TunnelBear review
TunnelBear fits readers who value recurring security audits and want a commercial VPN with WireGuard, a kill switch and split tunnelling. Watch the latest audit's status: completion has been announced, but findings remain under review, so the announcement alone cannot settle your privacy questions.
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Score breakdown
One formula for every commercial vpn, explained on how we score VPNs.
Plans and the true 3-year price
| Plan | Term | Monthly | Renews at | 3-year cost | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited, 3 years | 3 years | $3.33 | See site | $120 | Unknown |
| Unlimited, 1 year | 1 year | $5.83 | $5.83 | $210 | Unknown |
| Unlimited, 1 month | 1 month | $10.99 | $10.99 | $396 | Unknown |
Providers change prices often, and we regularly verify prices against their own pricing pages, though small differences from current prices are possible. Prices checked 11 Oct 2026. Refund window: 30 days.
Who it's for
Pick it if
- You value recurring security reviews with public reports.
- You need WireGuard, a kill switch and split tunnelling.
- You want a provider that publishes a transparency report.
Skip it if
- You need a Linux GUI or CLI app.
- You require signup without an email address.
- You need a dedicated IP.
Audit evidence
| Date | Auditor | Type | Scope | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Not named | Other | 9th annual audit; announced as completed, findings under review | Gated or summary only |
| Nov 2024 | Cure53 | Infrastructure | White-box audit of apps, backend systems and server configurations, public APIs, data handling and encryption (44 working days, October to November 2024) | Not stated |
| Oct 2023 | Cure53 | Infrastructure | Apps, website, VPN infrastructure and backend (7th annual audit, started October 2023) | Public report |
| Oct 2022 | Cure53 | Infrastructure | Full-service audit (6th annual audit, started October 2022) | Public report |
| Jun 2017 | Cure53 | Infrastructure | Servers, apps, browser extensions and infrastructure (white-box); published together with the late-2016 audit | Public report |
| 2016 | Cure53 | Infrastructure | Servers, apps and infrastructure (white-box); Chrome extension findings | Public report |
Ownership
Security and features
- WireGuardYes
- RAM-only serversUnknown
- Full-disk encryptionUnknown
- Post-quantum optionUnknown
- Open-source appsUnknown
- Kill switchYes
- Split tunnellingYes
- Multi-hopUnknown
- Port forwardingUnknown
- IPv6Unknown
- WireGuard config exportUnknown
- SOCKS5 proxyUnknown
- Custom DNSUnknown
- Linux app (GUI)No
- Linux CLINo
- Dedicated IPNo
Network Provider-reported
- Servers8000
- Countries47
Account and payment privacy
- Sign up without emailNo
- Account-number loginNo
- CashUnknown
- MoneroUnknown
- BitcoinUnknown
Our take
TunnelBear's recurring audits give you concrete evidence to examine. The public reports dated Oct 2023 and Oct 2022 cover broad service security, including apps and infrastructure. The audit dated Nov 2024 examined apps, backend systems, server configurations, public APIs, data handling and encryption. That scope makes the reviews relevant to privacy, but security testing does not automatically establish a particular logging policy. The latest announcement, dated 2025, says the audit is complete with findings under review. Treat it as evidence of continued scrutiny, while reserving judgement on its findings.
TunnelBear LLC is the named owner, and TunnelBear joined McAfee. Keep that corporate history separate from the audit evidence: ownership tells you about the business behind the service, while technical reports address the systems examined. Neither substitutes for the other. TunnelBear also publishes a transparency report, which gives you another document to consider alongside those assessments. Our incident search returned none found. That is a limited finding, rather than a guarantee about the service's entire history or its future handling of your data.
The longer commitment deserves a budget check before you buy. Unlimited, 3 years starts at $3.33 a month, with a total cost of $120 over 3 years. Across that same period, Unlimited, 1 year costs $210, while Unlimited, 1 month costs $396. You are weighing a lower total against flexibility to leave. The refund window is 30 days; use it to check your actual devices and workflow before relying on the service.
Against alternatives such as Mullvad VPN, IVPN and Proton VPN, TunnelBear deserves consideration when recurring public security assessments matter to your decision. Its confirmed WireGuard, kill switch and split tunnelling support give you useful controls, but the absence of Linux GUI and CLI apps limits its fit for developers who need those clients. Email signup is also required. If your main goal is reaching your own machines, start with our public versus private access guide to establish the connection model you need before choosing a subscription.
FAQ
Has TunnelBear been independently audited?
TunnelBear has undergone recurring external security audits, with public reports dated Oct 2023 and Oct 2022 covering apps and service infrastructure. The latest audit announcement, dated 2025, says work is complete but findings remain under review.
Who owns TunnelBear?
TunnelBear LLC is the named owner, and TunnelBear joined McAfee. Assess that corporate history alongside the technical audits and transparency report, since ownership alone does not establish how the service handles your data.
Does TunnelBear have a Linux app?
TunnelBear has neither a Linux GUI app nor a Linux CLI. If your workflow requires a supported Linux client, that is a clear reason to choose another service.
Can I sign up for TunnelBear without an email?
TunnelBear requires an email address for signup and does not offer account-number login. If avoiding an email association is part of your privacy requirements, its account setup does not meet that need.
What does TunnelBear cost when it renews?
Unlimited, 1 year starts at $5.83 a month and renews at $5.83 a month. Unlimited, 1 month starts at $10.99 a month and renews at $10.99 a month.
Can I get a refund from TunnelBear?
TunnelBear lists a refund window of 30 days. Use the support form for refund questions, and check the help center for the applicable process.