⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: TunnelBear starts at $3.33/mo. TorGuard’s Standard plan costs $10.99/month.
- Best for: TunnelBear suits VPN newbies. TorGuard suits torrenting and power users.
- Key difference: TorGuard offers dedicated IPs and port forwarding. TunnelBear offers a free plan and published audits.
- Our pick: TorGuard for most paying users, because it packs far more tools and servers.
TunnelBear and TorGuard both promise to protect your online privacy.
But they are built for very different people.
TunnelBear is a cute, simple VPN service for VPN newbies.
TorGuard is a toolbox for power users and torrent fans.
One hands you a free plan. The other hands you a dedicated IP.
Here is how to pick the right one.
Overview
This TunnelBear vs TorGuard comparison covers pricing, privacy, speed, streaming, and ease of use.
We also explain which of these VPN providers fits which kind of user.
Our sources include published specs, official documentation, independent reviews, and G2 reviews.
By the end, you will know which VPN subscription makes sense for you.
What is TunnelBear?
TunnelBear VPN is a Canadian VPN service owned by McAfee.
It hides your IP address and encrypts your internet connection.
The TunnelBear app uses a bear-themed world map to pick server locations.
You tap any country TunnelBear lists, and a cartoon bear digs your tunnel.
TunnelBear offers a free version plus two paid plans.
Here is a quick video overview of the app.
TunnelBear
A simple VPN with a free plan and unlimited devices. Great for first-time VPN users.
TunnelBear Pricing
Here is what TunnelBear costs in 2026. The TunnelBear cost sits below most other VPN services.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free Testing and Limited usage | Trying the app on light browsing |
| Unlimited | $3.33/mo | Individuals who need unlimited data |
| Teams | $5.75/user per month | Small offices and remote teams |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: No trial on paid plans. The TunnelBear free plan gives you a free account with 2GB of data per month. Older versions capped it at 500MB. Promos like posting on TunnelBear’s Twitter added more.
Money-back guarantee: None. TunnelBear does not offer a money back guarantee on subscriptions.
📌 Note: The $3.33/mo rate reflects long-term billing. The monthly option costs $9.99, the yearly plan $39.99, and the three-year plan $120. TunnelBear accepts credit cards only, since it removed Bitcoin.
⚠️ Warning: The annual plan auto-renews at $59.88 after year one. Set a reminder before you purchase TunnelBear.
Key Benefits of TunnelBear
Here is what makes TunnelBear worth a look:
- Free Plan: Test the VPN before any paid subscription. The data limit is 2GB per month.
- Unlimited Devices: Paid plans allow unlimited simultaneous connections. One account protects all your devices simultaneously.
- Yearly Security Audits: Cure53 has audited TunnelBear since 2016. Critical and high-severity issues it found were fixed.
- Transparency Reports: TunnelBear publishes every data request it gets. Each report says it had no user data to share.
- VigilantBear Kill Switch: It blocks all traffic if your VPN tunnel breaks. Nothing slips out unprotected.
- SplitBear: Pick which apps or websites skip the VPN. Banking apps can keep your local IP.
What Our Team Noticed
Note: We haven’t had extensive hands-on time with TunnelBear for this comparison yet. The information here comes from TunnelBear’s documentation, published specs, and independent reviews. For hands-on detail, read our full TunnelBear VPN review.
TunnelBear Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Free plan with 2GB of data each month
- Unlimited device connections on paid plans
- Cure53 security audits since 2016
- Map-based app that beginners pick up fast
❌ Cons
- Small server network with 48 locations
- Struggles to unblock Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
- No live chat support or refund window
What is TorGuard?
TorGuard is a virtual private network run by VPNetworks LLC.
That company is a subsidiary of Data Protection Services LLC, which owns TorGuard.
It focuses on privacy for browsing, streaming, and P2P file sharing.
The service also sells proxy services, business VPN plans, and private email.
Despite the name, it has no link to the Tor network.
Watch this short overview before you sign up.
🏆 Winner: TorGuard
A power-user VPN with dedicated IPs, port forwarding, and Stealth VPN. Built for torrenting and custom setups.
TorGuard Pricing
TorGuard’s pricing has more moving parts than most VPN services. Here are the core plans.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $10.99/month | Private browsing on a few devices |
| Pro | $14.29/month | Power users who want a dedicated IP |
| Business VPN | $32.99/month | Teams that need private servers |
| Anonymous Email | $3.58/month | Private, encrypted email |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: No free plan and no free trial.
Money-back guarantee: Seven days, handled case by case. Crypto and gift card payments are not refundable. Dedicated and streaming IPs are excluded too.
📌 Note: You can pay monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, yearly, every two years, or every three years. Longer cycles cost less. A three-year Pro plan works out to about $6.94 per month.
