Pre-installed Nomad eSIM on a 10GB/30day plan. Activation at the Guangzhou airport after a 15 hr flight was bit challenging. I used the combination of Airport Wi-Fi & Firsty Tier 1 Free Basic to bootstrap start Nomad. Provisioning and activatin took less than 5 minutes max. Nomad has implied VPN features, so to really use the cellular connection service provided by partner China Telecom, under Settings I disabled wi-fi in my iPhone 16 and primary SIM. I was able to access 90% of my Apps (normally blocked: YT, FB, WhatsApp, Outlook emails, Gmails, etc.). Some locations even with signals at 4-bars, both eSIMs appeared not working, that is the network connection issues and not the eSIM's fault. Overall very satisfied with Nomad (paid) DL upto 90Mbs and Firsty (free) 230Kbs as backup.

Feb 11, 2026

Strong eSIM

shineused in China 🇨🇳

I've paid but haven't received the esim qrcode or email.

Jan 17, 2026

MicroEsim

pfpused in China 🇨🇳

Easy to purchase and setup, had a full day layover in Shanghai and I got the 1GB 1 Day plan, speeds were very good and had no troubles connecting and using the data

Jan 12, 2026

airdatalink

Markused in China 🇨🇳

Good

Nov 12, 2025

abesteSIM

الهجرس وصابused in China 🇨🇳

لاباس

Oct 23, 2025

Yoho Mobile

Daniilused in China 🇨🇳

Everything went very comfortable. eSIM was added to phone and the internet started working immediately. A huge plus is that all international services work without a VPN.

Oct 14, 2025

Eskimo eSIM

lukasused in China 🇨🇳

Eskimo has a two-year date plan and is a really great operator。

Sep 29, 2025

iRoamly

Angeloused in China 🇨🇳

I ordered a 3 day unlimited package which didn't work. Requested for a refund twice and was promised I'd get it in a few days. I still haven't been refunded for almost a month now.👎

Sep 11, 2025

Roamify

Pasused in China 🇨🇳

eSIM i ordered was not what I expected. Support was fast in answering and helpfull. In the end they give me a refund.

Can't say anything about internet speed or anything, but will use them again for their support team

Sep 7, 2025

Airalo

finchaused in China 🇨🇳

get all kinds of plans quickly

Aug 15, 2025

Strong eSIM

Jusufused in China 🇨🇳

Their support was top notch, the process overall is pretty easy and the internet was very quick

Jun 17, 2025

Roamify

Bbbused in China 🇨🇳

Works but extremely slow

Jun 17, 2025

Billion Connect

Jamesused in China 🇨🇳

I’ve used Billion Connect for multiple eSims abroad now, and I’ve found them great every time. Their customer service responds pretty quickly to any issues, and the sims are cheap and work well. Be aware the sims are mostly based in Hong Kong so if you’re geographically far from there the latency might be a little high, and you may need a VPN for things like TikTok to work, but I’ve had very few issues.

Jun 3, 2025

MicroEsim

陳used in China 🇨🇳

網絡快又不貴，總之我覺得不錯哦，不過用完的時候，無限的流量有點慢，不過無限的流量不要錢也不錯啦

May 12, 2025

MicroEsim

jinhaiused in China 🇨🇳

technically functional but extremely slow speed

Mar 16, 2025

Yoho Mobile

chuan heused in China 🇨🇳

none

Aug 2, 2024

GigSky

chasen33028used in China 🇨🇳

nice

Mar 31, 2024

RedteaGO

Olgaused in China 🇨🇳

I bought eSim 1 GB of internet for 1 day to use in China. I followed all the installation instructions, but the Internet still did not work. I was unable to use the service and wasted my time and money. I do not recommend this service.

Dec 29, 2023

MTX Connect

jednikeused in China 🇨🇳

Not working with phones in China: only tablets and routers.

Nov 13, 2023

MobiMatter

cbrueggused in China 🇨🇳

Super good connectivity and no Chinese firewall!

