China eSIM for 7 days
$3.79
3 GB, valid 15 days on China Mobile. Enough for maps, rides, messages and photos for a week.
Choose 7 daysPay, then open NUM: your install code is waiting in your chat, and we email it about five minutes after you pay. If we can’t issue it, you get a full refund.
The short answer
The best eSIM for China is the one that fits your trip and your networks. For two weeks of photos, maps and social, NUM picks 5 GB for 30 days at $4.99, as of 4 Nov 2026.
| Plans from | $0.79 on 4 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|
| Networks on local plans | China Mobile |
| 7 days | 3 GB, 15 days, $3.79 |
| 14 days | 5 GB, 30 days, $4.99 |
| 30 days | 10 GB, 30 days, $8.09 |
| 45+ days | 20 GB, 90 days, $34.19 (regional plan, 20 countries) |
| Phone number | None, data only |
| Payment | Apple Pay, Google Pay or card |
A regional plan may list fewer networks here than a local plan. If you need a particular network, check that plan’s network list in the shop before you pay.
How it works
Pick your trip
Choose 7, 14 or 30 days. The shop picks the data for how you use your phone, and shows the networks.
Pay in seconds
Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card. Then open NUM and join free: your install code is waiting in your chat.
Install, then land online
Install at home on wifi with one tap, switch it on as the plane lands, and you’re online walking off. Your home number stays on for calls and codes.
China eSIM for 7, 14 and 30 days
China eSIM for 14 days
$4.99
5 GB, valid 30 days on China Mobile. Room for social, photos and a few video calls over two weeks.
Choose 14 daysChina eSIM for 30 days
$8.09
10 GB, valid 30 days on China Mobile. A month of everyday use, with some streaming and hotspot.
Choose 30 daysChina eSIM for longer trips
$34.19
20 GB, valid 90 days, a regional plan covering 20 countries. For long stays, remote work and heavy use.
Choose longer tripsNUM’s pick for each trip length on 4 Nov 2026, for photos, maps and social. Prices in US dollars; the price on the pay button is the price you pay.
China data plans and prices
| Data | Valid for | Network | Price | Per GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 MB | 7 days | China Mobile 5G | $0.79 | $1.62 |
| 1 GB | 7 days | China Mobile 5G | $1.39 | $1.39 |
| 2 GB | 15 days | China Mobile 5G | $2.59 | $1.30 |
| 3 GB | 15 days | China Mobile 5G | $3.79 | $1.26 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | China Mobile 5G | $3.89 | $1.30 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | China Mobile 5G | $4.99 | $1.00 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | China Mobile 5G | $8.09 | $0.81 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | China Mobile 5G | $12.69 | $0.63 |
12 plans in the shop on 4 Nov 2026; 8 shown, least money first. See every plan and today’s prices.
How much data do you need in China?
| How you use it | 7 days | 14 days | 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maps and messages | 1.4 GB | 2.8 GB | 6 GB |
| Plus social | 2.8 GB | 5.6 GB | 12 GB |
| Lots of video | 11 GB | 21 GB | 45 GB |
Coverage in China: what to know
Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook are blocked on local Chinese SIMs and Wi-Fi, while Apple services still work. Check how a plan routes your data before you buy: see the Hong Kong route note on this page.
Checked 3 Nov 2026. Source: lonelyplanet.com. Coverage changes, so check your route before you rely on it.
China eSIM by city
China coverage, place by place
| Beijing | A guide rates Beijing as top-tier for coverage, with excellent 4G and dense 5G, and says carrier choice matters little there. |
|---|---|
| Shanghai | A guide rates Shanghai as top-tier for coverage, with excellent 4G and dense 5G. |
| Guangzhou | A guide puts Guangzhou in the top coverage tier with excellent 4G and dense 5G; hotel Wi-Fi stays behind the national firewall. |
| Chengdu | A guide describes very good 4G and strong 5G in Chengdu's core, with all major networks performing well. |
| Xi'an | A guide describes very good 4G with strong 5G in the center and 4G nearly everywhere. |
From network data, travel guides and traveler reports, checked 3 Nov 2026. Signal changes, so treat these as a guide.
