TunnelBear vs Avast VPN [2022]: Speed, Netflix, Firestick, China, Etc

TunnelBear is one of the most popular privacy services on the market. It’s simple, easy to use and has great mobile apps for you to browse anonymously with ease. Avast VPN offers a smaller selection but its military-grade encryption will keep your data secure at all times.

TunnelBear and Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) both provide excellent service to their customers. Despite the fact that they tied in practically every category, TunnelBear outperforms Avast VPN. Let’s have a look at the table below for a quick summary.

Avast SecureLine VPN

TunnelBear VPN

Comparison

Policy on Logging	There will be There will be no logging..	There will be There will be no logging..
Jurisdiction	Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe.	Canada is a country that has a (Five Eyes Member)
Encryption	AES 256	AES 256
Protocols	UDP OpenVPN TCP OpenVPN	IPSec/IKEv2 OpenVPN
Adblockers and anti-malware software	No	Yes
On/Off switch	Yes	Yes, indeed (macOS, Windows, Android)
Tests for Leaks	There were no leaks discovered.	There were no leaks discovered.
Test your speed	Fast	Average to Quick
Torrenting & P2P	Yes, indeed (Optimized P2P Servers)	Yes
Streaming	Netflix Amazon Prime is a subscription service that allows you to iPlayer (BBC) Firestick Roku is a streaming media player (Via Router) Kodi Apple TV is a device that allows you to watch (Via Router) Android Television (Android TV)	Netflix Amazon Prime Hulu Max Kodi from HBO
Gaming	Android iOS macOS Windows	Mac OS X Windows Linux (limited) iOS and Android
Compatibility	Chrome for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Firefox Tor	Mac OS X Windows Linux (limited) iOS and Android Chrome Firefox Opera
Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time.	10	5
Servers	58	3000+
China	No	Sometimes
Tunneling in Two Parts	No	Yes
Features Not Included	No Features Not Included	phantomBear (Obfuscated Server)
Prices	$4.99 per month (One year) $3.99 per month (Two years) $3.99 per month (Three years)	Unrestricted (limited usage) $9.99 per month $4.21 per month (1 year) $3.33 per month (3 years)
Our Opinion	3.8	4.0
Website	avast.com/secureline-vpn	TunnelBear.com

Let’s look at each category one by one to see why TunnelBear outperforms Avast VPN.

Security and Privacy

TunnelBear is the only one of these two VPN companies that is based in a Five Eyes nation, namely Canada. To boost national security, this agreement allows data to be shared inside the nations’ circle.

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) is based in the Czech Republic is a country in Central Europe., which is outside the Jurisdiction of the Five Eyes, Nine Eyes, and Fourteen Eyes countries. It can operate freely as it is not under data retention or copyright law.

However, an Avast Antivirus subsidiary had a major problem in the past. According to reports, it is selling online surfing data to large corporations. However, when the problem was discovered, Avast claimed to have halted data collecting.

Encryption

Both Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear employ AES-256 encryption, which is tough to crack even with a supercomputer. This encryption is strong enough to keep you safe from cyber-attacks.

Protocols for Virtual Private Networks

Both Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear use OpenProtocols for Virtual Private Networks. But for this category, only TunnelBear uses IPSec/IKEv2, which is known for its speed and security. Avast VPN does not use any other Protocols for Virtual Private Networks.

Protection Against Leaks

This was my IP address before I connected to Avast VPN or TunnelBear:

I next connect to the Singapore server of Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) to check whether it can mask my IP address:

I tried connecting to TunnelBear’s similar server location as well:

Based on my IP Tests for Leaks, both Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear masked my network identity. With this, you can do your online activities with assurance since both these VPN services protect your address from leaks.

Server Safety

A RAM-disk server prevents a VPN provider from storing and tracking its customers’ data. Unfortunately, Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear have not yet announced that RAM-only servers would be available. Nonetheless, they stick to their no-logging rules. So far, none of them has had any problems with data recording.

To sum it up

It’s a close fight between these two VPN providers. For one, Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) is based in a non-Five Eyes country, while TunnelBear is under Canada, a member of the said agreement. Meanwhile, TunnelBear still has an advantage because it has additional Protocols for Virtual Private Networks other than OpenVPN.

