Which is the best eSIM for China?

The best eSIM for China depends on the trip: Nomad eSIM lists 10 GB for 30 days at USD19, Global YO lists unlimited for 3 days at $8.74 and PuraSIM says most of its plans route traffic outside mainland China so Google works without a VPN. Uncompromised Travel read company websites on 20 October 2026. Prices are in each company's own currency and some companies say anything about blocked sites in mainland China.

Which is the best eSIM for China?

By kind of trip, in alphabetical order: Airalo lists unlimited packages from 3 days at $11.50 to 30 days at $69.00; Global YO lists 10GB for 30 days at $11.74; MobiMatter says Hong Kong routing means these apps usually work without a VPN; Nomad eSIM lists 1 GB to 50 GB plans from USD5; PuraSIM says most plans route outside mainland China; RedteaGO lists Basic Unlimited at USD 0.70 per day.

Other prices published for China on 20 October 2026

Every other provider in the table with a China entry is listed here, with what its own pages gave on 20 October 2026.

• Firsty: China is on the list of 176 countries for Classic and Unlimited and no country-specific price applies. One global price list in EUR, the same in every country: Classic 'Starts at €0.98 per GB' (bundles 0.5 to 50GB, 1GB €4.50, 10GB shown as €45 and €17, valid 30 days after activation); Unlimited 'Starts at €2 per day' (monthly shown as €105 and €69), '5 GB at full speed' every 24 hours 'then 512 Kbps'. The saved pages say nothing about bypassing web blocks.
• HelloRoam: home tile, China Unicom (+1 other), 5G, unlimited eSIM plan 'From £2.60/day'. The destination page is not in the pack, so a fixed plan and 10 GB price are not shown and nothing is said about bypassing web blocks. Price in £.
• Holafly: No China-only page in the pack ('eSIM China' is a link on the home page). The combined Japan and China plan: unlimited by the day from €5.90 EUR; USD: 3 days $13.50, 5 days $20.90, 7 days $27.90, 10 days $37.50, 15 days $50.50, 30 days $73.90. Nothing about bypassing web blocks on the saved pages.
• Saily: 'From US$4.49' on the Global page country list. No China destination page is in the saved pages, so plan sizes, days and unlimited terms are not stated and no networks are named. Nothing about bypassing Chinese web blocks was found (the virtual location feature is described only as changing apparent location).
• Travelsim: A post announces 'a new 5GB data plan' for China, with no price or days given. The Asia page says its SIM 'enables you to bypass China's Great Firewall, providing you with access to the otherwise blocked Google, Gmail, Facebook and more'. The 3GB Asia plan (30 days) covers China. Networks are not named.
• Truely: unlimited data 'from $2.62/day' on the destinations list. Networks: China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom. Fair use: 5 GB/day then 512 kbps. Nothing is said about bypassing Chinese web blocks. The China page itself shows no plan prices.
• VIA eSIM: 'From €9.99' on the all-destinations list. Plan sizes and days did not load (no China product page is in the pack). Network named on the Global page: China Unicom. No statement about bypassing web blocks; the terms prohibit 'VPN tunneling in restricted countries'.
• Yesim: 'from $2.52 / day' on the home page destination list. The pack has no China destination page, so plan sizes, days and unlimited terms are not stated. Nothing about bypassing Chinese web blocks was found. No network is named.

Which is the best eSIM for China with unlimited data?

For unlimited data in China, Global YO lists 3 days at $8.74, Airalo lists 3 days at $11.50 and Nomad eSIM lists 3 days at USD12. The daily caps differ, so read the fair-use line before paying: Airalo gives 3GB per day at 20 Mbps, Roamless gives 3GB per day then 1 Mbps and Truely gives 5 GB per day then 512 kbps.

• Airalo: Unlimited packages: 3 days $11.50, 7 days $27.00 and 30 days $69.00 in USD, with '3GB per day at 20 Mbps' then reduced speeds.
• Firsty: Unlimited 'Starts at €2 per day', with '5 GB at full speed' every 24 hours 'then 512 Kbps'.
• Global YO: Unlimited (labelled 'premium'): 3 days $8.74 and 30 days $39.74, with data that 'remains unlimited' after the daily 1GB high-speed limit.
• HelloRoam: Unlimited eSIM plan from £2.60/day, with China Unicom (+1 other) and 5G named on the home tile.
• Holafly: Combined Japan and China plan, unlimited by the day from € 5.90 EUR, or $13.50 USD for 3 days.
• Nomad eSIM: Unlimited: 3 days USD12, 7 days USD25 and 15 days USD39, with no fair-use line quoted.
• RedteaGO: Basic Unlimited USD 0.70 per day and Premium Unlimited USD 5.90 per day, from a blog post of February 2025.
• Roamify: Unlimited from US$4.50 for 1 day and US$36.00 for 15 days.
• Roamless: Unlimited 1 day $3.84, 3 days $11.43 and 7 days $26.25, at '3GB/day at full speed' then 1 Mbps.
• Truely: Unlimited from $2.62/day, at 5 GB/day then 512 kbps.

