At least with the web hellscape you can download the ridiculously-large-number of js libraries and be able to deploy your app to any server whenever you want.
I will happily pay for tools but I won't rent tools.
I don't want to be a downer, but I think what they show is the kind of product that people expect from IT departments. I.e., bring a bunch of services together with some plumbing with a database below it, and a nice UI on top. This is all pretty standard. And with today's tools you can do that all in one day (see hackatons). Of course, when you start using the product, and the real requirements become clear, that one initial day seems like nothing.
Yet, like all crutches, the provide a superior alternative to certain groups of people. People with broken legs use crutches, but only for the purpose of self sufficiency until their leg heals.
Perhaps this is where the flaw in the business model is revealed. Anvil is largely incentivized to get its users to depend on its crutch. But users are still able to utilize the crutch to ease the learning process, and perhaps explore something that might interest them enough to seek out more traditional development workflows.
Rental of goods exists as a viable service, because there is demand for its supply. When you fly somewhere distant, at least in the US, your first order of business is to pick up your rental car. This is not a bad business practice. You are making the correct judgement that given your limited resources, renting something in the short term is more prudent than purchasing it.