⚡ Quick Verdict:
- Pricing: TunnelBear Unlimited costs $3.33/mo. AuraVPN starts at $10/month for the Kids plan.
- Best for: TunnelBear for online privacy and simple VPN use. Aura for identity theft protection.
- Key difference: TunnelBear lets you pick server locations. Aura’s VPN does not.
- Our pick: TunnelBear, because it does the VPN job properly and costs far less.
These two products are not really rivals.
TunnelBear is a virtual private network with a bear theme.
AuraVPN is one feature inside a wider identity protection bundle.
So the real question is what you are buying.
A tool that hides your IP address, or a service that watches your credit file?
Overview
This TunnelBear vs AuraVPN comparison covers pricing, security features, speed, and support.
Our sources include published specs, privacy policies, and public user reviews.
Our writer also spent hands-on time with Aura directly.
Notes on TunnelBear come from documentation and third-party audit reports.
By the end you will know which one fits your budget.
What is TunnelBear?
TunnelBear VPN is a Canadian service owned by McAfee.
It encrypts your internet connection and hides your real IP address.
The TunnelBear app uses a world map to pick server locations.
You get a Windows app, a Mac app, mobile apps, and browser extensions.
There is no router or Linux install, which annoys power users.
The quirky bear theme makes it an easy first pick for VPN newbies.
Our full TunnelBear review breaks down each feature on its own page.
🏆 Winner: TunnelBear
A simple, audited VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections. Start on the free plan and pay only if you like it.
TunnelBear Pricing
Here is what TunnelBear cost looks like on our data.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Testing and Limited usage | Trying the free version before you buy |
| Unlimited | $3.33/mo | Everyday use on all your devices |
| Teams | $5.75/user per month | Small teams with central billing |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: No timed trial. Instead there is a permanent free account with a hard data limit.
Money back guarantee: None. TunnelBear does not offer refunds, so the free plan is your only safe test.
📌 Note: The TunnelBear free plan caps you at 500 MB per month. Promotions, such as tweeting TunnelBear’s Twitter account, have pushed that to 2GB. Paid plans remove the cap and give you unlimited data.
⚠️ Price conflict: Public sources list $9.99 monthly, $39.99 yearly, and $120 for three years, with annual renewal at $59.88. Our CSV lists $3.33/mo. We use the CSV figure everywhere. Check the TunnelBear site before you purchase TunnelBear.
Key Benefits of TunnelBear
Here is what makes TunnelBear worth a look:
- Audited code: Cure53 has run security audits since 2016. Findings, including critical ones, were fixed and published.
- Real no-logs policy: It does not log IP addresses, DNS queries, or browsing history. Only operational data such as OS version and app version is kept.
- VigilantBear kill switch: This blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection drops. No accidental leaks.
- SplitBear split tunneling: Choose which apps and sites route through the tunnel. Banking apps can skip it.
- Unlimited simultaneous connections: The premium plan covers unlimited device connections. Cover the whole household on one paid subscription.
- Transparency reports: TunnelBear publishes data requests received and confirms it had nothing to hand over.
- Genuinely free tier: No card needed. A rare thing among VPN providers.
What Our Team Noticed
We should be straight with you here.
Note: We have not logged extended hands-on time with the TunnelBear app in 2026. Everything above comes from published documentation, the Cure53 audit reports, and public user reviews. Our Aura notes below are first-hand.
TunnelBear Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Independent security audits by Cure53 every year since 2016
- AES-256 encryption with a no-logging policy on browsing activity
- Unlimited simultaneous connections on the premium subscription plan
- Free plan lets you test the service without a credit card
- Simple setup and a friendly interface for first-time users
❌ Cons
- No money-back guarantee on any subscription
- Small server network with only 48 server locations
- Struggles to unblock Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
- No live chat support, only a web form and email
What is AuraVPN?
AuraVPN is the virtual private network built into Aura’s security suite.
