I think they are comparing it to the value they get from the service as an individual. As a consumer, I don't care about the company's overhead. I would only care if I get my money's worth with the service I'm paying for.
But you can use sync for free. That's why the dev has put options for you. If you cannot pay the ad removal, you can still support the developer by using the app but with ads
I agree with the fragmented part. Even their apps have different unlock interfaces, like they're each made by a different company