You have to * when installing a free MacOS upgrade *: you can create an Apple id without a payment method; you can probably remove the payment method after you

You have to * when installing a free MacOS upgrade *: you can create an Apple id without a payment method; you can probably remove the payment method after you enter one... ... But when installing or downloading MacOS, with the current (tested in January this year in Europe) Apple policy, the system will not let you continue with a 'none' payment method.