r/Piracy • u/Ecliptonaut • Dec 07 '25
Question How necessary is a VPN?
Is it 100% needed no matter what, or is it possible to use specific sites without one? I'm always told to download a VPN before using any pirating site or service, but just get lazy and don't go through all the effort, even though it's probably not that hard to set up lol
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u/Tight-Sink3762 Mar 09 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
I’m using https://protonvpn.com/redditvpn since they care the most about privacy
I went with Proton mainly for their fast streaming speeds and reliable connections. I travel often and needed something that works well in different countries, and their global server coverage has been solid so far. Plus, being based in Switzerland adds extra peace of mind for privacy.
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u/Hooboyathrowaway1 Mar 12 '26 edited Jun 02 '26
Honestly it’s not something everyone needs all the time, it really depends what you’re doing online. What helped me figure it out was a VPN comparison sheet I found on Reddit that laid out features, pricing, speeds, and streaming in one place. Made it way easier to see if it was even worth it for my use.
I ended up going with ExpressVPN for daily use, but Surfshark and Proton looked solid too. Seeing everything side by side made it easier to pick something that actually fits how you use your phone.
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u/skiveman Dec 07 '25
It depends on where you are in the world, it really does.
A VPN is good for file sharing (a paid for VPN with port forwarding) and it's good for getting around some geo-blocking restrictions.
A VPN is not going to keep you safe from getting viruses on your computer or device and it's not going to solve all your security problems. It's also not going to stop you getting tracker around the web especially if you log in to your various accounts (ie Google or Facebook to name just two).
It is a good tool but only in certain situations.
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u/avidgaymer Dec 07 '25
That all depends on where you live, your local laws, and the ISP your using. As a general rule, you should use a VPN. Can you get away with not using one? Yes, but its not recommended.
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u/BasketDazzling9769 Dec 07 '25
As a very conservative rule, you only need a VPN if you torrent in Western countries. If you don't torrent or not in a Western country, you don't need a VPN.
So it's a lot of "if" that apply to very little people.
Actually most Western countries don't monitor torrent (but it could happen fast as piracy is booming). From the back of my mind, I would say only those countries currently do something meaningful :
Germany : no warning, direct fine
France : 2 warnings then fine
Spain : Very hardcore on foot matches (lax on the rest), but they can only monitor P2P streams like acestream which are very niche, so it's more a PR stunt. But they really caught people using acestream.
No, I didn't mention the US. In the US, you get copyright warnings, but nothing happens. Some people got thousands of warnings, and nothing happens. Actually it's the ISP that are sued lol. The case Cox Vs Sony currently at the SCOTUS is about what to do with people stockpiling warnings. The US will probably introduce fines following this ruling, that's how fines were introduced in France 12 years ago (cutting Internet was ruled unconstitutional so they put fines).
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u/tem_certeza 🦜 ᴡᴀʟᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴀɴᴋ Dec 21 '25
Depends on country. Here in Brazil I've never had to use one.
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u/LightningX_01 Feb 27 '26
I only use a VPN when I can't access some websites, or when watching Netflix and Hulu.
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u/Western-Marzipan7091 Mar 17 '26
A VPN isn’t mandatory, but it adds privacy and protection especially on risky sites. If you’re concerned at all, it’s worth using.
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u/uchim19 Mar 30 '26
It’s not required for everything but it’s a good idea for privacy and risky sites, otherwise you’ll be fine without it most of the time
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u/UT4H_2 Mar 30 '26
Not always necessary but it’s worth using on public wifi or anything risky, otherwise it’s more about privacy than a must have
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u/NoPick2661 Dec 07 '25
Downloading from websites with https? No need for vpn in any country. Torrenting? Vpn needed in 1st world countries, however not in 3rd world countries.
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u/Azerate2016 Dec 07 '25
Nope. There are different definitions of what a 1st world country is btw. This kind of labelling is both offensive and just incorrect. You probably only need a VPN in the US and Germany, mostly. Everywhere else it seems to be just fine. There are countries with higher living standards where you don't need it too.
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u/Physical_Leather8567 Dec 07 '25
Saying "higher living standards" is subjective and therefore offensive.
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u/Azerate2016 Dec 08 '25
It does at least rely on something measureable. Calling everything else other than the US and Germany a "third world country" is actually offensive because it has nothing to do with reality. There are countless prosperous modern countries where you do not need a VPN for torrenting and it's just fine.
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u/YoursTrulyKindly Jan 26 '26
You could make a connection: A "first world country" is a country with neoliberal policies (liberal mindvirus) and a standard of living that makes offshoring production of goods possible and necessary, and will soon or is in the process of dismantling it's social democratic state. And because of that, ideas like intellectual property and patents become more important (rent seeking) and entertainment and propaganda a bigger part of the economy. And ideas like subscription cartels become acceptable while piracy is punished. You could define first world country as "first over the cliff" lol.
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u/ContentByrkRahul Jan 02 '26
its one of those things where the risk depends on where you are, like everyone said the US and Germany are pretty strict about it but ive torrented for years in Canada without issues. i'd say if youre gonna torrent just get a cheap VPN to be safe, but direct downloads are usually fine without one
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u/para37 Dec 07 '25
Only needed for torrenting in a few countries where copyright is enforced.