September 5, 2023
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Although TunnelBear and SurfEasy aren’t in the category of leading VPN providers, they still come with decent services that can fulfill your needs. You can use them for streaming, torrenting, bypassing geo-restrictions, and, in some cases, circumventing online censorship.
However, one of them is better and excels in more aspects. Therefore, we decided to compare them side-by-side and see which VPN will provide you with a better experience. So, let’s start our TunnelBear vs. SurfEasy comparison.
TunnelBear vs SurfEasy: specifications
TunnelBear is a popular VPN that has a sizable server network. More precisely, it offers 1800+ servers in 48+ countries. Its most recognizable features are the free version and the paid plan that allows you to customize a VPN plan according to your needs. Furthermore, TunnelBear facilitates decent speeds and performance.
On the contrary, SurfEasy has 2000+ servers in only 31+ countries worldwide. In addition, it comes with an OpenVPN protocol and IKEv2, which is not enough for top-notch speeds. Compared to TunnelBear, the VPN is also less compatible with devices, and it works with fewer streaming platforms. Worst of all, it doesn’t come with any expanded functionality.
Due to this, TunnelBear is the overall winner of our thorough SurfEasy vs. TunnelBear comparison. Now, let’s break down the aspects and see whether SurfEasy excels in any.
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐Our rating | 7.2⭐ | 3.6⭐ |
| 💸Current offer | Get Tunnelbear 50% OFF! | Get SurfEasy |
| 💰Price starts from | $3.33/month | $2.49/month |
| 💳Money-back guarantee | No | 14 days |
| 📖No-logs policy | Not audited | Not audited |
| 🌐Servers | 1800+ servers in 48+ countries | 2000+ servers in 31+ countries |
| 🔒VPN protocols | WireGuard, OpenVPN, IKEv2 | OpenVPN, IKEv2 |
| 🍿Streaming | Netflix US, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube TV | Netflix US |
| 🖥️Platforms | Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS | Windows, macOS, iOS |
SurfEasy vs TunnelBear: pricing
| Plans and payments | SurfEasy | TunnelBear |
| Free version | No | Yes |
| Free trial | No | No |
| One month | $5.99/month | $9.99/month |
| One year | $2.49/month | $4.99/month |
| Three years | – | $3.33/month |
| Money-back guarantee | 14 days | No |
| Payment options | Credit card, PayPal | Credit Card, Bitcoin |
Before we get into the other aspects, the first on our list is the pricing. This is crucial, so you can see whether you get real value for your money. Therefore, from what we’ve seen, TunnelBear wins this round as it’s more affordable.
TunnelBear pricing
TunnelBear comes with a free plan but doesn’t include a free trial or a money-back guarantee. In terms of pricing, there are several options and they’re decent at that:
- $9.99/month for the monthly plan
- $4.99/month for the 1-year plan
- $3.33/month for the 2-year plan
You can make a purchase by using your credit and debit cards and Bitcoin. As you can see, TunnelBear accepts cryptocurrencies, meaning you’ll enjoy total anonymity.
SurfEasy pricing
SurfEasy is not the most affordable VPN provider, and it doesn’t offer a free trial or a free version. However, it has a 14-day money-back guarantee that allows you to test what it provides and gives you back your money within this period. But let’s check out its plans and see whether it’s worth it:
- $5.99/month for the monthly plan
- $2.49/month for the annual plan
You can complete the purchase using credit cards or PayPal. However, lack of cryptocurrency support means you don’t benefit from anonymous payments.
Speed comparison
The second thing you should keep in mind is the VPN’s speed. This contributes to the overall experience you’ll have, as no one wants to face interruptions or slow connections. Once again, TunnelBear takes the win due to simply being speedier.
TunnelBear offers a sizable server fleet. But this is not even the most crucial part. The provider utilizes robust VPN protocols that improve its performance. More precisely, you can choose from WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2.
In comparison, SurfEasy has a smaller server range, and it also works only with OpenVPN and IKEv2. Although these protocols are well-established and offer decent speeds, they are a bit outdated. So you should choose a VPN that incorporates WireGuard.
TunnelBear vs. SurfEasy: which is more secure?
| SurfEasy | TunnelBear | |
| Encryption | AES-256 | AES-256 |
| Jurisdiction | Canada | Canada |
| Logging | No-logs policy | No-logs policy |
| Kill switch | Yes | Yes |
| Leak protection | DNS, IPv6 | DNS, IPv6 |
| RAM servers | None | None |
Our SurfEasy vs. TunnelBear comparison continues with the security round. Both providers offer the same level of security, so neither has an advantage here. But first, here’s what they have in common:
- AES-256 encryption
- IP and DNS leak protection
- A kill switch
Privacy
Choosing a VPN that operates from a security-friendly country is a must. However, if that’s not the case, you need to find a VPN that at least has an audited no-logs policy or RAM-only servers.
