Disclosure: VPNFin is reader-supported. If you buy a VPN through links on this page, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This never affects our ratings — here’s our full disclosure.
TunnelBear vs ZoogVPN compares two free plans that both come with tools for blocked networks. TunnelBear offers 2 GB a month, GhostBear obfuscation and eight yearly Cure53 audits, VPN.com notes. ZoogVPN, from Patras, Greece, offers 10 GB a month and its Shadow and ZoogTLS protocols, but has no public no-logs audit.
This guide compares the free plans, stealth tools, evidence, paid plans and fit.
TunnelBear vs ZoogVPN: Free Plans
Both free plans are permanent, so you can keep testing without a deadline.
TunnelBear’s free plan gives 2 GB a month and closely resembles its paid version, Gizmodo notes. ZoogVPN’s gives 10 GB a month on one device, with ads on Android and AES-128 encryption rather than its paid AES-256; its own pages disagree on whether free users get three or five locations.
ZoogVPN’s allowance is five times larger; TunnelBear’s is ad-free in our sources and fully featured.
GhostBear or Shadow
Abroad, these tools can decide whether a VPN connects at all.
At home, neither is needed.
Both target networks that block VPNs: TunnelBear’s GhostBear disguises its traffic, and ZoogVPN’s Shadow and ZoogTLS protocols aim to do the same, findcheapvpns and listify note. TunnelBear has given users in censored countries a larger free allowance, close to ZoogVPN’s 10 GB, our tables record.
Test either from the network you will use before relying on it.
Evidence
A warrant canary is a statement updated regularly to show no secret orders have arrived.
Repeated audits show whether practices hold over time.
TunnelBear publishes its yearly Cure53 audits in full. TechRadar reports that one Cure53 review turned up 32 problems, two of them critical, and that TunnelBear published the report anyway. ZoogVPN has no public no-logs audit, though its Android app passed Google Play’s security review and its warrant canary was current to August 2026.
For proof, TunnelBear is clearly ahead. Our VPN audit tracker compares providers.
Paid Plans
Test first.
Introductory prices hide the real cost; compare renewals.
Compare renewal prices, not only the first bill.
TunnelBear costs $3.33 a month on three years, about $120, with unlimited devices. ZoogVPN costs about $59.99 for its two-year plan, with 10 devices in several reviews.
ZoogVPN is cheaper; TunnelBear covers more devices. Our renewal price guide compares renewals.
Network and Platforms
TunnelBear’s apps cover Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, plus browser extensions.
A router running ZoogVPN can cover devices without apps.
Pick the nearest location for the best speed.
VPN.com counts more than 5,000 TunnelBear servers across 47 countries. ZoogVPN’s network covers roughly 35 to 55 countries, listify notes.
Both are mid-sized; TunnelBear’s is the larger.
TunnelBear’s browser extensions protect only the browser.
TechRadar finds TunnelBear thin on Linux, router and console support. ZoogVPN lists apps for Linux and Fire TV plus router setups, Impulsec notes.
Linux and router users get more from ZoogVPN.
Owners and Base
McAfee’s ownership brings resources; ZoogVPN’s independence keeps it small and simple.
Neither runs review sites or partner programmes in our sources.
Greece is an EU member; Canada is part of the Five Eyes alliance.
McAfee owns TunnelBear, based in Toronto, Canada. ZoogVPN is a small independent company under Greek and EU law.
Our VPN ownership guide explains why ownership matters.
Who Each Is For
Families lean to TunnelBear.
Both are easy to install, so testing costs nothing but a few minutes.
TunnelBear suits beginners and families who want audited, simple apps and unlimited devices. ZoogVPN suits budget travellers who want a bigger free allowance, Linux or router support and Shadow.
Try both free plans before paying for either.
Kill Switch and Audit Details
Run a DNS leak test after setup on either service.
TunnelBear’s kill switch is VigilantBear, VPN.com notes, and ZoogVPN documents a kill switch and leak protection, findcheapvpns found.
Briefly disconnect Wi-Fi while connected to check that traffic stops.
One of those reviews took Cure53 42 days, TechRadar notes, among the biggest projects of its kind, and TunnelBear says it has fixed what was found. ZoogVPN’s transparency rests on an Android app security review and a warrant canary instead.
Full audits test far more than an app review.
Paying
TunnelBear no longer takes Bitcoin, so crypto users should look at other options.
TunnelBear dropped Bitcoin, TechRadar notes, leaving cards on its website and app-store billing on phones, and it added two-factor sign-in in January 2025. One 2026 review notes ZoogVPN accepts Alipay and WeChat Pay.
Check payment options and refund rules together.
Streaming
Both free plans let you try streaming before paying.
Testers disagree on TunnelBear’s streaming, our tables record, with some finding US Netflix working on paid plans and others finding most services blocked. ZoogVPN’s smaller network gives fewer locations to try when a service blocks one. For a head-to-head, see our TorGuard vs ZoogVPN comparison.
Neither is a streaming-first choice; test any service within a refund window.
How We Research
This page draws on VPN.com’s, TechRadar’s and Gizmodo’s TunnelBear coverage, findcheapvpns’ ZoogVPN safety check, listify’s 2026 VPN comparison and Impulsec’s ZoogVPN 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 ZoogVPN FAQ
ZoogVPN’s, with 10 GB a month against TunnelBear’s 2 GB.
No public no-logs audit; TunnelBear has eight Cure53 audits.
Both have tools: GhostBear and Shadow.
ZoogVPN, at about $59.99 for two years.
TunnelBear, with no limit.
The Verdict
TunnelBear vs ZoogVPN: TunnelBear for audits and unlimited devices; ZoogVPN for a bigger free plan, Linux support and a lower price.