TunnelBear Review 2026: VPN with a 2GB free tier, unlimited devices and annual audits
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TunnelBear
Pros
- Free plan with 2GB a month that renews monthly and never expires
- 3-year plan is $120 billed once ($3.33 a month)
- No limit on the number of devices
- Eight annual Cure53 audits, with results published
Cons
- Free plan capped at 2GB a month, and unused data does not roll over
- Refund covers only the first year of annual plans bought direct; monthly, Teams and app-store purchases are excluded
- 47 countries, a smaller network than most rivals
- Pricing page shows only ’from $3.33/mo’; the real billing terms appear only at checkout
Best for: VPN beginners, Occasional use on the free plan, Households with many devices.
What it is
TunnelBear LLC is a Toronto-based team that joined McAfee in March 2018. The Unlimited plan gives access to over 8,000 servers in 47 countries, with split tunnelling and city-level server selection, and there is no limit on the number of devices. Apps are listed for iPhone and iPad, Android, Mac, Windows and browsers.
The apps are audited by Cure53 every year. The eighth annual audit, carried out in October and November 2024, found 10 vulnerabilities of medium severity or higher and 3 of low severity, and TunnelBear published the result on its blog.
What it costs in practice
The pricing page shows only ’from $3.33/mo’; the real terms are on the checkout page. Unlimited is $9.99 billed every month, $69.99 billed every 12 months ($5.83 a month, a 42% saving, renewing annually at $69.99) or $120 billed once for 3 years ($3.33 a month, a 67% saving). Teams is $5.75 per user per month for 2 or more users, billed annually and pro-rated when you add or remove seats.
The free plan gives 2GB a month, renewing on the anniversary of account creation, and unused data does not roll over. The refund guarantee applies to the first year of annual subscriptions bought directly from tunnelbear.com, claimed through support within 30 days of purchase; monthly, Teams and app-store purchases fall outside it.
Key features
| Feature | What it does |
|---|---|
| Unlimited devices | There is no limit on the number of devices |
| Server network | Access to over 8,000 VPN servers in 47 countries |
| Split tunnelling and city-level selection | Listed under the Unlimited plan |
| Publicly audited apps | Annual Cure53 audits |
TunnelBear pricing
| Plan | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 2GB of secure browsing a month; for testing and limited use; unused data does not roll over |
| Unlimited 1 Month | $9.99/mo | Billed $9.99 every month; auto-renews monthly |
| Unlimited 1 Year | $5.83/mo | $69.99 billed every 12 months; save 42%; renews annually at $69.99 |
| Unlimited 3 YearsPOPULAR | $3.33/mo | $120.00 billed once; save 67% |
| Teams | $5.75/user/mo | For 2+ users; billed annually ($138 a year for 2 members); pro-rated when adding or removing users |
How TunnelBear compares
| Alternative | How it differs |
|---|---|
| Windscribe | Free tier is 10GB versus TunnelBear’s 2GB, and more countries |
| Mullvad VPN | Flat-rate pricing and independent founder ownership versus McAfee-owned TunnelBear |
| hide.me VPN | Free plan has unlimited data at restricted speeds versus TunnelBear’s 2GB cap, and a 30-day money-back on every plan |
TunnelBear ratings on other platforms
Independent user ratings from third-party review sites, linked here for transparency. These are not our editorial score, are captured on the date shown, and may have changed since.
Frequently asked questions
How much does TunnelBear cost?
Unlimited is $9.99 billed monthly, $69.99 billed every 12 months ($5.83 a month, a 42% saving) or $120 billed once for 3 years ($3.33 a month, a 67% saving). Teams is $5.75 per user per month, billed annually, for 2 or more users. The free plan is $0 for 2GB a month.
Is there a money-back guarantee?
Yes, but only for the first year of an annual subscription bought directly from tunnelbear.com, and you must contact support within 30 days of purchase. Monthly plans, Teams and iOS or Google Play purchases are not covered.
Verdict
TunnelBear is easy to like: no device limit, a free plan that never expires and a public Cure53 audit every year. It is also a smaller network at 47 countries, and the 2GB free allowance is only enough for testing. The 3-year plan at $120 once is fair value, but read the refund terms first, since only the first year of an annual plan bought direct qualifies.
Facts verified against: www.tunnelbear.com, www.tunnelbear.com, www.tunnelbear.com, www.tunnelbear.com, help.tunnelbear.com, www.tunnelbear.com, www.tunnelbear.com (as of September 2026).
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