Both are annually audited and owned by larger companies — Kape Technologies for ExpressVPN, McAfee for TunnelBear. The split is product philosophy: ExpressVPN is built around protocol engineering and cross-platform consistency; TunnelBear is built around removing every barrier to a first connection.

What you get that TunnelBear doesn't offer

Lightway — audited as a standalone protocol implementation. TrustedServer: hardware-enforced data non-persistence across all servers. BVI registration vs TunnelBear's Canada, a 5-eyes member. Eight simultaneous connections vs five. Streaming access is actively maintained. Connection performance reflects a larger infrastructure investment.

What you give up

TunnelBear's interface assumes no prior VPN experience — onboarding is the primary product design constraint. TunnelBear's audit reports are published and downloadable without account login; ExpressVPN's require an account. TunnelBear's free tier offers 2GB monthly. Premium pricing at ExpressVPN sits at the high end of the category.

What you get that ExpressVPN doesn't offer

Interface designed around zero prior VPN knowledge — the product removes configuration complexity entirely. Audit reports fully public and downloadable without account. Free tier with 2GB monthly. McAfee backing provides commercial stability alongside the accessibility focus.

What you give up

Canada is a 5-eyes member; ExpressVPN's BVI registration sits outside those frameworks. Kape ownership is a concern for both — but ExpressVPN's Lightway and TrustedServer represent engineering investments TunnelBear doesn't replicate. Five connections vs eight. Streaming access and speed-sensitive routing are not TunnelBear priorities.