⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: TunnelBear costs $3.33/mo on the Unlimited plan. Windscribe costs $5.75/month on the Yearly Plan.
- Free plan: The TunnelBear free plan gives 500MB per month. Windscribe gives 10GB of data per month with a verified email.
- Key difference: Windscribe adds R.O.B.E.R.T., static IP addresses, config generators and port forwarding. TunnelBear keeps the app simple.
- Our pick: Windscribe for most users, because it unblocks streaming sites and its free version is 20 times larger.
The VPN with the cuter mascot is not the better free VPN.
TunnelBear caps free users at 500 MB of data per month.
Windscribe hands free users 10GB of data every month.
That gap shapes almost everything else in this comparison.
Both are Canadian VPN services with clean mobile apps and real audits.
But they were built for two very different kinds of user.
Overview
This TunnelBear vs Windscribe comparison covers pricing, download speeds, privacy and streaming.
It also covers the apps, browser extensions and customer support.
Our writer spent hands-on time with Windscribe directly.
Notes on the TunnelBear app come from documentation and G2 reviews.
By the end you will know which VPN service fits your internet connection.
What is TunnelBear?
TunnelBear VPN is a Canadian VPN service owned by McAfee.
The TunnelBear app hides your real IP address behind a bear-themed world map.
You tap a country and the VPN connection opens in a few seconds.
Every session runs through AES-256 encrypted data channels.
The free version stops at 500 MB per month, which is a hard data limit.
TunnelBear has a small server network covering 47 countries and 48 server locations.
Here is a short walkthrough of the app before we get to the numbers.
TunnelBear
The simplest VPN app we have handled. Good for VPN newbies who want one button and a map. Free account needs no card.
TunnelBear Pricing
Here is the TunnelBear cost as listed in our software database.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Testing and Limited usage | VPN newbies testing a free account |
| Unlimited | $3.33/mo | Personal use with unlimited data |
| Teams | $5.75/user per month | Small teams on one paid subscription |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: No separate trial. The free plan is the trial, and it needs no credit card.
Money-back guarantee: None. TunnelBear offers no refund window on any paid subscription.
📌 Note: The free plan can stretch to 2GB through promotions, sometimes announced on TunnelBear’s Twitter account. Paid users get unlimited data and unlimited simultaneous connections. Payment is credit card only, since Bitcoin was removed.
⚠️ Pricing conflict: Public checkout pages show $9.99 monthly, $39.99 for year one renewing at $59.88, and $120 for three years. Our table keeps the database figures above. Check the TunnelBear site before you purchase TunnelBear.
Key Benefits of TunnelBear
TunnelBear’s features stay deliberately few. Here is what TunnelBear offers that keeps it in the VPN market:
- Audited privacy: Cure53 has run security audits since 2016. Each audit found issues, including critical ones, and those were fixed.
- Clean logging policy: The privacy policy says no IP addresses, no DNS queries and no browsing history are stored.
- VigilantBear kill switch: It blocks all internet traffic when the VPN connection drops. Traffic resumes once the tunnel returns.
- SplitBear split tunneling: You choose which apps and sites skip the tunnel. Banking apps can stay on your normal connection.
- GhostBear obfuscation: It disguises VPN traffic in countries with heavy censorship. Expect slower download speeds when it runs.
- One subscription, all your devices: The premium plan allows unlimited device connections across mobile devices and desktops.
What Our Team Noticed
Note: our team has not logged extended hands-on time with the TunnelBear app yet. Everything above comes from TunnelBear’s documentation, its published transparency reports and G2 reviews. The Windscribe notes below are first-hand.
TunnelBear Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free account needs no card and no payment details
- Cure53 has audited the apps repeatedly since 2016
- VigilantBear kill switch cuts traffic if the tunnel fails
- Premium plan allows unlimited devices simultaneously
❌ Cons
- No money back guarantee on any plan
- No live chat support, only a web form and email
- Netflix and Amazon Prime Video often return a proxy error
- No router or Linux installation, which frustrates power users
What is Windscribe?
Windscribe is a Canadian VPN that encrypts your traffic and masks your IP address.
Windscribe servers sit in over 110 cities across 66 countries.
The generous free plan gives 10GB of data per month after email signup.
Without an email you still get 2GB, which beats most free VPN offers.
Windscribe apps run on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux.
Windscribe’s browser extensions cover Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge.
This walkthrough shows the desktop app and the connection flow.
🏆 Winner: Windscribe
A premium VPN with a free service that is actually usable. R.O.B.E.R.T. blocks ads and malware at the DNS level.
Windscribe Pricing
Windscribe subscription options are short and easy to read.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Build A Plan | Custom | People who need two or three server locations |
| Yearly Plan | $5.75/month | Windscribe Pro users who want unlimited data |
| Monthly Plan | $9.00/month | Short projects and month-to-month testing |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: The free plan runs forever. It carries a 10GB data limit each month.
