Tool 02
Best eSIM for China — pick yours in 30 seconds
Three questions, instant recommendation. We compare 58 plans from 5 providers on price, data, validity and hotspot policy — no 4,000-word blog post required.
Affiliate disclosure: provider links on this page are affiliate links — we earn a commission if you purchase, at no extra cost to you. Recommendations are computed from price and plan data, never from commission rates.
Estimated need: ~10 GB over 10 days
WhatsApp, Instagram, Google Maps & Gmail work without a VPN — your usual apps load the way they do at home.
Keep your eSIM data on for those apps and size your plan for the whole trip (with a little buffer) so you're not caught short — for a tourist visit that's all you usually need.
Jetpac
$16$24
10 GB · 30 days · $1.60/GB
Cheapest plan that covers ~10 GB over 10 days
10% off with code READYSETCHINA10
- Network:
- China Unicom (roaming)
- Coverage:
- Mainland China
- Hotspot:
- Allowed
Nomad
$35
50 GB · 45 days · $0.70/GB
Best price per GB ($0.70/GB) — room to spare
15% off with code READYSETCHINA
- Network:
- China Unicom & China Telecom
- Coverage:
- Mainland China
- Hotspot:
- Allowed
Nomad
$33
Unlimited · 10 days · 2 GB/day full speed, then 1 Mbps
No data math — unlimited for the whole trip
- Network:
- China Unicom & China Telecom
- Coverage:
- Mainland China
- Hotspot:
- Allowed
2 of these 3 picks are Nomad — for this trip its pricing simply comes out ahead on the measures we rank by. We rank on price and plan data only, never commission. Compare all five providers side by side in the table below.
Sort it before you fly.Buying or installing an eSIM needs a connection — the one thing you don't have when you land without one. Set it up at home on Wi-Fi and you step off the plane already online.
Every plan, side by side
Curated China eSIMs with price per GB normalised for easy comparison — sort by what matters for your trip.
| Provider | Data | Days | Price | $/GB | Hotspot | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nomad | 50 GB | 45 | $35 | $0.70 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 40 GB | 30 | $34.99$65 | $0.87 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 10 GB | 1 | $9$13.5 | $0.90 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 50 GB | 30 | $49 | $0.98 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 30 GB | 30 | $29.99$50 | $1.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 15 GB | 7 | $16$22.5 | $1.07 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 10 GB | 4 | $11.5$17 | $1.15 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | 20 GB | 30 | $25$30 | $1.25 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 10 GB | 7 | $13$19.5 | $1.30 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 15 GB | 30 | $21$30 | $1.40 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 5 GB | 1 | $7.5 | $1.50 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 10 GB | 30 | $16$24 | $1.60 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 5 GB | 4 | $8.5 | $1.70 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | 10 GB | 30 | $17$22 | $1.70 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 20 GB | 30 | $35 | $1.75 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 20 GB | 15 | $39 | $1.95 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 3 GB | 1 | $6 | $2.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 5 GB | 7 | $10 | $2.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 20 GB | 30 | $40 | $2.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 3 GB | 4 | $6.5 | $2.17 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Saily | 20 GB | 30 | $45.99 | $2.30 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 5 GB | 30 | $12 | $2.40 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 7 | $24.5 | $2.45 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 15 | $25.5 | $2.55 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 30 | $26.5 | $2.65 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 3 GB | 7 | $8 | $2.67 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Saily | 10 GB | 30 | $26.99 | $2.70 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | 5 GB | 30 | $13.5 | $2.70 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 7 | $14.5 | $2.90 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | 3 GB | 30 | $9 | $3.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 15 | $15 | $3.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 30 | $15.5 | $3.10 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 3 GB | 3 | $9.5 | $3.17 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Saily | 5 GB | 30 | $15.99 | $3.20 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 3 GB | 7 | $10.5 | $3.50 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Saily | 3 GB | 30 | $10.99 | $3.66 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | 1 GB | 3 | $4 | $4.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | 1 GB | 7 | $4 | $4.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Saily | 1 GB | 7 | $4.49 | $4.49 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | 1 GB | 4 | $7 | $7.00 | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | Unlimited* | 3 | $11.5 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Holafly | Unlimited* | 3 | $11.9 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | Unlimited* | 3 | $12 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | Unlimited* | 5 | $18 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | Unlimited* | 5 | $19 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Holafly | Unlimited* | 5 | $20.5 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | Unlimited* | 7 | $25 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | Unlimited* | 7 | $27 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Holafly | Unlimited* | 7 | $27.5 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Nomad | Unlimited* | 10 | $33 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | Unlimited* | 10 | $35 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Holafly | Unlimited* | 10 | $36.5 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | Unlimited* | 15 | $49 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Saily | Unlimited* | 15 | $49.99 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Holafly | Unlimited* | 15 | $50.5 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Jetpac | Unlimited* | 30 | $65.99$150 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Airalo | Unlimited* | 30 | $69 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
| Holafly | Unlimited* | 30 | $73.9 | — | ✓ | Mainland China |
* Unlimited plans have fair-use policies — full speed up to a daily allowance, reduced speeds after. They have no fixed $/GB, so they rank last under “Best $/GB” and first under “Most data”.
