Key Takeaways:
- Getting an eSIM before visiting China is essential as many transactions there require mobile data, and eSIMs enable you to obtain data without incurring expensive roaming fees.
- Using an eSIM in China also enables you to bypass the Great Firewall and use blocked apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Gmail.
- The best eSIM for China will depend on your trip length and data usage patterns.
- When comparing China eSIM providers, you should also check hotspot or tethering allowances and fair usage policies, which limit daily high-speed data.
China is growing in popularity as a travel destination amongst visitors from Singapore. Our most important piece of pre-departure advice is to ensure you have mobile data in China. You’ll need it for everything—from paying with Alipay or WeChat Pay and scanning menus to navigating and using translation apps.
Internet censorship in China is a massive inconvenience for travellers, as many of your favourite apps like WhatsApp, Gmail, Google and Instagram will not work there. One way to get around this is to use a VPN, but VPNs aren’t always reliable.
Using an eSIM is not only one of the easiest ways to get mobile data, but it also enables you to gain access to blocked apps without needing a VPN.
This guide will cover the various eSIM options available for your next trip to China. These plans, like all travel eSIMs, don’t require you to get a new line, nor do they require you to insert a physical SIM card into your phone. You simply activate the eSIM on your phone, and you’re good to go.
Best China eSIMs at a Glance: What Is the Best eSIM for China Travel?
| Data coverage | Validity | Telecom operator | Price range | |
| Airalo | 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, unlimited GB | 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 30 days | China Unicom | S$5.50 – S$89 |
| Nomad | 1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, unlimited GB | 3, 5, 7, 10, 30, 45 days | China Unicom, China Telecom | S$5.13 – S$44.90 |
| Jetpac | 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, unlimited GB | 1, 4, 7, 30 days | China Unicom, China Telecom | S$6 – S$90 |
| Eskimo | 1, 3, 5, 10, unlimited GB | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 days | China Unicom, China Telecom | S$1.95 – S$49.50 |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 1 – 90 days | China Mobile | S$5 – S$188 |
| ICC eSIM | 500 MB, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30, 50 unlimited GB | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 30 days | China Unicom, China Mobile | S$0.89 – S$87.99 |
| Changi Recommends | 500 MB, 1, 2, 3 GB, 5 GB, 10 GB, 20 GB, unlimited | 1,3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 30 days | Unspecified | S$0.10 – S$102 |
Why You Need an eSIM in China
Many everyday transactions in China, such as restaurant payments and DiDi bookings, require mobile data access.
An eSIM is the easiest way to obtain mobile data without roaming charges, plus activation is quick and easy. You simply purchase your plan and activate your eSIM online, usually by scanning a QR code.
There’s no need to fumble with physical SIM cards, and you get to keep your Singapore number and SIM card even as you use the eSIM.
Although most China eSIMs don’t include a local phone number, this usually isn’t an issue, as most Chinese apps allow you to register using your Singapore mobile number.
In China, an eSIM also offers a way to bypass China’s infamous Great Firewall, which blocks many foreign apps such as WhatsApp, Instagram and Gmail. eSIMs enable you to use blocked apps without a VPN, as internet traffic is routed through servers outside China. Conversely, if you were to purchase a Chinese SIM card, you would be affected by the Great Firewall.
Pro tip: Before your flight, install Alipay, WeChat, your eSIM, offline maps and translation apps.
China’s Major Telecom Operators Explained
| China Mobile | China Unicom | China Telecom | |
| Coverage | Very wide coverage, includes remote areas | Good coverage in urban areas | Good coverage in high-density or crowded areas |
| 5G | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reliability | Very stable | Stable | Average |
Best Overall: Nomad
Nomad eSIM offers a good balance of competitive pricing, a long maximum validity period of up to 45 days, and unlimited hotspot tethering. It also has a good reputation on Trustpilot. Their packages offer data from 1 GB to unlimited data, with 3 to 45 days’ validity.
