NordVPN vs TunnelBear
We give NordVPN and TunnelBear the same GPA: 2.4 out of 4.0. NordVPN grades higher on features and ease of use. TunnelBear grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
NordVPN
Subscription VPN with threat protection and Meshnet device links
TunnelBear
McAfee-owned VPN with a 2GB free plan and pay-once multi-year plans
How we grade them
| 2.4GPANordVPNFair | 2.4GPATunnelBearFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | DOnly Nord's renewal prices could be read: Basic renews at $139.08 a year, so two years on record come to $278.16, about $11.59 a month, the dearest in this category. The first-term price for new customers wasn't readable, so a first purchase may cost less. | CTwo years of Unlimited are $99.99 paid once, about $4.17 a month, between the cheaper quarter of VPNs and the middle. Three years for $120 is $3.33 a month. Neither renews by itself, which is nice, and a single year is $69.99. |
| Free plan and trial | DA 7-day free trial of the 1- and 2-year top-tier plans, but only for new customers in the US and 14 other countries, and it needs a card or PayPal. The 30-day money-back guarantee isn't a trial. | CA free plan with 2GB of browsing, which TunnelBear itself pitches at testing and light use, and the page doesn't say how often it resets. Fine for café Wi-Fi now and then, gone fast if you stream. |
| Features | BNordLynx, NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2 with a kill switch, malware and ad blocking, Double VPN, Onion Over VPN, obfuscated servers, Meshnet, Dark Web Monitor and dedicated IPs. Nothing in the listing is missing from a VPN's job. | CThe basics, done properly: unlimited devices, a kill switch, split tunneling, GhostBear to get past VPN blocks, and yearly audits. But the network covers 46+ countries, far fewer than most rivals, and ad blocking is a separate Chrome extension. |
| Ease of use | A4.7 from about 709,000 App Store ratings, the biggest crowd in this category. Install, sign in, tap connect. | B4.67 from about 85,000 App Store ratings, a hair under the 4.7 an A needs. Pick a country and you're connected. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions. There's no integration list or API on record, so it stops at B. | BWindows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and Chrome, but the download page lists no Linux app. There's no integration list or API on record either. |
| Best for | a big-name VPN for up to 10 devices | a simple VPN you can pay for once |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: NordVPN and TunnelBear. How we grade
Price against what you get
NordVPN starts at $11.59 a month when paid by the year and scores 3.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. TunnelBear starts at $3.33 a month and scores 2.7.
NordVPN scores higher, and starts $8.26 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other VPNs on the chart, none scores higher than NordVPN for less, and 2 score higher than TunnelBear for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
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
Where they differ
- 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.
At a glance
| NordVPN | TunnelBear | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $139.08 per year at renewal (Basic 1-year plan) | $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once) |
| Free plan | None | 2GB of secure browsing for testing and light use. The pricing page does not say how often the allowance resets. |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial of 1- and 2-year top-tier plans for new users in the US and 14 other countries | 7-day free trial of TunnelBear for Teams |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Nord Security | TunnelBear LLC |
| Price read from | my.nordaccount.com | tunnelbear.com |
| Checked | Oct 17, 2026 | Oct 17, 2026 |
Who each one suits
NordVPN
- Households covering up to 10 devices on one account
- People who want ad and malware blocking in the VPN app
- Linking home devices to each other privately with Meshnet
TunnelBear
- Occasional users who need a VPN for a few gigabytes
- People who want to pay once for several years with no auto-renewal
- Small teams that want one annual invoice for everyone
Worth knowing
NordVPN
- Nord's pricing page turned away automated readers, so the first-term prices it advertises are missing here; only the US 1-year renewal prices could be read.
- Nord's renewal list also names an Ultimate 1-year tier at $256.68 for the US; plan names vary by country.
- The 30-day money-back guarantee covers the first purchase only; renewals are not refundable under it, and App Store purchases go through Apple.
- The free trial is limited to new customers in 15 countries and needs a credit card or PayPal.
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.
Key features
NordVPN
- Protocols
- Choose between NordLynx (built on WireGuard), Nord's own NordWhisper, OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec, with an automatic kill switch and DNS leak protection.
- Real-time protection
- Scans files for malware and blocks harmful websites; the App Store listing adds tracker and ad blocking, depending on device and plan.
- Specialty servers
- Double VPN sends traffic through two servers, Onion Over VPN adds the Tor network, and obfuscated servers make VPN traffic look like ordinary traffic.
- Meshnet
- Links your own devices into a private network so they can reach each other without exposing your real IP address.
- Dark Web Monitor
- Watches for your email address and other personal details turning up in data leaks and alerts you when they do.
- Dedicated IP
- A fixed personal IP address, bought on its own or in a bundle, for services that only accept allow-listed addresses.
TunnelBear
- Unlimited devices
- There is no limit on how many devices can use one TunnelBear account.
- Network in 46+ countries
- Over 8,000 servers physically located in the countries you pick, with city-level choice on paid plans.
- GhostBear
- Makes encrypted VPN traffic harder for governments, businesses and ISPs to detect, to get past VPN blocking.
- VigilantBear and SplitBear
- VigilantBear blocks unsecured traffic if the connection drops, and SplitBear chooses which apps and sites go through the VPN.
- Annual security audits
- TunnelBear has independent security firms audit it every year and publishes the results.
- TunnelBear Blocker
- A separate free Chrome extension that blocks ads and online tracking.
Plans
NordVPN
Basic 1-year$139.08
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
The VPN-only tier. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read, so only the renewal price is shown.
Standard 1-year$149.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Priced between Basic and Plus at renewal. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read.
Plus 1-year$179.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Priced between Standard and Complete at renewal. Nord's first-term price for new customers could not be read.
Complete 1-year$219.48
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
Adds NordPass and NordLocker to the VPN. First-term price not readable; this is the 1-year renewal price.
Ultra 1-year$269.88
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
One of the top tiers that the 7-day free trial covers. First-term price not readable; this is the renewal price.
Prime 1-year$296.28
per year, the US renewal price of a 1-year plan
The dearest US tier on Nord's renewal list, and one the free trial covers. First-term price not readable.
TunnelBear
Free$0
2GB of secure browsing, aimed at testing and limited use.
Unlimited, 1 month$10.99
per month
Unlimited data on unlimited devices, country and city selection, split tunneling and priority support. Renews monthly.
Unlimited, 1 year$69.99
per year
The same Unlimited plan, renewing every year at $69.99.
Unlimited, 2 years$99.99
for 2 years, paid once, with no renewal
Two years of Unlimited for a single payment; it does not renew by itself.
Unlimited, 3 years$120
for 3 years, paid once, with no renewal
Works out to $3.33 a month, the "from" price on the pricing page. A single payment that does not renew by itself.
Teams$5.75
per user / month, billed annually
Unlimited plan features for 2 or more users, with one annual team invoice, an admin console and pro-rated changes.
Ways to pay less
NordVPN
- Education
Student discount for ages 18 to 26
Nord's help center says students and apprentices aged 18 to 26 can get an additional discount. The size of the discount is not stated there.
TunnelBear
No public discounts listed.