The problem that Avast has is the greatest deal-breaker here. Even if it isn’t directly related to the VPN service, this is nonetheless a noteworthy occurrence. I’m going to give TunnelBear the victory in this round of our Avast VPN versus TunnelBear duel.

Test your speed

Apart from giving us Security and Privacy, VPN providers also need to provide us speed and reliability. So to see how Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear perform, I’ve conducted a Test your speed.

Here was my Internet speed before I tried out any of the VPN services:

I tried connecting to Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network)’s Singapore and US servers and got the following results:

Server in Singapore:

Server in the United States:

I also tested TunnelBear’s counterpart servers, and the following are my findings:

Server in Singapore:

Server in the United States:

When I connected to TunnelBear’s Singapore server, it was not far behind Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network). When I connected to the US server, however, I noticed a substantial change in download speed. Even when I connect to distant servers, Avast VPN is more stable.

Avast VPN gets my vote for speed.

P2P and torrenting

TunnelBear states that users may share files on all of its servers, whereas Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) includes specialized P2P servers. 

While torrenting, I ran a test to determine if there were any leaks. Before using any VPN, these are my IP and torrent addresses:

I did not encounter any leaks when using Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network). Here’s a snapshot of my IP addresses after I activated the VPN service:

When I ran the IP leak test after turning on TunnelBear, I got the following results:

In this round of TunnelBear vs Avast VPN, it will be a tie since both of them secured my device from any leaks and concealed my IP address while torrenting.

Tie for first place

Streaming

With Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear, you can access Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu’s foreign content libraries, but only Avast VPN can be used on Firestick, Roku, Kodi, Apple TV, and Android TV.

Netflix

If you’re like me and want to unblock Netflix libraries from different countries, Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear will suffice.

I tried viewing Spotlight while connected to Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network)’s US server and had the following results:

When I watched the same movie on TunnelBear, I had the same HD streaming experience:

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) gets my choice since it can be installed on streaming devices. However, I am reluctant to do so since TunnelBear has more servers, allowing users to access more libraries. So I’m going to declare this round a tie as well.

Tie for first place

Gaming

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear are not compatible with gaming consoles. Neither of them can be installed on routers. TunnelBear runs on Linux (with some limitations), macOS, iOS, Android, and Windows. On the other side, Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) is not available for Linux.

I tried playing Mobile Legends while connecting to the US servers of each VPN service. I still encountered lags and delays from time to time, regardless of which VPN I was using.

Here’s how it appeared when I was using Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) to play Mobile Legends:

When I connected to TunnelBear, this is what it looked like:

Because there isn’t much of a difference in terms of gaming capabilities between these two VPN services, this round of Avast VPN vs TunnelBear is likewise a draw.

Tie for first place

Compatibility

It’s advisable to choose a VPN service that works with as many devices as possible while making your decision. Only a few operating systems and browsers are supported by Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear. Check out the table below to see whether they’re compatible with each other.

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network)	TunnelBear
Chrome for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS Firefox Tor	Mac OS X Windows Linux (limited) iOS and Android Chrome Firefox Opera

This round is won by TunnelBear, but only by a few points. Unlike its competition, it works with Linux and Opera. Unfortunately, none of them will enable you to install a router.

Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time.

If you want to use your mobile devices, laptops, and other gadgets all at the same time, choose a VPN that allows more Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time.. Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) formerly allows up to five devices, but if you’ve subscribed after April 2021, you can connect up to 10 devices.

TunnelBear, on the other hand, lets you to connect up to five devices at once.

Since Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) allows more Simultaneous Connections are when two or more things happen at the same time. are when two or more things happen at the same time. than the other option, it wins this round.

Servers

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) has 58 servers in 35 countries. This is a small number of locations compared to the leading VPN providers that we have today. 

TunnelBear has over 3000 servers in 40 locations, a significant difference from its competition, who deleted its Hong Kong servers in 2020 for security reasons.

TunnelBear is the clear winner in this category.

China

Only the best VPN services can go around China’s heavy censorship on Internet use. Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) went ahead and informed its users that its service does not work in China along with nine other countries.

