TunnelBear

While virtual private networks were once the province of a very specific type of internet user, increased concerns about privacy on the net has pushed VPNs front and center in the global conversation. Of course, not all VPNs are of the same quality, and the service that's right for you will depend largely on your specific needs. For users who don't demand lightning fast speeds or massive amounts of data transfer, TunnelBear is a great fit. It puts privacy first, utilizes an interface that makes it easy for even the most novice user to learn the ins and outs of how a VPN works, and comes with a range of meaningful extensions that make it easy to integrate the software into your everyday internet usage. A good VPN lives and dies on how they handle your private information, but the exact details you can expect from a given VPN can sometimes be hard to discern. TunnelBear's approach is refreshingly transparent. TunnelBear allows all users to connect their VPN to up to five devices. This isn't the most diverse range around, but it's the industry standard, and it should provide enough devices for most users. Client support is offered for Windows, iOS, Android, and macOS, and browser plug-ins are available for both Opera and Chrome. While the browser plug-ins don't provide full VPN protection, they're a convenient way to get an added level of security when you're operating your device in a public space. Most of this is standard stuff, but TunnelBear really starts to differentiate itself with its privacy policy. It's one of the best around, both in liberally conveying the actual terms in a manner anyone can understand and applying their principles in practice. TunnelBear takes a strict stance on not storing any IP information on its users. That means that even if someone comes asking for your information, TunnelBear doesn't have the means to provide it. They also promise not to share your personal information with any third party businesses, which is surprisingly not an expectation in the world of virtual private networks. One of the best aspects of TunnelBear is that it offers a generous free plan. With 500 megabytes offered per month, users who are only looking to make use of a VPN when they have to connect to a public network will get by just fine without having to pay a dime. If you're looking for something more robust, TunnelBear's subscription models are eminently affordable. With unlimited data for $9.99, this VPN offers one of the best rates around, and you can cut that price in half by purchasing an annual subscription all at once. TunnelBear also offers TunnelBear For Teams, which allows professionals to create a unified VPN service for their entire team at an affordable rate. That's not to say that everything is perfect with TunnelBear. What it allows you to do with your VPN is limited, and the speeds it offers aren't the best around; but if you're looking for a lightweight and inexpensive (or free) mid-tier VPN service, this one's hard to beat.