I'd say that they are. Graphene has to serve up the installs for all the different devices they support. That's a lot of data to shift. On top of that there is pumping out updates every second day. Then there is user support. All of these will scale.
my entire point is that it just isn't comparable
I don't know why this point is so important to you. Of course the two organisations aren't 100% comparible but there are strong similarities. Both are tech, both nonprofit, both offering a free product for the greater good and both rely on donations. Both will have costs that scale - they might not be the same to-the-penny but they will exist. Thats just the nature of the beast.
I think you're missing the point. All I was saying is that both Signal and Graphene are both nonprofits and both seem to be doing okay with their donations business model.
And donations aren't just a euro here and there from users. Proton is rumoured to be one of Graphene's supporters.
Asking for someones email when they ask for your whatsapp is weird.
Yes it is. But that's not what I was suggesting.
being able to communicate with friends and family
I made the switch 6 months ago and can communicate just fine. Friends and family.
more important than software evangelizing
Its not evangelising, I've just chosen not to use WhatsApp, FB messenger etc. If other people want to surrender their personal data to Meta have at it.
June/Offred had a job in the handmaids tale...