Both TunnelBear and Avast Secureline VPN offer great service to their users. They tied in almost all of the categories, but TunnelBear remains superior over Avast VPN. Let’s get an overview through the table below.
Avast | TunnelBear | |
Logging Policy | No logging | No logging |
Jurisdiction | Czech Republic | Canada (Five Eyes Member) |
Encryption | AES 256 | AES 256 |
Protocols | OpenVPN UDP OpenVPN TCP | OpenVPN IPSec/IKEv2 |
Ad and malware blockers | No | Yes |
Kill switch | Yes | Yes (macOS, Windows, Android) |
Leak Tests | No leaks found | No leaks found |
Speed Test | Fast | Average to Fast |
Torrenting & P2P | Yes (Optimized P2P Servers) | Yes |
Streaming | Netflix Amazon Prime BBC iPlayer Firestick Roku (Via Router) Kodi Apple TV (Via Router) Android TV | Netflix Hulu Amazon Prime HBO Max Kodi |
Gaming | Windows Android iOS macOS | Windows macOS Linux (limited) Android iOS |
Compatibility | Windows macOS Android iOS Chrome Firefox Tor | Windows macOS Linux (limited) Android iOS Chrome Firefox Opera |
Simultaneous Connections | 10 | 5 |
Servers | 58 | 3000+ |
China | No | Sometimes |
Split Tunneling | No | Yes |
Additional Features | No Additional Features | GhostBear (Obfuscated Server) |
Prices | $4.99/month (One year) $3.99/month (Two years) $3.99/month (Three years) | Free (limited usage) $9.99/month $4.21/month (1 year) $3.33/month (3 years) |
Our Rating | 3.8 | 4.0 |
Website | avast.com/secureline-vpn | tunnelbear.com |
Now, let’s get into each category piece by piece to know why TunnelBear tops Avast VPN.
Out of these two VPN providers, TunnelBear is the one that is under a Five Eyes country, which is Canada. This agreement shares data within the countries’ circle to strengthen national security.
Avast Secureline VPN is based in the Czech Republic, 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.
But there was a significant issue for an Avast Antivirus subsidiary in the past. Reports say it is selling web browsing data to big companies. But Avast claimed to have stopped its data collection after the issue broke out.
Avast Secureline VPN and TunnelBear both use AES-256 encryption, which is difficult even for a supercomputer to decrypt. This type of encryption is secure enough to protect you from any cyber-attacks.
Both Avast Secureline VPN and TunnelBear use OpenVPN protocols. But for this category, only TunnelBear uses IPSec/IKEv2, which is known for its speed and security. Avast VPN does not use any other VPN protocols.
Before connecting to Avast VPN or TunnelBear, this was my IP address:
I then opt to connect to Avast Secureline VPN’s Singapore server to see if it will hide my IP address:
I also tried to connect to TunnelBear’s equivalent server location:
Based on my IP leak tests, both Avast Secureline VPN 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.
A RAM-disk server makes it impossible for a VPN provider to store and track the data of its users. Unfortunately, Avast Secureline VPN and TunnelBear have yet to announce that they’re having RAM-only servers. Still, they stay true to their no-logging policies. So far, neither of them has faced any data logging issues.
It’s a close fight between these two VPN providers. For one, Avast Secureline VPN 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 VPN protocols other than OpenVPN.
The biggest deal-breaker here is the issue Avast faced. It is not directly pointed at the VPN service, but this is still a notable event. For this round of our Avast VPN vs TunnelBear battle, I’ll let TunnelBear win.
Apart from giving us privacy and security, VPN providers also need to provide us speed and reliability. So to see how Avast Secureline VPN and TunnelBear perform, I’ve conducted a speed test.
Before trying out either of the VPN services, here was my Internet speed:
I tried connecting to Singapore and US servers of Avast Secureline VPN, and these were my results:
Singapore server:
US server:
I’ve also tested the counterpart servers of TunnelBear, and here were my findings:
Singapore server:
US server:
TunnelBear was not far behind Avast Secureline VPN when I connected to its Singapore server. However, you can see a significant difference in its download speed when I connected to the US server. Avast VPN is more reliable even when I connect to far servers.
For speed, Avast VPN has my vote.
Avast Secureline VPN has optimized P2P servers while TunnelBear claims you can conduct file sharing on all of its servers.
I’ve done a test to see if there are any leaks while torrenting. Here are my IP and torrent addresses before using any VPN:
When I tried using Avast Secureline VPN, I haven’t experienced any leaks. Here’s a screenshot of what my addresses look like upon turning on the VPN service:
This was the result when I conducted the IP leak test upon turning on TunnelBear:
Since both of them protected my device from any leaks and hid my IP address when torrenting, in this round of TunnelBear vs Avast VPN, it is going to be a tie.
Winner: Tie
You can access the foreign content libraries of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu with Avast Secureline VPN and TunnelBear, but only Avast VPN can be used on Firestick, Roku, Kodi, Apple TV, and Android TV.
If you’re aiming to unblock other country’s Netflix libraries just like me, Avast Secureline VPN and TunnelBear work well enough.
