Split tunneling lets you route some traffic through your VPN and some through your local ISP — essential for gaming, local printing, or banking without breaking your connection. Here are the three best VPNs for split tunneling based on ease of setup, platform support, and leak-free reliability.
A VPN normally routes all your internet traffic through an encrypted tunnel. That's great for privacy, but it can be annoying when you want to:
Split tunneling solves this by letting you choose which apps or websites use the VPN tunnel and which go straight through your regular ISP connection.1 It's one of those features you don't think about — until you absolutely need it.
There are two main approaches:
App-based split tunneling — you pick specific applications (like Steam, your browser, or Zoom) that bypass the VPN. Everything else stays encrypted. This is the most common and generally the most reliable method.
URL/IP-based split tunneling — you specify domains or IP addresses that should be excluded from the VPN tunnel. Useful for accessing local network resources (like a NAS or router admin page) without disconnecting entirely.
The best VPNs offer one or both of these, and the difference matters depending on what you're doing.
NordVPN offers split tunneling on Windows and Android via an app-based approach.1 You open the settings, toggle on split tunneling, and pick which apps should bypass the VPN. It's straightforward: no fiddling with IP ranges or domain lists.
Why it wins: The setup takes about 30 seconds. The split tunneling implementation is stable — meaning no accidental DNS leaks when apps switch between tunneled and non-tunneled traffic. NordVPN is also one of the few providers that makes split tunneling genuinely easy to find and configure, rather than burying it in advanced settings.
Platform availability: Windows, Android (not macOS or iOS — Apple's VPN framework doesn't allow per-app routing).
Proton VPN offers split tunneling on Windows, Android, and macOS (via their open-source app). Like NordVPN, it uses an app-based approach: you select which applications bypass the encrypted tunnel.2
Why it wins: Proton VPN's split tunneling is built on the same privacy-first foundation as the rest of their service — no logs, open-source clients, and a strong track record on transparency. If you're already in the Proton ecosystem (Proton Mail, Proton Drive), the integration is seamless.
Platform availability: Windows, Android, macOS. Notably, macOS support is rare for split tunneling, so this is a real differentiator for Apple users.
IVPN takes a slightly different approach with a focus on transparency and user control.3 Their split tunneling lets you decide exactly which traffic routes where, with clear documentation and no guesswork.
Why it wins: IVPN is independently audited and publishes transparency reports. Their split tunneling implementation is reliable — no leaks, no surprises. It's less flashy than the big names, but for users who want a no-nonsense tool that just works, IVPN delivers.
Platform availability: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android.
| Feature | App-based | URL/IP-based |
|---|---|---|
| What you control | Which applications bypass the VPN | Which domains/IPs bypass the VPN |
| Best for | Gaming, streaming, video calls | Local network devices, routers, NAS |
| Setup complexity | Simple — pick from a list | Moderate — need to know IPs/domains |
| Leak risk | Low (app-level routing) | Moderate (DNS can leak if misconfigured) |
All three VPNs above primarily use app-based split tunneling, which is the safer and more user-friendly option. URL/IP-based split tunneling is more flexible but requires more technical knowledge to set up correctly without leaking traffic.
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