Looking for an Unbiased comparison between TunnelBear Vs Windscribe 2024, Don’t worry, I got you covered.
Security has become an important factor these days. Hence, I would love to explain the best way to keep your browsing and data secure.
I have used many techniques, and I have found that VPNs are the best way to maintain our privacy safely.
VPNs are essential these days, as most of our activities have been shifted to online mode.
They ensure our online activities are safe and secure, and both individuals and businesses require them.
In this article, I will compare the two best VPN service providers that are Windscribe vs TunnelBear, to give you a better idea about these providers.
Bottom Line Upfront: TunnelBear is ideal for users seeking simplicity and strong privacy. Its easy-to-use interface and reliable security make it perfect for beginners. Though the free plan offers just 2GB of data, it’s great for light browsing. Compared to Windscribe’s more complex setup, TunnelBear provides a smoother, more user-friendly experience. TunnelBear wins for those who prioritize ease and privacy.
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: An Overview
Windscribe is a VPN service provider that seems to lack attention.
This provider offers a unique build-a-plan option that provides VPN services for just $2 a month, along with features like R.O.B.E.R.T. malware and adblocker.
On the other hand, TunnelBear is a well-known VPN provider. However, its performance doesn’t quite match its reputation.
I have compared TunnelBear and Windscribe on nine different aspects to determine the winner in each category. Let’s move on to the comparisons and see who comes out on top.
TunnelBear Overview:
Windscribe, as well as TunnelBear, performed decently in the U.S. Windscribe definitely lead the battle in this country.
However, Windscribe had a very low download speed in the UK but a fast upload speed, whereas TunnelBear had a great download speed but a very poor upload speed.
In Hong Kong, both TunnelBear and Windscribe performed decently, and TunnelBear won in this country.
Windscribe Overview:
Finally, both VPNs improved slightly in Switzerland, with TunnelBear leading in this area.
Though both TunnelBear and Windscribe will not be part of the list of high-speed VPNs, they are quite usable for many activities on various servers that were tested.
Even slow servers like the UK and Hong Kong could play 1080p videos quickly and were reasonably responsive.
Despite offering faster speeds in the US compared to TunnelBear, Windscribe falls short in other locations due to poor performance.
It seems that Windscribe has prioritized building its US network infrastructure over other locations, resulting in lower performance in those areas.
If you only need to connect to the US, Windscribe will give you better performance. However, TunnelBear provides high speeds and reliable performance worldwide.
Winner for Speed: TunnelBear wins this category.
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: Security and Privacy
Security:
When you consider security features and privacy at TunnelBear, there are not many options offered. TunnelBear uses OpenVPN as its protocol on the majority of devices. The only exception is iOS users, who will use IPSec instead of OpenVPN.
Both are quite strong protocols, and OpenVPN is slightly preferred over the other. These two protocols are paired with an AES-256 bit encryption, irrespective of the device you use.
This, in fact, is great encryption and provides exceptional security.
Windscribe offers its users a few protocol options, one of which is OpenVPN. However, remember that this isn’t its default setting, as IKEv2 is the chosen protocol.
Based on industry standards, Windscribe paired the chosen protocol with AES-256-bit encryption.
Privacy Policies:
Both Windscribe and TunnelBear have privacy policies that focus on transparency and depict respect for their users. However, you must check the information that is logged by the VPN services provider when you go through their privacy policies.
Windscribe gathers minimal user information, which is restricted to connection timestamps, which are generally destroyed when the user disconnects, and data volume information, which is held for 30 days.
Technically, in Windscribe, you do not have to provide an email ID to get your account.
TunnelBear claims not to maintain any logs. Its logging doesn’t include IP addresses or sites visited by the user; however, it collects operational data, like the operating system used by the user. This data is used to maintain the network.
Though both these VPNs offer good VPN security—OpenVPN with the AES-256 bit—Windscribe provides many extra options and gathers less user data than TunnelBear, thereby making it a winner in this category.
Winner- Security features and Privacy Points for Windscribe
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: Streaming
TunnelBear:
On the network of TunnelBear, Netflix was the sole geo-blocked website that could be accessed. Other websites like Hulu, BBC iplayer, and Amazon detected the VPN, post which the VPN had to be turned off to watch any of these websites.
Windscribe:
On the contrary, Windscribe, though earlier, was the best VPN Service for accessing Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, isn’t the same anymore.
On testing this VPN yet another time, this free server didn’t provide access to any site’s content, including BBC iPlayer and Netflix.
The paid servers, known as the “Windflix” servers, work just fine. The Windflix U.S. can access Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu, which helped Windscribe earn a spot earlier.
Though these free servers can no longer access Netflix, Windscribe’s paid servers do a great job of bypassing various VPN denial measures and getting access to geo-blocked content.
