> it does kinda blow my mind how often I see people (on /r/vibecoding and elsewhere) paying for a $200/mo subscription to produce what amount to hobby projects and toy sites

People spend more than that on their (non-vibecoding) hobbies. Think of folks who do woodworking, 3D printing, sailing, car racing, etc. So $200/mo is not excessive if they get their enjoyment out of it.