So you live in a country like Germany, Norway, or the Netherlands. You’re not in China. You don’t torrent 24/7. You’re not trying to bypass government firewalls. You’re just… online. You browse, stream, send emails, scroll Reddit.
Do you really need a VPN?
That’s exactly the question one Redditor from Norway recently asked in r/ProtonVPN. He grabbed ProtonVPN Plus during a promo sale, but now he’s second-guessing it. He doesn’t download illegal stuff. He doesn’t use public Wi-Fi. He mostly stays home and uses mobile data when out. And his ISP has never given him trouble.
So… is a VPN pointless in that case?
That simple question sparked a wave of replies from people across Europe, Australia, and the US — all with wildly different answers. Here’s what they said, and why a surprising number of them still use a VPN every day.
1. It’s Not About Being Anonymous — It’s About Leaving Fewer Traces
One of the top comments nailed it with a metaphor:
“VPNs are like seatbelts. They won’t save you in every crash, but not wearing one is just stupid.”
A VPN isn’t magic. It won’t make you invisible. But it will help:
- Mask your IP address from websites and trackers
- Stop your ISP from logging or analyzing your traffic
- Protect you on sketchy Wi-Fi networks (cafes, airports, hotels)
- Make it harder for advertisers to track you by IP
“Nobody’s watching me today. But I don’t know who’ll have access to my data in 5 years. I’d rather leave as little behind as possible.”
– @darktka (Germany)
For a few bucks a month, it’s a simple way to reduce your online footprint.
2. Torrenting, Plex Servers, and Usenet Use
Let’s be real: plenty of people still use VPNs to torrent safely.
Even in countries where piracy laws aren’t aggressively enforced, copyright holders still monitor torrent swarms and collect IP addresses. Your ISP may not care — but they might forward a legal notice if someone complains.
“Governments don’t sue you. Copyright lawyers do. And they only need your IP to start the process.”
– @1401_autocoder
Using a VPN ensures your IP never ends up in those swarms. Others use it to:
- Run Plex servers from home
- Download via Usenet without exposing their IP
- Avoid DMCA complaints from aggressive rights holders (especially in places like Germany or Australia)
3. The Internet Is Changing — And Not in a Good Way
Even if everything seems fine today, things are shifting. Fast.
Redditors from the UK and Scandinavia brought up concerns like:
- Mandatory digital IDs (like BankID) to access websites
- Censorship of Reddit, DuckDuckGo, or smaller tech sites
- Soft restrictions via ISP-level DNS manipulation
- Aggressive laws about content filtering or copyright
“I don’t use a VPN because I’m in trouble. I use it so I’m ready before I am.”
– @skrukketiss69 (Norway)
For these users, a VPN is about future-proofing. Once restrictions hit, it’s too late to scramble.
4. Proton Is More Than Just a VPN
Several users said they don’t use VPN alone — they use Proton Unlimited, which includes:
- Encrypted email (ProtonMail)
- Cloud storage (Proton Drive)
- Password manager (Proton Pass)
- Calendar and alias protection
- VPN access across devices
“Yeah, I could build my own mail server or run Keepass, but I don’t want to debug my privacy. I want it to work. And I don’t trust free services with my identity.”
– @jinxalow (France)
Proton isn’t the cheapest — and that’s kind of the point. People trust them because they’re audited, transparent, open-source, and privacy-first.
5. Geo-Unblocking, Censorship, and Global Content
Not everyone uses VPN to hide — some use it to unlock.
- Access news, Reddit, or tech forums blocked in their country
- Watch YouTube with fewer ads using specific regions
- Get around broad DNS filtering that blocks innocent sites
- Use VPN to access services only available in another country
“My ISP blocked Reddit entirely because of porn. Instead of just blocking NSFW subreddits, they nuked the whole domain.”
– @Silly_Enthusiasm_485 (Indonesia)
For expats, travelers, and digital nomads, VPN is often the only way to reach “home” content.
6. Sometimes… It Even Makes Your Connection Better
Sounds weird, but some Redditors claim that using a VPN can improve your internet connection — especially if your ISP has poor peering or throttles certain traffic.
“My provider has terrible routes to certain websites. VPN lets me use different, faster paths. It’s crazy, but it works.”
– @digitalfrost (Eastern Europe)
Of course, that’s not true for everyone. But it shows how a VPN can solve problems beyond just privacy.
Final Thoughts: Do You Need a VPN If You Live in a Free Country?
Short answer: You probably don’t need it. But it might still be worth it.
You’re not in China. You’re not pirating Game of Thrones. You trust your ISP. You don’t use shady Wi-Fi.
- But even then… a VPN can still:
- Reduce your digital trail
- Bypass censorship and weird DNS blocking
- Keep your IP private on your Plex server or NAS
- Unblock geo-restricted websites
- Stop advertisers from profiling your connection
- Prepare you for a more restrictive digital future
Bonus Tip: If you go with Proton, the full Unlimited plan is a smart move — not just for the VPN, but for the whole privacy stack: email, drive, password manager, aliases. It’s built to replace your free tools with something way more trustworthy.