Winner for Streaming: Windscribe wins this category.
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: Torrenting
Both VPN providers are quite torrenting-friendly, so you needn’t worry about whether Windscribe permits torrenting or whether you will be in trouble if you use TunnelBear for your P2P downloads.
In order to test the torrenting capability of each VPN, I downloaded a file of a 1.3GB test using each VPN.
TunnelBear:
So, TunnelBear was pretty slow and needed 90 seconds to cross the barrier of 1MB/s. Post this, it boosted to 3MB/s and 4MB/s and didn’t go higher than 8MB/s.
Using TunnelBear, the 1.3GB download could be completed in 5 minutes 45 seconds.
Windscribe:
On the other hand, Windscribe reached 2MB/s in just 30 seconds, which is pretty fast. It gained speed for the initial 2 minutes and then reached the cruising speed of 4MB/s and 7MB/s, with 10MB/s for smaller periods.
The download was completed in 4 minutes and 50 seconds. The testing was done by connecting the VPNs to the nearest US server, and Windscribe was the winner in terms of performance.
However, this cannot be an excuse for TunnelBear’s torrenting performance.
Winner for Torrenting: Windscribe wins this category.
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: Simultaneous Connections
When it comes to simultaneous connections, Windscribe is the Best VPN Service, Provider, It permits unlimited connections on all accounts.
In contrast, TunnelBear offers its users just five connections for every account. Practically, Windscribe is unbeatable in this particular category.
Winner for Simultaneous Connections: Windscribe wins this category.
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: Server Locations
TunnelBear:
TunnelBear has a quite large network of just 47 locations. The servers haven’t been distributed well, and a lot of emphasis is placed on Europe, thereby neglecting the Middle East and Africa.
Windscribe:
On the other hand, Windscribe has a bigger network and the servers are distributed in 59 countries, with many locations in these countries. This comes to the servers being distributed in approximately 110 cities.
Windscribe’s distribution is way better than TunnelBear’s. They also have the infrastructure to service the Middle East and Africa, with servers in Israel, the Emirates, Turkey, and South Africa.
Winner: Server Locations Point for Windscribe
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: Price Options
Both Windscribe and TunnelBear have similar plans and options; however, Windscribe beats TunnelBear at almost all levels.
In the monthly option, Windscribe and TunnelBear provide unlimited data; however, TunnelBear’s monthly price is more than Windscribe’s by a dollar.
TunnelBear:
The annual plans of TunnelBear cost a dollar more per month, too. Both these VPN providers give users a free plan, however, Windscribe free VPN has a lot more data.
- Free Plan: It is free of cost offers 500MB of data, and includes 5 Devices.
- Unlimited: The plan offers Unlimited Bandwidth, includes five devices, offers priority customer service, and offers Bitcoin as a payment option.
- Team Plan: This plan offers unlimited bandwidth. It also allows five devices per user, provides centralized billing and account management, and accepts Bitcoin as a payment option. It costs $5.75 a month.
| TunnelBear plans | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Free | $0.00 |
| Unlimited | $3.33 |
| Teams | $5.75/user |
Their one-year subscription plan costs $4.99 per month. Payment methods available include MasterCard, Bitcoin, Visa, and American Express.
Windscribe:
Windscribe also offers a very unique plan option, known as the “build a plan.” This allows the user to choose the servers they intend to use.
1. Monthly Plan
- $9.00 USD charged every month
- $9.00 per month
- Payment Options: Credit Card, PayPal, Cryptocurrency, Local Payments
- Automatically renews, cancel anytime
2. Yearly Plan (Most Popular)
- $69.00 USD charged annually (every 12 months)
- $5.75 per month
- Payment Options: Credit Card, PayPal, Cryptocurrency, Local Payments
- Automatically renews, cancel anytime
3. Build A Plan (Best Price)
- $1.00 per location, per month
- $0.00 per month
- Payment Options: Credit Card, PayPal, Cryptocurrency, Local Payments
- Automatically renews, cancel anytime
In case you are not satisfied with the VPN post-purchase, there is a refund policy offered by Windscribe, wherein users get 7 days to return the product and get all their money back.
On the contrary, TunnelBear does not provide an official refund policy, and its privacy policy indicates that the refund will be judged according to the case, which means that there is no guarantee of a refund when it comes to TunnelBear.
Winner for Pricing: Windscribe wins this category.
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: User-Friendliness
Both Windscribe and TunnelBear have clients who say VPNs are easy to use.
TunnelBear:
TunnelBear’s interface is huge and requires a lot of screen space. It has a map with tiny tunnels to indicate the location where the user can connect.
TunnelBear also has an option to make the window smaller; however, the map must be left out. This makes it better in contrast to Windscribe’s UI.
