TunnelBear VPN Review in South Korea: Is TunnelBear Safe 2023?

TunnelBear stands out as the best VPN for South Korea provider with strong security features. It excels at unblocking popular streaming platforms, yet it encounters challenges when it comes to unblocking Netflix. Still curious about it? Read our TunnelBear VPN review in South Korea to learn more.

If you’re curious to know is TunnelBear safe choice? Then yes, it is also handy for those who are new to VPNs and lack advanced technical skills, as well as those looking for a simple and quick private solution. Its ease of use is a significant advantage, especially given that TunnelBear’s support options are limited.

However, its most affordable options are limited to their longest subscription durations, and its free version does not provide an attractive deal.

So, is Tunnelbear safe? Well, to find out, keep reading our complete TunnelBear VPN review.

TunnelBear VPN Review in South Korea: Pros & Cons

Plans & Pricing: How Much Does TunnelBear VPN Cost?

The 3-year plan is the most economical choice since it allows for simultaneous connections on up to 5 devices at a monthly cost of just US$3.33.

If you’re wondering is TunnelBear free? Then, yes, however, it’s important to explore its pricing plans for additional features and capabilities.

With a reasonably priced premium subscription and a limited free version, TunnelBear stands out as an affordable VPN option. Although the free plan is the least expensive option, it has the greatest limitations, so in order to utilize all of TunnelBear’s features, you will need to purchase a premium subscription.

The one-year plan costs $4.99 per month, while the two-year plan is marginally less expensive at US$4.17 per month. The shorter-term subscriptions are likewise fairly priced.

It’s important to remember that TunnelBear does not have a formal money-back guarantee. Refund requests are assessed by the VPN service provider on an individual basis, possibly at the customer support agent’s discretion.

Additionally, TunnelBear only takes credit card payments, which could be problematic for people looking for the anonymous payment methods that many high-end VPN providers offer.

TunnelBear different subscription plans

TunnelBear VPN Refund Policy

NO REFUNDS!

This is TunnelBear’s official policy, as the service does not provide any money-back guarantee at all. TunnelBear states on its website that it may give away a refund in special cases without mentioning what these “special” cases are.

TunnelBear VPN Payment Methods

In terms of payment methods, users will be able to buy the service using VISA, Mastercard, American Express. We were disappointed to see that PayPal and Bitcoin are not supported.

Is there a 100% free VPN TunnelBear?

TunnelBear’s free VPN service has a lot of features, yet it has some limitations; it only allows you to use 2GB of data per month.

What is the monthly limit for TunnelBear?

TunnelBear offers a generous free VPN option, providing up to 2GB of monthly bandwidth for unpaid users. This allowance renews on the account creation anniversary, with no rollover of unused data to the following month.

Is my online privacy worth the cost for TunnelBear?

A multitude of advantages are offered to users of TunnelBear VPN. This VPN is a great option if you’re searching for a tried-and-true method to improve your online privacy and security while still enjoying unrestricted browsing.

Even the free version offers a solid VPN service with all the features required to guarantee a secure and safe online experience.

Security: How Private and Secure Is TunnelBear?

TunnelBear is committed to providing robust privacy and security features. It utilizes AES 256-bit encryption, one of the most secure encryption standards available, making itself a secure VPN.

TunnelBear also supports WireGuard and OpenVPN, two highly reputable and reliable VPN protocols. These features ensure that your data remains private and secure while using their service.

TunnelBear VPN review reddit also helps in exploring user experiences and feedback to gain valuable insights into its performance and features.

Encryption & Protocols

We found TunnelBear to be a fairly standard service when it comes to the encryption & corresponding protocols being used by the service.

The service utilizes military-grade AES 256-bit encryption with SHA-256 for authentication, which is more than capable of properly obfuscating users’ activities online.

Additionally, the service also offers a host of different tunneling protocols, such as OpenVPN, IKEv2, and WireGuard, making it an extremely flexible option to opt for in terms of the different options it makes available for users.

TunnelBear supports various protocols.

With IKEv2, mobile devices may seamlessly switch between Wi-Fi and cellular networks. IKEv2 is a quick and secure protocol for mobile devices. The protocol is available for Windows and iOS only.

