diff --git a/Controls/OverlayHost.xaml b/Controls/OverlayHost.xaml
index cbcd438..d941351 100644
--- a/Controls/OverlayHost.xaml
+++ b/Controls/OverlayHost.xaml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
                 </Button.Template>
             </Button>
 
-            <Border Background="{StaticResource Brush.Background}" CornerRadius="8" Width="650" MaxHeight="700"
+            <Border Background="{StaticResource Brush.Background}" CornerRadius="8" Width="820" MaxHeight="860"
                     VerticalAlignment="Center" HorizontalAlignment="Center"
                     Padding="28" BorderBrush="#333" BorderThickness="1">
                 <Grid>
@@ -76,42 +76,91 @@
                           Background="{StaticResource Brush.SurfaceContainerLow}"
                           Visibility="{Binding IsAboutOpen, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}">
 
-                        <!-- Hub view -->
-                        <StackPanel Visibility="{Binding IsHubVisible, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}">
-                            <Image Source="/LlamaCasty;component/Assets/llamacasty-logo.jpg" Height="125" Stretch="Uniform"
-                                   HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,0,0,12"/>
-                            <TextBlock Text="{Binding AppVersionLabel}" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="12"
-                                       HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,4,0,0"/>
-                            <TextBlock Text="Live streaming for YouTube — simple enough that even the most right-brained person can intuit it."
-                                       Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="13" TextWrapping="Wrap" MaxWidth="380"
-                                       TextAlignment="Center" Margin="0,16,0,0"/>
-                            <TextBlock x:Name="UpgradeCopy"
-                                       Text="Free at 720p30. The paid version unlocks higher stream and recording quality. One-time purchase; no subscription. Launch price $79, then $99 on the announced date."
-                                       Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="12"
-                                       TextWrapping="Wrap" MaxWidth="380" TextAlignment="Center" Margin="0,12,0,0"/>
-                            <Button x:Name="UpgradeLinkButton" Content="Learn more at llamacasty.com"
-                                    Command="{Binding OpenPremiumCommand}" Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}"
-                                    HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,12,0,0"
-                                    ToolTip="Opens llamacasty.com in your browser when clicked"/>
-                            <TextBlock Text="Made by gramps · llama chile shop" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="12"
-                                       HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,16,0,8"/>
+                        <!-- Hub view — a conversion surface, not a credits page (creator, 2026-11-05):
+                             large logo, one tagline, the offer in three short blocks, one primary CTA,
+                             everything else demoted. A paying customer never sees the price. -->
+                        <ScrollViewer VerticalScrollBarVisibility="Auto"
+                                      Visibility="{Binding IsHubVisible, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}">
+                            <StackPanel>
+                                <Image Source="/LlamaCasty;component/Assets/llamacasty-logo.jpg"
+                                       Width="520" Stretch="Uniform" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,0,0,10"/>
 
-                            <!-- Creator hub links -->
-                            <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,0,0,8">
-                                <Button Content="llama chile shop on YouTube" Command="{Binding OpenChannelCommand}"
-                                        Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}" Margin="0,0,8,0"/>
-                                <Button Content="Mastodon" Command="{Binding OpenMastodonCommand}"
-                                        Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}"/>
-                            </StackPanel>
-                            <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Center">
-                                <Button Content="Buy me a coffee" Command="{Binding OpenCoffeeCommand}"
-                                        Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}"/>
-                            </StackPanel>
+                                <Button x:Name="ReleaseBadgeButton" Content="{Binding AppReleaseLabel}"
+                                        Style="{StaticResource PillBadgeButton}"
+                                        Command="{Binding OpenPremiumCommand}"
+                                        HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,0,0,10"
+                                        ToolTip="Pre-release — opens llamacasty.com when clicked"/>
 
