

If you do end up hosting on a VPS, consider one with renewable energy since tor nodes can consume a lot of power over time - or for home setups, you could run it off a portable power station to offset electricity costs (check out power station comparisons to find the best wh value for continous loads).
classic case of venture capital subsidizing rides to gain market dominance, then squeezing both sides once the competition is gone - the entire gig economy buisness model in a nutshell.