Split tunnel vs full tunnel VPN: What’s the difference? The type of VPN tunnel you choose affects your VPN security and VPN performance. The good news? Understanding VPN tunnels is easy.
A full tunnel VPN encrypts all internet traffic. Full tunnel sends traffic from all apps to a secure VPN server. A split tunnel VPN lets you control how you encrypt traffic. With split tunneling enabled, you can choose which apps or websites use the VPN.
So, when should you use split tunneling versus full tunneling? That depends on whether you need system-wide privacy, flexible access, strong public Wi-Fi security, or speed.
In this guide, you’ll learn the benefits and drawbacks of a split-tunnel VPN. We’ll explain when to use a split tunnel vs. a full tunnel VPN and walk you through key VPN configuration options for improved privacy. We’ll also help with configuring split-tunnel VPN on various devices.
What is a full tunnel VPN?
A full tunnel VPN is simply a term used to describe a standard VPN setup. A full tunnel VPN is what most people envision when they think of a VPN, as it is designed to encrypt all traffic.
This means your entire internet connection is encrypted and sent through a secure VPN proxy server. This is known as full tunneling because it sends all your online activity through the VPN, making your online presence completely private.
Do you want a VPN to stop the local wifi network owner from tracking your activities? Are you trying to avoid mandatory data retention or the ability for ISPs to track your web habits and even sell your information to third parties? Maybe you want to connect to public wifi without fear of tracking or hackers? In all of these cases, a full tunnel VPN is your friend.
All reputable consumer VPN services employ full tunneling by default. This allows subscribers to benefit from the VPN, protecting their entire system. The best part? You don’t need to make any changes. Install the VPN and choose a server to get started.
Should businesses use a full tunnel VPN?
Yes. If you are a small business owner seeking to provide secure network access for employees, a full tunnel VPN is the ideal configuration.
Most corporate networks leverage full tunnel VPNs to provide remote access to business resources. This ensures that employees can access files and work remotely without compromising company information, including consumer data, intellectual property, Human Resources data, or any other company resource.
By employing a full tunnel corporate VPN, business owners ensure that all company data is sent through the encrypted tunnel to centralized, company-controlled servers. This ensures top-level security and legal compliance with data protection standards such as GDPR or CCPA.
Does a full tunnel VPN have any drawbacks?
Using a full tunnel VPN all the time has some performance trade-offs. When you use a standard full tunnel VPN connection, all your data flows through the VPN. This forces the VPN app to constantly encrypt and decrypt all the traffic leaving your device. This added encryption process causes latency and increases strain on your device’s processor, especially on older hardware. Additionally, sending all traffic through the VPN will slow down your internet traffic.
Imagine you are connected to your VPN to ensure that your torrent activities are safe and private. If you use a full tunnel VPN, all your other apps are encrypted and routed to the VPN server as well. But what if you don’t need the VPN to protect the video call you are having with your dad? Or perhaps you’d like to stream the news on BBC iPlayer without worrying about buffering? By using split tunneling, you can instruct the VPN to route the torrent client through it, while keeping other apps, such as WhatsApp, BBC iPlayer, or Chrome, outside of the VPN tunnel.
This spares your device from having to encrypt everything, allowing some apps to use your full-speed internet outside of the VPN tunnel. The only caveat? You need to remember that you enabled split tunneling; otherwise, when you turn the VPN on next time, you may assume it is giving you complete online privacy, when it might not be.
Drawbacks of full tunnel VPNs:
- Slower speeds and higher latency: Full tunnel VPNs may reduce performance, especially if you’re using an older device that struggles to perform all the encryption tasks required by the VPN. Users with slower internet connections may also find it beneficial to experiment with split tunneling versus full tunneling.
- No access to local network devices: Unlike split tunneling, full tunnel mode routes all traffic through the VPN, which prevents access to devices such as printers, smart TVs, or NAS drives on your local network.
- Limited flexibility: Since everything is forced through the VPN, you can’t exclude specific apps or services from the tunnel, which can be inconvenient for certain tasks.
- Potential for DNS, IPv6, or WebRTC leaks: Some free or poorly configured VPNs leak traffic despite claiming to use full tunneling. This leaves your data exposed to ISPs, network admins, and website tracking. A leaky VPN may appear to protect your data, but still allows key info such as DNS queries to slip through.
What is a split tunnel VPN?
Split tunneling is an advanced feature that lets you control how your traffic is routed. Instead of sending everything through the VPN’s encrypted tunnel, split tunneling lets you choose which apps or websites use the VPN (and which don’t.)
