China eSIM plans compared

Which plan size fits your trip to China

Match both the allowance and validity to your trip. Yesim lists 1 GB for 30 days at US$3.36, the lowest entry price in our price table. Saily lists 1 GB for 7 days at US$4.49. The longer validity gives you more time to use the allowance, not more data.

If you want 10 GB, Ubigi lists 30 days at US$17.00, compared with Yesim at US$22.32 and Saily at US$26.99 for the same allowance and validity. Check the access notes below before choosing on price.

For a larger allowance, Yesim lists 30 GB for 30 days at US$45.60, or US$1.52 per GB. That is the lowest price per GB in our price table, but it means a larger upfront spend. Pick it for the data you expect to use, not the unit price alone.

Unlimited plans and their limits

Compare unlimited plans by trip length and restrictions. Airalo lists 7 days at US$27.00, while Holafly lists 7 days at US$27.50. For 30 days, Airalo lists US$69.00 and Holafly lists US$76.50. The app-access claims differ too, so the lower price is not the whole comparison.

Holafly says network operators can temporarily reduce speeds under a Fair Usage Policy. It describes this as rare, lasting no more than 1 day, with the original speed restored the following day. Holafly also limits hotspot sharing to 1 GB per day, despite the unlimited on-phone allowance.

Yesim also warns that network operators may throttle data after a fair-use limit is reached. For sharing data, Saily says hotspot sharing is unlimited; that does not make its fixed data allowance unlimited.

Apps, VPN and what the providers say about access

Holafly explicitly says its China eSIM lets you access WhatsApp, Google and Instagram without installing an additional VPN. If those services matter to you, this is a direct provider claim to weigh alongside its fair-use and hotspot limits.

Saily gives a different answer. It says Google and Instagram are accessible through its virtual location feature, but troubleshooting may require clearing your cache, changing the server or reinstalling the Saily app. Saily says you need a VPN for WhatsApp in China.

Saily also says its own app works without a VPN, but logging in to your Saily account through Google requires one. Do not treat access to the Saily app as confirmation that every other app works.

Yesim says its plans let you use WhatsApp, TikTok and other services without restrictions. That wording does not explicitly confirm Google or Instagram access without a VPN. The Airalo, Nomad and Ubigi provider pages we checked do not state whether those apps work without a VPN.

Networks and coverage

The provider pages name the following networks. Use these names to compare what each provider discloses, rather than treating them as a promise of equal speeds everywhere.

• Airalo names China Unicom as its primary network.
• Holafly names CMCC.
• Saily names China Telecom and China Unicom.
• Nomad names China Unicom and China Telecom.
• Yesim lists SwitchLess Networks.

Before you fly

Check your phone's eSIM compatibility before buying, then follow your chosen provider's installation and activation instructions. Airalo says you can install in advance with a stable internet connection. When you want to use it, turn the eSIM on and select it for data.

Keep installation and plan start separate. Holafly says its plan begins when you arrive and turn on the eSIM. Saily says activation is automatic on arrival if its eSIM is on and roaming is enabled; Saily allows 180 days for activation.

Nomad allows activation within 60 days of purchase, after which the plan automatically activates and its expiry starts. Yesim lists activation within 90 days and says validity begins when you connect to a compatible network.

Check onward stops before paying. Saily explicitly excludes Hong Kong and Macau from its China data plan. Holafly says you need a separate eSIM for Hong Kong or Taiwan. The provider pages we checked do not state Holafly's Macau coverage. Nomad advises contacting support to confirm coverage for territories before purchase.