With OpenVPN, data shared over the Internet is encrypted using AES-256 via the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption protocol using the OpenVPN tunneling protocol. Anyone can uncover flaws because the code is open to auditing, and anyone may repair them. The TunnelBear OpenVPN protocol is available for all devices, such as Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.

In order to outperform existing protocols in terms of ease of use, speed, and security, a new protocol named WireGuard was developed. This universal protocol is ideal for running with straightforward implementation on a number of gadgets and platforms.

In comparison to other access protocols, WireGuard is substantially one of the best TunnelBear security features, thanks to modern cryptography, as it adds a positive impact on TunnelBear VPN review. However, it is only available on Windows and iOS.

VigilantBear

VigilantBear is the name of the kill switch for TunnelBear. Windows, macOS, and Android are all supported, but the feature is not available on iOS.

It may be turned on from the Preferences menu, and if the server’s connection breaks, it will cut off your connection. When you’re connected to public networks, this function is quite helpful because it will secure your information in the event of a connection issue.

VigilantBear/Kill Switch feature

Without a kill switch, you would be exposing your data to anyone connecting to that network, including hackers and some types of viruses. Even the strongest VPNs can fail. You will be safe even on open, unattended networks when VigilantBear is in use.

Logging

TunnelBear doesn’t collect or log information regarding your browsing activities while you’re connected to a VPN.

However, the VPN keeps your personal data, such as Account User Data, Operational Data, and Financial Data collected at payment. Here are the details on what the VPN collects:

TunnelBear keeps a record of your “Account Data.”

TunnelBear also collects “Operational Data.”

TunnelBear keeps records on “Credit Card” transactions.

We found this to be extremely manipulative on TunnelBear’s end, considering how the service boldly claims to be a no-logs service.

Information like this is a clear and unforgivable infringement on users’ privacy and becomes an even graver crime, considering how TunnelBear tries to evade transparency regarding this.

TCP Override

If your connection becomes unreliable after connecting to the VPN, the TCP Override option can help. The function, which is exclusive to Windows and macOS, forces TunnelBear to use the TCP protocol rather than UDP.

The TCP protocol examines each piece of data for correctness before passing it through, making it slightly slower but more dependable. Although the UDP protocol is quicker, these checks are not made.

TCP protocol feature offered by TunnelBear

It’s critical to keep in mind that TCP Override will increase connection reliability rather than speed. My speed was really reduced when I engaged it, but the connection remained steady overall.

GhostBear

The stealth mode for TunnelBear, called GhostBear, makes it simple to get through VPN barriers, including the Great Firewall of China, and conceals OpenVPN traffic.

My entire connection slowed down when we turned on GhostBear, but this is quite typical. Obfuscation is a procedure that needs time and resources to complete in order to conceal the fact that you’re utilizing a VPN.

GhostBear feature on TunnelBear

Applications for Windows, macOS, and Android support this capability, which may be enabled in TunnelBear’s security settings. GhostBear is not supported on iOS since it uses the IKEv2 protocol.

SplitBear

Only Android smartphones can use SplitBear, the split tunneling feature of TunnelBear. It is a crucial feature for a VPN, and it allows you more control over your traffic.

split tunneling feature for Android users

As the feature is only available for Android, all of your apps and websites on Windows, macOS, and iOS will therefore go through its servers.

But if you merely want to tunnel your browser, we found a trick. Browser extensions from TunnelBear only impact the traffic within your browser.

IP and DNS Leak Tests

IP and DNS leak protection is a feature of TunnelBear’s apps and browser extensions. DNS requests and IPv6 traffic, in general, can reveal your IP address and activity.

By using its own DNS servers and blocking IPv6 communication, TunnelBear keeps your identity a secret. Your identity will always be protected because these options are turned on by default.

Using IPLeak.net, we checked for IP and DNS breaches on the US, UK, Spain, Canada, and Sweden servers of TunnelBear. We experienced zero issues, and my connection was completely encrypted.

IP and DNS Leak tests feature

Your IP address, geographic location, and network may be accessible to your ISP and law enforcement if the VPN you use doesn’t have DNS and IP leak protection. This is precisely what you want to prevent, thus the VPN you use must be 100 percent secure from this angle.

Streaming: Is TunnelBear good for streaming?

TunnelBear isn’t the best streaming service. While the premium version can access well-known platforms such as US Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+, it struggles to access other Netflix libraries or Amazon Prime Video.

