China eSIM plans from $1.89
Affordable connectivity for every adventure to China.
Prepaid China eSIM data from USD $1.89, for China alone or with Hong Kong and Macao. Install it at home and land in Shanghai or Beijing ready to get online.
CN · USD $1.89
China eSIMs
8 plans
No picks for this trip yet — the full list is below.
An eSIM for China, Sized to Your Trip
An eSIM for China is a prepaid data plan that lives on your phone, so you skip the hunt for a China SIM card at the airport. It runs through international roaming partners rather than a local SIM, and your home SIM stays active for calls and texts.
Plans come in three shapes. China Special plans cover the mainland only, from a short stopover to a two-month stay. Greater China plans add Hong Kong and Macao for trips that cross the border, and regional Asia plans include unlimited-data options.
Some familiar apps and websites are restricted on mainland Chinese connections. Roaming data can behave differently from a local connection, but access to any single app isn't guaranteed, so keep hotel addresses and tickets saved offline. Your EscapeSIM dashboard shows the data you have left, and a low-data alert arrives before the allowance runs out.
China eSIM Coverage on China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom
Your China eSIM connects to major local networks: China Mobile, China Telecom or China Unicom, depending on the plan. Your phone automatically connects to available supported partner networks, and data is generally reliable in Shanghai, Beijing, Chongqing and Chengdu, including around metro stations and big transport hubs.
High-speed rail is a different story. Long tunnels through hilly country cause short drop-outs on any network, so download your train details before boarding. Mountain parks such as Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Jiuzhaigou National Park have signal near the main entrances and visitor areas, but it thins out on the higher trails.
The far west needs more caution. Around Qinghai Lake and on long overland drives, you can go a long way between towns with little or no service. Save offline maps first, and if something goes wrong, 24/7 support is a message away.
Check your remaining data in the EscapeSIM dashboard before a long rail day or a trip out to the Great Wall.
Get a warning while you still have data, so ride-hailing and maps don't cut out halfway across an unfamiliar city.
On plans that support top-ups, add more data to the same eSIM if your China itinerary grows.
Bank codes and messages to your home number still reach you, while the China eSIM handles your travel data.
How it works
Pick a country or region and a data size.
Your QR code and install link arrive in minutes.
On Wi-Fi, before you leave. Takes two minutes.
Data switches on when you arrive. Your home SIM keeps working.
Why Travellers Pick Our China eSIM
China-Only Plans from Stopover to Long Stay
Staying on the mainland? China Special plans come in sizes from 1 GB to 60 GB and validity from five days up to 60 days. You buy for the trip you're actually taking.
A 1 GB plan over five days suits a transit stop or a quick business visit to Shanghai. For a fortnight of sightseeing, the 3 GB plan lasting 15 days covers maps, messaging and train times for light users.
Longer stays for study or work fit the larger China Special plans, which stretch to 60 days.
Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao on One eSIM
Plenty of China trips start or finish in Hong Kong. Greater China plans take in both sides of the border plus Macao, with 3 GB to 50 GB and validity from seven to 30 days.
Taking the train from Hong Kong into the mainland, or a day trip to Macao? Your phone automatically connects to available supported partner networks on each side of the border, so you don't need a second eSIM.
A 3 GB Greater China plan comes in seven-day and 15-day versions, which suits a short combined city trip.
Unlimited Data for Heavy Users
If you post a lot of video or video call home every night, an unlimited plan saves you from watching the meter. Asia 12 Countries plans include China with unlimited-data options.
There's a one-day unlimited pass for a single heavy day, such as a long transit or a full day at Shanghai Disneyland.
The same Asia 12 Countries range also offers fixed sizes from 3 GB to 30 GB, with validity from one to 30 days.
Set Up Before You Land
China runs on its own apps for payments, taxis and maps. Install and sign in to the ones you plan to use while you still have home Wi-Fi.
Many travellers set up WeChat, Alipay and a local map app before departure. Downloading or activating them in China can be slower going.
Test the overseas apps you rely on once you arrive, and keep offline copies of bookings in case one of them doesn't load on the day.
Who Our China eSIM Suits
Find your way between the Forbidden City and your hotel and order a taxi without relying on hotel Wi-Fi.
Join calls from WeWork or Naked Hub and keep messages moving between meetings, with a plan sized to the length of the trip.
Check weather and bus times before the Tiger Leaping Gorge Trek or the Mount Huangshan Trails, with offline maps for the gaps.
Start in Hong Kong, cross into the mainland and finish in Macao on one Greater China plan.
China eSIM Questions
Yes. A travel eSIM gives you mobile data in China through one of the three national networks our plans support. Your phone needs to support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked. Recent iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel models support eSIM; check with your carrier if your phone came on a contract.
It isn't guaranteed. Many overseas services face restrictions inside mainland China, and while roaming data can behave differently, we can't promise any particular app will load on every plan or network. Install the apps you need before you leave, test them when you arrive, and keep addresses and bookings saved offline as a backup.
Maps, messaging, browsing and some social media come to roughly 0.5 GB a day, so a week of light use comes to around 3.5 GB. Video streaming and video calls use about 1 GB per hour, so go bigger or unlimited if you do either. You can track usage in your EscapeSIM dashboard.
No. These are data-only plans without a Chinese phone number. Your home SIM stays active, so you keep your usual number for calls and texts. To reach people in China, use internet calls and messages in apps over your eSIM data.
For most trips, yes. Home carrier roaming usually adds a daily fee, while a prepaid China eSIM is one upfront cost for your travel data. Switch your data to the eSIM when you arrive, turn off roaming on your home SIM, and keep your Australian number on for calls and texts.
Yes, with a Greater China plan, which covers the mainland, Hong Kong and Macao. A China Special plan works on the mainland only. Visiting more of Asia? A regional plan covers China with its neighbours, and your phone automatically connects to available supported partner networks in each place.
You can, but it's easier to buy and install it at home on Wi-Fi. Some websites and downloads load slowly or not at all on mainland connections, so setting up before you fly means your data is ready when you land in Shanghai or Beijing.
It depends on your route and how much data you use. A China Special plan suits a mainland-only trip, Greater China fits itineraries with Hong Kong or Macao, and an unlimited Asia plan covers heavy use. All plans are prepaid, with a usage dashboard and 24/7 support.