(If you want, I can draft a short social media post or blog-style post about this.)
Even with a limited number of free licenses, you can start small and then scale your surveillance system as needed, purchasing additional licenses if required.
If you need 8 cameras, a DVA series is effectively "license free" compared to buying a standard NAS plus 6 extra licenses.
This initial generosity, however, creates what psychologists call a "lock-in effect." Once a user experiences the stability and feature set of Surveillance Station—including the excellent DS cam mobile client and edge recording capabilities—they are reluctant to switch. If that user decides to add a third camera to cover a garage or a nursery, they are confronted with the reality of the model: additional licenses cost approximately $50 to $80 per camera, perpetually.