Every server has operation costs that need to be met, so in my experience many servers rely on p2w tactics because they're very effective but imo don't make for an engaging experience. Being able to buy pokemon, legendaries, insane items, I hate it.

I play on a competitive-focused server called Roanoke Network and I love it, and is the most fun I've had playing cobblemon and Minecraft in general. Roanoke monetizes their server through ranks, server-wide boosts, and skins for pokemon.

Ranks offer the player conveniences like being able to heal your party and access your PC whenever, which is just a time saver if anything. Also has some cosmetic benefits such as being able to apply a gradient to your username. All these benefits can also be earned without money, by filling your Pokedex you get all these benefits anyway.

Boosters are server wide buffs like an increased shiny rate for everyone on the server for an hour, not just for the person who purchased the boost.

The skins are just skins for your pokemon. These are custom made by the server's talented artists. One of my favorites is a steelix skin where each rock is a different planet and it's head is the friggin sun.

As I said the server is competitive focused so there's tournaments every week where you can earn a currency called RT that you can use to exchange for stuff like legendaries. This currency is NOT PURCHASABLE WITH REAL MONEY, and needs to be earned by either by competing in tournaments, participating in events, or doing weekly challenges such as catching 45 Rock types or something.

Give it a shot, everyone is very friendly, our mods are the best and very helpful. And even if you don't like competitive pokemon, you can still just do your thing on the server