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Destination · Asia

Best eSIM for China from Australia

44 plans from 4 providers, priced in Australian dollars and ranked by cost per GB.

The cheapest China eSIM we list is Ubigi's 3 GB plan for 30 days at A$12.00 (A$4.00/GB). The most data for the money is Airalo's 50 GB plan for 30 days at A$71.50 (A$1.43/GB), and our best-network pick is Ubigi's 25 GB plan for 30 days at A$57.00 (A$2.28/GB). The plans we list name China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom; we rank China Mobile first using published network information, not our own tests.

How much data will I need?

As a rough guide from Telstra's figures, an hour a day of browsing and email uses about 0.1–0.5 GB over 7 days and 0.2–1.1 GB over 14 days, and an hour a day of standard-definition video adds about 4.9 GB and 9.8 GB. Source: Telstra

Prices checked 1 Nov 2026 · Page updated 2 Nov 2026
Best for

Our picks for China

Each pick follows the rule shown, applied to the table below.

01 · CheapestUbigi
3 GB · 30 daysA$12.00
China Telecom · Hotspot · 5GA$4.00/GB

Rule: lowest price with at least 3 GB and 7 days.

Get Ubigi plan
02 · Most dataAiralo
50 GB · 30 daysA$71.50
China Unicom · Hotspot · 5GA$1.43/GB

Rule: lowest cost per GB with at least 20 GB; ties go to more data, then more days.

Get Airalo plan
03 · UnlimitedAiralo
Unlimited · 10 daysA$51.00
China Unicom · Hotspot · 5GA$5.10/day

Rule: lowest price per day, comparing each provider's 10-day plan or its nearest from 7 days (compared at 10 days).

Get Airalo plan
04 · Best networkUbigi
25 GB · 30 daysA$57.00
China Telecom · Hotspot · 5GA$2.28/GB

Rule: best published network (China Mobile first), then 5G, then hotspot; lowest cost per GB with at least 5 GB and 7 days. Based on published network, not yet speed-tested.

Get Ubigi plan
All plans

Compare 44 China plans

Showing 15 of 44 · prices in AUD, checked 1 Nov 2026 · fixed-data plans by cost per GB, then unlimited by price per day. Sorted by cost per gb, low to high.

  • AiraloMost data
    A$71.50
    50 GB · 30 daysA$1.43/GB
    China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • UbigiBest network
    A$57.00
    25 GB · 30 daysA$2.28/GB
    China Telecom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Ubigi
    A$24.00
    10 GB · 7 daysA$2.40/GB
    China Telecom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Saily
    A$56.81
    20 GB · 30 daysA$2.84/GB
    China Telecom, China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Airalo
    A$57.00
    20 GB · 15 daysA$2.85/GB
    China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Ubigi
    A$29.00
    10 GB · 30 daysA$2.90/GB
    China Telecom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Airalo
    A$58.50
    20 GB · 30 daysA$2.93/GB
    China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Airalo
    A$36.00
    10 GB · 7 daysA$3.60/GB
    China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Airalo
    A$37.50
    10 GB · 15 daysA$3.75/GB
    China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Saily
    A$38.34
    10 GB · 30 daysA$3.83/GB
    China Telecom, China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Airalo
    A$39.00
    10 GB · 30 daysA$3.90/GB
    China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • UbigiCheapest
    A$12.00
    3 GB · 30 daysA$4.00/GB
    China Telecom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Airalo
    A$21.50
    5 GB · 7 daysA$4.30/GB
    China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Airalo
    A$22.00
    5 GB · 15 daysA$4.40/GB
    China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan
  • Saily
    A$22.71
    5 GB · 30 daysA$4.54/GB
    China Telecom, China Unicom · Hotspot: Yes · 5GGet plan

Cost per GB is price ÷ data; unlimited plans show price per day. Airalo unlimited (3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 30 days): slows to 1 Mbps after 3 GB a day. Holafly unlimited (3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 30 days): may slow speeds for up to a day under its fair-use policy; no threshold or speed is stated. Saily unlimited (5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days): slows to 1 Mbps after 5 GB a day. Ubigi unlimited (7, 15 and 30 days): slows to 2 Mbps after 5 GB a day.

The table lists plans of 30 days or less. Holafly also sells longer China plans.

Providers

Who sells China eSIMs

Listed A to Z. Each phone screen points out one fact from that provider's details or plans. Screens are illustrative.