Money-back guarantee: Three days only, and only if you used under 10GB.
📌 Note: Build A Plan charges roughly $1 per location, with two locations minimum. Each location adds 10GB per month. Payment takes credit card, PayPal, Bitcoin, other cryptocurrencies and gift cards.
⚠️ Warning: Windscribe’s money back guarantee runs just three days, shorter than the 30-day window NordVPN and ExpressVPN offer. Test the free service first, then upgrade. Windscribe deals also appear around Black Friday, so annual buyers should wait if they can.
Key Benefits of Windscribe
The core security features are standard here. These are the parts that separate it from other VPN providers:
- R.O.B.E.R.T. ad blocker: A customizable DNS and IP level blocker for ads, trackers and malware. You choose which lists block ads.
- Real speed: Published tests hit 270-330Mbps on OpenVPN and 950Mbps+ on WireGuard. Connection speeds rarely feel like the bottleneck.
- Firewall kill switch: It blocks internet access the moment the tunnel drops. DNS and IP leak protection run alongside it.
- Flexible billing: Build A Plan lets you pay per location. Nobody else in this price band sells access that way.
- Custom DNS control: You define which DNS applies while connected and while disconnected.
- Anonymous signup: Since late 2025 you can create an account with a randomly generated hash instead of an email.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer ran the Windows client and the Android app for everyday browsing and streaming. Here is what stood out from that hands-on time:
Windscribe Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free plan gives 10GB of data per month with an email address
- WireGuard speeds passed 950Mbps in published performance tests
- R.O.B.E.R.T. blocks ads, trackers and malware at the DNS level
- Unblocks US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Prime Video and Disney Plus
❌ Cons
- Money back guarantee lasts only three days and under 10GB of use
- Server network is smaller than NordVPN or ExpressVPN
- Canadian headquarters sit inside the Five Eyes alliance
Feature Comparison
Now let’s put TunnelBear and Windscribe side by side on the things people actually buy a VPN for. Ten rounds, no filler.
| Feature | TunnelBear | Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $3.33/mo | $5.75/month |
| Free Plan Data | 500 MB/month | 10GB/month |
| Server Locations | 48 in 47 countries | 110+ cities, 66 countries |
| WireGuard Support | ✅ (see note) | ✅ |
| Kill Switch | ✅ VigilantBear | ✅ Firewall |
| Split Tunneling | ✅ SplitBear | ✅ |
| Ad Blocker | ❌ | ✅ R.O.B.E.R.T. |
| Netflix Unblocking | ❌ | ✅ |
| Router and Linux | ❌ | ✅ |
| Money Back Guarantee | ❌ | ✅ 3 days |
| Best For | Beginners on mobile devices | Streaming and power users |
1. Free Plan and Data Limits
TunnelBear: The TunnelBear free plan hands you 500 MB per month. Promotions can push that to 2GB. That covers a few logins on hotel Wi-Fi and nothing more.
Windscribe: Register an email and you get 10GB of data per month. Skip the email and you still get 2GB. That is enough for roughly seven hours of streaming.
2. Server Network and Server Locations
TunnelBear: A small server network of 48 server locations across 47 countries. TunnelBear’s servers cluster in North America and Europe. If you ask how many servers matter for you, check whether your country is on the list first. The Canada server and US cities get the most attention.
Windscribe: Around 500 VPN servers spread over 110 cities in 66 countries. That is smaller than NordVPN’s 8,800+, but the city-level spread helps you access global content from the nearest server.
3. Speed and Download Speeds
TunnelBear: Published testing puts TunnelBear’s performance near 40% of base download speed on average. Results swing hard between different servers. Connection times can pass ten seconds, and GhostBear drops speeds further.
Windscribe: OpenVPN tests landed at 270-330Mbps and WireGuard pushed past 950Mbps. Losses ran 19% on nearby servers and 31% on distant ones. Windscribe’s apps connect in a few seconds, often 1-2.
⚠️ Warning: Free Windscribe servers run about 15% slower than paid ones. Free users should expect a gap.
4. Encryption and VPN Protocols
TunnelBear: AES-256 encryption protects the tunnel on every operating system it supports. Current documentation lists WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2. Older speed reviews were run before WireGuard arrived, which explains the slower numbers above.
Windscribe: Also AES-256, with WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN UDP available. You can switch VPN protocols per device, which helps when a network blocks one of them.
5. Privacy, Logging and Security Audits
TunnelBear: A no-logging policy covers activity while you are connected. It still collects operational data such as OS version, TunnelBear app version and monthly data used, none of which identifies you. Transparency reports confirm it has handed over exactly zero requests worth of user data.
