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Alexa had “no profit timeline,” cost Amazon $25 billion in 4 years
(arstechnica.com)
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I don't know if that's worth $5-10/mo. I use Google Nest products at home, mainly to control lights. And yeah it sometimes annoying to be like, "Hey Google do this...Hey Google, do that...Hey Google, do whatever..." But at that point, I usually just use the Google Home app or a specific IoT app. And that's free.
If Amazon started charging for smart-home solutions, they'd essentially be making the case for FOSS solutions like home assistant.
Granted, there will always be a contingent of people who are unwilling to learn how to self-manage that tech, but there are certainly enough people who are willing that they should think twice about heading down that path.
I mostly go "Hey Google..." in the dark, often with my eyes closed, in bed. At this point, there is nothing I can think of that I'd like to pay it to do for me in that situation. Some searches, basic calculations, setting alarms, and music, is all I need.