I’ve tried watching Spotlight while connected to the US server of Avast Secureline VPN and this is the experience I got:
TunnelBear gave me the same HD streaming experience when I watched the same movie:
I’d like to give my vote to Avast Secureline VPN because you can install it on streaming devices. But I am hesitant with this since TunnelBear has more servers, giving the users access to more libraries. So, I think I’ll also call this round a tie.
Winner: Tie
You cannot install Avast Secureline VPN or TunnelBear on gaming consoles. You can’t also install either of them on routers. TunnelBear is compatible with Linux (limited support), macOS, iOS, Android, and Windows. Avast Secureline VPN, on the other hand, is not supported for Linux.
I’ve tried playing Mobile Legends while connected to each of the VPN providers’ US servers. Whichever VPN I used, I still experienced lags and delays here and there.
Here is what playing Mobile Legends looked like when I used Avast Secureline VPN:
And this is what it looked like when I connected to TunnelBear:
Since there’s not much difference between these two VPN services in terms of gaming features, this Avast VPN vs TunnelBear round is also a tie.
Winner: Tie
When choosing a VPN service, it’s best to pick one that is compatible with as many devices as possible. Avast Secureline VPN and TunnelBear only offer compatibility for certain operating systems and browsers. Refer to the table below to check out each of their compatibility.
Avast Secureline VPN | TunnelBear |
Windows macOS Android iOS Chrome Firefox Tor |
Windows macOS Linux (limited) Android iOS Chrome Firefox Opera |
TunnelBear wins this round, but only by a couple of points. It is compatible with Linux and Opera, unlike its competitor. Sadly, neither of them allows router installation.
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. Avast Secureline VPN formerly allows up to five devices, but if you’ve subscribed after April 2021, you can connect up to 10 devices.
Meanwhile, TunnelBear allows you to connect five devices at a time.
Since Avast Secureline VPN allows more simultaneous connections than the other option, it wins this round.
Avast Secureline VPN has 58 servers in 35 countries. This is a small number of locations compared to the leading VPN providers that we have today.
TunnelBear, which removed its Hong Kong servers in 2020 for security purposes, has over 3000 servers in 40 countries—a large difference from its competitor.
TunnelBear takes this category by a landslide.
Only the best VPN services can go around China’s heavy censorship on Internet use. Avast Secureline VPN went ahead and informed its users that its service does not work in China along with nine other countries.
Meanwhile, TunnelBear says you can use it in any part of the globe, and it even has active users in China. Still, it advises its customers to download the app before visiting the country as the connection is not always as stable as in other areas.
Since TunnelBear has more users in China than Avast Secureline VPN, this round goes to the former.
Avast Secureline VPN 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 has a vibrant interface featuring a world map and a bear that tunnels from one server location to the other. You can find the tunnels by scrolling on the map. While this may work well in a mobile display, I would personally prefer an expandable window for laptops and desktops.
For the interface and usability category, Avast Secureline VPN wins over TunnelBear.
Avast Secureline VPN lacks in the add-on department—it does not even have split tunneling or ad and malware blockers. TunnelBear has an obfuscated server called GhostBear, which enables your VPN traffic to appear like normal Internet activity.
Since Avast Secureline VPN does not have any additional features, TunnelBear tops this category.
A great VPN provider should be able to provide its customers’ needs and answer their inquiries. Avast Secureline VPN and TunnelBear both provide those things for their clients. Here are their customer support features:
Avast Secureline VPN | TunnelBear | |
Live Chat | Yes | No |
Email Support | Yes | Yes |
Phone Support | No | No |
Ticket Support | No | Yes |
Video Tutorials | No | No |
Online Knowledge Base | Yes | Yes |
Average Response Time | 24 hours | 2 hours |
Avast Secureline VPN takes longer to respond and has no ticket support feature. TunnelBear has ticket support 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 for this category.
When looking for a VPN service, you should also consider its price. Some VPNs offer great features at a reasonable price. How did Avast VPN and TunnelBear do? Let’s look at each one’s monthly subscription price and deals.
Avast Secureline VPN | TunnelBear | |
Subscription Lengths | 1 month (Free 500MB/month) | |
One month ($9.99/month) | ||
One year ($4.99/month) | One year ($4.99/month) | |
Two years (3.99/month) | ||
Three years ($3.99/month) | Three years ($3.33/month) | |
Highest Price Per Month | $4.99 | $9.99 |
Lowest Price Per Month | $3.99 | $3.33 |
One Year Price | $59.88 for the first year then $89.99 per year | $59.88 |
Money-Back Guarantee | 30 days | Case-by-case basis |
Special Offer | Save 33% for a one-year plan | Save 67% for a three-year plan |
Save 47% for a two-year and three-year plan | Save 50% for a one-year plan |
If you’ll look into it, TunnelBear has better deals apart from its free tier. Avast VPN also offers discounts, but they are not as significant compared to TunnelBear’s offers.
So which one has better value for money? The answer is TunnelBear.
Which one of these VPN providers is the better choice?
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 VPN protocols and is compatible with more devices compared to Avast Secureline VPN. It also has additional features like ad and malware blockers and an obfuscated server.
Avast Secureline VPN’s price is almost on par with TunnelBear's but you get more with the latter.