eSIMGuide - Compare Travel eSIM Plans

Updated Sep 2026

Flag of China

Compare eSIMs for China 2026

Compare 8,576 plans from 49 providers

VoyeGlobal
VoyeGlobal for ChinaFlag of China2 hours ago

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Which mobile networks you get in China

The published operator pattern is uneven: China Unicom is named by most providers, making it the default in the options shown rather than one choice among evenly matched operators. China Mobile and China Telecom are the other networks listed, and their names are the alternatives to distinguish when selecting an eSIM. That makes the operator list worth noting, while remembering that it records what providers published and does not guarantee which network a phone will use.

  • China UnicomBest stated technology: 5G

    28 of 30 providers

    RedEx eSIM, Bloomy eSIM, Roamix, YonoSIM, and AbestESIM +23 more

  • China TelecomBest stated technology: 5G

    25 of 30 providers

    RedEx eSIM, Bloomy eSIM, Roamix, AbestESIM, and MicroESIM +20 more

  • China MobileBest stated technology: 5G

    23 of 30 providers

    Bloomy eSIM, RedEx eSIM, Roamix, eSIMnow, and YonoSIM +18 more

Where your data comes out in China

None of the listed eSIMs breaks out inside China: most route traffic through Hong Kong, while others use Singapore or the United States. The Hong Kong route should add about 49ms round trip to services in China; the longer routes are likely to add more delay, reaching about 181ms via the US. This affects responsiveness, not download speed, which depends on the local mobile network. Your IP will appear foreign, so a Chinese banking or government app may reject it, and streaming catalogues may switch country.

Where each provider breaks out, nearest first. Estimated from distance, not measured.

180 ms
  • Bloomy eSIMBloomy eSIMFlag of Hong Kong~49 ms
  • eSIMnoweSIMnowFlag of Hong Kong~49 ms
  • RedEx eSIMRedEx eSIMFlag of Singapore~85 ms
  • AbestESIMAbestESIMFlag of Singapore~85 ms
  • RoamixRoamixFlag of Singapore~85 ms
  • YonoSIMYonoSIMFlag of Singapore~85 ms

What eSIM data costs in China

A gigabyte of data on a China eSIM typically costs $0.85 today — 12% less than the $0.97 it cost in December 2025, over which time the number of plans we compare for China went from 2,012 to 8,576.

That is 47% below the $1.61 a gigabyte typically costs across the 229 destinations we track — only 48 of them come in lower, which puts China among the cheapest places in the world to buy mobile data as a visitor. Competition is most of the story. We now compare 8,576 plans for China from 49 providers, against 2,012 in December 2025.

Every figure here is the lower quartile of the plans in our catalogue that month — the cheaper end of what was actually on sale, rather than an average pulled up by a handful of premium plans.

  • China$0.85
  • All destinations$1.61
Typical per GB
$0.85down 12% since Dec 2025
Typical per day
$0.89up 27% since Dec 2025
Plans compared
8,576up 6,564 since Dec 2025
Providers
49up 26 since Dec 2025

Change measured since December 2025, our first monthly snapshot.

Show all 10 months
September 2026$0.85up 5% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.89up 51% on the previous monthTypical per day8,576up 120% on the previous monthPlans49up 21 on the previous monthProviders
August 2026$0.81down 4% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.59down 9% on the previous monthTypical per day3,892up 10% on the previous monthPlans28up 4 on the previous monthProviders
July 2026$0.84up 2% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.65up 5% on the previous monthTypical per day3,552down 5% on the previous monthPlans24down 1 on the previous monthProviders
June 2026$0.82down 1% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.62down 3% on the previous monthTypical per day3,732up 1% on the previous monthPlans25Providers
May 2026$0.83Typical per GB$0.64down 3% on the previous monthTypical per day3,684up 1% on the previous monthPlans25up 1 on the previous monthProviders
April 2026$0.83Typical per GB$0.66up 12% on the previous monthTypical per day3,631up 23% on the previous monthPlans24up 1 on the previous monthProviders
March 2026$0.83down 7% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.59down 5% on the previous monthTypical per day2,946down 40% on the previous monthPlans23Providers
February 2026$0.89down 11% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.62down 10% on the previous monthTypical per day4,908up 113% on the previous monthPlans23Providers
January 2026$1.00up 3% on the previous monthTypical per GB$0.69down 1% on the previous monthTypical per day2,308up 15% on the previous monthPlans23Providers
December 2025$0.97Typical per GB$0.70Typical per day2,012Plans23Providers

Frequently Asked Questions about eSIMs for China

How many travel eSIM brands (providers) are available for use in China, and how many prepaid data plans are there?

Underneath the travel eSIM offers are China Unicom, China Mobile and China Telecom, the local operators named by providers. That makes China a crowded market: most major travel eSIM brands sell prepaid plans for it. RedEx eSIM, AbestESIM, MicroESIM, Roamix, AirHub and iroamly have particularly deep catalogues, although their options vary in data allowance and duration. The useful comparison is therefore not simply the brand name, but how much data the trip requires, how long it must last and what happens when the allowance runs out.

What are the mobile networks available for a travel eSIM in China?

The network choice is made upstream: a travel eSIM provider’s published list determines which local operator sits behind its plan, rather than leaving you to select one when the phone connects. Across listings for this market, the named operators are China Unicom, China Mobile and China Telecom. That gives buyers a choice between operator arrangements, but it is made by choosing between providers or plans, not by changing a setting after purchase. The listed operator is therefore knowable in advance, although it remains a provider statement rather than a measure of signal strength or coverage.

Are there any free data eSIM plans available for China?

Free data is available, but only on a small, trial-like scale. The zero-priced offers are samples rather than trip-sized packages, and they usually require registration with the provider. They can help you get online on arrival or test whether your handset supports the service, but they are unlikely to cover ordinary holiday use. Since most major eSIM providers serve China, these offers do appear, though eligibility and terms can change.

Are there any unlimited data eSIM plans available for China?

The Chinese market does include eSIMs sold as unlimited, and the choice is fairly broad. That label is only a starting point: one plan may provide full-speed data for a daily allowance, while another applies its allowance across the entire validity period. After that point, service is usually slowed—often enough to affect video and loading-heavy pages—so compare the reset pattern and the reduced speed in the plan details before buying. Messaging may still work, but “unlimited” does not mean uncapped performance.

Destinations near China

Crossing a border from China? Compare eSIMs for the countries around it.

Regional eSIMs that cover China: East Asia, Asia

eSIM Providers for China

Several networks are in play here, with China Unicom and China Mobile among the stated options rather than a single operator dominating every eSIM. Most major providers offer access to more than one network, while only a few state one; Roamix reaches the widest spread. A multi-network eSIM can give you another operator to try if one is weaker along your route, so check the listed network combination against where you will travel, not only the data allowance.

43 providers sell eSIMs for China. Open one for its prices, its full plan list and the networks it puts you on here.