eSIM China: Stay Online From Beijing to Shenzhen

The first question most travellers ask about a China eSIM concerns their apps. With this plan, WhatsApp, TikTok and similar apps work in China, so you can keep chatting with family, send voice messages, make WhatsApp calls and post photos over mobile data.

What the plan does not include is a phone number. It is a pure data plan, so regular calls and SMS do not run over it. Your usual SIM card can stay in the phone, though, and your familiar WhatsApp number remains the one your contacts write to.

China lies outside the EU roaming rules, so using a European home tariff there can become expensive. A prepaid travel eSIM for China keeps the cost of your mobile data clear before you leave.

Coverage is listed for Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Baoding, Linyi and Nanyang, and for other cities as well. Whether you need your eSIM in Shanghai for a business meeting, your eSIM in Beijing for a tour of the old town or a connection in Chengdu on a food trip, maps, translation apps and messengers stay online.

The network type depends on the operator and the place: 3G, 4G/LTE or 5G. Under the operator's fair-use rules the speed may be reduced after heavy use, so leave big app updates for a Wi-Fi connection.

For China, the setup happens before departure. Three things decide whether everything runs smoothly on arrival:

Make sure your phone accepts an eSIM

Your phone must support eSIM and must not be tied to one carrier by a SIM lock. Note that some iPhone models sold in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau come without eSIM support, which matters if you bought your phone there.

Buy within 90 days of your trip

A plan for China has to be activated within 90 days of purchase, a shorter window than the 180 days that apply to most other destinations. The validity itself only starts when the eSIM first connects to a supported network in China, so buying a few weeks ahead costs you no days.

Install over Wi-Fi before you fly

Open the QR code in My eSIM Plans and add the eSIM while your phone is connected to Wi-Fi. The code is valid for one installation only: leave the profile on your phone afterwards and do not scan the code a second time. Keep the eSIM switched off until you arrive.

Once you are in China, open the mobile data settings and turn the eSIM on. Set it as the line for mobile data and enable data roaming for this eSIM. It normally connects to a local network within one or two minutes.

If nothing happens, restart the phone, switch airplane mode on and back off, and make sure network selection is set to automatic. Our support team helps around the clock via Telegram, website chat and email if the connection still does not come up.

Hotspot is available on the China plans. Switch on personal hotspot and your laptop, tablet or a companion's phone can use your data connection, for example to check train tickets on a bigger screen or to send a presentation from the hotel lobby.

All devices that connect share one data plan, so keep an eye on your usage when several people are online at once.

Since the data eSIM has no number, verification codes cannot reach it. If a hotel platform, a ride app or another service asks for an SMS code during your trip, an Anosim number fills the gap:

- Activation when you need a single code.
- Rent Service when one service may ask for verification again later.
- Rent Number when you want a number for all services.

If a number is virtual, it is labelled as such in the provider selection.

Many routes through East Asia continue after China. If yours does, see eSIM South Korea and eSIM Japan. Whether a plan is the best eSIM for China depends on your device and your itinerary; all destinations and the order form are on the eSIM page. There you can also compare a China travel eSIM with plans for the rest of your route.