PureVPN vs TunnelBear VPN Comparison in Canada: Security, Privacy, Pricing & More – 2022

PureVPN vs Tunnel Bear – Which is the Best One in Canada 2022? 10 Factors!

I’ve judged PureVPN and TunnelBear against the following criteria in Canada:

1. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Prices and Discounts
2. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Important Features Comparison
3. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Netflix & Unblocking Other Streaming Capabilities
4. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Setup and User Interface
5. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Servers
6. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Security
7. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Logging and Privacy
8. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Configuration
9. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Customer Service
10. PureVPN vs Tunnel Bear – Device Compatibility

PureVPN Special Offer in Canada: 82% off on a 2-year plan (24+3 months free)

PureVPN gains an upper hand over TunnelBear in terms of features in Canada. It stands as an innovator and influencer, thanks to its many advanced technologies for security and privacy.

Not to mention, you have apps available for every platform/device, including Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TVs, and even an add-on for Kodi.

TunnelBear also offers the compatibility of the same app, excluding a dedicated add-on for Kodi. At the same time, it lacks many useful features available with PureVPN that are necessary for VPN users. Although, you get access to features like VigilantBear (kill switch), SplitBear (split tunneling feature), and a GhostBear feature that grants more security.

As compared to these minimal features, PureVPN offers dedicated IPs, ad/tracker blockers, malware scanners, NAT firewall, and a myriad of other technologies to boost your security and privacy.

Winner in Features Comparison

PureVPN is a clear winner in terms of features because it is backed by exceptional features that are not available in TunnelBear.

3. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Netflix & Unblocking Other Streaming Capabilities

Since TunnelBear is famed among “freebies”, I did not expect much in the way of unblocking streaming platforms in Canada. My assumptions proved true, after testing their free and premium version on different sites.

The VPN failed on unblocking Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Voot, Hotstar, Disney Plus, and other popular sites. As such, it may not be the best option for users, who want a VPN for streaming. TunnelBear Netflix was especially a big no for me as a binge-watcher.

PureVPN, on the other hand, defied all odds to deliver excellent unblocking capabilities. The VPN uses strong obfuscation technologies for bypassing geo-restrictions around the world.

Testing it on different streaming platforms revealed that the provider faced no issues in unblocking popular services on all of its apps, thus it’s one of the best streaming VPNs. These include their “browser extensions” too.

Not many providers can claim they can unblock VoDs like Netflix through a Chrome or Mozilla extension. However, PureVPN makes this possible, giving it an edge over other providers.

It also gives users a “popular websites” option across all devices that lists all famous streaming sites. Simply click on the channel you want to unblock and get access to it instantly, minus any hassles.

Winner in Netflix & Unblocking Other Streaming Capabilities in Canada

PureVPN is the winner for unblocking Netflix and other streaming services reliably and consistently in Canada. In my tests, TunnelBear failed at bypassing the geo-block on most platforms therefore, it’s definitely not recommended to use for streaming.

China & Internet Restricted Countries

The “Great Firewall” in China deploys various VPN blocking techniques like Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) attacks, DNS Hijacking, DNS Poisoning, and Blackholing VPN servers that make bypassing geo-restrictions incredibly difficult.

Sadly, TunnelBear offered no incentives to expats or residents in China. You do not have a mirror website available for downloading their apps in the country, and neither do you have Chinese servers available.

The provider does offer a “GhostBear” feature that uses obfuscation on servers using the TCP protocol over port 443 to cloak the VPN connection as regular “HTTPS” traffic, but this proved ineffective in our tests. This makes it an excellent VPN to get into China.

Meanwhile, PureVPN worked better for both: Chinese expats and residents. Hence, it’s one of the best VPNs for China.

It offers a mirror website and is the only provider in the marketplace that offers 12 Chinese servers (6 in Beijing and 6 in Shanghai).

Winner in Working for China & Internet Restricted Countries

Although PureVPN is not the best VPN to get into heavily-restricted sites like China – it’s still better than TunnelBear. In my comparative analysis, I observed that PureVPN worked way better than TunnelBear so it earns the point in this round.

4. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Setup and User Interface

PureVPN offers apps for major platforms and devices, thus it’s often considered among the best VPNs for multiple devices. These are not limited to Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. The VPN supports larger screens of Android/Apple TVs and even Fire TVs in Canada.

Best part of all; the ease of use and intuitiveness does not get compromised on small or larger screens. PureVPN remains consistent in excellent user-friendliness across all devices.

The desktop apps have a design that caters to both rookies and experts. The mobile apps adopt a darker appearance with easy accessibility of servers, features, and configurations.

Meanwhile, the browser extensions are just as amazing, and even give users the ability to unblock streaming platforms like Netflix from directly within the browser. TunnelBear does not offer the same level of app compatibility. You do have desktop, mobile, and browser apps, but support for Fire TVs, Apple TVs, and Kodi are missing in Canada.

As far as design is concerned, all the clients look great and tend to be “fun to use”. In comparison to PureVPN, their clients are filled with amusing bear graphics and bear puns.

The “General” tab gives options related to the VPN client like “run when computer starts”, meanwhile the “Security” tab gives access to features like the “VigilantBear” and “GhostBear“.

TunnelBear has a sleek and easy-to-navigate interface.

All in all, the VPN apps of both providers are quite amazing, but in terms of “appearance”, TunnelBear definitely gains the upper hand among varied services in the marketplace.

Winner in Setup and User Interface in Canada

TunnelBear earns the point for setup and user interface because its apps are extremely easy to use. Although PureVPN apps are considerably sleek as well, TunnelBear is simpler to use in Canada.

5. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Servers

As compared to PureVPN, the Canadian-based TunnelBear falls awfully short in numbers, based on overall network infrastructure. They only have 1,000 servers in a limited 40+ countries worldwide.

Meanwhile, PureVPN has a larger network of 6500+ servers in 78 countries around the world. This makes it the only VPN that offers support in so many locations worldwide.

Therefore, it is not a difficult challenge to determine a winner in this aspect. TunnelBear has to improve its server count massively, if it wants to compete with premium VPNs.

Speed Comparison

For this TunnelBear vs PureVPN review, I ran rigorous speed tests on the three shared protocols across three different locations (Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom). I recorded the download and upload speeds which helped me determine which server location has a better average speed.

Both PureVPN and TunnelBear use WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols. They are quite common VPN protocols, so the speed results have a huge say in which VPN should you opt for.

6. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Security

	PureVPN	TunnelBear
VPN Protocols	WireGuard, L2TP, SSTP, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec	WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2
Data Encryption	AES-256	AES-256-GCM, AES-256-CBC
Cloaking Technology	None	None
App Security	Kill Switch and DNS Leak Protection	VigilantBear and GhostBear
DNS Status	Private DNS	Private DNS

PureVPN offers support for a huge range of protocols. This includes WireGuard, L2TP, SSTP, OpenVPN, IKEv2, IPSec, and OpenVPN (TCP and UDP) to give users of all kinds freedom of choice in Canada. For encryption, the provider utilizes AES 256-bit encryption symmetric keys to protect your sensitive data from agencies, government, and online snoopers.

PureVPN lets users select between these VPN protocols.

On the other hand, TunnelBear only supports the WireGuard, OpenVPN and IKEv2 protocols. The WireGuard protocol is supported on the Windows and iOS apps. The OpenVPN protocol is available on all the apps but the IKEv2 protocol is only supported on the Windows and iOS apps in Canada.

iOS users get the choice of either utilizing the IKEv2, OpenVPN, or WireGuard protocol. Encryption is provided with AES-256 ciphers, but some apps may use the older 128-bit encryption and SHA-1 for data authentication.

TunnelBear supports these VPN protocols.

