# China eSIM: prepaid data for your trip to China > China eSIM plans for China: install at home, land in Beijing online and keep your home number. No ID, QR code in minutes. Source: https://linkpals.store/esim/china · Updated 2026-11-07 A China eSIM puts local data on your phone before you leave home. Install it in two minutes, switch it on in Beijing, and keep your own number for calls and one-time passcodes. ## China eSIM plans Pick a plan just for China, or a regional or global eSIM if China is one stop on a longer trip. Prices are in US dollars and you pay once. There's no contract and nothing to cancel. ### China plans - 100 MB, 7 days: $1.37 - 500 MB/day, 1 days: $1.58 - 500 MB/day, 1 days: $1.60 - 500 MB, 7 days: $1.48 - 1 GB/day, 1 days: $1.74 - 1 GB/day, 1 days: $1.90 - 1 GB/day, 1 days: $2.03 - 1 GB/day, 1 days: $2.07 - 1 GB, 7 days: $1.79 - 1 GB, 7 days: $2.12 - 2 GB/day, 1 days: $2.32 - 2 GB/day, 1 days: $2.74 - 2 GB/day, 1 days: $2.89 - 2 GB/day, 1 days: $2.91 - 2 GB, 15 days: $2.43 - 3 GB/day, 1 days: $3.56 - 3 GB/day, 1 days: $3.59 - 3 GB/day, 1 days: $4.18 - 3 GB, 15 days: $3.06 - 3 GB, 15 days: $3.60 - 3 GB, 30 days: $3.11 - 3 GB, 30 days: $3.84 - 5 GB/day, 1 days: $3.58 - 5 GB/day, 1 days: $4.76 - 5 GB, 30 days: $4.17 - 5 GB, 30 days: $4.76 - 10 GB/day, 1 days: $6.15 - 10 GB/day, 1 days: $6.32 - 10 GB, 30 days: $8.27 - 10 GB, 30 days: $9.25 - 20 GB, 30 days: $12.90 - 20 GB, 30 days: $16.65 - 50 GB, 30 days: $29.48 - 50 GB, 30 days: $34.32 - 50 GB, 180 days: $37.90 ### Regional plans - 500 MB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $1.91 - 500 MB/day, 1 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $2.07 - 500 MB/day, 1 days (Asia (12 areas)): $2.46 - 500 MB/day, 1 days (Asia (20 areas)): $2.74 - 1 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $2.57 - 1 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $2.65 - 1 GB/day, 1 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $2.91 - 1 GB/day, 1 days (Asia (12 areas)): $3.56 - 1 GB/day, 1 days (Asia (20 areas)): $4.22 - 1 GB, 7 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $2.16 - 1 GB, 7 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $2.99 - 1 GB, 7 days (Asia (12 areas)): $3.64 - 1 GB, 7 days (Asia-20): $3.71 - 1 GB, 7 days (Asia (20 areas)): $4.85 - 1 GB, 30 days (Asia-20): $3.78 - 2 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $3.43 - 2 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $3.50 - 2 GB/day, 1 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $4.68 - 2 GB/day, 1 days (Asia (12 areas)): $5.92 - 2 GB/day, 1 days (Asia (20 areas)): $8.22 - 3 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland & HK)): $4.16 - 3 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $4.66 - 3 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $4.73 - 3 GB/day, 1 days (Asia (12 areas)): $8.52 - 3 GB, 15 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $3.78 - 3 GB, 15 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $5.86 - 3 GB, 15 days (Asia (12 areas)): $8.59 - 3 GB, 15 days (Asia-20): $8.67 - 3 GB, 15 days (Asia (20 areas)): $11.48 - 3 GB, 30 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $3.93 - 3 GB, 30 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $6.03 - 3 GB, 30 days (Asia (12 areas)): $8.74 - 3 GB, 30 days (Asia-20): $8.89 - 3 GB, 30 days (Asia (20 areas)): $11.79 - 5 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $5.83 - 5 GB, 30 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $5.26 - 5 GB, 30 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $9.52 - 5 GB, 30 days (Asia (12 areas)): $12.06 - 5 GB, 30 days (Asia-20): $12.13 - 5 GB, 30 days (Asia (20 areas)): $16.43 - 10 GB/day, 1 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $11.58 - 10 GB, 30 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $9.40 - 10 GB, 30 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $14.91 - 10 GB, 30 days (Asia (12 areas)): $20.04 - 10 GB, 30 days (Asia-20): $20.11 - 10 GB, 30 days (Asia (20 areas)): $27.37 - 20 GB, 30 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $14.49 - 20 GB, 30 days (China mainland & Japan & South Korea): $24.22 - 20 GB, 30 days (Asia (12 areas)): $33.62 - 20 GB, 30 days (Asia-20): $33.69 - 20 GB, 30 days (Asia (20 areas)): $46.32 - 20 GB, 90 days (Asia-20): $35.16 - 50 GB, 30 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $37.18 - 50 GB, 180 days (China (mainland HK Macao)): $43.16 - 50 GB, 180 days (Asia-20): $74.00 ### Global plans - 1 GB/day, 1 days (Global (120+ areas)): $5.74 - 1 GB, 7 days (Global (120+ areas)): $5.90 - 1 GB, 7 days (Global139): $7.71 - 1 GB, 365 days (Global (120+ areas)): $9.48 - 1 GB, 365 days (Global139): $17.48 - 2 GB/day, 1 days (Global (120+ areas)): $10.03 - 3 GB, 30 days (Global (120+ areas)): $14.11 - 3 GB, 30 days (Global139): $16.40 - 5 GB, 30 days (Global (120+ areas)): $22.11 - 5 GB, 30 days (Global139): $24.97 - 10 GB, 30 days (Global (120+ areas)): $40.00 - 10 GB, 30 days (Global139): $43.42 - 20 GB, 30 days (Global (120+ areas)): $71.58 - 20 GB, 90 days (Global139): $74.51 - 20 GB, 90 days (Global (120+ areas)): $78.43 ## Arriving in China with data Flying into Beijing Capital (PEK) and Shanghai Pudong (PVG)? Set up the China eSIM at home, leave it switched off, and turn it on after landing. You'll have data before the bags reach the belt. Getting around usually means DiDi, which runs inside Alipay and WeChat. One plan covers Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu and the rest of China on partner networks. Signs and menus are mostly in Mandarin Chinese, so a camera-translate app is worth having on mobile data. Prices are in Chinese yuan, and your bank's one-time codes still arrive on your home SIM. ### Local tips for China - Alipay and WeChat Pay are how most of China pays, and both need mobile data. Link a foreign card before you fly. - Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and many Western apps are blocked on Chinese networks. Travel eSIMs usually route your data through another country, such as Hong Kong, so those apps keep working. - Check the data breakout shown on each plan below. It tells you which country your traffic exits from. ## Best eSIM for China: which plan to pick Start with your days, then your habits. A light user who sticks to maps and chat needs around 0.5 GB a day; anyone posting video, taking calls or sharing a hotspot should plan on 1.5 GB or more. Good starting points for China from today's plans: - **About a week:** 3 GB for 15 days, $3.06. - **Two weeks:** 5 GB for 30 days, $4.17. - **A month or heavy use:** 10 GB for 30 days, $8.27. Today's prices for China | Data | Valid for | Price | Per GB | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 100 MB | 7 days | $1.37 | — | | 500 MB a day | 1 day | $1.58 | — | | 500 MB | 7 days | $1.48 | — | | 1 GB a day | 1 day | $1.74 | — | | 1 GB | 7 days | $1.79 | $1.79 | | 2 GB a day | 1 day | $2.32 | — | ## China coverage and networks In China, the China eSIM uses China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom. You don't pick a network yourself; the phone switches to the strongest one, on 4G and 5G where it's live. | Network | Technology | | --- | --- | | China Mobile | 5G | | China Telecom | 4G, 5G | | China Unicom | 5G | ## eSIM vs local SIM vs roaming in China | | LinkPaLS eSIM | Local SIM card | Home roaming | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Set up | At home, before you fly | On arrival, at a shop or kiosk | Already on | | ID needed | None | Usually a passport | None | | Your home number | Stays on | Removed while the SIM is out | Stays on | | Cost | Fixed, paid once | Low, but only after arrival | Often the most expensive | | Best for | Most travelers | Long stays with a local number | Very short emergency use | A local SIM can be cheaper on a long stay, but it means a shop visit, often a passport check, and your home number goes dark. For a holiday or business trip to China, the China eSIM wins on time. ## Set up your China eSIM in minutes ### Set up your eSIM for China in three steps 1. **Choose your plan.