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TunnelBear vs PrivadoVPN is a contest between two free plans with opposite strengths. TunnelBear’s gives 2 GB a month, backed by eight yearly Cure53 audits, VPN.com notes. PrivadoVPN’s gives 10 GB a month at full speed on about 13 locations, and Top10VPN found it opened US and UK Netflix, but PrivadoVPN has no audit in our table.
This guide compares the free plans, evidence, paid plans, streaming, torrenting and fit.
TunnelBear vs PrivadoVPN: Free Plans
Both free plans are permanent, with no time limit.
TunnelBear’s 2 GB resets monthly, and the free plan closely resembles the paid version apart from the cap, Gizmodo notes. PrivadoVPN’s 10 GB runs at full speed, then moves you to slower servers, on one device.
PrivadoVPN’s free plan goes five times further; TunnelBear’s comes with stronger evidence.
Evidence
An audit checks systems against the privacy policy at a point in time.
TunnelBear publishes its yearly Cure53 audits in full, VPN.com notes. Those reports are not always flattering: one Cure53 review found 32 issues, including two critical and eight high-severity vulnerabilities, TechRadar notes, and TunnelBear published it rather than hiding it. PrivadoVPN has no audit in our table, and PCWorld notes it collects device and traffic data to enforce plan limits.
For proof, TunnelBear is ahead. Our VPN audit tracker compares records.
Paid Plans
TunnelBear’s unlimited devices can make it cheaper per device for a large family.
Introductory prices hide the real cost, so compare renewals too.
TunnelBear costs $3.33 a month on three years, about $120, with unlimited devices, TechRadar and Gizmodo note. PrivadoVPN Premium costs $1.11 a month on two years, with 10 devices and SOCKS5.
PrivadoVPN is cheaper; TunnelBear covers more devices. Our renewal price guide compares renewals.
Streaming
Both free plans let you test streaming before paying anything.
Results change as services update their blocks; test what you use.
VPNOverview found PrivadoVPN opening Netflix in the US, UK, Australia, Brazil and Japan in 2026. Testers disagree on TunnelBear, with some finding US Netflix working on paid plans and others finding most services blocked, our tables record.
For streaming, PrivadoVPN is the safer bet.
Torrenting and Censored Networks
Neither offers port forwarding in our sources, so open ports need another provider.
Bind your torrent client to the VPN and check its IP before downloading.
PrivadoVPN includes SOCKS5 on Premium and allows P2P on selected servers. TunnelBear has no port forwarding or SOCKS5, and testers disagree on its P2P support.
Torrent users should lean towards PrivadoVPN.
TunnelBear has also offered free users in censored countries extra data, up to about 10 GB, our tables record.
TunnelBear’s GhostBear mode disguises VPN traffic, VPN.com notes. We found no comparable obfuscation feature for PrivadoVPN in our sources.
For filtered networks, TunnelBear has the specific tool.
Platforms
Check that your devices are covered before paying.
A router covers devices without an app, on PrivadoVPN at least.
TunnelBear offers little support for Linux, routers and consoles, TechRadar notes. PrivadoVPN’s Fire TV app works on all plans, and its Linux support is for Premium only.
Fire TV owners can use PrivadoVPN free.
Who Each Is For
Start with PrivadoVPN’s free plan if streaming matters, TunnelBear’s if audits do.
Both are simple to install, so testing them side by side takes only minutes.
TunnelBear suits beginners and families who value published audits and unlimited devices. PrivadoVPN suits people who want more free data, streaming, SOCKS5 and the lowest paid price.
Try both free plans; they cost nothing.
Kill Switch, Owners and Base
TunnelBear’s kill switch is called VigilantBear, VPN.com notes. PrivadoVPN’s per-app kill switch passed TechRadar’s stress tests, though its on-screen explanation was imprecise.
Test either by switching Wi-Fi off and on while connected.
McAfee owns TunnelBear, based in Toronto. PrivadoVPN moved from Switzerland to Iceland in May 2026; Iceland is outside the EU but inside the European Economic Area, where the GDPR applies.
Our VPN ownership guide explains why ownership matters.
What the Audits Covered, and Paying
Cure53 spent 42 days on one TunnelBear review, TechRadar notes, among the largest such projects it has seen, and TunnelBear says it fixed the issues found. PrivadoVPN publishes no comparable report in our sources.
A published report with problems found and fixed tells you more than a clean marketing claim.
TunnelBear takes cards on its website and app-store payments on phones, but no longer accepts Bitcoin, TechRadar notes, and it added two-factor sign-in in January 2025, Tom’s Guide reported. PrivadoVPN’s free plan needs no payment at all.
Pick the payment method with refunds in mind.
Server Networks
Test first.
A closer server usually means better speed.
TunnelBear runs more than 5,000 servers in 47 countries, VPN.com counts. PrivadoVPN has servers in 60 cities across 49 countries, its Wikipedia entry notes. Our PrivadoVPN vs TorGuard comparison sets the two side by side.
Both cover the main destinations; PrivadoVPN reaches slightly more countries.
How We Research
This page draws on VPN.com’s, TechRadar’s and Gizmodo’s TunnelBear coverage, PrivadoVPN’s Wikipedia entry and VPNOverview’s, Top10VPN’s and PCWorld’s PrivadoVPN coverage. We cross-checked these sources against each other, and where they conflict or something can’t be verified, we say so in the text rather than guessing. We checked time-sensitive figures, including prices in US dollars, on 8 October 2026. The main source we relied on is VPN.com’s TunnelBear review. Our full approach lives on the About Us page.
TunnelBear vs PrivadoVPN FAQ
PrivadoVPN’s for data and streaming; TunnelBear’s for audits.
TunnelBear 2 GB a month; PrivadoVPN 10 GB.
Not in our table; TunnelBear has eight Cure53 audits.
PrivadoVPN, from $1.11 a month.
TunnelBear, with no limit.
The Verdict
TunnelBear vs PrivadoVPN: TunnelBear for audits, unlimited devices and GhostBear; PrivadoVPN for more free data, streaming and price.