VPN Split Tunneling Explained
Split tunneling lets you route only selected traffic through your VPN. It's the best way to balance security and performance for remote work.
Full Tunnel vs Split Tunnel
Full Tunnel (Default)
ALL traffic goes through VPN.
- + Maximum security — everything encrypted
- - Slower for non-work tasks
- - Can break local network devices
- - Uses more VPN bandwidth
Split Tunnel (Recommended)
Only selected traffic goes through VPN.
- + Work traffic secured, personal traffic fast
- + Local devices still accessible
- + Less VPN bandwidth used
- - Requires setup and intentional choices
What to Route Through VPN
Route Through VPN
- Web browsers (for work)
- Email clients (Outlook, Thunderbird)
- Slack, Teams, Discord
- Cloud storage (Drive, Dropbox)
- Code editors with remote access
- Banking and financial apps
Can Bypass VPN
- Streaming (Netflix, Spotify)
- Gaming platforms
- Smart home apps
- Printer/scanner access
- Local file sharing
- System updates
Split Tunneling by Provider
| Provider | Windows | macOS | Android | iOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NordVPN | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Surfshark | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| ExpressVPN | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Proton VPN | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Mullvad | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
iOS does not support split tunneling due to Apple platform restrictions. No VPN can offer it on iOS.