There are a few notable downsides to using a VPN, besides the obvious "it costs money" thing, one being the VPN's affect on your browsing speed. It will virtually always be slower than your normal, unprotected connection. Another issue is that sites may restrict your access to their content if they detect VPN usage. Some maintain blacklists of IP addresses that are known to belong to VPNs, including major streaming sites like Netflix. If your IP address is frequently associated with multiple users, that's usually what gives it away. Finally, there's always the risk that a VPN provider is shadily collecting and selling your personal information (see below) — hence the importance of picking one that's transparent and trustworthy.