TunnelBear VPN Review
April 1st, 2021
The internet has made our lives easier. However, many possible dangers are lurking behind every click. And they are not always scammers, thieves, hackers, sharks, and trolls. There are some tech companies with the sole purpose of dedicating AI algorithms to mine information and digital traces to sell these pieces of information to the highest bidder. A virtual private network is the first line of defence that stands a chance against all these attacks. However, there are endless options when it comes to VPNs.
Millions of users who are trying to protect themselves against all possible attacks the internet subject them to have chosen to place their trust in TunnelBear VPN. This comes off as no surprise due to the hard work and transparency TunnelBear founders have channelled to earn their users’ trust. However, before rushing to download and install, we need to get a clearer understanding of what to expect with this VPN. To make a calculated decision, weighing pros and cons isn’t enough. This review will go through features, pros, cons, subscription options, and the brand itself to give you a clearer perspective of whether or not it’s the right VPN for you.
READ ALSO: BEST ANDROID VPN APPS
All VPNs have to collect data, however, some require less information than others. TunnelBear stands out from competitors with its No-Login policy. This feature stands in the way of unauthorized collection of IP addresses from websites you visited or upon service connection, DNS queries, and any useful data from applications or servers.
There is a myriad of benefits to our digitally driven world. Still, we are technically in the Wild West days of the internet. There are potential exploitations and other dangers that are lurking behind every move we make. Choosing the right VPN for your needs will not only make it easier for you to surf the internet and enjoy its merits, but it will also protect your information and your device against all potential attacks.
Millions of users who are trying to protect themselves against all possible attacks the internet subject them to have chosen to place their trust in TunnelBear VPN. This comes off as no surprise due to the hard work and transparency TunnelBear founders have channelled to earn their users’ trust. However, before rushing to download and install, we need to get a clearer understanding of what to expect with this VPN. To make a calculated decision, weighing pros and cons isn’t enough. This review will go through features, pros, cons, subscription options, and the brand itself to give you a clearer perspective of whether or not it’s the right VPN for you.
READ ALSO: BEST ANDROID VPN APPS
TunnelBear VPN History
TunnelBear launched in 2011 in Canada and transparency was its main core value. Through hard work and showing respect for their client's privacy, this VPN managed to grow and attract the attention of millions. One important feature of Tunnelbear is that Tunnelbear does not force users to log in, unlike other VPNs. This means Tunnelbear cannot pass on their user's data. Currently, Tunnelbear has managed to expand and established servers in 23 countries from all around the world. Internet speed is relative to how close the location of the user lies to these servers. Another factor that affects internet speed is the number of users who are using the servers at the same time. Unfortunately, Tunnelbear does not reveal the number of people who are on the server. However, they have compensated with a speed test.TunnelBear VPN Features and Weak Spots
TunnelBear works by creating a private network whenever you are connected to the internet. Whether you are connected to a public or a private Wi-Fi. This is done, by providing you with a fake IP address, your internet provider can’t keep track of the websites you visited after getting connected to TunnelBear VPN.
All VPNs have to collect data, however, some require less information than others. TunnelBear stands out from competitors with its No-Login policy. This feature stands in the way of unauthorized collection of IP addresses from websites you visited or upon service connection, DNS queries, and any useful data from applications or servers.
Other features provided with TunnelBear VPN are:
- TunnelBear offers a kill switch. A must-have feature that could save your skin if you are a journalist who is trying to get their job done without getting in trouble or pirating copyrighted torrents. Without a kill switch, it is possible to stay connected to the internet after losing the VPN connection. What a kill switch does is “kill” the internet connection once the signal is lost.
- Split tunnelling is another great feature offered by TunnerlBear to allow users to route web traffic to their Internet Service Provider (ISP). With this feature, it’s possible to access dissimilar security domains and a local LAN or WAN connection at the same time. Unfortunately, SplitBear is only available on Android.
- While TunnelBear has finally made it available to torrent while being connected to the VPN, it’s still better for users who frequently use torrent to resort to a VPN with servers that are specifically designed for P2P file transfers since this is not TunnelBear’s strongest suit.
- Encryption is another essential feature that determines the quality of the VPN used. We’ve mentioned that tunnelling is a convenient feature, but there might be some speculations regarding how secure this process is. TunnelBear authenticates data with the use of SHA256 and encrypts them by using AES-256. The same bit key length is used by intelligence agencies and militaries to encrypt top-secret information which explains the claim of “military-grade encryption”.
Pros
To put things into a clearer perspective while choosing a VPN, it’s extremely useful to list all pros and cons of using a certain VPN. This way, it’s easier to determine if the pros outweigh the cons which consequently helps in making a calculated decision to find a VPN to check all the boxes.- No-Login policy which means that the least amount of data is collected.
- The free plan offers 500 MB of data.
- Torrenting is allowed.
- User-friendly apps and extensions.
- No leaks detected.
- Up to 5 simultaneous connections.
Cons
- Slow Internet speed.
- Doesn’t work with Netflix.
- No router installation.
- Lack of diversity when it comes to server locations.
TunnelBear VPN Subscription Options
As mentioned, TunnelBear VPN is essentially free. However, there is a 500 MB limitation to the free plan. Beyond 500 MB and 5 devices, there are affordable monthly and yearly plans with an unlimited amount of data. The monthly plan starts from 7.24 GBP monthly, while the yearly plan is only for 43.42 GBP for the whole year. There is also a plan specifically tailored for teams that starts with only 50.03 GBP per user. Conclusion Overall, TunnelBear is ranked as number 30 out of 78 VPNs. It deserves at least 4 out of 5 when pros and cons are weighed.
There is a myriad of benefits to our digitally driven world. Still, we are technically in the Wild West days of the internet. There are potential exploitations and other dangers that are lurking behind every move we make. Choosing the right VPN for your needs will not only make it easier for you to surf the internet and enjoy its merits, but it will also protect your information and your device against all potential attacks.
