Decide what you need before you choose anything

Five questions to answer first

A threat model does not need to be formal. Answering these in a sentence each is enough to tell whether a VPN helps.

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What am I protecting: browsing history, files, location, a work connection?
From whom: the local Wi-Fi operator, my internet provider, advertisers, someone with access to my device?
Where will I use it: home, public Wi-Fi, travel, my workplace?
Whose device and network is it? If it is my employer's or school's, have I read their rules?
Have I checked that using a VPN is lawful where I live and where I am travelling?

Typical goals. A VPN is often one part of the answer, not all of it.
What you want	Does a VPN help?	Also consider
Privacy on public Wi-Fi	Yes, for traffic in transit	Keeping your device updated; checking for HTTPS
Less visibility for your internet provider	Yes, it moves that visibility to the VPN provider	Whether you trust the VPN provider more
Fewer ads and less tracking	Only slightly	Browser privacy settings, tracker blocking, signing out
Protection from malware or phishing	No	Updates, a password manager, two-factor sign-in
Access to your employer's internal systems	Yes, using the VPN your employer provides	Following your employer's instructions exactly
Staying anonymous	No	This guide does not cover anonymity tools

On a managed device whose owner has not allowed it. Use the organisation's own VPN, if it provides one, as instructed.
When your only goal is fewer ads. Browser settings do more for that.
Where the law restricts or regulates VPN use. Find out what applies before you install one.
When it would breach the terms of a network or service you agreed to use.

Terms used here

A plain statement of what you want to protect, from whom, and how much effort is reasonable. It decides whether a VPN helps at all.

A laptop or phone administered by an employer or school. Its owner sets the rules, and installing your own VPN on it is usually not allowed.

A shared network in a cafe, hotel, station or similar place. Its operator, and sometimes other users, may be able to observe unencrypted traffic.