Enabling Apple Pay For Shopify

Does anyone have any experience using Apple Pay?

Is there a cost to get an Apple Merchant ID? I am trying to enable Apple Pay, and from my research, it looks like Apple wants me to sign up for a membership for $99.00 (price increases depending on membership choice) in order to generate the required payment entitlement certificate (Apple CSR). Am I on the right track? I thought it was free to use.

Thank you for your help.