| Data | Validity | Pricing |
| Unlimited | 3 days | S$15.39 |
| Unlimited | 5 days | S$23.09 |
| Unlimited | 7 days | S$32.07 |
| Unlimited | 10 days | S$42.34 |
| 1 GB | 7 days | S$5.13 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | S$11.55 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | S$17.32 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | S$21.81 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | S$32.07 |
| 50 GB | 45 days | S$44.90 |
Pros
- Long plans of up to 45 days
- Supports unlimited hotspot/tethering
- Good Trustpilot score
Cons
- No packages under three days
- No unlimited packages over 10 days
- Unlimited plans come with a 2 GB-per-day limit, after which speed is throttled
Best for Value: Jetpac
Jetpac’s prices are competitive compared to other eSIM brands, and they offer the useful perks of airport lounge access during flight delays and free data for WhatsApp, Google Maps, Uber and Grab. They offer fixed data plans of 1 GB to 40 GB for 1 to 30 days, as well as unlimited plans for those in China for up to 30 days.
| Data | Validity | Pricing |
| 3 GB | 1 day | S$8.50 |
| 5 GB | 1 day | S$10.50 |
| 10 GB | 1 day | S$12.50 |
| 1 GB | 4 days | S$6 |
| 3 GB | 4 days | S$9 |
| 5 GB | 4 days | S$12 |
| 10 GB | 4 days | S$16 |
| 3 GB | 7 days | S$11 |
| 5 GB | 7 days | S$14 |
| 10 GB | 7 days | S$18 |
| 15 GB | 7 days | S$22 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | S$16.50 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | S$22 |
| 15 GB | 30 days | S$29 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | S$48 |
| 30 GB | 30 days | S$41 |
| 40 GB | 30 days | S$48 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | S$18 |
| Unlimited | 5 days | S$27.50 |
| Unlimited | 7 days | S$37 |
| Unlimited | 10 days | S$46.50 |
| Unlimited | 15 days | S$57.50 |
| Unlimited | 21 days | S$68 |
| Unlimited | 30 days | S$90 |
Pros
- Supports unlimited hotspot/tethering
- Free airport lounge use when flight is delayed
- Good Trustpilot score
- Free WhatsApp, Uber, Grab and Google Maps navigation data
Cons
- Relatively expensive
- Plans come with a 3 GB-per-day limit, after which speed is throttled
Best Budget-Friendly: ICC
ICC is one of the cheapest China eSIM providers around and offers a mind-boggling range of plans, from a minute 500 MB to unlimited high-speed data, ranging from 1 to 30 days. The data limits can either be daily or for the duration of your plan. The table below shows just a fraction of their available plans.
| Data | Validity | Pricing |
| 500 MB | 1 day | S$0.89 |
| 2 GB | 2 days | S$2.39 |
| 4 GB | 3 days | S$3.99 |
| 5 GB | 3 days | S$4.99 |
| 7 GB | 3 days | S$6.79 |
| 10 GB | 3 days | S$7.59 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | S$8.59 |
| 4 GB | 5 days | S$4.99 |
| 5 GB | 5 days | S$5.59 |
| 7 GB | 5 days | S$6.89 |
| 10 GB | 5 days | S$7.99 |
| Unlimited | 5 days | S$13.99 |
| Unlimited | 8 days | S$21.99 |
| Unlimited | 10 days | S$26.99 |
| Unlimited | 12 days | S$32.59 |
| Unlimited | 15 days | S$40.59 |
| Unlimited | 20 days | S$53.99 |
| 4 GB | 30 days | S$7.59 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | S$8.59 |
| 7 GB | 30 days | S$9.99 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | S$11.99 |
| Unlimited | 30 days | S$79.99 |
Pros
- Low prices
- Hotspot/tethering supported
- High-speed WhatsApp access is provided after the high-speed data limit is reached
Cons
- High-speed data capped at 2 GB per day
Best for Heavy Users: Airalo
Airalo offers unlimited plans for up to 30 days, with up to 3 GB of high-speed data per day, beating out Nomad eSIM’s 2 GB per day. Their range of packages offers data from 1 GB to unlimited data, with 3 to 30 days’ validity.
