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.
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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.

PrivateVPN vs TunnelBear VPN 2024

Table of Contents
    Our Score: 9.2/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info
    Our Score: 9.0/10
    %s User Reviews
    More Info

    Which VPN Is Better?

    Author Image Kate Richards
    Kate Richards

    Former Managing Editor

    TunnelBear and PrivateVPN are among the best VPNs available and are widely respected for their emphasis on security and connection speeds. These two providers offer apps for all major desktop and mobile platforms, with a kill switch in all of them. Both support torrenting on their servers and include features like port forwarding to keep users anonymous. TunnelBear and PrivateVPN are also well suited to owners of multiple devices, as they allow up to five and up to six simultaneous connections, respectively. Neither of these providers has a 24/7 live chat support option, but they both have exceptional support staff and decent response times for inquiries.

    PrivateVPN, however, offers a much larger VPN network, with over 100 servers in 56 countries. TunnelBear only provides access to about 20 servers in 20 countries. PrivateVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, while TunnelBear offers no refunds whatsoever. (TunnelBear does, however, offer a limited free version of the paid service.) Furthermore, features like IPv6 leak protection and SOCKS5 proxy are only available with PrivateVPN.

    Scroll down for a very detailed categorical comparison.

    Our Score

    Features 9.2/10
    Pricing 9.2/10
    Ease of Use 8.8/10
    Reliability & Support 9.2/10
    Features 9.0/10
    Pricing 9.3/10
    Ease of Use 9.2/10
    Reliability & Support 7.8/10

    Reviews

    Review by our expert
    Author Image Matthew Amos
    Matthew Amos

    Senior Editor

    Our Score: 9.2/10

    PrivateVPN advertises itself as one of the best VPNs for streaming at a low price. It also claims to have great torrenting support, strong security features, and a true no-logs policy. But PrivateVPN is a small company, so can it compete with the biggest VPNs? To learn the answer, I tested out everything it offers. My global team and I found out if it really lets you stream securely in the bes...

    Read all
    Latest positive user review
    D
    Daniel Andersson
    10.0/10
    Works Great for many years.

    I've been using their service for a great many years, and I'm very pleased indeed. Great service and s... upport, and more than enough speed for covering my needs. As long as they have coverage in countries I need to connect to, the number of servers in total is less relevant, as long as the servers they Do have provide enough speeds. They also support Wireguard, which is seldom mentioned in these reviews, probably since they don't have it in their native app, but they do and it's rock solid using that with their provided config files, and that in and of itself also increases the connection speeds, at least for me. All in all, they provide anything and all I want from a VPN provider. What others see as a downside, split tunneling and such, I see as a strength. I want my VPN provider to stick their nose in my business as little as possible, but rather provide a "clean VPN line" and then let Me decide what to do with my routing table. In short, they're Great, for my needs, but others will have to test and make up their own minds. :-DMore

    Latest negative user review
    E
    Emil
    2.0/10
    Been There

    I've been using PrivateVPN for a year. The main reason was due to good price. It's slow, on certain ho... urs of the day you can't watch video smoothly. They have down time or some other problem frequently and it take ages to fix it. Customer support are so poor that my mum without IT knowledge could probably do a better job. Now I switched to another one and feelings for PrivateVPN is much worse because I have something to compare withMore

    Read the full review
    Review by our expert
    Author Image Lawrence Wachira
    Lawrence Wachira

    Editor

    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

    Read the full review

    Pricing

    Starting price $2/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 30 Days
    Number of devices per license 10 devices
    Starting price $2.5/month
    Money Back Guarantee (Days) 0 Days
    Number of devices per license Unlimited devices

    Best VPN by Category

    Best VPN Overall

    By offering more features and servers, supporting more simultaneous connections, and reliably unblocking Netflix US, PrivateVPN provides a more complete VPN service. TunnelBear also offers a reliable VPN service with fast servers and easy-to-use apps.

    Best VPN for Torrents

    PrivateVPN supports torrenting on its UK servers, which are very fast. Its strict no-logs policy and leak protection features help users torrent anonymously. TunnelBear also allows torrenting on its servers and offers unlimited bandwidth for downloads.

    Best VPN for Windows

    Whether you’re looking for a dedicated Windows app to bypass very tough geoblocks from your PC or access to premium features like IPv6 leak protection, PrivateVPN is our recommended choice. TunnelBear also offers a well-designed Windows app with WiFi protection and a kill switch.

    Best VPN for Android

    PrivateVPN offers a powerful Android VPN app with access to the OpenVPN, PPTP, L2TP, IKEv2, and IPSec protocols, port forwarding, and 2048-bit encryption with AES-256. TunnelBear, however, competes with its own very secure Android app that features a free limited version.

    Best VPN for Mac

    We recommend PrivateVPN’s MacOS app for its user-friendliness, the access it offers to features such as leak and tracking protection, and the provision of a SOCKS5 and HTTP Proxy. TunnelBear also offers a powerful MacOS app that features a built-in ad blocker and tracking protection.

    Best VPN for iOS

    PrivateVPN supports up to six simultaneous connections and has a dedicated iOS app that allows you bypass geoblocks from over 50 countries. It also supports the IKEv2 and IPSec protocols by default. With TunnelBear’s iOS app, you get a simple and intuitive design and can rely on the built-in kill switch for improved security.

    Best VPN for USA

    PrivateVPN is one of the best VPN services for unblocking US content, especially tough-to-crack providers like Netflix. Its servers are also faster than TunnelBears’s and thus less likely to result in buffering when streaming. TunnelBear also has US servers for unblocking American content, but over the last couple of years, it has not always unblocked Netflix-US reliably.

    The Bottom Line

    See Plans & Pricing

    Taking into consideration speed, pricing, and ability to bypass really tough content restrictions, PrivateVPN is the clear winner here. It is one of the few VPNs available in today’s market that just gets things right and performs like we expect it to. PrivateVPN offers exceptional features and very affordable short- and long-term subscription plans, proving that there’s really no need to compromise on your VPN service.

    Interestingly, however, there are providers that climb even one step higher than PrivateVPN. NordVPN and CyberGhost, for example, offer thousands of servers and 24/7 support via live chat.

    Time to decide which one is best for you

    Go with PrivateVPN
    Go with TunnelBear VPN
    Or click here to check best VPNs, rated by {{review_count}} users

    FAQ

    Is PrivateVPN better than TunnelBear VPN?

    Yes, PrivateVPN is better overall than TunnelBear VPN. It has 200 servers in 63 countries, fast speeds, and impressive security features.

    Best of all, you can take advantage of its latest discount and get it for only $2 a month.

    What should I keep in mind when choosing between PrivateVPN and TunnelBear 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 PrivateVPN may be perfect for you due to its performance during the tests .

    Is PrivateVPN faster than TunnelBear VPN?

    Yes, PrivateVPN is faster than TunnelBear 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 PrivateVPN or TunnelBear VPN offer any deals?

    Both PrivateVPN and TunnelBear 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 61% 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

    Kate is a former Managing Editor at vpnMentor. Kate promoted the use of VPNs as a means to achieve unhindered access to the internet, as she strongly believes in online freedom for everyone.