Meanwhile, TunnelBear claims that it can be used everywhere on the planet, and that it has active users in China. Nonetheless, it recommends that consumers download the app before traveling to the nation since the connection is not always as reliable as it is in other locations.

Since TunnelBear has more users in China than Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network), this round goes to the former.

Usability and User Interface

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) has a functional and helpful interface. It displays a window that segments each server location per region, making it easier to find your preferred server. If you want to stream or conduct P2P sharing, they also have a separate segment for the optimized servers.

TunnelBear features a colorful UI with a globe map and a bear tunneling from one server to the next. The tunnels may be found by scrolling the map. While this may work well on a mobile device, I would prefer a laptop or desktop with an expanding window.

For the Usability and User Interface category, Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) wins over TunnelBear.

Features Not Included

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) lacks in the add-on department—it does not even have Tunneling in Two Parts or Adblockers and anti-malware software. TunnelBear has an obfuscated server called GhostBear, which enables your VPN traffic to appear like normal Internet activity.

Since Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) does not have any Features Not Included, TunnelBear tops this category.

Customer Service

A great VPN provider should be able to provide its customers’ needs and answer their inquiries. Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) and TunnelBear both provide those things for their clients. Here are their Customer Service features:

	Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network)	TunnelBear
Live Chat	Yes	No
Email Customer Service	Yes	Yes
Support over the phone	No	No
Ticket Assistance	No	Yes
Video Instructions	No	No
Knowledge Base on the Internet	Yes	Yes
Average Time to Respond	24 hours	2 hours

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) takes longer to respond and has no Ticket Assistance feature. TunnelBear has Ticket Assistance and has a shorter response time. It only takes minutes for them to acknowledge your concern. It assures you it will answer your inquiries within 48 hours. In my case, a “Support Bear” got in touch with me after two hours.

TunnelBear has a great response time, but it lacks live chat support, which is important for me. So I think I’ll give my vote to Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) for this category.

Prices

When shopping for a VPN service, pricing is an important factor to consider. Some VPNs provide excellent service at a reasonable cost. What were the results of Avast VPN and TunnelBear? Let’s have a look at the monthly membership prices and offers for each.

	Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network)	TunnelBear
Lengths of Subscriptions		1 month (500MB free each month)
		One-month subscription ($9.99/month)
	One-year subscription ($4.99/month)	One-year subscription ($4.99/month)
	Two years at $3.99 per month
	Three-year commitment ($3.99/month)	$3.33/month for three years
The Most Expensive Month	$4.99	$9.99
Lowest Monthly Rate	$3.99	$3.33
Price for a year	For the first year, you’ll pay $59.88, then $89.99 every year.	$59.88
Guaranteed Money-Back	30 days	Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Special Promotion	For a one-year strategy, set aside 33%.	For a three-year strategy, save 67 percent.
	For a two-year and three-year plan, save 47%.	For a one-year strategy, save aside 50% of your income.

Apart from its free tier, TunnelBear provides greater discounts if you look into it. Avast VPN provides discounts as well, although they are not as substantial as TunnelBear’s.

So, which one gives you the most bang for your buck? TunnelBear is the solution.

Verdict

Which of these VPN services is the best option?

In this extensive TunnelBear vs Avast VPN Comparison, TunnelBear pretty much takes home the prize. Apart from giving its customers a better value for money, it has more Protocols for Virtual Private Networks and is compatible with more devices compared to Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network). It also has Features Not Included like Adblockers and anti-malware software and an obfuscated server.

Avast Secureline VPN (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network) (Virtual Private Network)’s price is almost on par with TunnelBear’s but you get more with the latter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Avast VPN good for Netflix?

A: Avast VPN is a great choice for your VPN needs. It has servers in over 60 countries and unblock Netflix wherever you are in the world.

Is ExpressVPN better than Avast VPN?

A: This is a tough question to answer because both companies offer different levels of service, and have slightly different features. You can do your own research on this topic by comparing the two providers here:
https://www.expressvpncom/compare/. u3002

Is Nord VPN better than Avast VPN?

A: Nord is better than Avast because it offers more features, faster speeds and cheaper prices.