The settings menus of TunnelBear explain every option, whereas Windscribe is quite functional in appearance.
Windscribe’s settings menus are cluttered compared to TunnelBear’s; however, this is a sacrifice made for a better user experience.
A person who isn’t very familiar with VPN service providers would prefer using TunnelBear because the settings options explain their usage in great detail.
The interface of Windscribe is clean and streamlined, but it appears that this VPN targets those users who are tech-literate, as its layout is more functionality-driven.
Windscribe:
Windscribe has a very minimalist interface and all the vital information is provided in a compact window. The desktop client of Windscribe is the smallest, and it saves on-screen space.
It has just one dropdown menu to choose the location and it has a big connect button.
Winner for User-Friendliness: TunnelBear wins this category.
TunnelBear Vs Windscribe: Features & Benefits
TunnelBear:
TunnelBear doesn’t have many fancy features. It has almost everything preconfigured, thereby having few added features.
It has an ad blocker, but this is, in fact, only a free extension of the browser that has nothing to add to the VPN service.
Windscribe’s blocker is not built into the software. It has to be set up from the user’s account dashboard.
Windscribe:
Windsribe’s blocker is known as “R.O.B.E.R.T. ” It is powerful, in contrast to TunnelBear’s blocker.
It allows you to personalize the content that is to be blocked, which means that this ad blocker could be used for blocking malware and ads, and it can be configured easily to block content such as gambling sites, porn, and publishers of fake news, based on the prebuilt lists of Windscribe.
Windscribe also offers its users access to a specific tool – Secure Link.
This allows you to evaluate and vet sites prior to visiting them by simply looking at the kind of trackers available on that site without the need to actually visit the site.
Winner for Features: Windscribe wins this category.
Pros and Cons: TunnelBear Vs Windscribe
TunnelBear Pros
- Easy to use with a simple interface
- Strong focus on security and privacy
- Free plan available with limited data
- Offers servers in multiple countries
TunnelBear Cons
- Limited advanced features for power users
Windscribe Pros
- Generous free plan with 10GB of data per month
- Supports torrenting and streaming
- Strong privacy features with customizable options
- Available on a wide range of devices
Windscribe Cons
- Speeds can be inconsistent
- The interface may feel complicated for beginners
FAQs
👉Which VPN service offers more server locations, TunnelBear or Windscribe?
Windscribe has a broader range of server locations compared to TunnelBear. This can be a significant advantage for users looking to access content from a wide array of regions.
✔How do TunnelBear and Windscribe compare in terms of pricing and plans?
Both TunnelBear and Windscribe offer free and paid plans. Windscribe's free plan has a higher data allowance, while TunnelBear offers an unlimited data option in its paid plans. Pricing for premium plans varies, with Windscribe generally being more flexible.
👍Can I use TunnelBear or Windscribe for streaming services like Netflix?
Windscribe is generally more reliable for streaming services like Netflix, especially with its Windflix feature. TunnelBear can sometimes bypass geo-restrictions but is less consistent for streaming.
🤷♀️Is there any difference in the speed offered by TunnelBear and Windscribe?
The speed can vary based on several factors, but generally, Windscribe offers faster speeds than TunnelBear, particularly on its paid plans.
👀Which VPN service is better for mobile devices?
Both TunnelBear and Windscribe have dedicated apps for iOS and Android. User preference might vary, but TunnelBear is often noted for its simple and mobile-friendly interface.
Quick Links:
- NordVPN Review: Is This VPN Service Worth The Hype?
- PureVPN Review: Is It Worth The Price?
- PureVPN Pricing: How Much Does PureVPN Cost?
- Windscribe VPN Review: Is Windscribe VPN Trustworthy?
- ExpressVPN Vs TunnelBear: Which VPN Provider Is Worth Buying?
- PureVPN Vs ExpressVPN: The Ultimate VPN Wars!
Conclusion: TunnelBear Vs Windscribe 2024
TunnelBear stands out for its appealing design and straightforward approach, making it an excellent choice for VPN newcomers. Its commitment to security is demonstrated through annual independent audits.
On the other hand, Windscribe sets itself apart with its generous free tier, providing users with a substantial amount of data each month and access to a wide range of server locations.
Additionally, Windscribe offers advanced features like customizable plans and an ad blocker, catering to both casual users and those with specific VPN needs.
Choosing between TunnelBear and Windscribe ultimately depends on individual preferences and requirements. TunnelBear is a compelling choice for users seeking simplicity and proven security.
Meanwhile, Windscribe appeals to those looking for flexibility in data usage and additional features without committing to a premium plan.
Both VPNs uphold a high standard of privacy and offer distinct advantages, making them reputable options in the crowded VPN market.