| Data | Validity | Pricing |
| 1 GB | 3 days | S$5.50 |
| 3 GB | 3 days | S$12.50 |
| 3 GB | 7 days | S$14 |
| 5 GB | 7 days | S$19 |
| 10 GB | 7 days | S$32 |
| 5 GB | 15 days | S$19.50 |
| 10 GB | 15 days | S$33 |
| 20 GB | 15 days | S$50.50 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | S$20 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | S$34.50 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | S$51.50 |
| 50 GB | 30 days | S$63.50 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | S$15 |
| Unlimited | 5 days | S$24.50 |
| Unlimited | 7 days | S$35 |
| Unlimited | 10 days | S$45.50 |
| Unlimited | 15 days | S$63.50 |
| Unlimited | 30 days | S$89 |
Pros
- Supports unlimited hotspot/tethering
- Good Trustpilot score
Cons
- Relatively expensive
- No packages under three days
- Unlimited plans come with a 3 GB-per-day limit, after which speed is throttled
Best for Families: Eskimo
Eskimo offers fixed data plans ranging from 1 GB to 10 GB that never expire, making it possible for lighter users in the family to roll over unused data for future trips. They offer unlimited data plans for 1 to 30 days, with a maximum of 3 GB high-speed data per day.
| Data | Validity | Pricing |
| 1 GB | No expiry | S$1.95 |
| 3 GB | No expiry | S$4.95 |
| 5 GB | No expiry | S$7.45 |
| 10 GB | No expiry | S$11.95 |
| Unlimited | 1 day | S$2.50 |
| Unlimited | 2 days | S$3.50 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | S$5 |
| Unlimited | 5 days | S$8 |
| Unlimited | 7 days | S$11 |
| Unlimited | 10 days | S$15 |
| Unlimited | 15 days | S$24.50 |
| Unlimited | 20 days | S$30.50 |
| Unlimited | 25 days | S$40.50 |
| Unlimited | 30 days | S$49.50 |
Pros
- Supports unlimited hotspot/tethering
- Fixed data plans never expire, making them suitable for light users with leftover data
Cons
- Unlimited plans come with a 3 GB-per-day limit, after which speed is throttled
- Trustpilot score is not very good
Best for Long Trips: Holafly
Holafly offers customisable unlimited data plans spanning from 1 to 90 days, making it the obvious choice for longer trips spanning more than a month.
| Data | Validity | Pricing |
| Unlimited | 1 day | S$5 |
| Unlimited | 2 days | S$11 |
| Unlimited | 3 days | S$16 |
| Unlimited | 4 days | S$22 |
| Unlimited | 5 days | S$27 |
| Unlimited | 7 days | S$37 |
| Unlimited | 10 days | S$50 |
| Unlimited | 15 days | S$68 |
| Unlimited | 20 days | S$83 |
| Unlimited | 25 days | S$91 |
| Unlimited | 30 days | S$100 |
| Unlimited | 40 days | S$115 |
| Unlimited | 50 days | S$129 |
| Unlimited | 60 days | S$144 |
| Unlimited | 70 days | S$158 |
| Unlimited | 80 days | S$173 |
| Unlimited | 90 days | S$188 |
Pros
- Plans are customisable in terms of number of days
- Unlimited data plans of up to 90 days
- Supports hotspot/tethering
- Free 1 GB of data every month that can be used even after the plan ends
- Good Trustpilot score
Cons
- Relatively expensive
- No fixed data plans
- Hotspot data is capped at 1 GB per day
- Fair usage policy applies, with speed throttled once the daily high-speed allowance is exceeded
Best for Unlimited Data: Holafly
While most eSIM providers offer unlimited data plans, Holafly stands out by enabling you to customise the duration of your unlimited data plan of up to 90 days (see table in the previous section).
They also offer 1 GB of free backup data every month, available for use even after your plan ends! This 1 GB refreshes monthly and does not accumulate. The main drawback is that you only get up to 1 GB of hotspot data per day.
Best for Flexible Data Options: Changi Recommends
While most eSIM providers offer either daily or total data plans, Changi Recommends offers both, allowing you to choose the type of plan that best suits your usage patterns. The following are the total data eSIM plans for China, ranging from 3 to 30 days. All the total data plans offer a fixed amount of high-speed data, with unlimited low-speed data thereafter.