-                            <Button Content="Licenses &amp; legal" Command="{Binding OpenLicensesCommand}"
-                                    Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}" HorizontalAlignment="Center"
-                                    Margin="0,16,0,0"/>
-                        </StackPanel>
+                                <TextBlock x:Name="AboutTagline"
+                                           Text="1-2-3, and go live to the world on YouTube!"
+                                           Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurface}" FontSize="17" FontWeight="SemiBold"
+                                           TextWrapping="Wrap" MaxWidth="640" TextAlignment="Center"
+                                           HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,4,0,18"/>
+
+                                <Grid MaxWidth="640" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,0,0,4">
+                                    <Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
+                                        <ColumnDefinition Width="Auto"/>
+                                        <ColumnDefinition Width="*"/>
+                                    </Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
+                                    <Grid.RowDefinitions>
+                                        <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
+                                        <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
+                                        <RowDefinition Height="Auto"/>
+                                    </Grid.RowDefinitions>
+
+                                    <TextBlock Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="0" Text="Free" Margin="0,0,14,4"
+                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="13" FontWeight="SemiBold"/>
+                                    <TextBlock Grid.Row="0" Grid.Column="1" Text="{Binding FreeOfferText}" Margin="0,0,0,4"
+                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurface}" FontSize="13" TextWrapping="Wrap"/>
+
+                                    <TextBlock Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="0" Text="Paid" Margin="0,0,14,4"
+                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="13" FontWeight="SemiBold"/>
+                                    <TextBlock Grid.Row="1" Grid.Column="1" Text="{Binding PaidOfferText}" Margin="0,0,0,4"
+                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurface}" FontSize="13" TextWrapping="Wrap"/>
+
+                                    <TextBlock Grid.Row="2" Grid.ColumnSpan="2" Text="{Binding TrustLine}"
+                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="12"
+                                               TextWrapping="Wrap" Margin="0,6,0,0"/>
+                                </Grid>
+
+                                <!-- Free: the offer. Owned: thanks, no price. -->
+                                <StackPanel x:Name="UpgradeBlock"
+                                            Visibility="{Binding IsAppOwned, Converter={StaticResource InverseBoolToVis}}"
+                                            HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,18,0,0">
+                                    <TextBlock x:Name="AboutPriceLine" Text="{Binding PriceLine}"
+                                               Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurface}" FontSize="16" FontWeight="Bold"
+                                               HorizontalAlignment="Center"/>
+                                    <TextBlock Text="{Binding PriceNote}" Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="12"
+                                               TextAlignment="Center" TextWrapping="Wrap" MaxWidth="520" Margin="0,2,0,10"/>
+                                    <Button x:Name="UpgradeCtaButton" Content="{Binding UpgradeCtaLabel}"
+                                            Command="{Binding OpenPremiumCommand}"
+                                            Style="{StaticResource YtButton}"
+                                            HorizontalAlignment="Center" Padding="22,10" FontSize="14"
+                                            ToolTip="Opens llamacasty.com in your browser when clicked"/>
+                                </StackPanel>
+
+                                <TextBlock x:Name="OwnedStateText" Text="{Binding LicenceStateLabel}"
+                                           Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.Positive}" FontSize="13" FontWeight="SemiBold"
+                                           HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,18,0,0"
+                                           Visibility="{Binding IsAppOwned, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}"/>
+
+                                <!-- Secondary destinations, one row, deliberately quieter than the CTA. -->
+                                <StackPanel Orientation="Horizontal" HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,22,0,0">
+                                    <Button Content="llama chile shop on YouTube" Command="{Binding OpenChannelCommand}"
+                                            Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}" Margin="0,0,8,0" FontSize="11" Padding="10,5"/>
+                                    <Button Content="Mastodon" Command="{Binding OpenMastodonCommand}"
+                                            Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}" Margin="0,0,8,0" FontSize="11" Padding="10,5"/>
+                                    <Button Content="Buy me a coffee" Command="{Binding OpenCoffeeCommand}"
+                                            Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}" Margin="0,0,8,0" FontSize="11" Padding="10,5"/>
+                                    <Button Content="Licenses &amp; legal" Command="{Binding OpenLicensesCommand}"
+                                            Style="{StaticResource YtButtonSecondary}" FontSize="11" Padding="10,5"/>
+                                </StackPanel>
+
+                                <TextBlock x:Name="AboutCopyright" Text="© Llama Chile Shop"
+                                           Foreground="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}" FontSize="11"
+                                           HorizontalAlignment="Center" Margin="0,18,0,4"/>
+                            </StackPanel>
+                        </ScrollViewer>
 
                         <!-- Licensing/legal panel -->
                         <StackPanel Visibility="{Binding IsLicensesOpen, Converter={StaticResource BoolToVis}}">
diff --git a/Themes/Controls.xaml b/Themes/Controls.xaml
index 9449bdc..f866575 100644
--- a/Themes/Controls.xaml
+++ b/Themes/Controls.xaml
@@ -48,8 +48,65 @@
         </Setter>
     </Style>
 