TunnelBear Unblocked Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Kodi, and Hulu

TunnelBear can unblock Netflix. However, only when used with GhostBear did TunnelBear unlock Kodi, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and HBO Max.

TunnelBear allowed access to Netflix

TunnelBear’s stealth mode, GhostBear, makes the VPN difficult to find. However, because it needs to add an additional layer of encryption, it slows down your connection.

Consequently, streaming was not an option. We tested two sets to determine whether the VPN could successfully get over geoblocks.

TunnelBear Couldn’t Unblock Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ESPN, and ESPN+

TunnelBear was not able to unblock Disney+, BBC iPlayer, ESPN, and ESPN+. We gave the VPN many chances by connecting to different servers in the UK, US, and Canada; unfortunately, We were still barred even though We tried unblocking the mentioned streaming services with GhostBear.

Unfortunately, couldn’t even access Disney+’s library, making it difficult to watch anything. Every time we tried to view a show on ESPN or ESPN+, the login page appeared.

We do not suggest TunnelBear as a streaming VPN. This VPN was created to protect customers’ online privacy, not to unblock geo-restricted content, according to a statement on its website.

TunnelBear is not a streaming VPN

Additionally, it lacks any dedicated streaming servers, and once you connect across a distance, your speed will drastically decrease, making it difficult to stream any movies or shows.

Torrenting: Is TunnelBear good for Torrenting?

Although TunnelBear doesn’t have dedicated P2P servers, torrenting is permitted on its network. We let the VPN pick the quickest server for us, and we then started downloading our files. We had no issues, and the speed was excellent.

We also attempted to torrent from their US and Argentina servers; while it was successful, the connection was incredibly sluggish. Also, use the Tor Network on TunnelBear to increase your anonymity while torrenting. This approach is more private, but it is considerably slow.

In conclusion, TunnelBear for torrenting is a suitable VPN as long as you don’t wish to use a global server.

Servers: How Many Servers Does TunnelBear VPN Have?

Curiously, TunnelBear makes no mention of the exact number of servers it has. As far as the TunnelBear server locations are concerned, the only info listed on its site states that users will be able to browse the internet from 48 countries.

Upon doing more research, it is likely that the service has 1800+ servers. Why the service is seemingly unwilling to disclose this information is unclear to me.

TunnelBear servers list

Compare this to other VPN service providers, such as ExpressVPN, which has 3000
servers spread over 105 countries, or CyberGhost, which has 9000+ servers spread across 91 countries. Outside of North America and Western Europe, coverage for TunnelBear appears to be on the low side.

Also, there is a lack of TunnelBear servers specialized for streaming and torrenting. However, despite its size, the server network is relatively secure and contains more physical than virtual servers. TunnelBear also owns its complete server network.

Closest Tunnel

The quickest server, which is typically the one closest to your location, is found for you using the Closest Tunnel feature.

The server list appears at the start of the TunnelBear window. Simply choosing it and connecting is all that is required.

Until you see the “Connection Secured” notification, make sure to keep the VPN open. You may be exposed if the connection breaks down occasionally.

Does TunnelBear work in China?

Yes, users located inside China will be able to use this VPN to evade the restrictive internet policies in their country.

There are no TunnelBear China servers, but it is a great VPN service that operates in the region. You can utilize the free version, which has a monthly data cap of 500MB if you’re only visiting China for a few days.

Over the past few years, users in the country have had to deal with growing censorship and regular rounds of crackdowns on VPNs that do unblock all the restricted content in the country. In such a scenario, working VPNs are of the utmost importance to users.

Similarly, Chinese expats also use these VPNs in order to retain their access to some of the popular but geo-restricted Chinese content.

Speed: How Fast are TunnelBear VPN Servers?

Despite the unclarity about the extent of TunnelBear’s servers, We wanted to see how fast TunnelBear’s speed can go.

Hence, using a 100Mbps connection, we connected to 5 random servers in Australia, the UK, Brazil, France, and the US to conduct a TunnelBear Speed Test in South Korea.

Here are the results:

If you might wonder where is TunnelBear based itself? Then, the answer is Canada.

Is TunnelBear good for gaming?

