The best VPN with split tunneling is the one whose routing controls match your device and the traffic you want to route. ExpressVPN, Proton VPN, NordVPN and Private Internet Access have documented options across selected desktop and mobile platforms, but their app, website, IP and subnet rules differ. Check the exact client before subscribing: “split tunneling” does not mean the same controls are available everywhere.
What split tunneling does—and what it does not
Split tunneling sends some traffic through a VPN tunnel and lets other selected traffic use the device’s ordinary internet connection. For example, you might route a work app through the VPN while allowing another app to connect directly. Traffic that bypasses the tunnel does not receive the VPN tunnel’s protection.
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There are two main rule styles. In exclude mode, most traffic uses the VPN and selected apps or destinations bypass it. In include mode, only selected traffic uses the VPN; the rest connects directly. Some clients call include mode “inverse” routing. A provider may offer one style but not the other on a particular operating system.
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Split tunneling can help when an app or local service needs a direct connection, but it is not a universal speed boost. Results depend on the network, VPN server and which traffic is routed.
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Which VPNs have documented split-tunneling controls?
The comparison below is limited to platform-specific capabilities described in the providers’ documentation. It is not a claim that every listed feature is available in every app version or region.
| VPN | Documented platforms and rules | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| ExpressVPN | Windows: apps, websites, IPs and subnets, including inverse routing. macOS: apps and websites. Linux: apps, IPs and subnets. Android: per-app controls. iOS: website exclusions using individual IPv4 addresses. | Its feature page lists Windows 10 and 11, macOS 11 Big Sur or later, supported 64-bit Linux distributions, Android 7.0 or later, and iOS. The available rule types vary by platform. |
| Proton VPN | macOS app exclusions; Linux GUI split tunneling; Android app and IP rules, with include and exclude modes. | The Linux GUI feature is limited to official Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch apps, with Debian available as an optional feature. Proton says Linux configuration may reset as include mode is added. |
| NordVPN | Android and Android TV app exclusions; Windows split-tunneling instructions; Linux Allowlist rules for ports, port ranges or subnets. | The Linux Allowlist is not app selection. Its documentation says matching traffic bypasses the VPN and is not blocked by the kill switch; DNS conflicts can also affect some excluded apps or services. |
| Private Internet Access | Desktop app, IP-address and subnet rules. Users can bypass selected apps while other traffic uses the VPN, or send selected apps through the VPN while other traffic connects directly. | The cited guide covers desktop clients, not mobile support. It also documents DNS behavior choices on Windows and Linux. |
How to choose for your device and use case
For app-by-app routing
ExpressVPN documents per-app controls on Windows, Linux and Android; Proton VPN documents them on Android, macOS exclusions and Linux GUI split tunneling; NordVPN documents app exclusions on Android and Android TV plus Windows instructions. Private Internet Access documents app rules for desktop clients. If you need a specific app to use the VPN rather than bypass it, confirm that the platform supports include or inverse mode—not just exclusions.
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For websites, IP addresses or subnets
ExpressVPN documents website controls on Windows and macOS, IP and subnet rules on Windows and Linux, and individual IPv4 website exclusions on iOS. Proton VPN’s Android instructions include IP rules. NordVPN’s Linux Allowlist uses ports, port ranges or subnets rather than apps. Private Internet Access documents IP and subnet rules on desktop. Choose by the destination type you actually need to route; an app-only control will not necessarily solve a website or network-range requirement.
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Compare the distribution and the rule model, not just the feature name. ExpressVPN documents app, IP and subnet routing for supported 64-bit distributions. Proton VPN’s GUI option is described for official Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch apps, with Debian as an optional feature; its instructions warn configuration may reset as include mode is added. NordVPN’s Linux Allowlist matches ports, port ranges or subnets, not applications. Private Internet Access documents desktop app, IP and subnet rules and DNS choices on Linux.
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For iPhone or iPad
ExpressVPN’s documented iOS method routes website exclusions through individual IPv4 addresses. That is narrower than choosing any app for direct access, so check whether the rule fits your need before relying on it. Do not assume desktop-style app controls are available in an iOS client.
Check DNS and kill-switch behavior before relying on a rule
Routing rules can interact with DNS handling and the kill switch, so test the exact combination you plan to use. NordVPN notes that a DNS conflict can prevent some excluded applications or services from working as expected. Its Linux documentation says Allowlist-matched traffic bypasses the VPN without being blocked by the kill switch. Private Internet Access provides DNS behavior choices on Windows and Linux. Those details are consequential: a rule that sends traffic directly may behave differently from a rule that keeps traffic inside the tunnel if the VPN disconnects.
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- Confirm whether the selected app or destination is included in or excluded from the tunnel.
- Check whether DNS requests follow the same route as the app traffic.
- Verify what the kill switch does to traffic matched by the split-tunneling rule.
- Reconnect the VPN and test the rule with the target app or destination before depending on it.
Set up and verify split tunneling carefully
- Identify the device and client. Note the operating system, version and VPN app you will actually use; feature availability can differ between desktop, mobile and browser clients.
- Choose the traffic and direction. Decide whether selected traffic should bypass the VPN or whether only selected traffic should use it.
- Choose the matching rule type. Use an app rule for an application, a website rule for a supported domain, or an IP, subnet or port rule only where the client documents it.
- Review DNS and kill-switch settings. Check provider guidance for interactions that could break the selected app or allow a direct connection when you expected a block.
- Reconnect and test. Proton instructs users to restart selected apps after reconnecting for routing rules to take effect. Test both the selected traffic and other traffic so you can confirm each follows the intended route.
What the speed figures can—and cannot—tell you
TechRadar’s 2026 VPN guide reports local download test results of 489 Mbps for ExpressVPN Lightway and 1,479 Mbps for ExpressVPN Lightway Turbo, 1,256 Mbps for NordVPN and 1,521 Mbps for Proton VPN. These are that publication’s protocol-specific measurements, not general speed rankings or a prediction for an individual connection. They also do not establish the speed impact of split tunneling itself.
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Which one should you choose?
- Choose ExpressVPN if its documented rules for your platform match your need for apps, websites, IPs or subnets; verify the narrower iOS and platform-specific options.
- Choose Proton VPN if its Android, macOS or Linux controls fit your setup, and account for its Linux distribution limits and app-restart guidance.
- Choose NordVPN if Android app exclusions or its Windows guidance fit; on Linux, make sure port, port-range or subnet rules are suitable in place of app selection.
- Choose Private Internet Access if you need desktop app, IP or subnet rules and want documented DNS choices on Windows or Linux; the cited desktop guide does not establish mobile support.
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