Struck-through figures are the provider's regular price — the lower price is a promotion running as of June 27, 2026 and may change. $/GB uses the price shown, before any discount code.
Prices shown are list prices — Saily takes 10% off with code READYSETCHINA at checkout.
Jetpac takes 10% off with code READYSETCHINA10 at checkout.
Prices shown are list prices — Holafly takes 5% off with code READYSETCHINA at checkout.
Nomad takes 15% off with code READYSETCHINA at checkout — excludes sale, unlimited and under-$5 plans.
How China travel eSIMs work
Roaming architecture.Travel eSIMs connect to Chinese networks (China Unicom, China Mobile or China Telecom) while routing data through the provider's international partner network — the same mechanism as your home carrier's roaming, at a fraction of the price.
Data only. None of these plans include a Chinese phone number, calls or SMS. Budget for voice via data apps.
Install before you fly. Download the provider app or scan the QR code at home on Wi-Fi. Activation timing varies by provider — most start counting validity on first connection in China.
Check device compatibility. Your phone must be eSIM-capable and carrier-unlocked. Recent iPhones (XS and later) and flagship Androids qualify; check your provider's compatibility list before buying.
Frequently asked questions
How do travel eSIMs for China work?
They are data-only plans that route your traffic through the provider's international partner network (roaming). You install the eSIM before you fly, activate it, and have mobile data the moment you land — no store visit or local registration needed.
Do China travel eSIMs include a phone number?
No. All plans compared here are data-only — no Chinese phone number, calls or SMS. Voice calls work over data apps. If you need a local number (some services require one for registration), that's a separate topic we cover in our payment setup guide.
Should I install the eSIM before flying to China?
Yes — buy and install it at home on Wi-Fi, then activate on departure day or on landing per the provider's instructions. It's a catch-22 otherwise: purchasing or downloading an eSIM needs an internet connection, and that's exactly what you don't have when you land without one. Provider apps and websites are also far easier to reach before you travel. This is the whole 'everything you need before you fly' idea.
Which China eSIM allows hotspot sharing?
All five — Airalo, Saily, Jetpac, Nomad and Holafly — allow hotspot/tethering on the China plans compared here. Holafly caps shared data at 1 GB per day; the others let you tether within your plan's daily full-speed allowance.
How much data do I need for a China trip?
Light users (maps, messaging) get by on well under 1 GB per week. Medium users (plus social media, music, video calls) should budget about 1 GB per day. Heavy users (video streaming, work, sharing to other devices) should plan 2–3 GB per day or pick an unlimited plan.
Heading to China soon? Check whether you need a visa first — run the 10-second visa-free check — then get Alipay & WeChat Pay working.
Official sources
Every policy on this page was checked against these official pages. Always confirm with the source before booking.
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this page are affiliate links, meaning we earn a commission if you purchase through them — at no extra cost to you. Recommendations are computed from price and plan data, never from commission rates.
Disclaimer: Plans, prices and coverage change often and may be out of date — confirm current details with the provider before you buy. Ready Set China is an independent information site, not a reseller, and is not responsible for decisions made on the basis of this page.