TunnelBear is a practical gaming option, though it may result in slightly slower ping times. However, they compensate for this by offering consistent performance, making them well-suited for games that do not heavily depend on low ping times, such as online strategy games and similar titles.

Does TunnelBear slow down the internet?

The primary drawback of TunnelBear VPN is that it can slow down the internet speeds in your home and switch servers slowly. It’s also important to remember that this VPN doesn’t work with all streaming services, including Netflix.

Compatibility: Can I Use TunnelBear VPN On All My Devices?

When choosing a VPN service, it is critical to consider its compatibility with various devices. In this guide, we will look at TunnelBear VPN compatibility and whether it can be used across all of your devices to ensure complete online privacy and security.

According to users, TunnelBear is incredibly easy to use on their traditional platforms and devices, such as TunnelBear on Windows in South Korea along other devices, so they can take advantage of such an affordable VPN.

TunnelBear on Chrome in South Korea and TunnelBear on Firefox in South Korea extensions are handy for users who want to secure their browsing sessions without installing a separate app.

Furthermore, if you use Ubuntu, you may manually configure TunnelBear on Linux, but there isn’t a dedicated app for it.

TunnelBear on Android in South Korea is also available to easily download and install on your device. Apart from that, for iOS users, we suggest they try out TunnelBear on iOS in South Korea.

TunnelBear provides dedicated applications for both Windows and macOS. You can easily download and install these apps on your desktop or laptop computers.

Users of eReaders, Chromium, and Windows phones will sadly not be able to use it, and as it does not support routers, you cannot connect smart TVs or other devices like TunnelBear on Apple TV in South Korea or TunnelBear on Amazon Fire TV Stick in South Korea.

Desktop Apps

The desktop applications from TunnelBear are incredibly user-friendly and loaded with many practical features, like GhostBear, VigilantBear, Closest Tunnel, Always-On, TCP Override, and Trusted Networks.

SplitBear, which is the split tunneling feature and is only accessible on Android, is the sole feature that is lacking. All of your apps and browser traffic will be routed through the VPN once it is turned on because the desktop app lacks SplitBear.

You must launch the VPN and select a server in order to connect to one. Although it’s really simple, you must wait until the VPN connects.

TunnelBear Desktop app Windows

Upon clicking on the little gear button in the top right corner, you can access TunnelBear’s settings and all of its capabilities.

The macOS and Windows clients have a minor distinction. While the Windows version also supports IKEv2, the macOS version only supports the OpenVPN protocol. However, you have no influence over the protocol; it is selected automatically.

iOS and Android Apps

The TunnelBear iPhone and Android apps are equally user-friendly and attractive as the desktop ones. All it takes to connect is a single tap on a honey jar on the map or the toggle button to connect to the fastest server.

TunnelBear VPN APK is the official application for securing your internet connection on your mobile device.

TunnelBear for Android & iOS

The functions are accessible by selecting the options button.

After connecting to TunnelBear’s US, UK, and France servers, we conducted a few DNS and IP leak tests, and each time my connection was secure. Also, the mobile apps’ bear notification sound is just impressive when you connect to a server.

Browser Extensions

Any Chrome or Firefox-equipped machine can use the VPN thanks to TunnelBear’s browser extensions. It’s a pretty straightforward software that merely secures browser traffic, leaving good impression for TunnelBear VPN review.

Simply open the extension and choose a server to connect to a server of your choice.

To test it out, we downloaded the Chrome and Firefox extensions and established a connection with US, Canadian, and Italian servers. Running the DNS and IP leak test made me realize how secure even the browser addons are.

How do I use TunnelBear on my PC?

Go to tunnelbear.com/download and wait till the download finishes. Once the app is downloaded to your device, launch it and install it. After installing, log in with your username and password and start using TunnelBear.

How many devices can connect to TunnelBear?

There is no limit on the number of devices you can use with TunnelBear VPN.

Tunnelbear VPN Setup & Installation: Is TunnelBear Easy to Install?

Installation and setup for TunnelBear are really simple. I downloaded, installed, and connected to a server in under 2 – 3 minutes.

How to Install Tunnelbear VPN?

Support: How Good Is TunnelBear’s Support?

TunnelBear provides customer service via email and a knowledge base on their website. They do not offer live chat or telephone support.