Some VPN apps may only allow you to exclude specific apps from the VPN tunnel (referred to as blacklisting). Other VPNs offer the option to choose specific apps to include in the VPN tunnel, while excluding all others (whitelisting).
The flexibility to choose which apps are routed to your VPN makes split tunneling desirable among torrent enthusiasts. These users often want to leave their torrent client running 24/7, allowing other users in the swarm to seed torrents from their computer.
VPN split tunneling allows users to encrypt only their torrenting traffic, keeping it private while freeing up bandwidth for other tasks.
Result? They completely hide their home IP address from other users and conceal their file-sharing activities from their ISP while using the rest of the internet without VPN encryption, for optimal speed.
What are the benefits of split tunneling?
The benefits of a split tunnel VPN extend beyond torrenting. This advanced VPN feature is perfect for anyone who wants to improve speeds and reduce the strain on their device’s performance while still protecting the apps that matter.
By using a split tunnel VPN, only the traffic you select gets encrypted and routed through the VPN. Everything else uses your normal internet connection. This results in several benefits:
- Less strain on your CPU
- Lower latency
- Faster internet speeds for day-to-day activities like streaming, shopping, or video calls.
- Take full advantage of the bandwidth you pay your ISP for
- Access local resources thanks to the split tunnel. This lets you reach printers, NAS drives, or smart home devices on your local network, without disabling the VPN.
What are the drawbacks or risks of split tunneling?
Although split tunneling gives you tons of extra flexibility, there are some trade-offs. These split-tunnel security risks primarily revolve around apps you have set to bypass the VPN.
The important thing to remember is that this traffic isn’t encrypted. This means that local networks, public Wi-Fi hotspots, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), websites, or hackers using public Wi-Fi can monitor activity from any apps that bypass the encrypted tunnel.
This isn’t a problem when you are purposely excluding apps you know don’t require privacy VPN protection. For example, you might decide to exclude the mobile game PUBG from your VPN to get better speeds for gaming. Meanwhile, you can leave all other apps inside the VPN tunnel for privacy reasons.
So, what are the risks, you might wonder?
In my experience, it is extremely easy to enable split tunneling to quickly access something outside of the VPN tunnel. However, after enabling split tunneling and selecting which apps you want to exclude from the VPN, you could get sidetracked and forget to turn split tunneling off. If this happens, you could use the VPN with split tunneling enabled for days or even weeks!
Throughout this time, you could mistakenly believe you are using a full tunnel VPN throughout your system. In reality, some of your apps aren’t getting any privacy, which exposes you to tracking, data collection, and profiling by ISPs, local Wi-Fi networks, websites, and other entities.
When should you use a split-tunnel VPN?
The example above highlights the potential risks associated with using split tunneling. This is why I generally recommend having a system in place (such as having one browser that you use for activities that don’t require privacy) while keeping everything else tightly locked inside the VPN tunnel.
If you need faster connection speeds, multitasking capabilities, or access to local content, split tunneling is extremely useful. However, if privacy is your primary concern, a full tunnel VPN is always going to be a safer bet.
Setting up the right split tunnel VPN configuration can help you avoid leaks or performance issues. This is why you should consider how you are going to use split tunneling before diving in.
The important thing to remember is that split tunneling adds a layer of complexity, so it is best for users who understand the extra control it gives them (which you’ll be an expert on by the time you finish this guide!)
Split tunnel VPN configuration options
Most VPNs that provide split tunneling for their subscribers offer app-based split tunneling. This lets you choose which of the applications on your computer or mobile device are routed through the VPN tunnel.
Some VPNs also support inverse-split tunneling. This is a fancy name for a split tunneling feature where everything is encrypted by default (like a full tunnel VPN), but you can choose which of your apps are excluded from the VPN.
Inverse-split tunneling provides a safer option for users who prefer to protect most of the traffic leaving their devices from a VPN, while choosing a specific browser to exclude from the VPN. For example, I use inverse-split tunneling (blacklisting) to exclude my Chrome browser from the VPN while leaving all other apps (including my Firefox browser) inside of the VPN!
The result? I can use Chrome to:
- Watch local TV services
- Use my internet banking
- Log in to government services
- Access freelance work platforms
- Place bets on local gambling sites
- Use region-locked websites that require a local IP
- Perform any non-sensitive browsing tasks that require faster speeds
Meanwhile, all my other apps stay protected by the VPN. My torrents are private. My VoIP calls are secure. And if I need to browse anything sensitive? I launch Firefox. It’s that simple.
How do I choose a VPN with split tunneling?