⚠️ Warning: A dedicated streaming IP address costs about $7.99/month extra. Budget for it if streaming matters to you.
Key Benefits of TorGuard
Here is what TorGuard offers that most rivals skip:
- Dedicated IP Options: Pro and Premium plans include a static IP. That helps with work logins and allow-lists.
- Port Forwarding: Torrent seeders and game hosts get better connections. Few rivals still offer it.
- Stealth VPN: It makes VPN traffic look like normal web traffic. That helps on strict school or office networks.
- High Device Limits: The Anonymous VPN plan allows eight simultaneous connections. Pro raises simultaneous device connections to 12, and bigger plans reach 30.
- Anonymous Payments: You can pay with Bitcoin or gift cards. Your name never touches the bill.
- Leak Protection: Built-in DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leak blocking hides your real IP address.
What Our Team Noticed
Note: We haven’t had extensive hands-on time with TorGuard for this comparison yet. The information here comes from TorGuard’s documentation, published specs, independent reviews, and G2 reviews. Our full TorGuard VPN review covers setup in more depth.
TorGuard Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- 3,000+ servers in more than 50 countries
- Dedicated IPs and port forwarding for power users
- Up to 12 devices on the Pro plan
- Live chat and email customer support
❌ Cons
- No independent audit of its no-logs claims
- Clunky apps and confusing pricing
- Only a seven-day refund window with many exceptions
Feature Comparison
Let’s put TunnelBear vs TorGuard side by side. We’ll cover twelve areas that matter most when you pick a VPN.
| Feature | TunnelBear | TorGuard |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $3.33/mo | $10.99/month |
| Free Plan | ✅ | ❌ |
| Server Network | 48 locations | 3,000+ servers, 50+ countries |
| Device Limit | Unlimited | Up to 12 on Pro |
| Split Tunneling | ✅ | Android only |
| Dedicated IP | ❌ | ✅ |
| Port Forwarding | ❌ | ✅ |
| Independent Audits | ✅ | ❌ |
| Live Chat | ❌ | ✅ |
| Best For | Beginners | Power users and torrenting |
1. Server Network & Locations
TunnelBear: TunnelBear’s servers form a small server network with 48 server locations in about 47 countries. That is enough to access global content for basic browsing. But you get fewer choices when a server gets busy.
TorGuard: TorGuard’s servers number over 3,000 across more than 50 countries. That puts it on par with many other VPN providers. Wondering how many servers you really need? More helps when you want one exact server location.
2. Privacy & Logging
TunnelBear: The privacy policy says it never logs IP addresses, DNS queries, or browsing history. It does collect operational data like your OS version, app version, and monthly data use. None of it ties back to you on its VPN servers.
TorGuard: TorGuard claims a strict no-logs policy across its VPN and proxy products. Yet its policy also mentions anonymous website data and server logs. It doesn’t explain how that data gets used.
⚠️ Warning: TunnelBear sits in Canada and TorGuard in the US. Both are Five Eyes countries, so data requests can be shared. Only TunnelBear backs its claims with a published security audit.
3. Encryption & VPN Protocols
TunnelBear: Every session uses AES-256, so your encrypted data stays unreadable. Current apps list WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. Some older reviews say WireGuard is missing.
TorGuard: TorGuard also uses AES-256 with OpenVPN, WireGuard, and IKEv2/IPSec. You get more VPN protocols to tweak. But some reviewers report glitches in how TorGuard runs WireGuard.
💡 Pro Tip: Sources disagree on TunnelBear’s WireGuard support. Check the protocol menu in your TunnelBear app version before you buy.
4. Kill Switch, Leaks & Split Tunneling
TunnelBear: The VigilantBear kill switch blocks all incoming and outgoing traffic until you reconnect. That stops data leaks on shaky Wi-Fi. SplitBear handles split tunneling for chosen apps and sites.
TorGuard: Its security features start with a kill switch. It cuts your internet when the VPN connection drops. Leak blocking covers DNS requests, IPv6, and WebRTC, so DNS leaks stay off the table. The split tunneling feature only works in the Android app, not the iOS app.
5. Speed & Performance
TunnelBear: Independent tests put download speeds around 40% of the base connection. Distant servers run slower, and TunnelBear’s performance swings by location. A nearby Canada server often works well for North American users. Connecting can take over 10 seconds.
TorGuard: Reviewers praise its connection speeds for gaming and torrenting. Others call TorGuard speed test results average and uneven across servers. Neither tool is the fastest VPN you can buy.
💡 Pro Tip: Always try the nearest server first. Then test different servers until one feels quick.
6. Streaming & Torrenting
TunnelBear: Netflix often shows a proxy error, and Amazon Prime and Hulu struggle too. Some smaller streaming sites work fine. The free plan’s data cap rules out long movie nights anyway.