Windscribe: A strict no-logs policy with no activity or connection logs of any kind. It keeps total bandwidth and a last-activity timestamp in RAM, then deletes that relevant data when the session ends. Inactive accounts are pruned rather than archived.
⚠️ Warning: Published leak tests found no DNS leaks or data leaks on either app. Still, both companies sit in Canada, a Five Eyes member. If your threat model rules out that jurisdiction, neither VPN service works for you.
6. Kill Switch, Split Tunneling and LAN Traffic
TunnelBear: VigilantBear is the kill switch. It blocks incoming and outgoing internet traffic until the tunnel is back. SplitBear handles split tunneling so chosen apps or sites bypass the VPN.
Windscribe: Windscribe calls its kill switch Firewall, and it cuts internet access when the VPN connection drops. Split tunneling works by app or by domain, and you can allow local network traffic so printers stay reachable.
LAN control is the part TunnelBear leaves out entirely.
7. Ad Blocking and Tracker Control
TunnelBear: No built-in ad blocker in the VPN app. TunnelBear sells a separate browser blocker product, so tracker control is not part of the VPN subscription.
Windscribe: R.O.B.E.R.T. filters ads, trackers and malware at the DNS and IP level. It also runs inside the browser extensions, so browser traffic gets the same filtering as the desktop app.
You can toggle each list on or off instead of accepting one preset.
8. Streaming and Geo-Blocked Content
TunnelBear: Netflix treats its exit nodes like a proxy server, so it usually returns a proxy error. Amazon Prime Video and Hulu are unreliable too. Smaller platforms sometimes work, and GhostBear can help, but it slows the connection badly.
Windscribe: Every Netflix library tested unblocked, including US, UK, Australia, Canada and Japan. It scored full marks on BBC iPlayer, ITV and Channel 4, and it handles Prime Video, Hulu and Disney Plus.
💡 Pro Tip: On the free version, 10GB buys about seven hours of video. Save it for one show, not a weekend binge.
9. Apps, Devices and Browser Extensions
TunnelBear: The Windows app, Mac app and mobile apps all share the same map interface. There is no router or Linux install, so TV boxes and Windows mobile devices are out. Unlimited device connections come with the premium plan.
Windscribe: The Windows version, Mac build and Linux client all allow unlimited simultaneous device connections. Config generators build router and Linux profiles by hand, which covers Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV through a shared network adapter. Static IP addresses and port forwarding are paid add-ons for advanced features.
A static IP helps when a bank flags shared VPN exits.
10. Pricing & Cost
Here are both price lists in one place.
| Plan Type | TunnelBear | Windscribe |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Testing and Limited usage | 10GB/month free plan |
| Entry paid plan | Unlimited: $3.33/mo | Yearly Plan: $5.75/month |
| Month-to-month | ❌ Not listed | Monthly Plan: $9.00/month |
| Custom / team | Teams: $5.75/user per month | Build A Plan: Custom |
TunnelBear: Cheaper per month, but the saving is locked behind a long commitment and there is no refund window. The Teams tier at $5.75 per user is the only shared-billing option.
Windscribe: Costs $2.42 more per month on the yearly plan. You get an ad blocker, streaming access and a usable free tier for that gap. Build A Plan can undercut both if you only need two locations.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The cheapest paid plan | TunnelBear | $3.33/mo versus $5.75/month |
| A real free plan | Windscribe | 10GB instead of 500 MB |
| Netflix and BBC iPlayer | Windscribe | TunnelBear fails on major platforms |
| Router or Apple TV coverage | Windscribe | Config generators, no router support elsewhere |
| The simplest app | TunnelBear | One map, one switch, done |
| A refund safety net | Windscribe | Three days beats zero days |
💰 Your Budget
TunnelBear’s Unlimited plan is the cheaper paid subscription of the two. Windscribe asks $2.42 more per month and gives you far more for it.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
Windows, Mac and phones are covered by both VPN providers. Routers, Linux boxes and TV sticks are covered by Windscribe only.
📝 Your Streaming Habits
If streaming sites are the whole reason you want a VPN, this stops being a close call. TunnelBear’s proxy errors will waste your evening.
🎓 Your Experience Level
TunnelBear is built for VPN newbies and hides every setting. Power users will hit its ceiling within a week and want Windscribe’s controls.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Neither company runs a classic trial, so the free version is your test drive. Testing Windscribe is easier because 10GB actually lets you judge it.
🛟 Support Options
TunnelBear customer support runs through a web form and email, with no live chat support and slow replies noted in G2 reviews. Its FAQ library is strong, so many issues never reach the support team.
Switching Guide
Already paying for one of them? Here is what changes when you move.