If you’re looking for a reliable VPN with split tunneling, we have included our recommendations below. Each of these VPNs has been thoroughly tested and functions reliably as both a full tunnel VPN and a split tunnel VPN.
Here are the best VPNs with split tunneling:
- NordVPN: Split tunneling is available on Windows and Android (not on Mac or iOS). Supports app-based split tunneling and inverse split tunneling on both platforms.
- Surfshark: Split tunneling is available on Windows, Mac, and Android via the “Bypasser” feature. On Windows and Mac (macOS 12 and up), Bypasser supports both app-based and URL-based split tunneling. Android users can exclude specific apps from the VPN tunnel only. On iOS, only website-based split tunneling is available.
- IPVanish: Split tunneling is available on Android and Amazon Fire TV only. Supports app-based split tunneling. No split tunneling on Windows, Mac, or iOS.
Want to learn more about the best VPNs with split tunneling? Click the link to see our complete guide with additional options!
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VPN security vs performance: How do I strike the right balance?
When using a VPN, you may wonder when to prioritize security over speed. We recommend that you ask yourself whether your current situation requires privacy, security, or both. At home, for example, you may feel more comfortable performing tasks outside of the VPN than you would on public Wi-Fi.
When using a trusted home network, you may not need a VPN to protect your data against other people connected to the local network. However, depending on your activities, you may want to leverage the VPN’s encryption to stop your ISP from tracking you. On other home networks (or perhaps a business network), you may be fearful that the wifi owner is tracking you. Under these circumstances, you may prefer to use a full-tunnel VPN.
The important thing to remember is that at home, you have more freedom to decide when to turn off your VPN (or enable VPN split tunneling for some apps) to improve your internet speed and device performance.
On public wifi, by contrast, the risks of hacking and surveillance by wifi hotspot providers increase. This makes it more important to secure all traffic leaving your device. Ultimately, it comes down to risk. What are the dangers right now? Ask yourself:
- Do I trust the wifi network I am using?
- Is there anybody around who might potentially be trying to access my data?
- Using apps that don’t need VPN protection? Exclude them from the VPN tunnel to free up bandwidth and speed up your connection.
- Doing any activities or using apps that don’t require privacy or security? If yes, consider excluding these apps from the VPN tunnel to improve internet speed and device performance.
Split tunnel vs full tunnel VPN FAQs
App-based vs inverse-split tunneling: What’s the difference?
Inverse-split tunneling is a version of split tunneling where everything is encrypted by default, but you can choose specific apps or sites to bypass the VPN. It’s the reverse of standard split tunneling (which allows you to select which apps you want to send through the VPN while excluding everything else). Inverse-split tunneling can be applied in two ways:
- App-based: Where you exclude certain programs from the VPN.
- Domain-based: Where you exclude specific websites or domains from the VPN.
Can I get faster VPN speed by using split tunneling?
Yes. By routing only select apps through the VPN, you reduce CPU load and allow some apps/websites to use your full-speed internet. This can help older devices run smoother and boost performance for tasks that don’t require encryption.
If your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer is already quite slow, you may prefer to take the load off by using split tunneling. This will ensure the VPN is only being used by applications that require protection.
ZTNA and SASE: What are these VPN alternatives?
This article is primarily aimed at home internet users interested in VPN technologies that they can use to gain online privacy and data security on their devices. However, for any business owners interested in emerging technologies, we have included a brief description of these technologies below:
- ZTNA: Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) is a modern alternative to traditional VPNs for businesses. Instead of granting blanket access to a whole network, ZTNA restricts access to specific apps and services based on strict identity verification. This makes it safer for remote teams and hybrid work setups.
- SASE: Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) combines networking and security functions in the cloud. It merges VPN-like access with firewalls, threat detection, and access controls that are managed centrally. SASE is designed for companies with remote workers and branch offices that need scalable cloud security.
What is split DNS and DNS Suffix VPN configuration?
Split DNS and DNS suffix settings are advanced VPN configuration options used by corporate networks. These features are not typically found in consumer-facing VPN apps designed for home internet users.
- Split DNS allows certain domain queries to be resolved using a specific DNS server, while all other DNS requests use a different one. Think of it as split tunneling for DNS query resolution (allowing different DNS queries to be resolved by different DNS resolvers based on differing security requirements. It’s commonly used in business environments to let employees securely access internal resources without routing all traffic through the company’s network.
- DNS suffix VPN configuration allows administrators to define specific domain suffixes that devices should resolve via private DNS servers. This setup is helpful for organizations that rely on internal web services and custom domains.