What is the best travel eSIM for China at the lowest price?

The lowest US dollar prices published are RedteaGO at USD 2.00 for 1 GB for 30 days (from a blog post of February 2025), MobiMatter at US$3.99 for 2 GB for 15 days, then Ubigi at US$4 for 1 GB valid 7 days, Roamify at US$4.00 for 1 GB for 7 days and Kolet at $3.99 for 1 GB for 30 days. Sizes, lengths and currencies differ from one company to the next and some prices have no size shown, so compare the same size and length before you buy.

• Airalo: Headline 'from $4.00 USD', with its data size and days not shown.
• ArriveSIM: From US$2.72/GB, pay as you go, with no fixed sizes.
• Global YO: 1GB for 3 Days at $3.64, in $ with the currency not named.
• Kolet: 1 GB $3.99 and 3 GB $10.99, each for 30 days.
• MobiMatter: From US$3.99 for 2 GB, 15 days, China only.
• Nomad eSIM: 1 GB for 7 days at USD5 and 3 GB for 30 days at USD10.
• PuraSIM: 'China from $1.49', with no plan table saved.
• RedteaGO: 500 MB 7 days USD 1.06 and 1 GB 30 days USD 2.00, from a blog post of February 2025.
• Roamify: 1 GB for 7 days at US$4.00.
• Saily: 'From US$4.49' on the Global page country list, with sizes and days not stated.
• Ubigi: 1 GB valid 7 days at US$4 and 3 GB valid 30 days at US$7.
• VIA eSIM: 'From €9.99' on the all-destinations list, with sizes and days not loaded.
• Yesim: 'from $2.52 / day' on the home page destination list, with plan sizes not stated.

Which is the best eSIM for China that lets me use my phone as a hotspot?

Airalo on its unlimited plans (within the daily allowance), Kolet, Nomad eSIM, PuraSIM, Roamify and Ubigi say hotspot is allowed, while Holafly limits sharing to 1 GB per day.

• Airalo: 'Yes, Airalo Unlimited eSIMs support tethering and hotspot use', counted in the daily high-speed data allowance.
• Firsty: Hotspot on Classic and Unlimited but not on Free and on Unlimited hotspot data counts against the daily '5 GB full-speed allowance'.
• Global YO: Every plan page lists 'Hotspot: Yes', with no limit stated.
• Holafly: Destination plans share 1 GB of data per day, so a 7-day plan includes 7 GB.
• Kolet: 'Hotspot Included. Turn your phone into a hotspot whenever you need, to connect other devices.'
• Nomad eSIM: 'Yes, Nomad's eSIMs support tethering / hotspot'.
• RedteaGO: 'Hotspot sharing is available in all countries and regions.'
• Roamify: 'Yes, you can share data with other devices' by activating the hotspot on your device.
• Saily: Hotspot is described as 'Unlimited access with no restrictions' on the destination pages.
• Yesim: The plan pages list 'Hotspot: Depends on operator'.

Which is the best eSIM for China for a stay of a month or more?

For a month or more in China, Nomad eSIM lists 50 GB for 45 days at USD37, Ubigi lists 25 GB valid 30 days at US$33 and RedteaGO lists 50 GB for 365 days at USD 29.10. The plans differ in size, length and currency, so no single best long-stay plan is named.

• Airalo: Unlimited 30 days $69.00 in USD; no package beyond 30 days is on the pages read on 20 October 2026.
• Global YO: Unlimited 30 days $39.74 and 10GB for 30 Days $11.74.
• Holafly: Combined Japan and China plan, unlimited 30 days $73.90 USD.
• Kolet: 10 GB for 30 days $25.49 and 20 GB for 30 days $38.99.
• MobiMatter: China 20 GB for 30 days at US$13.99 and 10 GB for 30 days at US$9.99 on a multi-country plan.
• Nomad eSIM: 10 GB for 30 days at USD19 and 50 GB for 45 days at USD37.
• RedteaGO: China 50 GB for 365 days at USD 29.10, from a blog post of February 2025.
• Roamify: 10 GB for 30 days at US$10.00.
• Roamless: Unlimited Plans run 1 to 90 days, with 90 days shown as the validity.
• Ubigi: 25 GB valid 30 days at US$33.

Which travel eSIM provider is best for someone who needs it to work in mainland China without a VPN?

RedteaGO says its China package gives access to Google without a VPN, PuraSIM says most of its plans route traffic outside mainland China and MobiMatter says plans routed outside the mainland usually work, while plans on a local Chinese connection do not. The statements differ, so ask the company in writing whether a plan routes outside mainland China before you buy.

