Hi, as a former employee of Couchsurfing, I just want to say: it’s great that you’re thinking about revenue and reciprocity upfront.
I've been hosting people from all over the world for some time now, and I really like the community! It's bringing me so much joy to host a world traveler from Poland one day, and a transgender Iranian guy on a bicycle trip the next day.
When they blocked access for free users, my impression (after paying) was that very little of the community remained.
I happily pay 1.99 euros a month, if only for supporting the idea.