Yes, for regular clueless noob that just click and install Alby is doing what you said. But you miss to mention that advanced users CAN customize their Alby Hub, WITHOUT DEPENDING of Alby infrastructure at all !

All their code is open source and you can customize it as you wish. Here is how you can run it with your own NWC relay: https://github.com/getAlby/hub?tab=readme-ov-file#optional-configuration-parameters Here is how you can run it with your own LN address domain: https://guides.getalby.com/user-guide/alby-account-and-browser-extension/alby-account/use-your-lightning-address/own-domain

Keep in mind that Alby is not different than a LNbits, is just a software UI on top of a LN node or a funding source. But if you install it with LDK, then it is providing the keys and the integrated wallet.

In general I think they did a great job, offering different ways to run Alby Hub for all situations and levels of users knowledge:

• cloud - super easy for noobs and those without infrastructure
• self-hosted click-and-run - super easy for less knowledgeable but they want somehow a self-hosted managed node
• self-hosted advanced customization - for advanced users
• integrated in bundle nodes - easy to deploy and link to an existing node