If someone comes to me and tries to sell me a service that can leave me with an infinite bill I'd look at them funny and walk away. But that's just me and maybe I just don't get it and I'm not "startuping" right.
Cool, and if this was a case of bike shedding over something that hadn't just cost that early stage startup 5 grand I'd agree with you.
However regurgitating a platitude that everyone, including myself, learned when we tried getting our first business off the ground doesn't add much value here.
Had this been a Database with 10million rows it would have cost them 50k, and this is incredibly basic programming knowledge.
Basic proficiency is a far cry from worrying about best technical talent and not a particularly egregious ask.
I've been involved in some terrible software behind reasonably successful businesses. I complained like the best of them having to clean up the horrible mess. But it worked they used their limited competence and limited funds then built something profitable.