• KnowRoaming: The company says it does not bypass blocks and advises setting up a VPN before you fly.
• MobiMatter: 'Many travel eSIMs route data through a network outside the mainland, such as Hong Kong, so these apps usually work without a VPN; plans that use a local Chinese connection don't.' The China 20 GB plan shows IP routing Hong Kong.
• Nomad eSIM: The company does not state it; only customer reviews on the page say no VPN was needed.
• PuraSIM: 'Most of our plans route your traffic outside mainland China, so you can use Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube without a VPN'.
• RedteaGO: 'with RedteaGO's China eSIM package, you can access Google and other websites without the need for a VPN' and the plans also support VPN configurations.
• Roamify: A travel eSIM 'won’t automatically bypass the Great Firewall' and a VPN is advised before arrival.
• Roamless: A claim to bypass web blocks is not on the pages read on 20 October 2026; the page says 'Set up before you fly'.
• Travelsim: The Asia page says its SIM 'enables you to bypass China's Great Firewall' and the 3GB Asia plan for 30 days covers China.
• VIA eSIM: No statement about bypassing blocks and the terms prohibit 'VPN tunneling in restricted countries'.

Which eSIM works in China without needing a VPN?

RedteaGO says its China package gives access to Google without a VPN, PuraSIM says most of its plans route traffic outside mainland China, MobiMatter says plans routed outside the mainland usually work and local-connection plans do not and Travelsim says its Asia SIM bypasses the firewall, while KnowRoaming and Roamify say a VPN should be set up before arrival.

• Airalo: Nothing is said about bypassing Chinese web blocks.
• KnowRoaming: Says Mainland China blocks a range of foreign sites 'regardless of which carrier or plan you use'.
• Kolet: A statement about bypassing blocks is not on the pages read on 20 October 2026.
• MobiMatter: Hong Kong routing on some plans, with 'these apps usually work without a VPN'.
• PuraSIM: 'Most of our plans route your traffic outside mainland China'.
• RedteaGO: Says its package gives access to Google 'without the need for a VPN'.
• Roamify: Says a travel eSIM 'won’t automatically bypass the Great Firewall'.
• Saily: Nothing about bypassing blocks was found.
• Travelsim: Says its Asia SIM 'enables you to bypass China's Great Firewall'.
• Ubigi: Web block bypass is not claimed on the pages read on 20 October 2026.

Which eSIM has the best coverage and speeds in China?

On coverage, MobiMatter, PuraSIM and Truely name China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, while no speed figure beyond fair-use caps is stated on the pages read on 20 October 2026. The speeds published are fair-use speeds: Airalo gives 3GB per day at 20 Mbps, Roamless gives 3GB per day then 1 Mbps and Truely gives 5 GB per day then 512 kbps.

• Airalo: China Unicom.
• Global YO: CHINA UNICOM GSM.
• HelloRoam: China Unicom (+1 other), 5G, on the home tile.
• KnowRoaming: 5G in China per the Asia page, with no China network named.
• MobiMatter: China Unicom, China Telecom and China Mobile.
• Nomad eSIM: China Unicom and China Telecom.
• PuraSIM: China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, with Global 139 listing China Mobile and China Unicom.
• RedteaGO: 'top-tier Chinese carriers', not named.
• Roamify: China Unicom and China Telecom.
• Roamless: China Unicom.
• Truely: China Telecom, China Mobile and China Unicom.

What is the cheapest eSIM for a two-week trip to China?

For about two weeks, MobiMatter lists 2 GB for 15 days at US$3.99 and Roamify lists 10 GB for 15 days at US$9.50; for unlimited over 15 days, Roamify lists US$36.00, Nomad eSIM lists USD39 and Airalo lists $49.00. A fixed-size plan and an unlimited plan are different products, so compare within the same kind.

• Airalo: Unlimited for 15 days at $49.00 in USD.
• Holafly: Combined Japan and China plan, unlimited for 15 days at $50.50 USD.
• KnowRoaming: Asia plan unlimited for 15 days at US$48, with no China-only price saved.
• Kolet: 5 GB for 30 days at $16.49 and 10 GB at $25.49.
• MobiMatter: 2 GB for 15 days at US$3.99, China only.
• Nomad eSIM: Unlimited for 15 days at USD39, with 10 GB for 30 days at USD19.
• Roamify: 10 GB for 15 days at US$9.50 and unlimited for 15 days at US$36.00.

Which to check first

Ask MobiMatter, PuraSIM, Nomad eSIM, Roamify and Airalo first, in that order and put the VPN question to each in writing.

1. MobiMatter: Publishes China prices, named networks (China Unicom, China Telecom and China Mobile) and a Hong Kong routing statement, so ask which plans route that way.
2. PuraSIM: Says its plans route traffic outside mainland China, so ask for the plan table, which is not on the pages read on 20 October 2026.
3. Nomad eSIM: Publishes China sizes from 1 GB to 50 GB and two named networks, so ask whether it works without a VPN.
4. Roamify: Publishes 10 GB and unlimited China prices and a VPN warning, so ask where the connection is registered.
5. Airalo: Publishes unlimited China packages from 3 to 30 days on China Unicom, so ask for the size behind the headline price.

Richard Jasinski · Uncompromised Travel · written from Valencia · first published 29 October 2026 · updated 29 October 2026