Oct 12, 2023

Textr eSIM

baiyuviiused in China 🇨🇳

Dude, if you're headed to China or Hong Kong, you gotta check out Textr eSIM's data plan. I used it on a work trip recently and it was freakin' awesome. The network was super fast and reliable, even in the middle of nowhere. Setting it up was a breeze, and the pricing was totally reasonable. Plus, their customer support was super helpful whenever I had a question or needed assistance. Overall, if you want to stay connected and get stuff done on your trip, Textr eSIM's China and Hong Kong Data Plan is the way to go. Highly recommend.

Feb 23, 2023

UPeSIM

Marco Guntherused in China 🇨🇳

Bypassed the Great Firewall. I used MySim eSIM in both Shanghai and Beijing as well as a high speed train between the two destinations. Here's my experience on my iPhone X:
It's a pretty straightforward installation once I scanned the QR code and turned on Data Roaming (which you need to do).

I was able to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Google, Whatsapp, YouTube, and Gmail with no issues or a VPN.

I had great reception pretty much everywhere as well as the subway and I did use the phone extensively even making a view Facetime calls as well using Google Maps a lot to find my way.

Having a SIM card that bypassed the Chinese national firewall was essential and made the trip way safer.

Nov 9, 2019

UPeSIM

Alexused in China 🇨🇳

It was so practical to travel with MySIM in China! I had access to all the social networks that I need (Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram...). I also have to say the connection was perfect and in 4G! Really good experience overall, convenient and easy to use.

Nov 8, 2019

UPeSIM

Danywayused in China 🇨🇳

Bought this eSIM for a round trip in China, after download on arrival I just have to select China Mobile network and I have a full access to internet without restriction (google, whatsapp, gmail, facebook) and very good speed in 4G

Oct 14, 2019

Frequently Asked Questions

How many travel eSIM brands (providers) are available for use in China, and how many prepaid data plans are there?

There are roughly 120 travel eSIM providers and about 7 000 prepaid data plans available for use in China, offering a wide variety of options that allow travelers to find an eSIM that matches their needs.

Are there any unlimited data eSIM plans available for China?

Unlimited data eSIM plans can be found for travel to China from a range of providers. Plans such as abesteSIM, Yoho Mobile, MicroEsim, Billion Connect, Roamify, Truely, Yesim, and Airalo all offer unlimited data for periods from one to fifteen days. These “unlimited” offerings typically allow tethering, but the network usually applies a speed throttling policy, capping the throughput at about 5 Mbps. Prices for these unlimited plans vary, generally falling between roughly $1.91 and $26.15 USD, so travelers can choose a plan that fits their budget while covering their data needs.

What are the major mobile networks available for a travel eSIM in China?

China Mobile: The largest mobile operator in China, offering extensive nationwide coverage and a wide range of services, including voice, data, and multimedia.
China Unicom: A major state-owned operator providing mobile and fixed-line services, known for its strong presence in northern China and compatibility with international devices.
China Telecom: Another leading state-owned operator offering mobile, fixed-line, and broadband services, with robust coverage in southern China.

In addition to these major operators, China has Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) that lease access from the primary carriers to offer mobile services. Examples include China Broadcasting Network (CBN), a state-owned entity providing mobile, broadband, and broadcasting services. However, most travel eSIMs rely on the infrastructure of the major Mobile Network Operators rather than MVNOs.

Can I get a travel eSIM with a phone number and SMS for China?

Travel eSIM plans that include a phone number and SMS service for China are available through GlobaleSIM and Roamify. Prices for these plans start at about $4 for a 1 GB data bundle valid for seven days and can rise to roughly $44 for a 50 GB bundle valid for 30 days, depending on the data volume and the number of days the plan remains active.

All of the available options provide an inbound and outbound voice capability and support inbound SMS; some Roamify plans also allow outbound SMS. The phone numbers that are supplied use the United States dialing code +1 (and a few Roamify options use +33), so the numbers are not local China numbers but are still usable for calling and texting within China and abroad.

Summarized by Gen AI. Last updated: February 20, 2026