This never happened to me. I have never been charged by Alby for anything.
InstallAlby On your lightning node is not enough to avoid the charge you’re referring to.
The charge actually happens when a user links their custodial alby To their newly installed hub, When they do this, the hub automatically drains their custodial account and uses it to open a new lightning channel for the hub.
I’ve pointed this out to the Alby team months ago multiple times and ask them to put extra confirmations to make people aware of what’s going to happen. It appears they did not listen.
https://fountain.fm/episode/BZaoftHVxuLhvFiINPyM
nostr:nevent1qvzqqqpxquqzpkeygd24vzt70wqnfm6rlnx2wjqckrrsxd9rvtnqcdlsqvsavtju2sewj4
Discussion
This more or less was the case when I installed Alby Hub.
It presented me an option to open a channel, and then opened a new channel where my existing custodial balance was my new outbound liquidity.
Nothing strange or scary, but I guess it could catch someone off guard.
Personally, I found it a really simple and intuitive process.