Why did I get an email from Apple telling me I had been upgraded to iCloud+ at no charge yet when I click on upgrade to iCloud+ it wants to charge me?
iCloud+ is the new name of the paid storage tier, whether via an iCloud storage subscription or an Apple One subscription or otherwise. iCloud+ also adds a few new features including Private Relay, which are available on the latest releases.
Details directly from Apple ➡️ What is iCloud+? - Apple Support
My mistake. We have to wait for MacOS Monterey before the features make it to Mac. As is typical, Apple marketing does not include this very slight negative in their description. E.g.:
"iCloud Private Relay: Private Relay (beta) is an internet privacy service that hides your IP address in Safari and protects your unencrypted traffic. When it’s on, you can browse the web in a more secure and private way."
Sure, except for me the additional features do not appear on my Mac. Only on my iPhone and on iCloud.com. And the only instructions Apple has provided require paying for a higher tier of service.
Where are those iCloud+ features?
You already have a paid tier of iCloud service. Apple now calls it iCloud+ as there are additional features included. So, your old iCloud level has been upgraded to the new iCloud+
iCloud+
