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vpnMentor was established in 2014 to review VPN services and cover 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 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 to review VPN services and cover 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 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 F-Secure Freedome 2024

Table of Contents

    Which VPN is better?

    Author Image Anneke van Aswegen
    Anneke van Aswegen

    Managing Editor

    Trying to decide between F-Secure Freedome and Tunnelbear? Both VPNs are pretty comparable when it comes to cost, so I delved into their other features to see if one offers better value for money.

    Both VPNs are underwhelming when it comes to speed. Each one gave me consistent, but not super-fast, speeds on my local servers and were slow on long-distance servers.

    They can each only unblock a handful of platforms too. F-Secure works with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ in most regions, but struggled with American services. TunnelBear couldn't get around the geoblocks on BBC iPlayer, Disney+, or ESPN.

    Plus, privacy is a concern with both services. While they both offer some good security features like military-grade encryption and kill switches, they're both located in worrying jurisdictions. F-Secure logs quite a lot of your information, and stores it for a long time. TunnelBear is located in Canada, part of the 5 Eyes Alliance (a group of countries known for online surveillance and data sharing).

    Flaws aside, one of these VPNs outperforms the other thanks to some clever bonus features. Read on to find out which one.

    Our Score

    Features 9.0/10
    Pricing 9.3/10
    Ease of Use 9.2/10
    Reliability & Support 7.8/10
    Features 7.8/10
    Pricing 6.0/10
    Ease of Use 8.6/10
    Reliability & Support 8.3/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Lawrence Wachira
    Lawrence Wachira

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 9.0/10

    TunnelBear is one of the most beginner-friendly VPNs, offering a solid free version. Despite its adorable design, it’s also renowned for its security and privacy features. But can you truly rely on this lighthearted VPN to protect you the way the best providers can? After extensive tests, I can confirm that TunnelBear is an excellent VPN with great potential. It’s straightforward to use, d...

    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 Keira Waddell
    Keira Waddell

    Senior Writer

    Our Score: 7.8/10

    F-Secure is a Finnish company, founded in 1988. It’s established and well-known in the security industry, so I had high hopes for the F-Secure Freedome VPN. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. F-Secure Freedome VPN is simple and easy to use and definitely suitable for beginners. However, it has some disappointing aspects. It is comparatively expensive, with prices starting ...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    A
    Anonymously
    10.0/10
    Easy setup, fast connection

    What I do not like at all is that F-Secure Freedome is keeping logs. What if a Government or any state...  agency puts pressure on them to hand over the logs ? Plus, can those logs be hacked into ? I wish they would drop this practice. Other than that Freedome works very well for me.More

    Latest negative user review
    M
    Markku Lahti
    4.0/10
    Beware of logs!

    Freedome stores logs of your internet activity for 90 days. Many have feared that this may lead to abu... se by the authorities. And guess what: that happened! In January 2019, the National Bureau of Investigation in Finland raided Freedome and confiscated VPN logs on a single user. The information had been requested by the police in Germany as part of a criminal investigation. This week, Freedome was able to beat the confiscation in court, and the NBI was ordered to destroy any data it had acquired from Freedome. But this doesn't negate the fact that the NBI had the data in its possession for over a year! Who knows what they did with it during that time? For your VPN needs, do not choose a provider that is situated in Finland. Despite all outward appearances, Finland is not a country where due process is respected, and it does not have a very strong system in place against government abuse. Sources: yle.fi/uutiset/3-11605233 (the news story in Finnish); afterdawn.com/news/article.cfm/2020/10/21/vpn-provider-wins-a-court-fight-police-can-t-get-or-use-its-database (paraphrase in English)More

    Pricing

    Starting price $3.33/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 0 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices
    Starting price $2.65/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    Tunnelbear is better because it gives you way more for your money. Bonus features include a stealth mode (GhostBear), split tunneling, "Always On" auto-connect, and an effective ad-blocker. Meanwhile, F-Secure only offers the most basic features, and is let down by its shady logging policy.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    Tunnelbear is better because it is P2P friendly. Although it doesn’t have specific P2P servers in its network, it allows torrent activity. TunnelBear also has a much more secure no-logs policy, despite being located in Canada. F-Secure Freedome VPN doesn’t allow torrenting at all, and will actively disconnect you if it detects P2P activity.

    Best VPN for Windows

    Tunnelbear is better because its Windows app is easy to use, is feature-packed, and comes in 15 different languages. It has an automatic kill switch (VigilantBear) and a stealth mode that helps you disguide your VPN traffic to bypass even the strongest VPN blocks.

    Best VPN for Android

    Tunnelbear is better because its Android app can be protected with "Always On" mode, which launches the VPN as soon as you connect to the internet. The app also has a native Android widget that you can add to your homescreen.

    Best VPN for Mac

    Tunnelbear is better for Mac because, like its Windows app, the macOS app includes VigilantBear and GhostBear. The app is also well-designed and very easy to use in comparison to F-Secure's slightly basic offering.

    Best VPN for iOS

    Tunnelbear is better because its iOS app features 3D touch that lets you connect to your chosen server from the homescreen on your iPhone or iPad. Like the Android app, you can also use the "Always On" feature to ensure your iOS device is protected wherever you go.

    Best VPN for USA

    Tunnelbear is better because it has servers in the US, optimized to unblock most popular streaming sites such as Hulu and HBO Max. In comparison, F-Secure struggled to unblock most US sites like Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video US.

    The Bottom Line

    This is an easy win for TunnelBear. While F-Secure can unblock some streaming sites that TunnelBear can't (like BBC iPlayer), TunnelBear is overall faster, safer, and easier to use.

    TunnelBear isn't perfect though; its location in Canada is definitely cause for conern. That's why I recommend trying ExpressVPN — it's based in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands and offers much faster speeds than TunnelBear. It also unblocked every service I tested. You can even try ExpressVPN risk-free. It has a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can ask for a refund if you find it's not right for you.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    FAQ

    Is TunnelBear VPN better than F-Secure Freedome?

    Yes, TunnelBear VPN is better overall than F-Secure Freedome. It has 5001 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 F-Secure Freedome?

    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 F-Secure Freedome?

    Yes, TunnelBear VPN is faster than F-Secure Freedome. 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 F-Secure Freedome offer any deals?

    Both TunnelBear VPN and F-Secure Freedome 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 to review VPN services and cover 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 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

    As a Managing Editor at vpnMentor, Anneke van Aswegen helps readers quickly master VPNs. She aims to solve problems, whether accessing streaming platforms or protecting your data, without needing a computer tech.