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VPNchek

Updated Sep 2026

Best TunnelBear Alternatives (2026)

We ranked the top 5 TunnelBear alternatives by score, privacy, streaming, and price. Rankings are based on test data.

Why people leave TunnelBear

Speed

TunnelBear's 76% speed retention is near the bottom of our tests. NordVPN (96%) or ExpressVPN (98%) are meaningfully faster.

5-device limit

TunnelBear caps you at 5 simultaneous connections. Surfshark and PIA offer unlimited devices if you need to cover more.

No WireGuard support

TunnelBear relies on IKEv2 and OpenVPN rather than the faster, more modern WireGuard protocol used by most competitors on this list.

Top TunnelBear alternatives

1
NordVPN

The proven choice for most people.

Best Overall
9.2/10
Excellent

NordVPN has the largest verified server network, consistently fast speeds, and a independently audited no-logs policy. It costs more than Surfshark but the reliability gap is measurable — especially on streaming.

96%

Speed kept

137

Countries

$3.09

/mo 2-yr plan

  • 9,300+ servers in 137 countries — the widest real network we've tested
  • Independent no-logs audits by Deloitte, most recently reconfirmed Feb 2026
  • Meshnet feature lets you connect your own devices without extra cost
  • More expensive than Surfshark or Private Internet Access
See NordVPN dealFull review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Full review →TunnelBear vs NordVPN →Get deal →
2
ProtonVPN

Built by the team behind ProtonMail. Privacy is the product.

Best for Privacy
9.1/10
Excellent

ProtonVPN is the strongest privacy-first choice if you distrust VPN marketing claims. The no-logs policy has been court-tested, the apps are fully open source, and the Swiss jurisdiction is the most legally favorable for privacy in Europe.

87%

Speed kept

129

Countries

$2.99

/mo 2-yr plan

  • Strongest verifiable privacy: open-source apps, court-tested no-logs policy
  • Swiss jurisdiction — outside EU and US data retention laws
  • Secure Core routes traffic through hardened servers in Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland
  • Speeds slower than NordVPN or ExpressVPN — 87% retention
See ProtonVPN dealFull review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Full review →TunnelBear vs ProtonVPN →Get deal →
3
Surfshark

Unlimited devices. Honest price. No surprises.

Best Value
9.0/10
Excellent

Surfshark covers unlimited devices for around $2.49/month on the 2-year plan. Speed is slightly behind NordVPN but more than sufficient. The unlimited simultaneous connections policy alone makes it the obvious choice for households or anyone with more than 5 devices.

91%

Speed kept

100

Countries

$2.49

/mo 2-yr plan

  • Unlimited simultaneous connections — covers every device in your household
  • Around $2.49/month on 2-year plan — still one of the best price-to-feature ratios we've found
  • CleanWeb blocks ads, malware, and trackers (works across all apps, not just browser)
  • Slightly lower speed retention than NordVPN — 91% vs 96%
See Surfshark dealFull review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Full review →TunnelBear vs Surfshark →Get deal →
4
Mullvad

No email. No account name. Flat €5/month. That's it.

Best for Anonymity
8.7/10
Very Good

Mullvad is the only mainstream VPN with genuinely anonymous accounts — you get a random number, not an email address. Flat €5/month with no multi-year lock-in. If maximum privacy is the requirement, this is the answer.

89%

Speed kept

90

Countries

€5.50

/mo annual

  • Anonymous account creation — number only, no email, no name, no tracking
  • Accepts cash payments for complete financial anonymity
  • Flat €5/month — no confusing discount tiers or introductory pricing traps
  • No streaming optimization — unreliable on Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer
See Mullvad dealFull review →
Full review →TunnelBear vs Mullvad →Get deal →
5
ExpressVPN

The fastest VPN we've ever tested. At a price.

Fastest Speeds
8.6/10
Very Good

ExpressVPN is the fastest VPN we've tested and the easiest to use — and a 2026 pricing overhaul dropped its 2-year Basic plan to $2.79/month, undercutting NordVPN rather than costing nearly double.

98%

Speed kept

105

Countries

$2.79

/mo 2-yr plan

  • Fastest speeds we've recorded — 98% speed retention on nearby servers
  • Lightway protocol (proprietary, open-source) is genuinely fast and audited
  • Consistently unblocks all major streaming platforms
  • Multi-tier plan structure (Basic/Advanced/Pro) makes it easy to pay for features you don't need
See ExpressVPN dealFull review →

30-day money-back guarantee

Full review →TunnelBear vs ExpressVPN →Get deal →

Frequently asked questions

Is TunnelBear worth it in 2026?

TunnelBear scores 7.9/10 in our testing — solid but with notable trade-offs. TunnelBear has published the results of its annual third-party security audit every year since 2016 — a transparency record unmatched in the industry. Speeds are modest, server count is limited, but the auditing commitment is genuinely differentiated.

What's cheaper than TunnelBear?

TunnelBear starts at $4.00/month on its best plan. Among the alternatives above, NordVPN, ProtonVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN offer lower pricing while maintaining strong feature coverage.

What's more private than TunnelBear?

For maximum privacy, Mullvad and IVPN offer anonymous account creation (no email required), accept cash payments, and have been independently audited with zero logged data. ProtonVPN is headquartered in Switzerland with open-source apps and court-verified no-logs. If privacy is the primary concern, any of these three are stronger choices than most mainstream VPNs.