You cannot buy it alone. It ships with identity theft protection.
Every plan includes antivirus software, a password manager, and credit monitoring.
Aura offers apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.
The VPN itself covers up to 10 devices per user on individual plans.
Aura’s identity theft protections are the real product. The VPN is added protection.
Aura helps most when its unique features and other features are all in use.
AuraVPN
Identity theft protection with a VPN, antivirus, and parental controls attached. Backed by a 60 day money back guarantee.
AuraVPN Pricing
Aura plans are priced by household size, not by feature tier.
| Plan | Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Kids | $10/month | Child SSN and screen time limits |
| Individual | $12/month | One adult member |
| Couple | $22/month | Two adults sharing one account |
| Family | $32/month | Up to five adults plus children |
Pricing verified September 2026.
Free trial: 14 days on all plans. Cancel inside the window and you are not charged.
Money back guarantee: 60 days. That is a long runway to test Aura properly.
📌 Note: All plans include the same core features. You are paying for how many people are covered, not for extra features. The Family plan covers unlimited children’s Social Security Numbers.
⚠️ Price conflict: Public sources list three plans at $15, $29, and $50 per month. Our CSV lists four plans starting at $10/month. We use the CSV figures in every table and card here. Confirm at checkout before you pay.
Key Benefits of AuraVPN
Here is what you get beyond the VPN:
- $1M identity theft insurance: Covers eligible losses and legal fees after identity theft. This is the headline feature.
- Credit and fraud alerts: Aura monitors personal information against billions of data points. It flags credit fraud up to 250 times faster than rivals.
- Experian credit lock: Lock your Experian credit file instantly from the app. Useful when you spot odd credit inquiries.
- Dark web monitoring: Scans dark web sources for your leaked personal information after data breaches.
- Bank and financial account watch: Tracks suspicious financial transactions across connected bank accounts and financial accounts.
- Family plan parental controls: Safe gaming, screen time limits, and filters for dangerous sites are built in.
- U.S. fraud specialists: Real people help you clean up the mess when identity thieves strike.
What Our Team Noticed
Our writer had Aura installed on a laptop and phone for several days. Here is what stood out from that hands-on time:
AuraVPN Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- $1 million in identity theft insurance across every plan
- Antivirus scored between 98% and 100% in independent malware tests
- 60-day money back guarantee plus a 14-day free trial
- Blocks known scam, phishing, and malicious websites
- Password manager and digital vault included at no extra cost
❌ Cons
- No kill switch, which rules out safe torrenting
- You cannot choose your server location
- Not supported in China or parts of the Middle East
- Premium price compared with standalone VPN services
Feature Comparison
Here is the side-by-side on the things people actually ask about. Eleven categories, no padding.
| Feature | TunnelBear | AuraVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $3.33/mo | $10/month |
| Free Plan | ✅ | ❌ (14-day trial) |
| Choose Server Location | ✅ | ❌ |
| Kill Switch | ✅ | ❌ |
| Split Tunneling | ✅ | ✅ |
| Identity Theft Protection | ❌ | ✅ |
| Antivirus Software | ❌ | ✅ |
| Password Manager | ❌ | ✅ |
| Money Back Guarantee | ❌ | ✅ 60 days |
| Best For | Online privacy on a budget | Identity protection for families |
1. Server Network and Server Locations
TunnelBear: A small server network with 48 server locations across 47 countries. That is modest next to other VPN providers. But you pick the exact country TunnelBear routes you through, including a Canada server or the nearest server for speed.
AuraVPN: Over 100 virtual locations, so on paper it beats TunnelBear on how many servers it lists. The catch is big. Aura’s VPN does not let you choose your server location at all.
⚠️ Warning: Server count means nothing if you cannot select one. If you need a specific country, Aura is the wrong tool.