Customer service response times can vary, with some users reporting prompt assistance and others reporting delays, so the experience may vary depending on one’s problem. However, we suggest users keep themselves updated with the app’s latest features and TunnelBear reviews.

Trustworthiness: What Do Users Say About TunnelBear VPN?

Like all my reviews, we want to be as objective as possible in how trustworthy we find a service. Hence, we must factor in what other users have felt about the service and not just rely on our own experience.

We looked at the service’s reputation on Trustpilot and Reddit to see how most other users feel about the service. Additionally, we also looked over the service’s customer support. So, is TunnelBear worth it? This is what we learned:

TunnelBear VPN Trustpilot Rating

In one word, average.

TunnelBear has probably one of the worst Trustpilot ratings we’ve seen from a VPN. With just a 2.9 rating and more than half the reviews categorizing the service as a “1-star” service, we have to doubt that this service fails to meet the expectations that most of its users had from it.

However, there are only 71 reviews, and the provider has not yet claimed the profile on Trustpilot.

TunnelBear VPN Trustpilot rating showed average reviews

Upon taking a closer look at the reviews, it becomes clear that the service promised a lot, but ultimately, it fails to deliver on these promises. Other issues include horrible customer service, sketchy practices like charging more than they advertise, and frequent disconnections.

TunnelBear VPN Reddit Review

Reddit left me a little confused. We saw a lot of reviews that mentioned services and offers that the service does not provide currently. Eventually, we realized that there was a time when the service was far better and offered exceedingly impressive features.

However, there were constant complaints regarding issues such as frequent disconnections. For a service that guarantees a seamless internet experience, this should not occur at all.

Similarly, users were also irked with its rather obtuse privacy policy. Similarly, the lack of genuine support for all major tunneling protocols means that users will find the service to be extremely limiting in terms of protection online.

TunnelBear VPN Customer Support

We found its customer support to be outdated and incapable of properly aiding all its users. First off, there’s no 24/7 live chat support function, meaning that users will not be able to have their problems resolved as quickly as possible.

TunnelBear customer support feature

But the results were different when we actually tested their customer support.

We received a response from Tunnelbear VPN customer support in under three hours, despite the fact that they are based in Canada. Given that TunnelBear lacks live chat support, this is quite impressive.

The only choices are their knowledge base or support tickets (you receive a response via email address).

Also, you can uncover evidence that previous users were dissatisfied with the waiting times by digging through older postings in the forums. It’s good to see that things have changed, and even with the few contact options available, waiting periods are kept to a minimum.

TunnelBear VPN Alternatives

TunnelBear left me with the impression that it aims high but fails to properly meet those promises. We found a severe lack of transparency about its logging policies, its exact server count, and its no refund policy.

The best features of this service are undoubtedly its availability in China as well as its support for P2P sharing. However, these features are not completely unique to TunnelBear only, and if you’re looking for a TunnelBear alternative, then we would suggest ExpressVPN.

ExpressVPN offers users access from China to other regions, has one of the fast-speed servers with excellent network coverage, and enjoys a reputation as a robust pro-privacy service thanks to its safe jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands.

TunnelBear VPN Review : Do I Recommend TunnelBear?

In this TunnelBear VPN review guide, after thoroughly evaluating the service and investigating, the provider does not receive high praise and is not recommended.

While TunnelBear may have certain advantages, there are still a lot of things it needs to work on to catch up to the major companies.

The service does not qualify to be a top-tier provider and lags in a number of areas, including poor speeds, a lack of Netflix and other VoD streaming capabilities, a lack of a refund policy, a small server network, and few customer assistance options.

Additionally, when you look at the cost, it’s absolutely not what we’d call a “good deal.” You actually aren’t receiving much for your money with its annual plan, which costs roughly $5 per month.

Our advice would be to only use this service if you’re extremely desperate in terms of accessing China or torrenting support. And even in those categories, a VPN like ExpressVPN offers better and wider support for all users.

Conclusion

To summarize the TunnelBear VPN review in South Korea, this VPN provides an easy-to-use and privacy-focused solution for protecting your online activities. While its free plan is limited, it is a great way to get started with VPNs.

TunnelBear’s dedication to privacy and encryption ensures that your data is kept safe. Our above guide will help you learn about the benefits of TunnelBear VPN download to protect your online activities.