@Fiofo At one time, I used a VPN nearly all the time on my Apple devices (I used ProtonVPN - paid tier). Since then, I have abandoned an always-on VPN solution, primarily because virtually ever website I visit is https:// enabled. So, the value of having a VPN connection on in those situations is a bit less than it was years ago. The only time I use a VPN is if I need to connect to a public wifi connection, which I try to avoid most of the time, or if there is a geolocation-related reason, which is also rare for me. When I travel overseas, I do tend to subscribe to a VPN service, just for the duration of the trip. That may be overkill for me as well.
I find that using iCloud Private Relay in conjunction with a service like NextDNS handles most of the privacy-related needs I have (I don’t have a high threat profile and simply want some privacy from companies looking to take advantage of my internet use). Yes, my IP address may be visible to my ISP, but they have no idea of my internet destinations other than that I am connecting to NextDNS or Apple’s first hop of servers. NextDNS adds value to Private Relay because it protects my DNS queries beyond just Safari browsing and Apple email.