2. Download Speeds and Performance
TunnelBear: Reported download speeds average around 40% of the base speed across tested locations. TunnelBear’s performance also swings hard between different servers, and TunnelBear’s servers vary by region, and distant ones drag. Connection times can pass 10 seconds.
AuraVPN: Aura’s VPN is fast, with minimal impact on connection speed during normal use. It is billed as a decent all-rounder rather than a streaming or torrenting tool.
3. Encryption and Security Features
TunnelBear: AES-256 encryption protects your encrypted data end to end. The encrypted client supports WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2. Independent testing found no DNS leaks or data leaks.
AuraVPN: Strong encryption protects your internet connection, and the digital vault uses the same standard for sensitive information. Aura also blocks malicious sites and phishing attempts at the network level.
⚠️ Warning: Note the protocol gap in older coverage. Some sources say TunnelBear lacks WireGuard. Current documentation lists it as supported.
4. Kill Switch, Split Tunneling and GhostBear
TunnelBear: VigilantBear is the kill switch. It cuts all incoming and outgoing internet traffic until the VPN connection returns. SplitBear handles split tunneling, and GhostBear disguises VPN traffic in heavily censored countries.
AuraVPN: Split Tunneling lets you pick which apps and sites use the VPN. But there is no kill switch. Aura also allows P2P traffic while advising against torrenting for exactly that reason.
5. Streaming and Access to Global Content
TunnelBear: This is the weak spot. It often returns a proxy error on Netflix and stumbles on Amazon Prime Video and Hulu. It does unblock smaller streaming sites. GhostBear can help, but it slashes browser traffic speeds.
AuraVPN: No location picker means no reliable way to access global content on Netflix or Apple TV. Aura is explicit that it is not optimised for high-end streaming.
⚠️ Warning: Neither of these is a streaming VPN. If Netflix is your main reason to buy, look at other VPN services.
6. Privacy, Logging and Security Audits
TunnelBear: The privacy policy rules out logs of IP addresses, DNS queries, and browsing history. It keeps operational data such as your operating system, OS version, TunnelBear app version, and monthly data used. Being based in Canada, a Five Eyes country, is the trade-off.
AuraVPN: Aura keeps a strict no-logs policy on browsing history, though it may log your IP address briefly during a session. It has no public security audit record matching TunnelBear’s.
7. Identity Theft Protection, Insurance and Credit Monitoring
TunnelBear: None of this exists here. TunnelBear offers privacy on the wire and nothing else. No credit reports, no annual credit report access, no alerts.
AuraVPN: This is why people buy Aura. Identity theft protection services cover $1 million in insurance for eligible losses and legal fees. Aura monitored accounts trigger alerts on credit inquiries, and it catches most credit inquiries faster than rival identity protection services. Alerts are tied to credit scoring systems rather than raw bank feeds.
⚠️ Warning: Aura’s identity theft protection is reactive. It alerts you after something has already happened, not before.
8. Antivirus and Malware Protection
TunnelBear: No antivirus and no malware protection. A VPN encrypts traffic. It does not scan files.
AuraVPN: Aura antivirus scored between 98% and 100% in malware detection tests, blocking the vast majority of threats. Real time malware protection covers viruses, spyware, and ransomware. Its real-time scanner caught and blocked most malware files in testing. Real time protection is available on Windows, Mac, and Android.
AuraVPN (financial fraud): Aura watches financial transactions across online accounts and flags financial fraud early. Home title monitoring, investment account monitoring, and address monitoring are part of the wider package.
⚠️ Warning: Aura’s antivirus skips a firewall, Wi-Fi network protection, scheduled scans, and scan logs. Norton and Bitdefender pack more features here.
9. Password Manager, Parental Controls and Data Broker Removal
TunnelBear: Not offered. You would pair TunnelBear with a separate password manager and buy any family filtering tool on its own.
AuraVPN: Aura’s password manager builds strong passwords and warns you when one shows up in a breach. Parental controls on family plans add safe gaming and screen time limits. Data broker removal pulls your details from data brokers and data broker sites, with spam list removal included.