TunnelBear and SurfEasy are based in Canada, a country that is part of the 5-Eyes Alliance. In other words, the surveillance here is on a high level, and if the government requests, the VPNs may collect and share your browsing history and online activity data. Neither take the extra step to assure users they don’t log any data.
Logging
All reliable VPN providers come with a no-logs policy. That’s the case with SurfEasy and TunnelBear too. However, both services haven’t bothered with undergoing a third party audit, so their validity is questionable.
Servers location
| Server specification | SurfEasy | TunnelBear |
| Servers | 2000+ | 1800+ |
| Countries | 31+ | 48+ |
| Physical servers | No | No |
| Owns all servers | No | No |
As you may guess, the clear winner in this round of our comparison is TunnelBear. It offers a larger server selection and offers a bigger country choice.
TunnelBear offers over 1800 servers that are located in 48+ countries. This is a great range that contributes to worldwide accessibility and seamless services. On the other hand, SurfEasy has 2000+ servers in 31+ countries, leaving you with a bit more limited experience. Neither provider discloses whether they own their server data centers or whether the hardware is bare-metal.
Features
| Features | SurfEasy | TunnelBear |
| Smart DNS | ❌No | ❌No |
| Ad & malware blocking | ❌No | ✅Yes (Chrome) |
| Split tunneling | ❌No | ✅Yes (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) |
| Specialized servers | ❌No | ❌No |
If you want to have an incredible online experience, then you need a VPN that provides extra features in addition to its speed and security. Luckily, TunnelBear is a relatively feature-packed VPN.
Smart DNS
Not all devices support VPN software, and that is normal. However, you can avoid this by finding a VPN provider that comes with a Smart DNS feature. Thanks to the Smart DNS, you can change the virtual location of any device you own. However, neither TunnelBear nor SurfEasy offer it.
Ad & malware blocker
The Internet has all kinds of links and ads, and some of them are malware. Due to this, you need to be careful what you’re visiting, as you may face data breaches. Luckily, most reputable VPNs have an ad & malware blocker that blocks malware content. TunnelBear provides this feature, while SurfEasy has what appears to be an ad blocker but is actually a tracker blocker.
Split tunneling
The split tunneling feature lets you choose which apps can use the VPN while the rest won’t. This prevents unnecessary usage. But again, SurfEasy doesn’t have split tunneling, so you’ll enjoy the benefits of this feature only with TunnelBear.
Obfuscated servers
Obfuscated servers are needed if you want to access content in a country with online censorship. In other words, obfuscation hides VPN traffic and tricks restrictive firewalls into thinking you’re regularly browsing. Fortunately, you’ll get strong obfuscation with TunnelBear.
Netflix and streaming comparison
| Streaming platforms | SurfEasy | TunnelBear |
| Netflix US | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
| Other Netflix libraries | ❌No | ❌No |
| Amazon Prime Video | ❌No | ✅Yes |
| Hulu | ❌No | ✅Yes |
| HBO Max | ❌No | ✅Yes |
| Disney+ | ❌No | ❌No |
| BBC iPlayer | ❌No | ❌No |
| YouTube TV | ❌No | ✅Yes |
If you need a VPN that is good for streaming, then we recommend choosing TunnelBear. Thanks to its ability to unblock more streaming services, TunnelBear is again the winner.
TunnelBear allows access to Netflix US, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, YouTube TV, and Max. During testing, the only platforms it couldn’t unblock were Disney+ and BBC iPlayer. Moreover, it ran into issues trying to gain access to foreign Netflix libraries.
On the other hand, SurfEasy only got a hold of Netflix US. That’s abysmal performance, and we wouldn’t recommend this service for streaming purposes.
Device compatibility
| Device support | SurfEasy | TunnelBear |
| Major dedicated apps | Windows, macOS, iOS | Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Other dedicated apps | – | – |
| Browser extensions | Chrome, Opera | Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Edge, Brave |
| Manual setup | – | – |
| Simultaneous devices | 5 | Unlimited |
Device compatibility is another aspect you should consider when choosing a VPN. Once again, TunnelBear emerges as a winner. It at least offers an Android app and comes with unlimited simultaneous connections.
Desktop applications
Both TunnelBear and SurfEasy provide apps for Windows and macOS. TunnelBear is more cartoonish, while SurfEasy keeps the design simple and uncluttered.
TunnelBear’s desktop clients are identical security and feature-wise. The only difference we noticed is that you can’t manually pick a different tunneling protocol on macOS.
SurfEasy also offers virtually identical applications. But that isn’t surprising since the service doesn’t really have any features that would set apart the Windows and macOS apps.
