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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.
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vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

TunnelBear VPN vs Encrypt.me VPN 2024

Table of Contents

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Daniel Krohn
    Daniel Krohn

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Note: Encrypt.me has joined forces with StrongVPN and is now working under the StrongVPN name.

    TunnelBear and StrongVPN are two relatively equally-matched VPNs with a focus on offering straightforward apps at relatively affordable prices. However, there are some important differences that you should know about before making up your mind about which one is best for you.

    For instance, although TunnelBear offers a completely free plan with limited bandwidth, it doesn’t offer a money-back guarantee with its paid plans like StrongVPN. If you do upgrade, however, the good news is that you can use TunnelBear on an unlimited number of devices simultaneously. StrongVPN has a limit of 12 simultaneous connections, but that’s still far more than most other VPNs.

    Both VPNs also offer a selection of the top VPN protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and IPSec, as well as security features like split tunneling and a kill switch. You can also find user-friendly apps from either VPN for the most popular platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The only catch is that both VPNs differ in which protocols and security features they support on which devices.

    We broke the differences between these 2 contenders down below so that you can choose the best VPN depending on what device you prefer to use. One thing you don’t have to worry about is either VPN collecting data on your internet use, as TunnelBear and StrongVPN have strict no-logs policies in place.

    Our Score

    Features 9.0/10
    Pricing 9.3/10
    Ease of Use 9.0/10
    Reliability & Support 8.2/10
    Features 7.9/10
    Pricing 6.4/10
    Ease of Use 8.3/10
    Reliability & Support 8.4/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Andjela Nikolic
    Andjela Nikolic

    Cybersecurity Researcher

    Our Score: 9.0/10

    TunnelBear is a beginner-friendly VPN that offers a limited free version. It uses industry-standard security features and has an independently audited no-logs policy. But is that enough to compete with some of the best VPNs available today? I thoroughly tested TunnelBear to find out how fast it is and how good it is for unblocking content. I tried all its apps and security features and checked...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    I
    Iqra Muneer
    10.0/10
    100% Working VPN

    TunnelBear is no doubt a great VPN for all the users, when I am facing server difficulty this helps me...  very much. It provides Good OpenVPN speed. Also, Control full security every year. This software package does not require detailed knowledge; all you have to do is click on the program and establish the connection. You can access global content from anywhere.More

    Latest negative user review
    D
    David Ross
    2.0/10
    DANGEROUS for CANADIANS

    I live in the GTA, everything was fine "until" I installed TunnelBear on one of my 7 devices, now I ca... n no longer watch any USA TV stations on line on any of my other 6 devices, this company is scum, they hid something in there that disabled all my other devices unless I buy their VPN, well, not going to buy their garbage, can't believe how much it slowed my device, I would rather wipe all my drives than give TunnelBear one cent!More

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Kristina Perunicic
    Kristina Perunicic

    Managing Editor

    Our Score: 7.9/10

    Important: Encrypt.me has joined forces with StrongVPN. You can no longer sign up to Encrypt.me as a new member, but you can check out our StrongVPN review here. Current Encrypt.me customers will still have access to their usual Encrypt.me services. While we wish it offered as many devices as some of our top providers, Encrypt.me (previously Cloak VPN) succeeds in protecting Apple devices connec...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    M
    Mel Snyder
    10.0/10
    Simple for all my iOS/OSX devices

    I travel a lot, US and EU, and use airline club, airport and hotel connections - all of which make me ... nervous, especially because I check my IRAs 2-3 times a day. Cloak is the third VPN I've tried - I don't remember the names of others because I quickly abandoned them when I found them kludgy and hard to set up. Cloak is SO easy, and shows up as a simple iOS setting choice. I see no speed impact, although I suspect there may be one, and so when I'm connecting to a slow service, I may use it only when transmitting or receiving sensitive data. Like seatbelts and life jackets, the easier they are to use, the more likely they are to be used. Cloak is easy.More

    Latest negative user review
    T
    Toby
    6.0/10
    Great VPN when it works

    Easy to setup, easy to "set and forget". But, that's only when the Cloak servers are responding and ru... nning as normal. I have found that often (10% of the time approx) when trying to use wifi the Cloak servers are not responsive/down and that leaves you in the exactly the situation you don't want to be in... either using iOS and OSX on unsecured connections or not using them online at all. Pretty poor outcome for something that you actually pay for.More

    Pricing

    Starting price $3.33/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 0 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $8.33/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    While it was a close matchup, TunnelBear is still our top pick for most users. It has a much larger server network with a presence in more locations across the globe. It also has advanced security and privacy features, like a stealth mode called “GhostBear” for hiding your VPN traffic and a kill switch called “VigilantBear.” Overall, its apps were also more enjoyable and intuitive to use, although some platforms do have a limited selection of VPN protocols.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    This is a very close round, but we have to give it to StrongVPN by a close margin for its more reliable and consistent speeds. While TunnelBear is decently fast if you connect to a local server, its long-distance connections were slow in our tests and would make it nearly impossible to torrent anything. While StrongVPN has fewer server locations globally, its faster and more consistent connections mean there’s a greater chance you’ll be able to torrent files at acceptable speeds.