+    <!-- Secondary buttons used to be YtButton with the SAME tone as the panel behind them, so they
+         read as plain text (creator, 2026-11-05: "you can tell they're buttons b/c our styling hasn't
+         been applied"). They now sit on a higher surface with a hairline border, and show a focus ring
+         so a keyboard user can find the one that matters. -->
     <Style x:Key="YtButtonSecondary" TargetType="Button" BasedOn="{StaticResource YtButton}">
-        <Setter Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource Brush.SurfaceContainer}"/>
+        <Setter Property="Background" Value="{StaticResource Brush.SurfaceContainerHigh}"/>
+        <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurface}"/>
+        <Setter Property="Template">
+            <Setter.Value>
+                <ControlTemplate TargetType="Button">
+                    <Grid>
+                        <Border x:Name="Bd" Background="{TemplateBinding Background}"
+                                BorderBrush="{StaticResource Brush.Outline}" BorderThickness="1"
+                                CornerRadius="{StaticResource Radius.Sm}"
+                                Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
+                            <ContentPresenter HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
+                        </Border>
+                        <Border x:Name="Glow" Background="White" CornerRadius="{StaticResource Radius.Sm}" Opacity="0"/>
+                        <Border x:Name="Focus" BorderBrush="{StaticResource Brush.Primary}" BorderThickness="2"
+                                CornerRadius="{StaticResource Radius.Sm}" Opacity="0" Margin="-2"/>
+                    </Grid>
+                    <ControlTemplate.Triggers>
+                        <Trigger Property="IsMouseOver" Value="True">
+                            <Setter TargetName="Glow" Property="Opacity" Value="0.08"/>
+                        </Trigger>
+                        <Trigger Property="IsPressed" Value="True">
+                            <Setter TargetName="Glow" Property="Opacity" Value="0.16"/>
+                        </Trigger>
+                        <Trigger Property="IsKeyboardFocused" Value="True">
+                            <Setter TargetName="Focus" Property="Opacity" Value="1"/>
+                        </Trigger>
+                        <Trigger Property="IsEnabled" Value="False">
+                            <Setter Property="Opacity" Value="0.45"/>
+                        </Trigger>
+                    </ControlTemplate.Triggers>
+                </ControlTemplate>
+            </Setter.Value>
+        </Setter>
+    </Style>
+
+    <!-- The release badge: a pill that is itself a button (it links to the product site until the
+         Steam store page exists). -->
+    <Style x:Key="PillBadgeButton" TargetType="Button">
+        <Setter Property="Foreground" Value="{StaticResource Brush.OnSurfaceVariant}"/>
+        <Setter Property="FontSize" Value="11"/>
+        <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="SemiBold"/>
+        <Setter Property="Padding" Value="10,3"/>
+        <Setter Property="Cursor" Value="Hand"/>
+        <Setter Property="Template">
+            <Setter.Value>
+                <ControlTemplate TargetType="Button">
+                    <Border Background="{StaticResource Brush.SurfaceContainerHigh}"
+                            BorderBrush="{StaticResource Brush.Outline}" BorderThickness="1"
+                            CornerRadius="999" Padding="{TemplateBinding Padding}">
+                        <ContentPresenter HorizontalAlignment="Center" VerticalAlignment="Center"/>
+                    </Border>
+                </ControlTemplate>
+            </Setter.Value>
+        </Setter>
     </Style>
 
     <Style x:Key="IconButton" TargetType="Button">
diff --git a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.OutputProfile.cs b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.OutputProfile.cs
index 704eeae..3dc5476 100644
--- a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.OutputProfile.cs
+++ b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.OutputProfile.cs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ public partial class MainViewModel
             EntitlementErrorMessage = _entitlement.ErrorMessage;
             if (!changed) return;
             OnPropertyChanged(nameof(HasProOutput));
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(LicenceStateLabel));
             RefreshSteamLicenceAlert();
             if (!HasProOutput && _selectedQuality is { RequiresPro: true } && CanChangeQuality)
                 SelectedQuality = QualityOptions.Single(option => option.Display == OutputProfile.FreeFallbackName);
@@ -78,6 +79,7 @@ public partial class MainViewModel
             if (!DevBuild.IsDevelopment) return;
             if (!SetProperty(ref _developerMode, value)) return;
             OnPropertyChanged(nameof(HasProOutput));
+            OnPropertyChanged(nameof(LicenceStateLabel));
             RefreshSteamLicenceAlert();
         }
     }
diff --git a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Overlays.cs b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Overlays.cs
index 4c8bc42..387011f 100644
--- a/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Overlays.cs
+++ b/ViewModels/MainViewModel.Overlays.cs
@@ -29,6 +29,27 @@ public partial class MainViewModel : ViewModelBase
     public const string CoffeeUrl = "https://buymeacoffee.com/llamachiley";
     public static string AppVersionLabel => $"Version {typeof(MainViewModel).Assembly.GetName().Version?.ToString(3)}";
 
