If a project calls for 3+ of the same board, then PCBs become worth it quickly, in my opinion.
Even more than aesthetics, I've had a few projects where an unpopulated board outlives any other remnants of a project and so becomes the last remaining document/example of how it was done.
Even more than aesthetics, I've had a few projects where an unpopulated board outlives any other remnants of a project and so becomes the last remaining document/example of how it was done.