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It's true there is a real risk, but it really depends on what you're doing on that WiFi! If you're just scrolling social media or reading stuff online, honestly it's not that big a deal. But the moment you access your bank account, send sensitive emails, or enter passwords, yeah you should definitely turn on a VPN.
One thing nobody mentions: before you connect your phone to public WiFi, disable automatic sync on your apps (Google, Outlook, all that stuff), that already cuts down a lot on the data being exchanged. And take a quick look at whether the network has an actual WPA3 lock or if it's just wide open - a properly secured WiFi is honestly better than a VPN on something totally sketchy!
A VPN is honestly essential on public WiFi because without it anyone on the same network can see your data, your passwords, everything. Personally I use it systematically when I'm at a café or at the airport, it's not complicated and it really saves you.
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