TorGuard: TorGuard is built for BitTorrent and uTorrent on every plan. But US TorGuard servers block BitTorrent traffic after a legal settlement. The basic VPN often fails on major streaming platforms without a streaming bundle.
⚠️ Warning: TorGuard can access Netflix and Amazon Prime Video in some countries. Hulu and Disney+ are hit or miss. If streaming services on Apple TV are your goal, neither is a strong pick.
7. Obfuscation & Censorship
TunnelBear: GhostBear disguises VPN traffic so it looks like normal browser traffic. It helps in countries with heavy censorship. Expect big speed drops while it runs.
TorGuard: Stealth VPN and its stealth servers make VPN traffic look like regular internet traffic. This works well on restrictive office or school networks. It also offers more tuning than GhostBear.
8. Dedicated IP & Power-User Tools
TunnelBear: There is no dedicated IP, no port forwarding, and no router support. TunnelBear keeps things simple on purpose. Tinkerers will hit a wall fast.
TorGuard: TorGuard’s advanced features include dedicated IP addresses, port forwarding, auto-connect, and custom scripts. Its configs also run on VPN routers, though don’t expect a free router. Standard has no free dedicated IP address, so you pay for Pro or an add-on.
Need even more control? TorGuard rents a private VPN cloud and virtual servers, too. A private cloud server means no one else shares your IP.
9. Ease of Use & Apps
TunnelBear: Setup is simple, and the map makes picking a country fun. You get a Windows app, a Mac app, and browser extensions. Its mobile apps cover iOS and Android mobile devices. Routers and Linux are not supported.
This short tutorial walks you through setup on your operating system.
TorGuard: TorGuard apps cover Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS, plus Chrome and Firefox add-ons. The TorGuard app is a highly customizable VPN app, but it feels clunky. Some people must log in each time they connect TorGuard, and bugs cause slow connections.
10. Customer Support
TunnelBear: The support team answers 24/7 through email and a web form. There is no live chat support, and replies can lag. The FAQ on the TunnelBear site solves most common issues.
TorGuard: TorGuard customer support runs live chat and email. The catch is that you must log in first. That extra step can slow down urgent help.
11. Business Plans & Extras
TunnelBear: TunnelBear Teams brings the same simple apps to small offices. It skips extras like private email or hosting. What you see is a plain VPN for groups.
TorGuard: TorGuard’s business VPN adds private servers and up to 30 devices on bigger plans. It also sells encrypted email for private messages. That makes it a wider privacy suite.
The email side comes in two flavors. First is Private Mail for everyday inboxes.
Second is the higher-privacy email tier for sensitive work.
12. Pricing & Cost
Here is how the plans line up side by side.
| Plan Tier | TunnelBear | TorGuard |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free Testing and Limited usage | ❌ |
| Entry | Unlimited: $3.33/mo | Standard: $10.99/month |
| Upper | Teams: $5.75/user per month | Pro: $14.29/month |
| Business | Teams (above) | Business VPN: $32.99/month |
| Extras | ❌ | Anonymous Email: $3.58/month |
TunnelBear: You get unlimited data and unlimited devices for a low price. The trade-off is no refunds and a pricier renewal. It is the budget pick.
TorGuard: You pay more for more tools. The TorGuard subscription page has many cycles and add-ons, which confuses first-timers. Long billing cycles cut the cost a lot.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Tight budget or free use | TunnelBear | Free plan and cheaper paid tier |
| Torrenting | TorGuard | Port forwarding and P2P focus |
| Many family devices | TunnelBear | Unlimited device connections |
| A static IP | TorGuard | Dedicated IP options |
| Audited privacy | TunnelBear | Cure53 audits since 2016 |
| Router or Linux setup | TorGuard | Wider platform support |
| First VPN ever | TunnelBear | Simplest app we’ve seen |
💰 Your Budget
TunnelBear costs less and lets you start free. TorGuard only gets cheaper on long cycles.
🔌 Your Devices
TunnelBear covers phones, laptops, and browsers with no device cap. TorGuard adds Linux, routers, and Microsoft Edge-friendly configs for tinkerers.
📝 Your Main Use
Public Wi-Fi and everyday browsing fit TunnelBear well. Torrenting, gaming, and remote logins fit TorGuard better.
🎓 Your Experience Level
New to VPNs? TunnelBear takes one tap. TorGuard rewards people who enjoy settings menus.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Test TunnelBear on its free plan before paying. With TorGuard, test hard inside the seven-day refund window.
🛟 Support Options
TorGuard gives you live chat after login. TunnelBear relies on email tickets and a solid FAQ.
Switching Guide
Already using one of these tools? Here is what to expect if you switch.