Online as you land in China
Switch it on as the plane lands at any of these and you’re online walking off:
Planning China
One eSIM for Asia
Crossing borders? A regional plan covers this country and its neighbours on one eSIM. Each plan says how many countries it covers.
Nearby destinations
eSIMs for other trips
Questions people ask about a China eSIM
What is the best eSIM for China?
The one that fits your trip and runs on China’s main networks (China Mobile). For a week most people need about 3 GB; for two weeks about 5 GB; for a month of social and video, 10 GB or more. NUM lists 12 plans here and picks one for your trip and how you use your phone.
How much does an eSIM for China cost?
On 4 Nov 2026, plans started at $0.79 and went up to $37.19 for the biggest. NUM’s 7-day pick was 3 GB for $3.79, the 14-day pick 5 GB for $4.99 and the 30-day pick 10 GB for $8.09. The shop always shows today’s price, and the price on the pay button is the price you pay.
How much data do I need for China?
As an estimate: maps and messages use about 0.2 GB a day, adding social feeds about 0.4 GB, and video calls or streaming 1.5 GB or more. So a week of everyday use is about 3 GB, two weeks about 5 GB, and a month 10 GB or more.
Is there an unlimited eSIM for China?
Not on 4 Nov 2026. The plans for China have a set amount of data; you can add more to the same eSIM from your order page if you run low.
Is an eSIM better than roaming in China?
For data, usually yes: a travel eSIM is prepaid, so there is no bill afterwards, and you choose the amount before you go. Your home carrier’s roaming can still be handy for calls and texts; keep your home line on for those and turn its data roaming off.
Should I get a local SIM card in China instead?
A local SIM can give you a local number, but you queue for it after you land and swap out your home SIM. An eSIM installs before you fly, works as the plane lands, and leaves your home SIM in place for calls and bank codes.
Does a China eSIM work everywhere in the country?
It works wherever China’s networks (China Mobile) reach. Cities and main roads are well covered; remote islands, mountains and parks can have weak or no signal, so download offline maps before you go.
Will my China eSIM work in neighbouring countries?
A China plan works in China only. For several countries, a Asia regional plan covers them on one eSIM; each plan lists the countries it covers.
When do the days start counting?
Install it at home on wifi; switch the line on when you land. Each plan in the shop says when its validity starts, so check that before you pay if you are installing well ahead.
Can I use it as a hotspot?
Hotspot works on most plans, so one eSIM can get a laptop or a travel partner online too.
Will I be online when I land?
Install the eSIM at home on wifi, then switch the line on as the plane lands at Guangzhou (Huadu) (CAN), Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (Pudong) (PVG). You are online walking off the plane, with no SIM counter and no airport wifi.
Which network works well in China?
Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook are blocked on local Chinese SIMs and Wi-Fi, while Apple services still work. Check how a plan routes your data before you buy: see the Hong Kong route note on this page.
Why does my eSIM show another carrier’s name?
Many travel eSIMs are issued by one carrier and roam on local networks, so your phone can show the issuing carrier’s name while your data runs on a local network. Keep data roaming on for the eSIM.
Will it work on my phone?
Dial *#06# on the phone you’re taking. If you see an EID number, it takes an eSIM. Every iPhone from the XR and XS on does, and the SE from 2020, as do Google Pixel 3 and later and Samsung Galaxy S20 and later. The phone must be carrier-unlocked. Not sure? Text PHONE and your model and we’ll check.
When do I install it?
At home, on wifi, before you fly. Then switch it on when you land. Tell us your landing day and we text you the switch-on steps that morning.
Does it come with a phone number?
No. It’s a data-only eSIM. WhatsApp, LINE, iMessage and FaceTime all work over it, and your home number can stay on for calls and codes.
What if it doesn’t work?
If we can’t issue your eSIM, we refund you in full. If it won’t install or connect, text us and we help you get connected.
An eSIM with a concierge inside.
Text NUM a table for tonight, a driver at 6 am or a pharmacy that’s open now. Any language, any hour, on the data you just bought.
Get my China eSIM