If you download from http://www.grisoft.com , it is the Paid version. To get the free version, download it from http://free.grisoft.com . The free AVG 8 is hosted there. I believe they just want to phased out the older v7 and support one code base, the v8.
If AVG is for sale next month, don't worry, there are tons of antivirus freeware around the globe. They are not the only one in that quality.
There was always a paid version for AVG, but I don't use it anymore. Honestly, I don't think anti-virus programs are necessary. I haven't had a virus since Windows XP. To be honest, don't you think that the anti-virus program companies sends out the viruses themselves? Otherwise, how does AVG update your definitions everyday? I don't think new viruses come out on a daily basis.