    Best VPN for Windows

    TunnelBear for Windows is easily one of the most user-friendly VPN apps around. The interactive map is the perfect way to quickly find a suitable server anywhere in the world. Users can also choose between the WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols or let TunnelBear choose the best one depending on the situation. Surprisingly, neither VPN has split tunneling for Windows, which is a bit of a letdown.

    Best VPN for Android

    TunnelBear has an excellent, feature-rich Android app. On top of Vigilant and GhostBear, Android users can also use the SplitBear split tunneling feature. It also uses the same map-like interface to make choosing servers intuitive and fun. While StrongVPN’s Android app offers a variety of protocols and a sleek interface, many users report issues with their VPN connections which holds it back.

    Best VPN for Mac

    With support for all the same security modes, plus the same UI, TunnelBear’s macOS app is also hard to beat, so it wins this category. StongVPN’s strongest feature on macOS is that it supports a variety of protocols, including WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2, and IPSec/L2TP, while TunnelBear only supports OpenVPN.

    Best VPN for iOS

    TunnelBear wins. For the most part, its iOS app offers the same one-tap connection experience that makes the Android app so popular. Plus, it supports the WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols and has a split tunneling feature which is a rarity among VPN apps for iOS. While StrongVPN’s iOS app is more reliable than the Android version and supports four protocols, but doesn’t have split tunneling.

    Best VPN for USA

    With numerous server locations across the entire US, this is a clear win for StrongVPN. On the other hand, TunnelBear only has one US server location, with nearby options in Canada and Mexico. TunnelBear also lacks servers in the Middle East region, which does limit you if you’re in the US and need to connect to a server there.

    The Bottom Line

    StrongVPN has been acquiring and integrating multiple smaller VPNs into its service for a number of years now, as it also acquired Encrypt.me, but it still wasn’t enough to beat TunnelBear. TunnelBear is our preferred option for the majority of users, thanks to its user-friendly apps. Although StrongVPN does shine in some areas, like its consistent speeds and large presence of servers in the US, TunnelBear has a more impressive overall server network and advanced security features, including a stealth mode that effectively hides your VPN use. And, while TunnelBear doesn’t offer refunds, the free plan will still give you the opportunity to test all its apps and features within certain bandwidth limits.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    FAQ

    Is TunnelBear VPN better than Encrypt.me VPN?

    Yes, TunnelBear VPN is better overall than Encrypt.me VPN. It has 5000 servers in 47 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $3.33 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between TunnelBear VPN and Encrypt.me VPN?

    When choosing a VPN, you want to pay close attention to its number of servers, overall speed score, pricing, and the number of simultaneous device connections it offers. While some VPNs provide a flawless online experience, others will really slow you down.

    If you’re ready to commit, then TunnelBear VPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is TunnelBear VPN faster than Encrypt.me VPN?

    Yes, TunnelBear VPN is faster than Encrypt.me VPN. Since your VPN is your computer’s main connection to the internet, you need to use a service that won’t slow you down by more than 20%.

    If speeds are important to you, then I recommend you take a look at ExpressVPN. It’s the fastest service out there, provides unlimited bandwidth, and you won’t experience any slowdowns even when you connect to the other side of the planet. You can try it out risk-free. It’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get a full refund if you don’t like it.

    Do TunnelBear VPN or Encrypt.me VPN offer any deals?

    Both TunnelBear VPN and Encrypt.me VPN offer deals on occasion. You can check out the current coupons and discounts here. However, ExpressVPN has the best deals. Right now, you can get a 49% discount and up to 3 months for free with a new subscription.

    We review vendors based on rigorous testing and research but also take into account your feedback and our affiliate commission with providers. Some providers are owned by our parent company.
    Learn more
    vpnMentor was established in 2014 as an independent site reviewing VPN services and covering privacy-related stories. Today, our team of hundreds of cybersecurity researchers, writers, and editors continues to help readers fight for their online freedom in partnership with Kape Technologies PLC, which also owns the following products: ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and Private Internet Access which may be ranked and reviewed on this website. The reviews published on vpnMentor are believed to be accurate as of the date of each article, and written according to our strict reviewing standards that prioritize the independent, professional and honest examination of the reviewer, taking into account the technical capabilities and qualities of the product together with its commercial value for users. The rankings and reviews we publish may also take into consideration the common ownership mentioned above, and affiliate commissions we earn for purchases through links on our website. We do not review all VPN providers and information is believed to be accurate as of the date of each article.

    About the Author

    Technical writer with a passion for online privacy.