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> The user discounts the value of the free component to nothing and only measures the value of the additional functionality that is unlocked with buying the premium portion.

I think you could solve this by having two distinct websites, apps or even brands. It's not going to feel like a ripoff if they are perceived very differently from each other.

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Sorry, I have to disagree.

If you did this, why would you even have the free version? The whole point of the free portion is to act as feeder for the paid version. If the branding is completely separate then how are the users going to know they can have the same level of confidence in the paid version as what they do in the free version? May as well not have the free version at all.

> how are the users going to know they can have the same level of confidence in the paid version as what they do in the free version?

You are going to tell them. Kind of like this: "Need more space? Try our paidapp."

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