ExpressVPN vs TunnelBear VPN vs 2017

After comparing these VPNs, we have a winner!

 
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163 User Reviews
  • 4.9
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53 User Reviews
  • 4.0
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Which VPN is better?

Technical writer, ex-robot manual creator gone privacy enthusiast/VPN expert
To begin with, TunnelBear is run out of Canada, a known 5-Eyes country. Express, conversely, is run out of the VPN-friendly nation of the British Virgin Islands, giving them a lead in the privacy area. Luckily, TunnelBear does not keep any logs (nor does Express), so this is not a huge issue, but still worth considering. In terms of countries available, this is not even a fair comparison, as TunnelBear has servers in about 1/5 of the number of the countries of Express at the time of writing this. One area that TunnelBear does come out ahead is in the number of simultaneous connections; TunnelBear allows for 5, whereas ExpressVPN allows for 3. In the area of payment options though, Express again comes out ahead, as TunnelBear only offers credit card or Bitcoin (at least they offer an anonymous payment method). ExpressVPN is known to be able to get through the Great Firewall of China quite successfully. The verdict on TunnelBear appears to still be out as there are reports that they can get through, but also reports that they cannot. We are happy to say that both offer kill switches.
 
Rating
Features
  • 4.9
  • 4.5
Pricing
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
Ease of Use
  • 5.0
  • 4.2
Reliability & Support
  • 5.0
  • 4.6
 

Reviews

Expert Review
Ran Greenberg
New-Media and online expert, Venture Capitalist and investor
  • 4.9

They claim to be the fastest VPN around, and while I am normally cynical about such claims, I honestly can say this was the fastest VPN I have tried. Their special feature, “VPN Speed Test,” lets users check how fast their VPN server is working so that they can chop and change the location that is fastest for them. They also have a plethora of servers - 1000+ in 145 locations across 94 countrie

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Latest positive user review
Karry L.
  • 5.0
Really knowledgeable techical staff The best thing about this app is their support team. After I installed the app I was having trouble watching Netflix and Jack was able to find a fix for me in a few minutes. Really, really glad this app still works. Worth it for the amazing service.
Latest negative user review
Derek
  • 1.0
Overrated vpn service Really overrated and overpriced vpn service. The speed are really poor especially with US servers. The only thing customer service offers is to get refunded instead of trying to solve your problem. They should really pay more attention to speeds as rated very good and sometimes take a look to chats what customer guys are typing
Expert Review
Guy Fawkes
Various tips from anonymous experts
  • 4.0

We recently checked out TunnelBear VPN software and – despite a few minor glitches – it overall delivered a positive and streamlined user experience. This is a multiplatform VPN that works on Mac OS and Windows, as well as Android and iOS. With only 20 servers spread out across different locations around the world, we were surprised that lag-time while running the VPN wasn’t very noticeable, despi

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Latest positive user review
Tom
  • 5.0
Easy to operate, user friendly and works well. Plus the graphics are adorable! The menu is clear and easy to operate, installation was a breeze and pricing looks affordable. Still checking out the VPN's abilities to decide for sure that's what I want but so far it's the leading candidate out of all of them for me because of the competitive pricing and the seamless interface.
Latest negative user review
Allans
  • 1.0
Really Bad VPN Disconnects most of time and is slow, It takes couple of minutes to load pages and if disconnected it does not reconnect and you have to manually stop it and restart the connection, this takes time and if you are in live chat like me it will disconnect you and you will not be able to reconnect the chat.
Latest positive user review
Karry L.
  • 5.0
Really knowledgeable techical staff The best thing about this app is their support team. After I installed the app I was having trouble watching Netflix and Jack was able to find a fix for me in a few minutes. Really, really glad this app still works. Worth it for the amazing service.
Tom
  • 5.0
Easy to operate, user friendly and works well. Plus the graphics are adorable! The menu is clear and easy to operate, installation was a breeze and pricing looks affordable. Still checking out the VPN's abilities to decide for sure that's what I want but so far it's the leading candidate out of all of them for me because of the competitive pricing and the seamless interface.
Latest negative user review
Derek
  • 1.0
Overrated vpn service Really overrated and overpriced vpn service. The speed are really poor especially with US servers. The only thing customer service offers is to get refunded instead of trying to solve your problem. They should really pay more attention to speeds as rated very good and sometimes take a look to chats what customer guys are typing
Allans
  • 1.0
Really Bad VPN Disconnects most of time and is slow, It takes couple of minutes to load pages and if disconnected it does not reconnect and you have to manually stop it and restart the connection, this takes time and if you are in live chat like me it will disconnect you and you will not be able to reconnect the chat.
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Pricing
Starting price $6.67/ month $4.99/ month
Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 7
Devices per license 3 5
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Best VPNs by category

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 The Bottom Line

Daniel Krohn
Technical writer, ex-robot manual creator gone privacy enthusiast/VPN expert

It should be clear by now that we recommend ExpressVPN over TunnelBear. We do like TunnelBear, and feel they are a good service if you are either new to VPNs or looking for a no-frills VPN, but Express simply offers so much, like a 30-day refund policy (TunnelBear explicitly states that they do not offer refunds), and 24/7 chat support. TunnelBear’s support is decent, but there is no live chat and it can take some time for them to get back to you. TunnelBear also does not allow Torrenting, which is certainly of concern for a large group of VPN users. TunnelBear, with its relatively low cost, is a good option for some, but for those seeking a premium VPN, we suggest ExpressVPN. More Info

Winner
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www.expressvpn.com
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Time to decide which one is best for you

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