I wouldn’t blame programmers. Free APIs and services were a great way to get bootstrapped, and nobody really understood why they existed: an extended period of low interest rates after the 2007/2008 crisis. The bait-and-switch wasn’t a conspiracy, it was a natural consequence of the unusual financial environment (which itself was a kick-the-can “solution” to cover up the damage caused by the GFC).

Almost none of us were deeply familiar with how rates could affect the availability and pricing of services, and the implications for infrastructure. Many of us understand this now, but too late—it’s unlikely that we see rates that low again in our lifetimes.