10. Device Support, Apps and Customer Support
TunnelBear: Desktop and mobile apps cover Windows mobile devices, Mac, Android, and iOS, plus browser extensions. Unlimited device connections let you run all your devices simultaneously. Customer support is a web form and email only, with no live chat support and mixed reviews of the support team.
AuraVPN: Up to 10 devices per user, or 50 devices across five adults on family plans. U.S. based fraud specialists answer the phone, which is a real edge over a web form. Spam call blocking is an extra layer on mobile devices.
11. Pricing & Cost
Let’s put the plans side by side.
| Tier | TunnelBear | AuraVPN |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Testing and Limited usage | ❌ |
| Entry | Unlimited $3.33/mo | Kids $10/month |
| Standard | ❌ | Individual $12/month |
| Multi-user | Teams $5.75/user per month | Couple $22/month |
| Household | ❌ | Family $32/month |
TunnelBear: At $3.33/mo for Unlimited, this sits at the cheap end of the VPN market. You save money versus almost any bundle. The missing refund policy is the risk, so use the free account first.
AuraVPN: Roughly three times the entry price, but you are buying five products in one. Judge whether Aura worth it comes down to the insurance and monitoring, not the VPN. The 60 day money back guarantee lowers the risk of trying.
Different Scenarios
| If You Need… | Choose | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest monthly price | TunnelBear | $3.33/mo versus $10/month |
| To pick a country | TunnelBear | Aura has no location picker |
| Identity theft insurance | AuraVPN | $1M cover on every plan |
| Antivirus in the same app | AuraVPN | 98-100% detection scores |
| A refund safety net | AuraVPN | 60 days, TunnelBear has none |
| Beginner-friendly VPN | TunnelBear | Simplest setup in its class |
💰 Your Budget
TunnelBear costs a third of Aura’s entry plan. If you only want online privacy, paying Aura prices is wasted money.
🔌 Your Tech Stack
Already paying for antivirus and a password manager? Aura duplicates them. Already covered by a bank’s fraud alerts? The overlap grows.
🌍 Your Travel Habits
Aura does not officially work in China or parts of the Middle East. TunnelBear’s GhostBear was built for restricted networks.
🎓 Your Experience Level
Both are beginner tools. Power users will find TunnelBear’s features thin and Aura’s VPN controls thinner still.
🆓 Free Trials and Demos
Test TunnelBear on its free plan with no card. Test Aura on the 14-day trial, then lean on the day money back guarantee window.
🛟 Support Options
TunnelBear has a deep FAQ library but only email support, and replies can lag. Aura gives you specialists on the phone.
Switching Guide
Already on one of them? Here is the trade.
🔄 Switching from TunnelBear to AuraVPN?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- $1M identity theft insurance and dark web monitoring
- Antivirus, password manager, and parental controls in one app
- A 60-day refund window instead of no refunds at all
❌ What you’ll lose:
- The kill switch and safe torrenting
- Server location choice and GhostBear obfuscation
- The free plan and the $3.33/mo price
📋 How to switch:
- Cancel the TunnelBear paid subscription before renewal
- Start Aura’s 14-day free trial and run the setup wizard
- Connect your bank accounts and credit file, then uninstall TunnelBear
🔄 Switching from AuraVPN to TunnelBear?
✅ What you’ll gain:
- A working kill switch and split tunneling you control
- Country selection across 48 server locations
- Published security audits and a far lower monthly bill
❌ What you’ll lose:
- Identity theft insurance and credit monitoring
- Antivirus, the password manager, and data broker removal
- Phone access to U.S. fraud specialists
📋 How to switch:
- Export saved logins from Aura’s vault to a standalone password manager
- Cancel Aura inside the 60-day window for a refund
- Create a free TunnelBear account and test before upgrading
What Our Review Didn’t Cover
We did not benchmark either product on our own hardware, so the speed figures here come from published third-party testing. We did not file an identity theft claim with Aura, which is the only real test of its insurance. Business deployments, router setups, and long-term billing behaviour sit outside this comparison. Pricing also disagreed between our CSV and public sources, so verify at checkout.
