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Quick answer
The best value per GB for China is aloSIM: 50 GB for 10 days costs $30.00 ($0.60 per GB). For unlimited data, Voye Global is cheapest at $1.30 a day (30 days for $39.00), with 3 GB a day at full speed. The cheapest plan of all is aloSIM’s 1 GB for 1 day at $3.50. We compared 325 plans from 7 providers, with prices checked on each provider’s site by 20 October 2026.
Best China eSIM picks right now
These picks come from the live price table below, so they change when a provider changes its China prices.
Cheapest plan
aloSIM
1 GB, 1 day
$3.50
The lowest price of any plan here, across the 7 providers we compared.
View planBest value per GB
aloSIM
50 GB, 10 days
$30.00
Works out at $0.60 per GB, the lowest per-GB price among the 6 providers we compared (plans of 3 GB or more).
View planCheapest unlimited
Voye Global
Unlimited, 3 GB/day full speed, 30 days
$39.00
The lowest daily price for unlimited data on trips of 5 days or more: $1.30 a day. Full speed for the first 3 GB each day.
View planPicked automatically from prices on each provider’s own site, checked between 19 Oct 2026 and 20 Oct 2026. Pages read: aloSIM, Voye Global.
Find your China eSIM
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China eSIM plans compared
Plans in every size, from 1 GB to unlimited, with up to two providers per size so you can compare them. In each size, plans that last a week or more come first, then the lowest price per GB (per day for unlimited plans). Labels mark the plans named in the quick answer. Use the finder above to see every plan for your trip length.
| Provider | Data | Valid for | Price | Per GB / day | Hotspot | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
aloSIM
Cheapest plan
China Unicom | 1 GB | 1 day | $3.50 | $3.50/GB | Not stated | View plan |
 Nomad eSIM
CN-JP-KR plan, 3 countries | 1 GB | 7 days | $4.00 | $4.00/GB | Not stated | View plan |
 Jetpac Global
CHINA UNICOM | 3 GB | 7 days | $8.00 | $2.67/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
Voye Global
Asia plan, 18 countries | 3 GB | 7 days | $9.00 $8.55 with code ESIM4U | $3.00/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
Voye Global
China Mobile, China Unicom | 5 GB | 7 days | $9.00 $8.55 with code ESIM4U | $1.80/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
Jetpac Global
CHINA UNICOM | 5 GB | 7 days | $10.00 | $2.00/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
Jetpac Global
CHINA UNICOM | 10 GB | 7 days | $13.00 | $1.30/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
Voye Global
China Mobile, China Unicom | 8 GB | 15 days | $15.00 $14.25 with code ESIM4U | $1.88/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
Jetpac Global
CHINA UNICOM | 15 GB | 7 days | $16.00 | $1.07/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
aloSIM
China Unicom | 20 GB | 7 days | $22.00 | $1.10/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
aloSIM
Best value per GB
China Unicom | 50 GB | 10 days | $30.00 | $0.60/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
Nomad eSIM
China Unicom 5G, China Telecom 4G | 50 GB | 45 days | $37.00 | $0.74/GB | Not stated | View plan |
|
Voye Global
Cheapest unlimited
China Mobile, China Unicom | Unlimited, 3 GB/day full speed | 30 days | $39.00 $37.05 with code ESIM4U | $1.30/day | Not stated | View plan |
|
Jetpac Global
CHINA UNICOM | Unlimited, 3 GB/day full speedthen 1 Mbps | 30 days | $65.99 | $2.20/day | Not stated | View plan |
 Airalo
China Unicom 5G | Unlimited, 3 GB/day full speedthen 1 Mbps | 30 days | $69.00 | $2.30/day | Not stated | View plan |
Prices from each provider’s own site, checked between 18 Oct 2026 and 20 Oct 2026. Pages read: aloSIM, Nomad eSIM, Jetpac Global, Voye Global, Airalo. Providers can change prices at any time. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure: how we earn
Do Google and WhatsApp work on a China eSIM?
