TunnelBear Review

Community-sourced VPN review based on real Reddit & Twitter discussions

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Community Verdict
Mixed Reviews

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,...

54%
positive
53
reviews
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
54% Positive Reviews
20 recommend, 17 warn
High Data Quality
53 reviews from 51 people
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
Approval Rate
54% positive
20 recommend · 17 warn
Reviews
53
27 Reddit · 24 Twitter
Unique Reviewers
51
Data Quality
High

What the Community Says

Community Rating 7.5/10

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, and the Chrome extension gets a lot of love for simple, everyday use. Some people even say it helps in situations where other VPNs (including paid ones) don’t, like redeeming region-specific purchases.

The biggest frustration is the free plan: it can feel more like a limited demo than a true everyday VPN, and people complain about running into restrictions unless they pay. Server access also seems to shift over time, with some getting annoyed when certain locations (like Canada or Japan) are no longer available on free. On top of that, reliability can be hit-or-miss for some folks, especially for streaming channels and occasional browser extension issues.

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
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
Not ideal for: People who want a truly usable free VPN for daily, heavy use Anyone who needs specific countries (like Japan) without paying Streaming-first users who want consistent access to every channel People who need rock-solid reliability for long sessions

Summary generated 1 week ago from 53 community mentions

Reviews about "Free Tier"

6 reviews

"@DJyell0w @Aidanhihi @InsoIsHere For pc you can use UrbanVpn or Tunnelbear, for phone u can use pandavpn, it has alot of free servers💙 tunnelbear requires sign in j think, (im not 100% sure) but its legit. Even tho most of the servers are for vip i can assure you those 3 vpns are the safest"

@s1lkson1c_ 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@cclowcards Tunnelbear VPN gives free access for anyone logging from venezuela since the ban, it's pretty cool"

@squirrelmonke 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@saufah_ TunnelBear Free and Premium Orbot Premium just too kawa"

@abok_fasa 2 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"does anyone have free vp recommendations that ARENT tunnelbear bc theyve now made it so i cant connect to a japanese ip w/o paying £8.99 a month https://t.co/MbdbV43lik"

@tenshinoouji 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"@theTunnelBear TunnelBear took away the ability to connect to Canada without a premium subscription. Not good TunnelBear!"

@Hey_itsJ05H 3 weeks ago View on Twitter →

"I fucking hate the fact that tunnelbear has changed with the free plan cuz I can’t anymore get to the site to play tkrb and the other free one I’m using is like a fucking gacha system where you dunno if and when you’ll get it and you’ll have to wait up to 10 min every time🙃"

@della_prime 1 week ago View on Twitter →