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Alternatives · VPNs

TunnelBear alternatives

TunnelBear compared with 8 alternatives: Windscribe, Proton VPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, NordVPN and 3 more.

TunnelBear has a free plan. Paid plans start at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once). 5 of the 8 alternatives are free or have a free plan. 3 more offer a free trial.

8 tools · Listings checked up to Oct 17, 2026 · Where the facts come from

At a glance

ToolPriceFree planRuns on
TunnelBearThis toolFree plan · from $3.33/moYesmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
WindscribeFree plan · from $3/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Proton VPNFree plan · from $83.88/yrYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
SurfsharkFree trial · from $79/yrTrial onlymacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
CyberGhostFree trial · from $56.94/yrTrial onlymacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
NordVPNFree trial · from $139.08/yrTrial onlymacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
hide.meFree plan · from $2.69/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension
Hotspot ShieldFree plan · from $95.99/yrYesmacOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
PrivadoVPNFree plan · from $1.11/moYesmacOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, Browser extension

Price against what you get

TunnelBear starts at $3.33 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. 2 of the 8 alternatives on this chart score higher and start lower: Windscribe and hide.me.

Proton VPN, Surfshark, NordVPN and Hotspot Shield score higher without starting lower. PrivadoVPN starts lower without scoring higher.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

C2.0B3.0A4.0$1$2$5$10$20More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessTunnelBearWindscribeProton VPNSurfsharkCyberGhostNordVPNhide.meHotspot ShieldPrivadoVPN

What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →

  • The best score at each price
  • Has a free plan
  • No free plan
The full chart of VPNs, and the best at every price

How each one differs from TunnelBear

  1. Windscribe

    VPN with a 10GB free plan and pay-per-location pricing

    • Windscribe starts at $3 per month for 3 locations (Build A Plan). TunnelBear starts at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
    • Only Windscribe lists a Linux app.
    • Windscribe is open source, according to its own site.

    Suits: Light users who can live within 10GB a month for free

    Windscribe vs TunnelBearWindscribe pricing and details

  2. Proton VPN

    Open-source Swiss VPN with a free plan that has no data cap

    • Proton VPN starts at $83.88 per year at renewal (VPN Plus), after a first year for $53.88. TunnelBear starts at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
    • Only Proton VPN lists a Linux app.
    • Proton VPN is open source, according to its own site.

    Suits: Trying a VPN for free without a data cap

    Proton VPN vs TunnelBearProton VPN pricing and details

  3. Surfshark

    VPN with no device limit, sold alone or in security bundles

    • Surfshark starts at $79 per year at renewal (Starter), after a first 27 months for $67.23. TunnelBear starts at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
    • TunnelBear has a free plan. Surfshark does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only Surfshark lists a Linux app.

    Suits: Households with more devices than a capped VPN allows

    Surfshark vs TunnelBearSurfshark pricing and details

  4. CyberGhost

    VPN for seven devices with a 45-day money-back window on long plans

    • CyberGhost starts at $56.94 per year at renewal, after a first 26 months for $56.94. TunnelBear starts at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
    • TunnelBear has a free plan. CyberGhost does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only CyberGhost lists a Linux app.

    Suits: Trying a VPN on a computer for a day without entering a card

    CyberGhost vs TunnelBearCyberGhost pricing and details

  5. NordVPN

    Subscription VPN with threat protection and Meshnet device links

    • NordVPN starts at $139.08 per year at renewal (Basic 1-year plan). TunnelBear starts at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
    • TunnelBear has a free plan. NordVPN does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only NordVPN lists a Linux app.

    Suits: Households covering up to 10 devices on one account

    NordVPN vs TunnelBearNordVPN pricing and details

  6. hide.me

    Malaysia-based VPN with a no-signup free plan and flat renewal prices

    • hide.me starts at $2.69 per month, billed $69.99 every 26 months at the same price on renewal. TunnelBear starts at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
    • Only hide.me lists a Linux app.

    Suits: People who want a free VPN without creating an account

    hide.me vs TunnelBearhide.me pricing and details

  7. Hotspot Shield

    VPN with a free Basic tier and its own Hydra protocol

    • Hotspot Shield starts at $95.99 per year at renewal (Premium), after a first year for $29. TunnelBear starts at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
    • Hotspot Shield also covers malware protection.
    • TunnelBear also covers ad and tracker blocking.

    Suits: Occasional users who want a free VPN on one device

    Hotspot Shield vs TunnelBearHotspot Shield pricing and details

  8. PrivadoVPN

    VPN with a 10GB free plan and ad blocking on paid plans

    • PrivadoVPN starts at $1.11 per month for a first 27 months (24-month plan); renewal price not stated. TunnelBear starts at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
    • Only PrivadoVPN lists a Linux app.

    Suits: Light users who need a few gigabytes of VPN a month for free

    PrivadoVPN vs TunnelBearPrivadoVPN pricing and details

Limits worth knowing in TunnelBear

  • The pricing page shows only "from $3.33/mo"; the term prices here come from the price list the site loads for its checkout.
  • The free plan is limited to 2GB, and the download page lists no Linux app.
  • TunnelBear says it can no longer be bought by users in India because of CERT-In regulations.
  • Teams is billed annually per user, with additions and removals pro-rated.
TunnelBear pricing and details

Common questions

What are the alternatives to TunnelBear?

The alternatives to TunnelBear in this directory are Windscribe, Proton VPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, NordVPN, hide.me, Hotspot Shield and PrivadoVPN. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with TunnelBear.

Is there a free alternative to TunnelBear?

Yes. Windscribe, Proton VPN, hide.me, Hotspot Shield and PrivadoVPN have a free plan alongside paid ones.

Which TunnelBear alternatives work on Linux?

The TunnelBear listing does not include a Linux app. Windscribe, Proton VPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost, NordVPN, hide.me and PrivadoVPN list one.

Is there an open-source alternative to TunnelBear?

Windscribe and Proton VPN are described as open source on their own sites.

When were these prices checked?

Every listing on this page was checked on Oct 17, 2026, against the pages it cites. Vendors change prices without notice, so confirm on their site before you buy.