On local Chinese networks, Google (including Gmail and Maps), WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube are generally blocked. A travel eSIM avoids this because it is a roaming connection: Airalo, for example, routes the data of its China eSIM through gateways outside mainland China, so the firewall sees you as an international roaming user.
Airalo says no VPN is needed on its China, Asia regional or Global eSIMs, because all of them use the same international routing. That is why a roaming travel eSIM is the simplest way to keep your usual apps working.
Check first: the open access applies only to your eSIM data. Hotel, airport and cafe Wi-Fi in China runs on local networks, so blocked apps stay blocked there. When you need Google or WhatsApp, turn Wi-Fi off so your phone uses the eSIM.
Sources: Airalo Help: Stay connected in China, checked 30 October 2026.
Mobile networks in China
The China plans we compare connect to China Unicom, China Mobile or China Telecom. The table shows which networks each provider names.
| Provider | Local networks it uses |
|---|---|
| Airalo | China Unicom 5G |
| aloSIM | China Unicom |
| Holafly | Not stated by the provider |
| Jetpac Global | CHINA UNICOM |
| Nomad eSIM | China Unicom 5G, China Telecom 4G |
| Saily | Not stated by the provider |
| Voye Global | China Mobile, China Unicom |
As listed on each provider’s plan pages, shown by network brand name. Networks can change, so check before you buy.
Tip: if your trip goes beyond the big cities, a plan that names two networks gives your phone a second option when one signal is weak. Nomad eSIM lists China Unicom and China Telecom; Voye Global lists China Mobile and China Unicom.
Sources: Nomad eSIM China plans, checked 19 October 2026; Voye Global China plans, checked 19 October 2026.
How much data do you need in China?
Plan for more mobile data in China than on most trips. Because hotel Wi-Fi won’t load Google or WhatsApp, maps, messages, photo backups and video calls all run on your eSIM instead.
How do you use your phone?
- Light2.5 GB 7 daysMaps, chat and a little social
- Social11 GB 7 daysScrolling and posting daily
- Family caller6 GB 7 daysVideo calls home every day
- Remote worker17 GB 7 daysWork calls, email, laptop
- Streamer16 GB 7 daysVideo and music on the go
Estimates for 7 days with no Wi-Fi, worked out with the same method as our data usage calculator. Pick the card closest to you to adjust it to your own apps.
Unlimited eSIM for China: what you really get
Every provider we compare sells an unlimited China plan, but most give you a set amount of full-speed data each day and then slow you down until the next day.
| Provider | Full speed per day | After that |
|---|---|---|
| Airalo | 3 GB | 1 Mbps |
| aloSIM | No daily limit stated by the provider | Not stated by the provider |
| Holafly | No daily limit stated by the provider | Not stated by the provider |
| Jetpac Global | 3 GB every 24 hours | Up to 1 Mbps |
| Nomad eSIM | 2 GB | 1 Mbps |
| Saily | 5 GB | Up to 1 Mbps |
| Voye Global | 3 GB or 5 GB, depending on the plan | Slowed down; speed not stated by the provider |
If you video-call or upload photos every day, the daily full-speed amount matters more than the word “unlimited”. Saily and the larger Voye Global plans give the most full-speed data per day; Nomad eSIM gives the least.
Sources: China plan pages of Airalo, aloSIM, Holafly, Jetpac Global, Nomad eSIM, Saily and Voye Global, checked 18 to 20 October 2026.
Calls, SMS and WhatsApp
Airalo, Holafly, Nomad eSIM and Saily sell their China plans as data only, with no Chinese phone number. Voice and video calls work through apps such as WhatsApp over your eSIM data, as explained above.
To keep receiving texts and login codes on your usual number, leave your home SIM switched on for calls and SMS, and turn off its Data Roaming so all data goes through the eSIM.
Sources: China plan pages of Airalo, Holafly, Nomad eSIM and Saily, checked 18 to 19 October 2026.
Using a China eSIM as a hotspot
Holafly is the only provider we compare that states a hotspot rule for its China plans: you can share up to 1 GB a day with other devices, even on its unlimited plans.