To get a better idea of app security, I conducted a leak test on PureVPN and TunnelBear. The process involved the usage of 6 different tools to check for in Canada:

WebRTC and HTTP Request Leaks

• https://browserleaks.com/webrtc
• https://www.doileak.com/

DNS Leaks

• https://www.perfect-privacy.com/dns-leaktest/
• https://www.dnsleaktest.com/

IPv4/IPv6 and Torrent IP Leaks

• https://ipleak.net/
• https://ipx.ac/run/

PureVPN aced all the tests from the 6 different tools above and did not reveal our original IP, DNS, or WebRTC information. TunnelBear also was free from IP leaks on IPv4 and IPv6.

However, when using IPv6, the tools did detect WebRTC leaks on both Windows and Mac apps. A simple solution to this is disabling IPv6 connections on your device.

Winner in Security

Overall, PureVPN guarantees better security than TunnelBear VPN by supporting more VPN protocols and robust security features in Canada.

7. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Logging and Privacy

	PureVPN	TunnelBear
Headquarters	British Virgin Islands	Toronto, Canada
Connection Logs	None	None
Activity Logs	None	None
Sign Up Information	None	Stores Account Data, Personal Data, and Operational Data
Anonymous Payment Methods	Ethereum, Bitcoin, Litecoin	Bitcoin

One glimpse at the above table and it becomes clear that PureVPN gains an edge over TunnelBear in terms of overall privacy. PureVPN is based in the British Virgin Islands, away from the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances.

TunnelBear, on the other hand, has its headquarters in Canada. As you probably know, Canada is a founding member of the Five Eyes, and indulges in mass surveillance and data retention. If it receives a gag order accompanied by a subpoena, the VPN may have to comply with legal requests from the government. As such, there is always a risk of trusting the provider.

Not to mention, TunnelBear also does not support a huge range of cryptocurrencies, except for Bitcoin. As far as logging is concerned, PureVPN did store logs initially, but have now joined the ranks of logless VPN services. PureVPN was recently audited by AltiusIT.

Meanwhile, TunnelBear has undergone two security audits over the years, both conducted by Cure53. I thoroughly read TunnelBear’s privacy policy and it explicitly states storing some Personal Data for legitimate business purposes.

TunnelBear logs some data, but PureVPN is a 100% logless provider now.

Winner in Logging and Privacy

Winner: PureVPN

When it comes to logging and privacy, PureVPN is the undisputed winner. It’s because PureVPN does not store connection logs, assigned VPN IPs, user’s browsing activities or history, original IP addresses, and VPN session timestamps.

8. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Configuration

9. PureVPN vs TunnelBear – Customer Service

Here’s a quick look at the customer service offered by PureVPN and TunnelBear in Canada:

PureVPN Customer Service

PureVPN has a 24/7 support feature to cater to user concerns. I tested the chat feature at different time intervals and got instant solutions every time. The support agent asked a few questions to fully understand my concern and then suggested me a workable solution.

PureVPN offers excellent real-time support to resolve user concerns.

To test PureVPN’s customer support feature in Canada, here’s a breakdown of the questions I asked and their response time:

TunnelBear Customer Service

TunnelBear has good customer service in Canada. You can easily get in touch with a Support Bear by visiting the official website.

You can contact TunnelBear support and receive a response email.

I tested the TunnelBear support by asking these questions in Canada. Here’s a quick analysis of the questions, their initial response time, and the number of emails I sent to get the issue resolved:

Winner in Device Compatibility in Canada

In this TunnelBear vs PureVPN review in Canada, PureVPN is the winner as it supports the broadest range of systems and OS than TunnelBear.

PureVPN vs Tunnel Bear in Canada – FAQs

PureVPN vs Tunnel Bear in Canada – Wrapping Up

I hope this PureVPN vs TunnelBear in Canada guide helped you make a decision. Although undoubtedly, PureVPN wins the title in the list of top VPN comparison, due to its larger server infrastructure, ability to bypass the GFW in China, Netflix unblocking capabilities, and zero leak issues.

TunnelBear is a good VPN too in Canada, but it does not come close to PureVPN in terms of features. PureVPN wins the competition here, but choosing a VPN depends on your needs and preferences as a user.