The TunnelBear Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about TunnelBear in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
TunnelBear
The Insider’s Guide
McAfee-owned VPN with a 2GB free plan and pay-once multi-year plans
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among VPNs, read from TunnelBear’s own pages.
Made by TunnelBear LLC · checked Oct 17, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from TunnelBear’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on TunnelBear’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 17, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 6 of the 16 other VPNs we grade
TunnelBear is a VPN from a Toronto team owned by McAfee since 2018, with apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone and iPad, Android and Chrome. A free plan gives 2GB of browsing, and the Unlimited plan removes the cap on any number of devices. TunnelBear for Teams adds central billing and an admin console.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about TunnelBear, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for a simple VPN you can pay for once
TunnelBear is the simple, friendly VPN, owned by McAfee, with unlimited devices and multi-year plans you pay once that don't renew by themselves.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.33 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
- 3
There is a free plan
2GB of secure browsing for testing and light use. The pricing page does not say how often the allowance resets.
- 4
It runs on 4 platforms
macOS, Windows, iOS and Android, with a browser extension too.
- 5
Unlimited devices
There is no limit on how many devices can use one TunnelBear account.
- 6
Network in 46+ countries
Over 8,000 servers physically located in the countries you pick, with city-level choice on paid plans.
- 7
GhostBear
Makes encrypted VPN traffic harder for governments, businesses and ISPs to detect, to get past VPN blocking.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 6 of 16
That is against the other VPNs we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace TunnelBear you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
TunnelBear at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of TunnelBear for Teams
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, Browser extension
- Made by
- TunnelBear LLC
- Category
- VPNs
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
- Store rating
- 4.7 on the App Store, 85,115 ratings
The report card
Best for a simple VPN you can pay for once
TunnelBear is the simple, friendly VPN, owned by McAfee, with unlimited devices and multi-year plans you pay once that don't renew by themselves. Two years are $99.99 and three are $120. But the network is smaller than most, there's no Linux app, and the free plan is just 2GB.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Two 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 | C | A 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 | C | The 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 | B | 4.67 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 | B | Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and Chrome, but the download page lists no Linux app. There's no integration list or API on record either. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who TunnelBear is for
- Great if you hate auto-renewals and would rather pay once for two or three years
- Handy when you only need a VPN now and then and 2GB will do
- Good for small teams who want one annual invoice and an admin console
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Linux, as there's no app for it
- Not for you if you're in India, where TunnelBear says it can no longer be bought
- Too light for anyone who needs servers in lots of countries, with 46+ on offer
Good to know
Good for
- 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
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.33
A month to start. There is a free plan too
TunnelBear has a free plan. Paid plans start at $3.33 per month on the 3-year Unlimited plan ($120 paid once).
Fine for café Wi-Fi now and then, gone fast if you stream.
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.
The free plan
2GB of secure browsing for testing and light use. The pricing page does not say how often the allowance resets.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of TunnelBear for Teams
Read from tunnelbear.com on Oct 17, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, iOS, Android and Browser extension
McAfee-owned VPN with a 2GB free plan and pay-once multi-year plans. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: vPN, ad and tracker blocking.
The basics, done properly: unlimited devices, a kill switch, split tunneling, GhostBear to get past VPN blocks, and yearly audits.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
- Browser extension
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
TunnelBear is made by TunnelBear LLC.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/16
Other VPNs it is graded above
TunnelBear's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 16 other VPNs we grade, and level with 3.
It stands best on ease of use (B, above 6 of 16) and worst on features (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 3 of the 15 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 17 VPNs we grade, cut by the letter each got. TunnelBear’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 1 of 16
- CFree plan and trialAbove 11 of 16
- CFeaturesAbove 0 of 16
- BEase of useAbove 6 of 16
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 16
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 16 VPNs. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. TunnelBear is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace TunnelBear you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $39.96 a year.
What you could make
- Ad and tracker blocking: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
What this rests on. TunnelBear’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Windscribe, Proton VPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost and NordVPN
The 5 tools TunnelBear is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Windscribe
Free plan · from $3/mo
VPN with a 10GB free plan and pay-per-location pricing.
- Only Windscribe lists a Linux app.
- Windscribe is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Proton VPN
Free plan · from $83.88/yr
Open-source Swiss VPN with a free plan that has no data cap.
- Only Proton VPN lists a Linux app.
- Proton VPN is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.8GPA
Surfshark
Free trial · from $79/yr
VPN with no device limit, sold alone or in security bundles.
- TunnelBear has a free plan. Surfshark does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Surfshark lists a Linux app.
- 2.4GPA
CyberGhost
Free trial · from $56.94/yr
VPN for seven devices with a 45-day money-back window on long plans.
- TunnelBear has a free plan. CyberGhost does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only CyberGhost lists a Linux app.
- 2.4GPA
NordVPN
Free trial · from $139.08/yr
Subscription VPN with threat protection and Meshnet device links.
- TunnelBear has a free plan. NordVPN does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only NordVPN lists a Linux app.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
12
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is TunnelBear free?
TunnelBear has a free plan. 2GB of secure browsing for testing and light use.
How much does TunnelBear cost?
TunnelBear lists 6 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does TunnelBear work on?
TunnelBear is available on macOS, Windows, iOS and Android. It also has a browser extension.
How is TunnelBear rated?
TunnelBear's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.7 out of 5 from 85,115 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does TunnelBear have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 17, 2026. TunnelBear is listed for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is TunnelBear open source?
TunnelBear is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 17, 2026.
Does TunnelBear have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial of TunnelBear for Teams.
Who makes TunnelBear?
TunnelBear is made by TunnelBear LLC.
What are the alternatives to TunnelBear?
The closest alternatives to TunnelBear in our directory are Windscribe, Proton VPN, Surfshark, CyberGhost and NordVPN.
How does TunnelBear compare with other VPNs?
TunnelBear's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 16 other VPNs we grade, and level with 3.
Is TunnelBear good value for money?
ToolGPA grades TunnelBear C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month, against a middle price of $5 for the category: 3 of the 15 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of TunnelBear?
To replace TunnelBear you would be making servers in dozens of countries, kept fast and private.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from TunnelBear’s own pages on Oct 17, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 17, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from TunnelBear's own pages on 17 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by TunnelBear LLC. Prices change, so check tunnelbear.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
1,858
Tools graded, in 46 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
ToolGPA is free to read. It may earn a commission from affiliate links and it works with sponsors, but anything paid for is labelled and no one can pay for a grade. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
1,858
tools graded
46
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- TunnelBear, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/tunnelbear
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "TunnelBear: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 17, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/tunnelbear
Know someone choosing between VPNs?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/tunnelbear/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded VPNs after TunnelBear, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- VPNs Insider's GuideEvery one of the 17 VPNs we grade, compared
- hide.me Insider's GuideMalaysia-based VPN with a no-signup free plan and flat renewal prices3.0 GPA
- PrivadoVPN Insider's GuideVPN with a 10GB free plan and ad blocking on paid plans2.8 GPA
- Proton VPN Insider's GuideOpen-source Swiss VPN with a free plan that has no data cap2.8 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what TunnelBear’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. ToolGPA uses affiliate links and may earn a commission from them, and it works with sponsors; anything paid for is labelled, and no one can pay for a grade. TunnelBear is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by TunnelBear LLC. Prices and plans change: check tunnelbear.com before you buy.