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TunnelBear vs StrongVPN fills opposite gaps. TunnelBear, owned by McAfee, has eight yearly Cure53 audits and unlimited devices but little support for routers and games consoles, TechRadar notes. StrongVPN, launched in 2005 and owned by Ziff Davis, has no audit in our table but offers Smart DNS for consoles, 12 devices and the lowest local ping of 59 VPNs in Top10VPN’s 2026 tests.
This guide compares evidence, living-room devices, speed, free use, price and fit.
TunnelBear vs StrongVPN on Evidence
Publishing bad findings shows the audits are genuine tests.
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. StrongVPN has no audit in our table, and Top10VPN notes its apps are unaudited and lack post-quantum encryption.
For proof, TunnelBear is clearly ahead. Our VPN audit tracker compares records.
Consoles, TVs and Routers
Smart DNS adds no encryption, so it suits streaming rather than privacy.
StrongVPN’s Smart DNS lets a games console or smart TV reach streaming services without a VPN app, and it has a Fire TV app and a WireGuard generator for routers. TunnelBear offers little support for routers and consoles, TechRadar notes.
For the living room, StrongVPN is the practical choice.
Speed, Ping and Free Use
StrongVPN’s speed claims can only be tested on a paid plan, since it has no free tier.
Ping matters most for games and calls; download speed for streaming.
Top10VPN found StrongVPN had the lowest local ping of the 59 VPNs it reviewed in 2026. We found no recent independent speed figures for TunnelBear in our sources.
Gamers will notice StrongVPN’s ping most.
Use TunnelBear’s free plan to check its apps before paying.
TunnelBear’s free plan gives 2 GB a month and closely resembles the paid version, Gizmodo notes. StrongVPN has no free plan, and its monthly plan carries no refund.
Only TunnelBear can be tried without paying.
Price and Devices
StrongVPN’s monthly plan carries no refund, so test on a yearly plan.
TunnelBear costs $3.33 a month on three years, about $120, or $4.99 a month on a yearly plan, TechRadar lists. StrongVPN costs $47.69 for the first year, then $89.99.
TunnelBear is cheaper over three years. Our renewal price guide compares renewals.
A router running StrongVPN counts as one device and covers everything behind it.
TunnelBear allows unlimited devices on paid plans; StrongVPN allows 12.
Both cover a typical household; TunnelBear covers any size.
Streaming and Censored Networks
More server choices help when a service blocks one.
StrongVPN works best for US services, Top10VPN found, unblocking HBO Max on the first attempt. Testers disagree on TunnelBear’s streaming, our tables record.
Test your services within each refund window.
Test GhostBear from the network you will use.
TunnelBear’s GhostBear mode disguises VPN traffic, VPN.com notes. We found no comparable obfuscation feature for StrongVPN in our sources.
Travellers to filtered countries should lean towards TunnelBear.
Who Each Is For
Count your consoles and TVs first; that usually decides it.
TunnelBear suits beginners, travellers and families who want published audits, unlimited devices and a free plan. StrongVPN suits console owners and gamers who want Smart DNS and low ping.
Owners differ too: McAfee for TunnelBear, Ziff Davis for StrongVPN.
Kill Switch
Check it after updates.
Then run a DNS leak test.
Repeat the test after app updates, which can reset settings.
TunnelBear’s kill switch is VigilantBear, VPN.com notes. StrongVPN’s kill switch is off by default, Top10VPN notes, and its split tunnelling works only on Android.
Switch the kill switch on and test it after setup.
What the Audits Covered
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. StrongVPN publishes no audit in our table.
A report with problems found and fixed says more than a clean claim.
Paying, Account Security and Server Networks
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. StrongVPN refunds yearly plans within 30 days but not monthly ones.
Turn on two-factor sign-in where offered.
TunnelBear runs more than 5,000 servers in 47 countries, VPN.com counts. StrongVPN offers around 67 locations in 42 countries in one 2026 count.
Both cover the main destinations; TunnelBear’s network is larger.
Teams Plans
Few homes need it.
Teams adds central billing for several staff accounts.
TunnelBear sells a Teams plan from $5.75 per user a month, our tables record, for small businesses that want central billing. We found no comparable business plan for StrongVPN in our sources. For a head-to-head, see our StrongVPN vs TorGuard comparison.
Home users can ignore this; small offices may want to compare.
How We Research
This page draws on VPN.com’s, TechRadar’s and Gizmodo’s TunnelBear coverage, Top10VPN’s StrongVPN review and our price tables. 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 StrongVPN FAQ
TunnelBear for audits and devices; StrongVPN for consoles and gaming.
It offers little support, TechRadar notes; StrongVPN has Smart DNS.
Not in our table; TunnelBear has eight Cure53 audits.
TunnelBear, at about $120.
Only TunnelBear, with 2 GB a month.
The Verdict
TunnelBear vs StrongVPN: TunnelBear for audits, unlimited devices and a free start; StrongVPN for Smart DNS, consoles and low ping.