Surfshark vs TunnelBear
Side-by-side comparison based on Reddit & Twitter discussions
Community Pick
Surfshark
Based on community sentiment and discussions
Surfshark
Winner
Approval Rate
52%
127 recommend · 116 warn
Data Quality
High
Reviews
413
Reviewers
344
Best for:
People who want a cheaper VPN that still works for streaming
Households with lots of devices
Everyday users who want something simple on Windows, Android, and iOS
Surfshark comes up a lot as a good-value VPN that’s easy to live with day to day. People like that it’s usually cheaper than the big-name alternatives, works well for streaming (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube...
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 | Surfshark | Winner | TunnelBear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming | 68% (52) | ← | 50% (4) |
| Torrenting | 33% (7) | ← | - |
| Privacy | 42% (86) | → | 50% (8) |
| Censorship | 47% (21) | ← | 33% (7) |
| Gaming | 33% (6) | = | 50% (2) |
| Travel | 50% (2) | ← | - |
| Work | 50% (4) | ← | - |
| Router | -- (1) | - | - |
| Mobile | 50% (2) | ← | - |
| Price | 67% (37) | ← | 33% (7) |
Surfshark
Strengths
- Unlimited devices
- Good value for the price
- Works well with popular streaming services
- Generally fast speeds
- Useful safety features like a kill switch
Weaknesses
- Billing and renewal issues
- Support can be slow or unhelpful
- Some streaming apps still detect/block it
- Trust concerns about company ownership/jurisdiction
- Occasional location/IP accuracy complaints
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