I hear you, I'm currently running my own private relay as a backup, but that's just one part of it.
Using a paid relay does make sense, it can help you reach more people and discover more people as well. Nostr.wine also channels your content to other countries and popular relays, so that's an additional perk.
You can always turn the public and private relays on and off, so isn't like you will lose your freedom on this :)
I found you on public relays , will never ever use a paid relay, obviously since I like my data uncensored
You don't have control over a company policies to censor (filter) what they believe is spam or not, what is next? Filter of disinformation too....
NOSTR idea is to be uncensorable, a beacon and a flag of freedom of speech, using paid relays in my opinion is ironic and defies the reason most of us are here.
Soon you will be able to add filters to your own relay , APIs will be created, already some in the works, I will be surprised if Amethyst does not add it to their app soon after, filter lists maintained by the community as we do with PiHole most probably will be the norm, if not, this will not progress , it will be nothing but more of the same non sense corporate controlled social network