+    // ── About box copy (creator ruling, 2026-11-05). The price and its end date live HERE, once, so
+    // the app, the site and docs/commercial.md cannot drift apart. ──
+    public const string LaunchPrice = "$79";
+    public const string StandardPrice = "$99";
+    public const string LaunchPriceEndsLabel = "April 1, 2027";
+
+    /// <summary>The release state shown as a badge. Not the assembly version — that number is for
+    /// log lines, not for the creator.</summary>
+    public static string AppReleaseLabel => "Pre-Release";
+
+    public string UpgradeCtaLabel => $"Unlock 60 fps — {LaunchPrice}";
+    public string PriceLine => $"Launch price {LaunchPrice}";
+    public string PriceNote => $"Until {LaunchPriceEndsLabel} — after that {StandardPrice}, locked for life.";
+    public string FreeOfferText => "Livestream and record at 30 fps.";
+    public string PaidOfferText => "Unlocks 60 fps for streaming and recording.";
+    public string TrustLine => "One-time purchase · lifetime licence · no account, no subscription, no tracking.";
+
+    /// <summary>Shown instead of the price and CTA once ownership is verified: a paying customer is
+    /// never sold to.</summary>
+    public string LicenceStateLabel => IsAppOwned ? "Licence: owned via Steam — thank you." : string.Empty;
+
     /// <summary>The About hub's optional product-information link.</summary>
     public bool IsPremiumAvailable => PremiumUrl.Length > 0;
 
diff --git a/docs/ai/commercial.md b/docs/ai/commercial.md
index d561d07..63b35ce 100644
--- a/docs/ai/commercial.md
+++ b/docs/ai/commercial.md
@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+## Price (creator ruling 2026-11-05)
+
+- **Launch price $79** — one-time purchase, lifetime licence, no subscription, no account, no tracking.
+- **Promotion ends April 1, 2027**; after that the price is **$99, locked for life**.
+- Free tier: livestream and record at **30 fps**. Paid unlocks **60 fps** for both.
+- The numbers live in `ViewModels/MainViewModel.Overlays.cs` (`LaunchPrice`, `StandardPrice`,
+  `LaunchPriceEndsLabel`) so the About box, the site copy and this file cannot drift apart. Change them
+  there first, then here.
+
 # Commercial: pricing, entitlement, channels, support
 
 The single source of truth for what LlamaCasty charges, what a licence entitles, how it ships and
diff --git a/docs/ai/ui-surface.md b/docs/ai/ui-surface.md
index d84da1b..d841649 100644
--- a/docs/ai/ui-surface.md
+++ b/docs/ai/ui-surface.md
@@ -1,3 +1,17 @@
+## About box (2026-11-05)
+
+A conversion surface, not a credits page: **820×860 modal**, ~520 px logo, a `Pre-Release` pill that is
+itself a button (links to llamacasty.com until a Steam store page exists), the tagline
+"1-2-3, and go live to the world on YouTube!", the offer as three short blocks (free 30 fps · paid
+60 fps · one-time/lifetime/no-tracking), then the launch price and **one primary CTA**
+("Unlock 60 fps — $79"). Secondary destinations are one quiet row; the footer is `© Llama Chile Shop`.
+
+**A paying customer is never sold to:** with ownership verified the price/CTA block collapses and is
+replaced by `Licence: owned via Steam — thank you.` The old tagline ("simple enough that even the most
+right-brained person can intuit it") and the "Made by gramps" line are gone for good.
+`YtButtonSecondary` carries a higher surface, a hairline border and a keyboard focus ring — before this
+the secondary buttons were the same tone as the panel behind them and read as plain text.
+
 ## Left panel alert stack (2026-11-05)
 
