For years I was used to taking free apps, email providers, etc. for granted. I just didn't think about how companies make money from it. It took me a while to realize that if I don't buy it, I am the product (a trite but true phrase).
Since quite some time I try to only use providers that I have the impression that they won't sell my data and turn me into a product.
I don't want everything for free; I know that a lot of people work hard for projects like this and have to pay the bills. I find many products that are committed to not making their customers their products, such as Tutanota, Posteo, Proton, Mullvad etc., generally extremely reasonably priced and am happy to pay the approx. equivalent price of 1-2 Starbucks latte macchiati/per month.
I haven't been using GrapheneOS for that long, but what I can achieve with it inside my threat model is so impressive that I definitely want this project to be further developed. I don’t want to bother with OneUI, MIUI, iOS or something similarly invasive in the future. Especially for the operating system of my cell phone, which not only contains extremely sensitive data and which I also use for hours every day.
That's why I'm happy to donate to GrapheneOS on a monthly basis. If GrapheneOS cannot stand on solid ground on a donation basis - I personally could live well with a subscription model (for those whose threat model requires it: a large selection of anonymous payment options should be offered).
P.S. Paysafe would be great.