eSIM data plans for China

Two ways to buy data

Plans for China come in two shapes. Fixed data plans give a fixed amount of data to use over a set number of days, from a single gigabyte for a short trip up to a fifty gigabyte block for a full month. Unlimited plans are sold by the day instead, from one day up to fifteen, with no gigabyte figure attached.

Which shape suits the trip

A short visit of a few days with light use, such as maps and messaging, sits comfortably in the smaller data sizes. A longer stay, or one built around steady streaming and constant use, matches the unlimited plans, priced by the number of days needed rather than by how much data gets used.

What each plan gives

Every plan, fixed data or unlimited, allows hotspot and tethering, so a laptop or a second device can share the connection. Fixed data plans run on China Mobile's 4G and 5G network. Unlimited plans run on China Mobile's 3G and 4G network. The unlimited plans carry a fair use policy: past a daily amount, speed is reduced for the rest of that day.

Buying before the trip

The plan can be installed well before departure. Validity only begins the first time the eSIM connects to a network in China, so installing it days or even weeks early does not use up any of the allowance or the days.

Running low on a fixed data plan

If a fixed data plan's data is used up before the trip ends, a top-up on the same eSIM restores it, so the size chosen at checkout is a starting point rather than a fixed total for the whole stay.