The vendor-driven market treats pre-IPO companies as captive customers — and they're not wrong.
You can't afford vendor disruptions. Continuity is a governance requirement. Every decision is scrutinized. Vendors know this and price accordingly — IPO packages, premium support tiers, longer terms. You sign because the alternative feels worse.
The premium you pay isn't for better service. It's for the appearance of reduced risk at the moment you can't afford to look like you have any.
The problem: some growth-phase decisions won't hold up to auditor scrutiny regardless of what you pay for now. Those need to be found and addressed before the questions start.