🔄 Switching from TunnelBear to Windscribe?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Streaming that works on Netflix, Prime Video and BBC iPlayer
- R.O.B.E.R.T. to block ads and trackers network-wide
- Router, Linux and static IP support through config generators
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The $3.33/mo price point
- The map interface that made the app effortless
- GhostBear, which some censored networks respond to well
📋 How to switch:
- Cancel auto-renewal in your TunnelBear account first
- Create a free Windscribe account and claim the 10GB
- Install the desktop app, set Firewall to auto, then upgrade
🔄 Switching from Windscribe to TunnelBear?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A cheaper monthly cost on the Unlimited plan
- An interface family members can use without instructions
- A longer public audit history, running since 2016
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The ad blocker and custom DNS controls
- Reliable access to streaming libraries
- Port forwarding, static IPs and router configs
📋 How to switch:
- Note your Windscribe locations before the plan lapses
- Sign up free at TunnelBear and test one country
- Turn on VigilantBear and SplitBear before daily use
This short tutorial covers the TunnelBear setup steps in order.
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
This comparison focused on personal use and small teams. We did not test torrenting at scale, gaming latency, or the Teams admin console. Speed figures come from published test rounds, not from our own lab, and your ISP will change the result. Anyone running 50 seats or more should ask both VPN providers for a demo before buying.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | TunnelBear |
| 🎁 Free Plan | Windscribe |
| ⚡ Speed | Windscribe |
| 🔒 Privacy and Audits | Tie |
| 📺 Streaming | Windscribe |
| 👶 Ease of Use | TunnelBear |
| 🔌 Devices and Extensions | Windscribe |
| 🛟 Support | Tie |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | Windscribe |
🏆 WINNER: WINDSCRIBE
Windscribe wins 4 of 8 categories and loses only 2.
Best for: streaming, free-plan users, router setups, people who want an ad blocker built in
TunnelBear and Windscribe are aiming at different buyers. TunnelBear sells simplicity, and it does that better than almost anyone.
Windscribe sells control. Custom DNS, per-location billing, static IP addresses and a blocker you can tune yourself.
If you want a safe VPN for hotel Wi-Fi and nothing else, TunnelBear is a good VPN at a lower price. If you want online privacy plus streaming, speed and real device coverage, we recommend Windscribe.
More of TunnelBear Compared
Here is how it lines up against other VPN services buyers shortlist:
TunnelBear wins on: lower entry price, a friendlier first-run experience, a free tier NordVPN does not offer at all
NordVPN wins on: 8,800+ servers against roughly 48 locations, dependable Netflix access, a 30-day refund window, router firmware support
TunnelBear wins on: price per month, a permanent free plan, a simpler app for non-technical households
ExpressVPN wins on: servers in 100+ countries, its own Lightway protocol, a 30-day guarantee, 24/7 live chat rather than a web form
TunnelBear vs ProtonVPN
TunnelBear wins on: unlimited devices on premium, an easier interface, cheaper long-term billing
ProtonVPN wins on: unlimited data on its free tier, Swiss jurisdiction outside Five Eyes, open-source apps, Linux and router installs
More of Windscribe Compared
These are the closest matchups people search for next:
Windscribe wins on: a 10GB free tier, pay-per-location billing, R.O.B.E.R.T. filtering that NordVPN’s Threat Protection cannot match for granularity
NordVPN wins on: a far larger server fleet, a 30-day refund instead of three days, audited RAM-only servers, Panama jurisdiction
Windscribe vs Private Internet Access
Windscribe wins on: a usable free plan, config generators for odd devices, per-location pricing for light users
Private Internet Access wins on: a much bigger server count, courtroom-tested no-logs history, a 30-day guarantee, cheaper multi-year deals
Windscribe wins on: streaming access on the free tier, the R.O.B.E.R.T. blocker, port forwarding and static IP add-ons
ProtonVPN wins on: no data cap on free accounts, Swiss privacy law, published open-source audits, Secure Core multi-hop routing
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TunnelBear really free?
Yes, and no card is needed. The free tier stops at 500 MB per month, which promotions can raise to 2GB. Paid plans remove the cap.
Is Windscribe VPN really free?
Yes. Confirm an email address and the free tier gives 10GB every month. Without an email you get 2GB. Both include the ad blocker.
Is TunnelBear blocked by Netflix?
Usually, yes. Netflix returns a proxy error on most servers, and Amazon Prime Video behaves the same way. GhostBear sometimes helps but cuts your speed.
How much does Windscribe cost?
The Yearly Plan is $5.75/month and the Monthly Plan is $9.00/month. Build A Plan charges per location instead, starting with two locations.
Which VPN is better than TunnelBear?
For streaming, speed and device coverage, Windscribe is the stronger pick. NordVPN and ProtonVPN also beat it on server count and refund terms.
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