Final Verdict
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| 💰 Pricing | TunnelBear |
| 🌐 Server Control | TunnelBear |
| ⚡ Speed | AuraVPN |
| 🔒 VPN Security Features | TunnelBear |
| 🛡️ Identity Protection | AuraVPN |
| 🦠 Malware Protection | AuraVPN |
| 👶 Ease of Use | TunnelBear |
| 🛟 Support | AuraVPN |
| 🏆 Overall Winner | TunnelBear |
🏆 WINNER: TUNNELBEAR
TunnelBear wins 4 of 8 categories and takes the overall pick on VPN function and price.
Best for: Public Wi-Fi safety, country switching, beginners, budget buyers
The scorecard splits evenly, and that is the honest picture. TunnelBear takes it because this is a VPN comparison, and it behaves like a VPN should.
It is a good VPN for the money. Audited, simple, and cheap. It is not a safe VPN choice for streaming, and the missing refund policy stings.
Aura is the better buy if your worry is identity thieves rather than your IP address. The VPN inside it is a bonus feature, not the product.
Pick TunnelBear for privacy. Pick Aura if you want your credit file watched too.
More of TunnelBear Compared
Here is how TunnelBear lands against other VPN providers:
TunnelBear vs NordVPN
TunnelBear wins on: Simpler interface, a usable free tier, unlimited device connections
NordVPN wins on: Thousands more servers, reliable Netflix access, a 30-day refund
TunnelBear wins on: Much lower monthly cost, free plan, friendlier onboarding
ExpressVPN wins on: Router support, 105-country coverage, stronger streaming record
TunnelBear vs Surfshark VPN
TunnelBear wins on: Longer audit history, no-card free tier, lighter app
Surfshark VPN wins on: Bigger server network, ad blocking, money-back guarantee
TunnelBear vs ProtonVPN
TunnelBear wins on: Easier first-run setup, playful design, cheaper paid tier
ProtonVPN wins on: Unlimited free data, Linux and router support, Swiss jurisdiction
More of AuraVPN Compared
And how Aura lands against standalone VPN services:
AuraVPN wins on: Identity theft insurance, credit alerts, bundled antivirus
NordVPN wins on: Server choice, a kill switch, China-capable obfuscation
AuraVPN wins on: Family coverage for children, parental controls, fraud specialists by phone
ExpressVPN wins on: Streaming reliability, audited VPN infrastructure, per-device control
AuraVPN wins on: Dark web scanning, password manager, 60-day refund window
PureVPN wins on: Dedicated IP options, port forwarding, far cheaper long-term plans
AuraVPN vs CyberGhost
AuraVPN wins on: Financial monitoring, spam call blocking, one bill for the household
CyberGhost wins on: Streaming-optimised servers, 45-day refund, no-log audits
Frequently Asked Questions
Is TunnelBear really free?
Yes, the free version is real and needs no card. It caps you at 500 MB per month, which promotions have raised to 2GB.
Is TunnelBear blocked by Netflix?
Usually, yes. Netflix often returns a proxy error. Smaller streaming platforms work more often, but treat streaming as unreliable here.
Is TunnelBear a trusted VPN?
Cure53 has audited it since 2016 and the findings are public. It does not log browsing activity, though Canada is a Five Eyes country.
Is Aura a good VPN?
It is a decent all-rounder with fast speeds and safe browsing filters. No kill switch and no server picker keep it out of the top tier.
Is paying for Aura worth it?
Worth it if you want identity monitoring, antivirus, and $1M insurance in one bill. If you only want a VPN, it is overpriced.
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