It's a 1 steem application fee. That just prevents people from trying to sign up that do not have the funds to use our service, or people that don't expect to get accepted from filling up the queues. If someone is accepted, That amount is taken off their final price.

People don't like advertisements, I agree. Unfortunately, there is almost no better way to boost communities that don't have funds to help themselves. @Curie ran a great community-helping program a bit ago, but that's over and there are few things to help communities grow since.