China eSIM

Using an eSIM in China

Plan sizes here run from a small allowance to unlimited data, and the choice depends on how much of the trip passes through a phone screen. In Chinese cities, that is a lot. Translating signs with the camera, scanning codes at restaurants and museums, and following a map through a large metro system all draw on data continually. A plan that would last a long stay elsewhere can run short here, so lean towards the larger sizes if you are unsure. Downloading anything after landing is harder without data, so get the apps you will need onto the phone at home. Keep your home SIM in the phone so that calls and the verification codes from your bank still reach you, but turn its data off to avoid roaming charges. Across the border, Hong Kong is sold as a separate plan on this site, as are the other Asian destinations listed below. If your trip combines the mainland with any of them, buy each country's plan on its own.