/08/2023 Facts checked
Updated to include correct information about TunnelBear’s free data limit.
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10/01/2024 Facts checked
We updated the VPN list to incorporate the latest user feedback and expert evaluations.
The Top TunnelBear Alternatives
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- : PayPal, Credit card, Coinbase, SEPA, Discover
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- : PayPal, Credit card
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Average speedDownload Speed80 MbpsUpload Speed9 MbpsLatency22 ms - 4
- : PayPal, Credit card, Google Pay, JCB, UnionPay, Bitcoin, Ethereum, X-Coin
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Average speedDownload Speed89 MbpsUpload Speed9 MbpsLatency7 ms - 5
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Average speedDownload Speed91 MbpsUpload Speed8 MbpsLatency104 ms - 6
- : PayPal, Credit card, Bitcoin, UnionPay, iDeal, Sofort, Giropay, Pixpay, Sepa Direct Debit
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Average speedDownload Speed86 MbpsUpload Speed8 MbpsLatency4 ms
What Makes the Best TunnelBear Alternative?
The best TunnelBear alternative should be able to beat out its free plan without giving up any security or features on the paid plan. For that reason, we’ve put particular emphasis on trustworthy VPNs with free plans, of which there aren’t many.
Achieve Online Privacy and Security Even as a VPN Novice
- Comprehend the essential role a VPN plays in safeguarding your digital life
- Gain a deep understanding of how VPNs function under the hood
- Develop the ability to distinguish fact from fiction in VPN promotions
You may need a TunnelBear alternative for three reasons. First, there are security concerns given its U.S.-based parent company. Second, it has limited ability to access blocked content on major streaming platforms. Third, even if you manage to bypass geo-restrictions on streaming websites, the slow connection speeds will deliver a terrible streaming experience.
When you select a TunnelBear alternative, you want a service that has none of those issues. All the services we discuss in this guide offer excellent speeds. Of course, you should also look for other features before settling on a VPN provider, such as unlimited bandwidth, DNS leak protection and the ability to access all the major platforms.
The 3 Best Free TunnelBear Alternatives
One of the biggest draws of TunnelBear is its free plan, so if you’re looking for an alternative that offers the same but with a larger data cap (or none at all), then look no further.
1. PrivadoVPN — Best Free VPN
PrivadoVPN is a secure and free VPN that’s based in Switzerland, one of the most privacy-friendly countries, and the best free VPN overall. Although its speeds are decent, even on the free plan, it’s really nothing to write home about. With 10GB of data per month, it’s much more suitable for streaming than TunnelBear, and you should have plenty of data for browsing the web and social media.
Aside from having the requisite kill switch and split tunneling, PrivadoVPN lacks a lot of advanced features, and its customer support leaves a lot to be desired. Not to mention its mobile app, which can feel cumbersome to use (the desktop app works just fine, though).
Secure Swiss VPN
With the VPN based in Switzerland, your data is protected by the best privacy laws in the world. Plus, PrivadoVPN offers only secure VPN protocols, including the tried-and-tested OpenVPN and IKEv2, as well as the modern and fast WireGuard protocol.
PrivadoVPN’s free plan comes with only one simultaneous connection, leaving you to choose whether to protect your computer or mobile device. If you want to raise that limit to 10 connections and get rid of the data limit, you can get it for $2.99 on a yearly plan. Plus, you can try it risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- 10GB
- 1
- *Billed $44.85 for the first 15 months, then $59.88 every 12 months. *Billed $53.73 for the first 27 months, then $95.76 every 24 months.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
2. ProtonVPN — Free TunnelBear Alternative With Unlimited Data
ProtonVPN is another reliable free service that offers unlimited bandwidth, a strong lineup of features and an intuitive interface. It also has one of the most transparent privacy policies of any VPN.
You only get access to five free servers on ProtonVPN’s free plan (compared to TunnelBear’s 48 — one of the best ProtonVPN alternatives), but that’s a small trade-off given the slew of extra features you get.
You can get into almost all major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Hulu (find it on our best VPN for Hulu guide). However, users on the free plan are automatically assigned a server to connect to, meaning it’s unreliable at best as a free streaming VPN and unusable at worst.
It’s not the best VPN for 4K streaming, either, since it’s slower than most services on the list. However, you can stream in SD or HD without a lot of buffering, especially after you switch to the IKEv2 security protocol (though IKEv2 isn’t available in the desktop app). Learn more about the service in our ProtonVPN review.