| Data | Validity | Pricing |
| 3 GB | 3 days | S$5.62 |
| 5 GB | 3 days | S$7.67 |
| 10 GB | 3 days | S$14.18 |
| 20 GB | 3 days | S$27.30 |
| 3 GB | 5 days | S$6.46 |
| 5 GB | 5 days | S$8.40 |
| 10 GB | 5 days | S$15.75 |
| 20 GB | 5 days | S$29.40 |
| 3 GB | 7 days | S$7.67 |
| 5 GB | 7 days | S$9.35 |
| 10 GB | 7 days | S$17.80 |
| 20 GB | 7 days | S$31.50 |
| 10 GB | 10 days | S$18.32 |
| 20 GB | 10 days | S$33.60 |
| 3 GB | 15 days | S$11.45 |
| 5 GB | 15 days | S$12.08 |
| 10 GB | 15 days | S$19.11 |
| 20 GB | 15 days | S$36.75 |
| 10 GB | 20 days | S$20.21 |
| 20 GB | 20 days | S$39.90 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | S$12.50 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | S$13.55 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | S$21.58 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | S$42 |
Pros
- Offers choice between daily data and total data plans
- Supports hotspot/tethering
Cons
- No total data plans under three days
- No plans with over 20 GB of high-speed data
- Only 500 MB of high-speed data per day
Best Credit Cards for China eSIMs
Using the right credit card to pay for your eSIM enables you to earn valuable cashback or miles, giving you better bang for your buck.
Most eSIM providers are coded under MCC 4814 (Fax Services, Telecommunication Services), MCC 5817 (Digital Goods – Software Applications (excluding games)) or MCC 5818 (Digital Goods – Multi-category), but these may differ depending on the merchant as well as the credit card company.
Here’s an overview of some credit cards to consider.
| Cashback/miles | Requirements | |
| Citi Rewards | 10X points for every S$1 on online purchases (i.e. 4 miles per S$1) | Capped at 9,000 bonus points per month |
| DBS Woman’s World Mastercard | 10X DBS points (4 miles per S$1) for every S$5 spent on online purchases | Capped at S$1,000 of online spend per calendar month |
| UOB EVOL | 10% cashback on local online/mobile contactless spend, 1% on FX spend outside of China and Europe, 0.5% cashback on FX spend in China and Europe | For 10% cashback, minimum spend of S$800 per statement month, with total cashback capped at S$80 per month; S$30 cap for local online/mobile contactless spend category
For 0.5%-1% cashback on FX spend, no minimum spend and no cap (till 31 Dec 2026) |
| OCBC FRANK | 8% cashback on FX transactions and online/contactless mobile transactions in SGD | Minimum spend of S$800, cashback capped at S$25 per month for online/contactless mobile category |
| Citi SMRT | 5% cashback (in SMRT$) on online purchases | Minimum spend of S$500 per statement month, maximum accumulation of SMRT$600 during any 12-month period |
| DCS Flex Visa Platinum | 2.4 miles per S$1 spent on FX spend, 1.8 miles per S$1 spent on online/ contactless transactions in SGD | Minimum spend of S$600 per statement month, capped at 1,250 miles per category and 5,000 miles in total per month, conversion fee of S$25 (exlc. GST) for each redemption request |
Pro tip: To get even more out of your spending, shop through ShopBack or HeyMax when acquiring your eSIM to earn cashback or rewards that can be converted into actual frequent flyer programme miles.
How to Install an eSIM
1) Before you fly, purchase your eSIM and install it on your phone by following the next steps.
2) Download and install the eSIM app on your phone.
3) Follow the instructions to continue. If installation is via QR code, go to Settings > Network or Cellular > Add eSIM > Scan or Use QR Code.
4) If QR code installation is not possible, go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM (iOS), or navigate to Network settings or SIM Manager, select Add mobile network > Enter code manually (Android). You can then enter the eSIM details manually.
Conclusion
An eSIM is indispensable when travelling to China, as it gives you access to mobile data without incurring expensive roaming charges and also enables you to bypass the Great Firewall and use apps and services such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail and Google.
You should buy an eSIM that matches your trip length and that offers enough data for the duration of your stay. You should also pay attention to factors such as hotspot or tethering allowances and fair usage policies, which cap the amount of high-speed data you are entitled to per day.
If you found this China eSIM guide useful, you might want to check out our review of the best eSIM plans for Malaysia and Japan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which eSIM is best for China?
The best eSIM for China depends on your trip length and data usage patterns. Nomad eSIM’s offering is generally solid, Jetpac offers good value for money, and ICC offers the best budget eSIM.
Can I Use Google, WhatsApp, and Instagram with a China eSIM?
Yes, you can use all your usual apps and web services with an eSIM in China.
Does a China eSIM need a VPN?
No, you do not need a VPN to access Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and so on when using an eSIM in China.
Can I make phone calls in China with an eSIM?
Since an eSIM usually only provides data, not talk time, you can only make phone calls through apps such as WhatsApp.
