It was maybe 200 more.. a relatively small price to pay for adding less complexity and access to more off the shelf parts availability for other components, like harmonic balancers and torque converter swaps.
My 408 stroker-build also went with an internally balanced rotating assembly as did the small block chebby 427 stroker for my truck.
For me it works, for others it doesn’t but that’s the beauty of freedom of choice.