ExpressVPN vs TunnelBear
Side-by-side comparison based on Reddit & Twitter discussions
Community Pick
TunnelBear
Based on community sentiment and discussions
Approval Rate
52%
85 recommend · 78 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
287
Reviewers
239
Best for:
People who want a VPN that’s easy and reliable
Streaming fans who want to watch shows from other countries
iPhone users who want something simple
ExpressVPN comes up a lot as a “just works” VPN: people like that it’s easy to use, connects quickly, and stays stable without much fiddling. It’s often praised for feeling fast in day-to-day browsing...
TunnelBear
Winner
Approval Rate
54%
20 recommend · 17 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
53
Reviewers
51
Best for:
Beginners who want a simple VPN that’s easy to install
People who mainly need light browsing protection on public Wi‑Fi
Anyone who prefers using a browser extension instead of a full VPN app
Casual users who don’t mind upgrading if they hit limits
TunnelBear has a friendly reputation as an easy, no-fuss VPN that a lot of people recommend when someone just needs something that “works.” It’s often mentioned as a quick download for basic browsing,...
Performance by Use Case
| Use Case | ExpressVPN | Winner | TunnelBear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 65% (29) | ← | 50% (4) |
| Torrenting | 0% (4) | ← | - |
| Privacy | 28% (90) | → | 50% (8) |
| Censorship | 50% (28) | ← | 33% (7) |
| Gaming | 0% (1) | → | 50% (2) |
| Travel | 0% (2) | ← | - |
| Work | 33% (4) | ← | - |
| Price | 90% (16) | ← | 33% (7) |
ExpressVPN
Strengths
- Fast everyday speeds
- Stable connection
- Easy to use
- Good for streaming
- Simple location switching
Weaknesses
- Can be pricey
- Trust and ownership concerns
- Doesn’t work well in China
- Some censorship bypass limits
TunnelBear
Strengths
- Easy to use
- Handy Chrome browser extension
- Good for basic browsing
- Sometimes works when other VPNs don’t
- Decent option for quick, simple setup
Weaknesses
- Free plan feels very limited
- Some locations require paying
- Servers can be unreliable for some people
- Streaming results can be inconsistent
- Occasional browser extension glitches