It took me a while to understand why some apps/services had a + on top

From the point of view of the boycotter, having a time limit helps mentally.

I think more people are ready to think “just buy somewhere else for a bit”. If it becomes “forever” might seem daunting.

My two cents, not sure if this is the real reason.

Crunchiroll: Am I a joke to you?

Yes. Yes you “arr”