Split tunneling is an advanced feature offered in VPN services that enables users to decide which web traffic to route through the VPN and which traffic to route directly to the internet. There are a couple different ways in which split tunneling could be configured:
- Split tunneling on the app-select level: Lets users choose what apps can use the VPN or not.
- URL or domain-based split tunneling: Allows the user to specify certain websites or domains that will avoid the VPN.
Why do VPN providers use Split Tunneling?
- Faster speed and better performance
At the same time, routing all internet traffic through a VPN server can slow down your connection, since encryption and decryption processes introduce some delay. Split tunneling lets you run everyday activities — like watching videos or browsing the web — outside the VPN, while keeping a secure connection for important tasks like online banking.
- Reduce data usage for apps that utilize bandwidth
Some apps — like streaming, online games, or file sharing — use a lot of data. Sending their traffic through a VPN can increase bandwidth usage and might even trigger data limits with some VPNs.
With split tunneling, these heavy apps can bypass the VPN and connect directly, saving data and keeping your VPN connection faster for other tasks.
- Overall benefits of A VPN for streaming and local content
The split tunneling feature enables the users to access the geo-restricted or international content using the VPN while accessing the local content through their regular internet connection. That means a user can stream local news on their home network — and U.S.-exclusive streaming content via the VPN — without having to switch connections.
List of VPN services that support the Split tunneling feature:
- Surfshark VPN (Surfshark VPN's biggest draw is that you can connect an unlimited number of devices to a single subscription, which is not the case with most other VPN providers.).
- NordVPN (Strong privacy protection with military-grade encryption. It offers a large server network, allowing for fast and reliable connections, and is superb at unblocking streaming services. It has a few unique features such as strong security, fast speeds, and global coverage.).
- TurboVPN (TurboVPN is a popular and ultra-fast VPN service. It has servers across over 110 locations and a simple user interface).
- VeePN (VeePN is a very popular VPN service with over 40 million active users. It has a reasonable price, an easy-to-learn interface for all the platforms.).
- PureVPN (PureVPN is a fairly successful VPN service at low prices).
- IPVanish (IPVanish provides a cost-effective 2-year plan, ideal for those who want to use it for a while.).
Split tunneling may help to cut down on unnecessary data use and speed up potential connection time, but users need to be more aware of the potential security risks of sending some traffic outside a VPN.