** Decide how many days you'll be in China and how heavily you use data, then pick the plan that covers both. Not sure about your phone? See [compatible phones](https://linkpals.store/compatible-devices). 2. **Install before you fly.** Your QR code is ready in your LinkPaLS account a minute after you pay. Scan it on Wi-Fi and keep the new line switched off. 3. **Connect on arrival.** In Beijing, switch the travel line on, choose it for mobile data and allow data roaming on it. Our [activation guide](https://linkpals.store/help) shows each screen. ## Why use an eSIM in China - **No roaming bill.** Prepaid data at a fixed price, paid once. - **No paperwork.** No passport scan or registration form, just an email address. - **Online at the airport.** No SIM kiosk, no queue, no swapping cards when you arrive in Beijing. - **Same number, new data.** Your home SIM keeps taking calls and bank codes while the eSIM handles the internet. - **Keep your physical SIM safe.** It stays in the phone, so there's no tiny card to lose in a hotel room. Adding Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong SAR China to the trip? Check the Regional tab: one eSIM for the whole route is often cheaper than separate plans. ## Regional and global plans that include China - [China (mainland & HK) eSIM](https://linkpals.store/esim/china-mainland-and-hk): 2 countries, from $4.16 - [China (mainland HK Macao) eSIM](https://linkpals.store/esim/china-mainland-hk-macao): 3 countries, from $1.91 - [China mainland & Japan & South Korea eSIM](https://linkpals.store/esim/china-mainland-and-japan-and-south-korea): 3 countries, from $2.07 - [Asia (12 areas) eSIM](https://linkpals.store/esim/asia-12-areas): 12 countries, from $2.46 - [Asia (20 areas) eSIM](https://linkpals.store/esim/asia-20-areas): 19 countries, from $2.74 - [Asia-20 eSIM](https://linkpals.store/esim/asia-20): 20 countries, from $3.71 - [Global (120+ areas) eSIM](https://linkpals.store/esim/global-120-areas): 117 countries, from $5.74 - [Global139 eSIM](https://linkpals.store/esim/global139): 127 countries, from $7.71 ## Frequently asked questions ### Which eSIM is best for China? The best eSIM for China covers your whole trip with enough data. For China alone, pick a country plan; for several countries, a regional or global plan saves switching. Compare the current plans at the top of this page. ### Does the eSIM work in Shanghai and Chengdu? Yes. Your China eSIM covers China wherever partner networks reach, including Beijing, Shanghai and Chengdu. Remote areas may drop to slower speeds or lose signal. ### Is an eSIM worth it for China? Yes, if your phone supports eSIM. You land with working data, skip the airport SIM counter, avoid roaming charges and keep your home number active. ### Which networks does the China eSIM use? It connects to China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom in China, with 4G and 5G where available. ### Can I buy an eSIM for China before I travel? Yes. Install it a few days ahead on home Wi-Fi and leave the line off. The validity period usually starts when the eSIM first connects in China, not when you buy it. ### Will WhatsApp keep working in China? Yes. WhatsApp stays linked to your home number on your physical SIM and uses your LinkPaLS data to send and receive. ### What are the downsides of an eSIM? Your phone must support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked, most QR codes install only once, and LinkPaLS plans are data-only, so you call through apps like WhatsApp or FaceTime. ### How do I get around China with my eSIM? Most visitors use DiDi, which runs inside Alipay and WeChat. Any app you need runs on your LinkPaLS data, and the driver or host can reach you on WhatsApp.