If you’ll tether a laptop for work every day, that cap is the number to plan around, because laptop updates and video calls can use 1 GB quickly.
Sources: Holafly China eSIM, checked 18 October 2026.
Travelling on from China?
The single-country China plans above cover mainland China only. For Hong Kong and Macau on the same eSIM, Holafly sells a Hong Kong, Macau and China plan, and Nomad eSIM a Greater China plan; compare them in the Greater China eSIM finder.
Flying on to Japan? Our best eSIM for Japan guide compares the plans there.
Sources: Holafly Hong Kong, Macau and China eSIM, checked 18 October 2026; Nomad Greater China eSIM, checked 19 October 2026.
Setting up your eSIM
- Check that your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked, using the eSIM device checker.
- Buy and install the eSIM at home, on Wi-Fi you trust. Once you are in mainland China, Google services such as Gmail are blocked on local Wi-Fi, which makes fixing a setup problem much harder.
- When you land, open Settings, choose the eSIM as your Mobile Data line and turn on Data Roaming for it.
- Turn off Data Roaming on your home SIM so it can’t use data abroad.
Step-by-step screens are in our guide to installing an eSIM on iPhone.
Check first: most iPhones sold in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macao take two physical SIM cards and no eSIM. Apple lists the exceptions: in Hong Kong and Macao, models including the iPhone 17, iPhone 16e, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation) support eSIM; in mainland China, models including the iPhone Air and iPhone 17e do. If your iPhone came from one of these places, look up your exact model before you buy.
Sources: Apple Support: If Dual SIM with eSIM isn’t working on your iPhone, checked 30 October 2026; Airalo Help: Stay connected in China, checked 30 October 2026.
Refunds if your plans change
| Provider | Refund rule |
|---|---|
| Airalo | Refund possible for unused eSIMs; expired or fully used eSIMs are not eligible |
| aloSIM | Money back within 30 days if the eSIM can’t be installed or has connection problems |
| Holafly | Refund requests within 6 months of purchase; conditions depend on whether the eSIM was activated or its QR code scanned |
| Nomad eSIM | Full refund within 30 days if the eSIM is not installed or the plan not activated |
| Saily | Full refund within 30 days if the eSIM is not installed or the plan not activated |
| Voye Global | Refund within 30 days if the eSIM fails to install or work because of a fault on Voye’s side |
Tip: with Nomad eSIM and Saily, installing the eSIM ends the easy refund. Buy early if you like, but install it in the last few days before you fly.
Sources: Airalo Help: change of plans, aloSIM refund policy, Holafly refund policy, Nomad refund policy, Saily Help: refunds and Voye Global refunds, checked 20 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
On mobile data, yes. A roaming travel eSIM sends your data through gateways outside mainland China, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram open as they do at home; Airalo, for example, says no VPN is needed on its China eSIM. On hotel or cafe Wi-Fi the usual blocks still apply.
Not with a single-country China plan, which covers mainland China only. Holafly’s Hong Kong, Macau and China plan and Nomad eSIM’s Greater China plan cover all three on one eSIM.
No. Airalo, Holafly, Nomad eSIM and Saily sell their China plans as data only. Keep your home SIM on for texts and login codes, and make calls through apps such as WhatsApp over your eSIM data.
Usually not: most models sold there take two physical SIM cards instead. Apple lists exceptions, including the iPhone 17, iPhone 16e, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 12 mini and iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation) from Hong Kong and Macao, and models including the iPhone Air and iPhone 17e from mainland China. Our eSIM device checker shows the answer for your exact model.
You never run out, but most plans slow down after a daily amount: 2 GB with Nomad eSIM, 3 GB with Airalo and Jetpac Global, 3 or 5 GB with Voye Global and 5 GB with Saily, usually to about 1 Mbps. aloSIM and Holafly don’t state a daily limit for China.
The eSIM Mentor team keeps our plan data, prices and deals up to date. Prices come from each provider's own website and are re-checked regularly; anything older than 90 days is hidden until it is checked again.
