Mapping in R seems a bit quaint at this time. If I need to do mixed visualizations including geo, I am reaching for Observable. If I only need the choropleth, Felt. If I need more spatial analysis, ArcGIS Online (it’s free!). If I need full-custom spatial or mixed statistics, geopandas.
That's a pretty good deal too but if you just roll into arcgis.com they have a free, zero-friction signup. You login with one of their identity providers (github, google, apple, etc) and get started. They give you one "Creator"-level user. I've been using it for years without a hint of being charged.
You can sign up for the personal use subscription and stick to Online. You can’t use Pro on Mac, but the web map viewer has grown into a highly featured editor and does a lot more than viewing (data editing, styling, analysis, charts, filtering, etc).