🔄 Switching from TunnelBear to TorGuard?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- Dedicated IP and port forwarding options
- A much larger server network
- Live chat help and router support
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The free plan
- Unlimited device connections
- Published third-party audits
📋 How to switch:
- Turn off TunnelBear auto-renewal in your account.
- Buy a TorGuard plan and install its apps.
- Uninstall TunnelBear to avoid app conflicts.
🔄 Switching from TorGuard to TunnelBear?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A simpler, friendlier app
- No device limit on paid plans
- A lower monthly cost
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Your dedicated IP
- Port forwarding for torrents
- Crypto and gift card payments
📋 How to switch:
- Update any online services that allow-list your TorGuard IP.
- Create a free TunnelBear account and test it.
- Upgrade, then cancel TorGuard before renewal.
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
This comparison focused on individual users and small households. We didn’t run our own speed or streaming tests. Those points rely on independent reviews. We also skipped TorGuard’s residential IPs and bulk business pricing. Our standalone TunnelBear review and TorGuard review go deeper on each app. Features and prices may change after September 2026.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | TunnelBear |
| 👶 Ease of Use | TunnelBear |
| 🔒 Privacy & Audits | TunnelBear |
| 🌍 Server Network | TorGuard |
| ⚡ Speed | TorGuard |
| 📥 Streaming & Torrenting | TorGuard |
| 🛠️ Advanced Features | TorGuard |
| 🛟 Customer Support | TorGuard |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | TorGuard |
🏆 WINNER: TORGUARD
TorGuard wins 5 out of 8 categories.
Best for: Torrenting, dedicated IP users, and power users who want control
In a crowded VPN market, TorGuard is a full VPN toolkit. You get a bigger network, port forwarding, dedicated IPs, and live chat. That is why it takes the top spot for most paying users.
TunnelBear is still a good VPN for beginners. TunnelBear’s features deliver solid security, yearly audits, and a real free plan. If you want a safe VPN for café Wi-Fi, it may be all you need.
Keep TorGuard’s trade-offs in mind. It lacks an independent audit and has a short refund window. Test it hard during those first seven days.
💡 Rating Note: Ratings match our full reviews: TorGuard 3.8 and TunnelBear 3.5.
More of TunnelBear Compared
Here is how TunnelBear stacks up against other popular VPNs:
TunnelBear wins on: free plan, unlimited devices, simpler app.
NordVPN wins on: far bigger network, reliable streaming, 30-day refund window.
TunnelBear vs ProtonVPN
TunnelBear wins on: no device cap, friendlier map design, easier setup.
ProtonVPN wins on: free tier without a data cap, Swiss base outside Five Eyes, open-source apps.
TunnelBear vs Surfshark
TunnelBear wins on: free plan, cleaner beginner app, long audit history.
Surfshark wins on: more countries, better streaming access, money-back guarantee.
TunnelBear vs CyberGhost
TunnelBear wins on: free option, unlimited devices, fewer settings to learn.
CyberGhost wins on: streaming-labeled servers, larger network, longer refund period.
More of TorGuard Compared
Here is how TorGuard measures up against its closest rivals:
TorGuard wins on: port forwarding, anonymous payment options, more config control.
NordVPN wins on: audited no-logs policy, stronger streaming, longer refund window.
TorGuard wins on: dedicated IP choices, port forwarding, business email add-ons.
ExpressVPN wins on: polished apps, its own Lightway protocol, independent audits.
TorGuard wins on: Stealth VPN tuning, deeper app settings, residential IP options.
PureVPN wins on: more countries, lower long-term price, 31-day refund.
TorGuard wins on: dedicated IPs, higher device limits, private email bundle pricing.
ProtonVPN wins on: free plan, Swiss privacy laws, open-source and audited apps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TunnelBear really free?
Partly. The free plan gives you 2GB of data per month on all core features. For unlimited data, you need a paid plan.
Can TorGuard be trusted?
It claims a strict no-logs policy and uses AES-256. But it has no independent audit and operates from the US, a Five Eyes member.
Is TunnelBear blocked by Netflix?
Usually, yes. Netflix often shows a proxy error when the VPN is on. Amazon Prime Video and Hulu are unreliable too.
How much is TorGuard per month?
Standard costs $10.99/month and Pro costs $14.29/month. Longer billing cycles lower the monthly rate.
Which VPN is better than TunnelBear?
For power features, TorGuard. For streaming, NordVPN or ExpressVPN. For a free option without data caps, ProtonVPN.
English 
Spanish 
Chinese 
German 
French 
Arabic 
Russian 
Portuguese 
Japanese 
Korean 
Italian 
Turkish 
Dutch 
Polish 
Indonesian 
Thai 
Vietnamese 