Feature-Rich VPN
ProtonVPN offers many features. From basics like a kill switch (blocks internet traffic when the VPN connection drops abruptly) and custom DNS settings to “secure core” servers that work like the double-hop VPN servers you find on NordVPN.
While ProtonVPN is popular because it’s a free VPN, it also has several paid plans. Its two-year plan for $4.49 per month is the best value. While that doesn’t make ProtonVPN the cheapest VPN service, it’s still a great service. Plus, you can try it risk-free with its 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Unlimited GB
- 1
- Yes
- 500 GB storage 1 user 15 extra email addresses for you Support for 3 custom email domains Unlimited folders and labels Unlimited hide-my-email aliases Dedicated customer support Ultra fast and private VPN Encrypted password manager Encrypted cloud storage for photos and documents Advanced account protection
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- **Renewal prices differ for the 1-year and the 2-year plans. Price includes all premium Proton services (Proton Mail, Calendar, Drive, VPN, Pass, & Wallet)
- Unlimited GB
- 10
3. Windscribe — Fastest Free VPN
Windscribe is one of the best free VPNs, and per our recent VPN speed comparison, it’s also one of the fastest. If you’ve used TunnelBear for a while, you’ll find Windscribe’s performance a lot better, even on the free version.
The free service offers up to 15GB of monthly data and access to server locations in 10 countries. Unlike TunnelBear, Windscribe can also access almost all major streaming platforms.
15GB might get you through a month if you stream a few times a week, but if you stream in 4K regularly, you might need more data. Fortunately, you can get unlimited data and access to Windscribe’s R.O.B.E.R.T. (learn more about R.O.B.E.R.T. and other Windscribe features in our Windscribe review) using the build-a-plan option.
Flexible Pricing
The minimum checkout value for the option is $3. You can add server locations for $1 per month each. If you also spend $1 per month on getting unlimited data and access to R.O.B.E.R.T., you’ll satisfy the minimum checkout value parameter (or you can just add another server location). Unlimited data on a VPN that offers excellent security and online privacy for $3 is a terrific deal.
If you need access to more server locations, you might want to consider the full-access plan. The one-year subscription is the best value at $5.75 per month. Considering Windscribe’s performance, the price seems reasonable. However, if you want to test Windscribe’s paid service, you can use its three-day money-back guarantee.
- Up to 15 GB free with email confirmation and Tweet
- 15GB
- Unlimited
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
The 3 Best Paid TunnelBear Alternatives
If you were using the paid version of TunnelBear and are looking for an alternative, you’ll want to check out one of the best premium VPNs.
1. NordVPN — Best Premium TunnelBear Alternative
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
2. Surfshark — Affordable TunnelBear Alternative
Very Fast
Very Fast
Good
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Plans renew: $59.76 for one year, $59.76 per year for the two-year plan.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Yes
- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Plans renew: $79 for one year & $79 per year for the two-year plan.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Plans renew: $269.25 for one year, $404.65 for two years
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
3. ExpressVPN — Easy to Use TunnelBear Alternative
Very Fast
Very Fast
Very Fast
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
Is Windscribe Better Than TunnelBear?
Yes, Windscribe is better than TunnelBear. It’s actually one of the best free VPNs. Windscribe offers excellent connection speeds, more security options, a better server spread and unlimited simultaneous connections. Learn more about the difference between the two services in our Windscribe vs TunnelBear comparison.
Final Thoughts
Since TunnelBear is slow and fails to unblock some popular streaming websites, you might want to look for a better alternative to TunnelBear. The six VPNs listed here include excellent free and paid alternatives that beat TunnelBear in multiple aspects.
PrivadoVPN is the best free alternative, but NordVPN is the best VPN overall, though it requires a subscription. Trying NordVPN for a month is completely risk-free, as you can use the 30-day money-back guarantee if you end up not liking it. If you want something more affordable, give Surfshark a try instead.
Have you switched from TunnelBear to a different service before? If yes, which one, and how was your experience? Let us know in the comments below. As always, thank you for reading.
FAQ
Many VPNs are better than TunnelBear. A free VPN like Windscribe can help you improve streaming experience with better speeds. If you’re looking for a premium service, NordVPN is the best alternative to TunnelBear.
TunnelBear still offers a free plan. The free plan lets you use the VPN on one device and offers 2GB of free data.
You can’t get unlimited data for free on the TunnelBear VPN. You need to switch to a paid plan for unlimited data. If you want unlimited data for free, consider ProtonVPN.