 A stack of red rows at the top of the left panel, **above both mode grids** (so it shows while editing
diff --git a/ytLive.Tests/AboutHubTests.cs b/ytLive.Tests/AboutHubTests.cs
index e344f86..81bf7d7 100644
--- a/ytLive.Tests/AboutHubTests.cs
+++ b/ytLive.Tests/AboutHubTests.cs
@@ -75,6 +75,69 @@ public sealed class AboutHubTests
         }
     }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// The About box is a conversion surface (creator, 2026-11-05): a large logo, the 1-2-3 tagline,
+    /// the offer, one primary CTA with the price on it — and a paying customer sees none of the price.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void About_ShowsTheOfferToFreeUsers_AndNothingToSellToOwners()
+    {
+        _app.Run(() =>
+        {
+            var tempDb = Path.Combine(Path.GetTempPath(), $"llamacasty-about-{Guid.NewGuid():N}.db");
+            MainViewModel.LayoutPathOverride = tempDb;
+            MainWindow? window = null;
+            try
+            {
+                window = new MainWindow();
+                var vm = (MainViewModel)window.DataContext;
+                vm.EntitlementOverride = new FakeEntitlement(false, "Steam licensing is not configured in this build.");
+                window.Show();
+                vm.OpenAboutCommand.Execute(null);
+                window.UpdateLayout();
+
+                var badge = FindVisualChildByName<Button>(window, "ReleaseBadgeButton");
+                Assert.NotNull(badge);
+                Assert.Equal("Pre-Release", badge!.Content);
+                Assert.NotNull(badge.Command);   // the badge links out until the Steam page exists
+
+                var tagline = FindVisualChildByName<TextBlock>(window, "AboutTagline");
+                Assert.NotNull(tagline);
+                Assert.Equal("1-2-3, and go live to the world on YouTube!", tagline!.Text);
+                // The old line insulted the creator and is gone for good.
+                Assert.DoesNotContain("right-brained", TextOf(window));
+
+                var price = FindVisualChildByName<TextBlock>(window, "AboutPriceLine");
+                Assert.Equal("Launch price $79", price!.Text);
+
+                var cta = FindVisualChildByName<Button>(window, "UpgradeCtaButton");
+                Assert.NotNull(cta);
+                Assert.Equal("Unlock 60 fps — $79", cta!.Content);
+                var upgradeBlock = FindVisualChildByName<StackPanel>(window, "UpgradeBlock");
+                Assert.Equal(Visibility.Visible, upgradeBlock!.Visibility);
+
+                var copyright = FindVisualChildByName<TextBlock>(window, "AboutCopyright");
+                Assert.Equal("© Llama Chile Shop", copyright!.Text);
+                Assert.DoesNotContain("Made by gramps", TextOf(window));
+
+                // A paying customer is never sold to.
+                vm.EntitlementOverride = new FakeEntitlement(true);
+                window.UpdateLayout();
+                Assert.Equal(Visibility.Collapsed, FindVisualChildByName<StackPanel>(window, "UpgradeBlock")!.Visibility);
+                var owned = FindVisualChildByName<TextBlock>(window, "OwnedStateText");
+                Assert.Equal(Visibility.Visible, owned!.Visibility);
+                Assert.Contains("owned", owned.Text, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase);
+            }
+            finally
+            {
+                window?.Close();
+                MainViewModel.LayoutPathOverride = null;
+                SqliteConnection.ClearAllPools();
+                try { File.Delete(tempDb); } catch { /* best-effort cleanup */ }
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void Free_user_gets_1080p30_and_cannot_select_or_change_to_60fps()
     {
@@ -154,6 +217,30 @@ public sealed class AboutHubTests
         });
     }
 
+    private static T? FindVisualChildByName<T>(DependencyObject parent, string name) where T : DependencyObject
+    {
+        for (var i = 0; i < VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(parent); i++)
+        {
+            var child = VisualTreeHelper.GetChild(parent, i);
+            if (child is FrameworkElement element && element.Name == name && child is T typed) return typed;
+            if (FindVisualChildByName<T>(child, name) is { } found) return found;
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>Every TextBlock string in the tree — for asserting that removed copy is really gone.</summary>
+    private static string TextOf(DependencyObject parent)
+    {
+        var text = new System.Text.StringBuilder();
+        for (var i = 0; i < VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(parent); i++)
+        {
+            var child = VisualTreeHelper.GetChild(parent, i);
+            if (child is TextBlock block) text.Append(block.Text).Append('\n');
+            text.Append(TextOf(child));
+        }
+        return text.ToString();
+    }
+
     private static T? FindVisualChild<T>(DependencyObject parent) where T : DependencyObject
     {
         for (var i = 0; i < VisualTreeHelper.GetChildrenCount(parent); i++)