TunnelBear Not Working With Netflix? Here's What to Do

If you’re new to VPNs and you’re looking for something easy, smooth, and affordable (or even free), then TunnelBear is a great VPN to start with. It’s not perfect though, and one of its main imperfections is that it doesn’t work too well with Netflix.

We’ve been testing TunnelBear’s servers with Netflix and other streaming platforms such as Hulu and HBO Max from time to time, precisely to see how well this VPN works for streaming each year. While TunnelBear does work with Netflix in some countries like the US, Germany, or Canada, its servers aren’t really reliable enough for long-term use.

I’ve prepared a short guide on how to get the most out of TunnelBear when it comes to Netflix in particular, how to get it to work with the platform, and what to do if you’re not satisfied with the experience.

Watch Netflix With TunnelBear Now!

Already Have TunnelBear but It Doesn't Work With Netflix?

If you’ve just gotten TunnelBear and you can’t get it to work with Netflix or if you’ve been using it for a while but it has suddenly stopped working with the platform, there are a few things you can try before moving on to another VPN.

The main reason you may be facing problems is that Netflix is especially harsh on VPNs - the platform has very strict VPN blocks and it’s quite good at identifying and blocking VPN servers.

TunnelBear is not the best at dealing with Netflix’s counter-measures but there are a few simple tricks you can try even if you’re not too tech-savvy.

1. Disconnect and reconnect the VPN - As with any other software, turning TunnelBear off and then on again can be surprisingly effective at solving most issues.
2. Use an Incognito browser window - It sounds simple but even with the best VPNs on the market, this is a very effective extra step you can take to get Netflix working.
3. Change the VPN’s protocols - Changing a VPN’s encryption protocols can sound daunting and complicated but it’s actually very simple. Every good VPN has multiple protocols to choose from, each with different security measures to keep your data from leaking. TunnelBear offers two main choices - OpenVPN and IKEv2 and switching between them can solve your Netflix connectivity issues. To do that, just go to the app’s settings, select Protocols, and switch them up.
4. Switch to a different VPN server - TunnelBear offers 8,000 servers in 47 countries, so it’s possible to access Netflix in HD from anywhere. In the event that one particular server encounters issues, simply switching to a different server location within the same country can often resolve the problem seamlessly.
5. Update the VPN - VPNs are regularly updated to fix app issues and security vulnerabilities so make sure you’re using the latest version of the app.
6. Check if your data is leaking in any way - Performing a data leak test is a good way to see if your IP/DNS addresses are not being properly masked by the VPN. This is a privacy concern as it can expose your personal data, including your location. Aside from your browser, your data can leak through other ways such as your WiFi extender, for example.

Even with all the possible fixes I’ve listed above, TunnelBear often just doesn’t work with Netflix. When we tested it, it worked with Netflix US, UK, Canada, Germany, Brazil, India, Japan, Mexico, and a few others. However, it failed to work with Netflix Australia and France. For more reliability, it’s better to just switch to a different and better VPN.

Many premium providers have a much easier time dealing with Netflix than TunnelBear. My preferred choice at the moment is ExpressVPN. Not only does this VPN work much better with Netflix, but it’s also generally better for streaming with its much faster speeds and its MediaStreamer feature. ExpressVPN also has a 30-day money-back guarantee if you want to try it out risk-free.

Why Use TunnelBear to Watch Netflix?

TunnelBear remains a viable option for watching Netflix in HD because it uses strong encryption. This can help you get around connection issues like ISP throttling (when your internet provider intentionally dampens your speed if it detects that you’re streaming). Encryption hides everything you do online so your Netflix activity can’t be seen by your ISP. Just note that the VPN's free version is not suitable for streaming due to its limited bandwidth.

As of today, TunnelBear works with Netflix in nearly 20 countries according to my team’s testing — including the US, the UK, Canada, Brazil, India, Singapore, Mexico, New Zealand, and multiple EU countries. TunnelBear’s speeds are okay too, as long as you’re using local servers (which is fine for using your Netflix account). TunnelBear’s app is also very user-friendly and simple to use, plus this VPN works with many other streaming services.

If all this plus TunnelBear’s good privacy and security features sound good enough for your needs, then great - I give TunnelBear my blessing. However, there are considerably better options out there. The VPN’s biggest downside is that it just isn’t very fast, so you may be able to watch Netflix in HD but 4K or Ultra HD won’t be possible (which is annoying if you pay extra for Premium Netflix).

ExpressVPN works with Netflix in more countries and is much faster. With its Lightway protocol it offers greater speeds than TunnelBear, ideal for UHD streaming on any device. There’s also ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer feature that allows you to watch Netflix even on devices that don’t typically work with VPNs such as Apple TV.

Add the much larger and more stable server network, the better privacy and security features, the many other quality-of-life features, and the 30-day money-back guarantee, and I’d say that ExpressVPN is a much better and risk-free VPN you can try.

FAQs on Watching Netflix With TunnelBear

What’s the best VPN for Netflix?

My top pick at the moment is ExpressVPN. I will continue to perform regular checks and tests but the fast server speeds, reliable server network, and the MediaStreamer feature just put ExpressVPN ahead of its competition. For streaming platforms such as Netflix, there just aren’t many other options that can even come close to ExpressVPN in most regards.

Can I use a free VPN to watch Netflix?

There are some free VPNs you can try with Netflix as well as some decent providers with free versions such as TunnelBear. Overall, however, free VPNs just tend not to work with Netflix. They usually have tiny networks, so you might not be able to find an uncongested server that can safely access Netflix. Besides, even if you occasionally manage to connect to the streaming platform, the speeds you’d get from most free VPNs aren’t good enough for HD streaming anyway.

A much better option is to go for a premium provider such as ExpressVPN. Thanks to its 30-day money-back guarantee you can enjoy a premium and risk-free service for Netflix for quite some time.

Which VPN is the fastest?

The race for the “fastest VPN” title is quite competitive and the winner changes often. At the moment, however, I’d recommend ExpressVPN if you’re looking for speed thanks to this provider’s new Lightway protocol. Great for streaming, this VPN gave me a buffer-free and HD video experience in all my testing.

Can I get an IP address from a particular country?

A VPN can provide an IP address from a particular country by routing the internet connection through a server in that location. Most VPN providers have servers across multiple countries worldwide. When a user connects to a server in their desired country, an IP address from that country's IP pool is assigned. This makes it possible to securely access Netflix from anywhere.

Watch Netflix With Tunnelbear Today

If you’ve already got TunnelBear, there are a few things you can try to make it work with Netflix. That said, connections to Netflix are unreliable and even Tunnelbear says it doesn’t focus much energy on streaming, so who knows how long it will work for Netflix.

The simpler solution is to just switch to a premium provider such as ExpressVPN. It’s easy to install and use, offers strong security features, and is fast — so it can provide HD access to Netflix from anywhere.

Editor's Note: Transparency is one of our core values at vpnMentor, so you should know we are in the same ownership group as ExpressVPN. However, this does not affect our review process.