Mobile applications
If you decide to use the VPN on your mobile, then it’s better to choose TunnelBear. This provider has iOS and Android apps, while SurfEasy says it only works with iOS.
However, while TunnelBear does have mobile apps, they are cluttered and a bit laggy, especially compared to desktop’s smooth performance. Another issue we have is that the iOS app lacks a kill switch.
SurfEasy only has an iOS application to speak of and it’s as underwhelming as they come. At least, it did lag like TunnelBear’s mobile apps.
Torrenting
| P2P specifications | SurfEasy | TunnelBear |
| Allowed on | ✅All servers | ✅All servers |
| Free SOCKS5 proxy | ❌No | ❌No |
| Split tunneling | ❌No | ✅Yes (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android) |
Torrenting is another activity that requires a VPN because a lot of countries restrict P2P file-sharing. Therefore, you need TunnelBear, as it has a significant advantage over SurfEasy.
Both providers support torrenting on all of their servers, but TunnelBear comes with split tunneling and faster speeds that are crucial for a torrenting experience without any disruptions.
China
| Specifications | SurfEasy | TunnelBear |
| Works in China | ❌No | ✅ Yes |
| Stealth VPN | ❌No | ✅ Yes (Stealth protocol) |
| Tor over VPN | ❌No | ❌No |
China is among the countries with the most demanding online censorship. That’s why you need a reliable VPN that will manage to get around these restrictions. Luckily, we have the right VPN for this – TunnelBear!
TunnelBear has obfuscated servers that can trick Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and show your VPN traffic as a regular browsing one. Due to this, you’ll avoid detection as your traffic will stay encrypted, and you’ll access your favorite content. Meanwhile, SurfEasy lacks any features that would help battle censorship.
Customer support
| Support options | SurfEasy | TunnelBear |
| 24/7 live chat | ❌No | ❌No |
| Phone line | ❌No | ❌No |
| ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | |
| Knowledgebase | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
As we reach the last round of our SurfEasy vs. TunnelBear comparison, we have a surprise. It’s a tie. Both VPN providers lack 24/7 customer support and a phone line. But at least both services have email support and a FAQ section where you can find the answers to your issues. Just keep in mind that email ticketing is naturally a slower process, so you might have to wait a bit for a response.
TunnelBear vs. SurfEasy – which is better?
| SurfEasy🥈 | TunnelBear🥇 | |
| Pricing | Loses❌ | Wins✔️ |
| Speed | Loses❌ | Wins✔️ |
| Security | Tie🤝 | Tie🤝 |
| Servers | Loses❌ | Wins✔️ |
| Features | Loses❌ | Wins✔️ |
| Streaming | Loses❌ | Wins✔️ |
| Device compatibility | Loses❌ | Wins✔️ |
| Torrenting | Loses❌ | Wins✔️ |
| China | Loses❌ | Wins✔️ |
| Customer support | Tie🤝 | Tie🤝 |
| Total wins | 0 out of 10 | 8 out of 10 |
After detailed comparing and conducting many tests, we finally have our winner. TunnelBear wins the TunnelBear vs. SurfEasy comparison. This provider showcased better speeds, security, and overall features, fantastic streaming, and torrenting abilities, and it has a more extensive server fleet.
You may also like to read:
TunnelBear review
SurfEasy VPN review
Tunnelbear vs NordVPN
Tunnelbear vs CyberGhost
FAQ
Is TunnelBear better than SurfEasy?
Yes, TunnelBear is better than SurfEasy. At first sight, it seems they’re similar, but TunnelBear has more servers, faster speeds, stronger streaming and torrenting capabilities. On top of that, you’ll get all of these perks for a very affordable price.
Which is faster – TunnelBear or SurfEasy?
TunnelBear is faster than SurfEasy. This is because TunnelBear provides 1800+ servers in 48+ countries and works with WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols.
Well Surfeasy might be better from what you say but I am not sure I can call a VPN good when they can’t unblock Netflix. I think a good VPN should be able to unblock this. And since they’re both from Canada and don’t allow torrenting, that’s a big turnoff as well.
I would definitely go with Tunnelbear on this one ! Surfeasy does sounds like a great VPN, but I don’t know why it just doesn’t appeal to me. I’ve tried Tunnelbear a few months back and I loved it, maybe that’s why.
SurfEasy is good but the way it automatically renews the subscription and charges you is simply horrible. Apart from that it’s a great VPN service.
USP of SurfEasy is private browser through an USB stick which is not found on any other VPN. This takes SurfEasy’s seriousness towards it’s customer’s privacy. Though SurfEasy is from 5 Eye country, It still refuses to log user information.
This gives you tremendous confidence while using SurfEasy.