Norton VPN vs TunnelBear
Side-by-side comparison based on Reddit & Twitter discussions
Community Pick
TunnelBear
Based on community sentiment and discussions
Approval Rate
34%
20 recommend · 39 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
81
Reviewers
79
Best for:
People who already pay for Norton 360 and want a simple VPN toggle
Casual users who just want basic protection on public Wi‑Fi
Anyone who wants antivirus and a VPN in one app
Norton VPN comes up a lot as the “it’s already there” VPN, especially if you’re using Norton 360. People like that it’s simple to turn on, works fine on phones, and once it connects it can handle basi...
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 | Norton VPN | Winner | TunnelBear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 71% (9) | ← | 50% (4) |
| Torrenting | 0% (4) | ← | - |
| Privacy | 29% (18) | → | 50% (8) |
| Censorship | 75% (6) | ← | 33% (7) |
| Gaming | 0% (4) | → | 50% (2) |
| Travel | 0% (2) | ← | - |
| Work | 50% (5) | ← | - |
| Mobile | 100% (1) | - | - |
| Price | 25% (5) | → | 33% (7) |
Norton VPN
Strengths
- Very easy to use
- Convenient if you already have Norton 360
- Works well on mobile
- Fine for basic streaming once connected
- All-in-one antivirus bundle option
Weaknesses
- Disconnects and stability issues (especially on Windows/gaming)
- Annoying popups and upsells
- Billing and subscription management headaches
- Refund experience can be frustrating
- Can trigger bot/blocked access on some websites
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