Airalo logo

Networks
China Unicom
Plans from
A$6.00 · 18 plans
Hotspot · 5G
Yes · Yes
Unlimited
Yes
Visit AiraloReview
Needs its app to install

Holafly logo

Networks
China Mobile
Plans from
A$19.00 · 6 plans
Hotspot · 5G
Limited · Yes
Unlimited
Yes
Visit HolaflyReview
All plans unlimited, fair use applies

Saily

Networks
China Telecom, China Unicom
Plans from
A$6.38 · 12 plans
Hotspot · 5G
Yes · Yes
Unlimited
Yes
Visit SailyReview
Needs its app to install

Ubigi

Networks
China Telecom
Plans from
A$7.00 · 8 plans
Hotspot · 5G
Yes · Yes
Unlimited
Yes
Visit UbigiReview
From A$7.00, 8 plans
Destination notes · updated 2 Nov 2026

Using an eSIM in China

China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom

Providers name three mainland networks for a China eSIM: China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom. The plan page names which, and the network shown for each plan in the table is the one the provider names, under the operator's current brand name (for example, Holafly writes CMCC, which we show as China Mobile). We rank China Mobile first using published network information, not our own tests (how we pick). Only Holafly's unlimited plans name China Mobile, so our best-network pick, which looks at fixed-data plans, is on another network.

The published figures do not measure the same things. China Mobile's 2026 interim results (13 Aug 2026) report 1,011 million mobile customers and 2.94 million 5G base stations. China Telecom reported 442.43 million mobile subscribers in its second-quarter 2026 statistics (20 Aug 2026). China Unicom says it has built 4.8 million 4G and 5G base stations, with population coverage above 99% (interim results, 18 Aug 2026). These are each company's own figures.

Google, WhatsApp and VPNs: what each provider says

China's Great Firewall blocks many foreign apps and sites, and providers handle that differently. This is what each says on its own pages, read on 1 Nov 2026. It is not our testing. Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice, says China limits access to many foreign websites and social media services, and that using services to bypass local internet restrictions may be illegal and can attract penalties, including imprisonment.

Airalo's help article says its China eSIM uses international roaming data routing, so your traffic is routed through gateways outside mainland China and a VPN is not required. It adds that this applies to eSIM data, not hotel Wi-Fi. Holafly says its China eSIM includes a VPN at no extra cost, to reach apps and sites the Great Firewall may restrict.

Saily's FAQ says you do not technically need a VPN to use its app, but you cannot log in to your Saily account with Google without one. It says Google and Instagram can be reached through its virtual location feature, and that you will also need a VPN to use WhatsApp. Ubigi's China guide says that many travel eSIMs, including Ubigi, route data outside mainland China, so you could reach Google, WhatsApp and Instagram without a VPN. Later in the same article it says an eSIM does not bypass the Great Firewall and that you will need a VPN for those services. Ubigi's guidance is mixed, so we cannot say which applies.

Mainland China only, and set up before you go

The providers that state it say their China plans cover mainland China only. Holafly says its China eSIM is for the mainland only, Saily says its plan will not work in Hong Kong and Macau, and Airalo's China page says its plan does not include Hong Kong or Macao. Look for a plan that lists them if your trip includes either.

Install the eSIM before you leave. Apple says that eSIMs from carriers outside China mainland can't be installed on an iPhone while it is in China mainland. Saily says access to its app may be limited in China.

Sources

FAQ

Questions about eSIMs for China

What is the best eSIM for China from Australia?

It depends on how long you are away, how much data you use and whether you need Google or WhatsApp to work. The picks at the top of this page show the cheapest China eSIM, the most data for the money and the best-network option, each with the rule that chose it. The table ranks every plan by cost per GB. To see two providers side by side, try Airalo vs Holafly.

Do I need a VPN with a China eSIM?

It depends on the provider, and each says something different. Airalo says its eSIM uses international roaming data routing, so traffic goes through gateways outside mainland China and a VPN is not required. Holafly says its China eSIM includes a VPN at no extra cost. Saily says its app works without a VPN, but you cannot log in with Google, or use WhatsApp, without one. Ubigi's own guide says both that its data can reach blocked services without a VPN and that an eSIM does not bypass the Great Firewall. These are the providers' statements, not our tests. Read the provider's China page before you buy. Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice, warns that using services to bypass China's internet restrictions may be illegal and can attract penalties, including imprisonment (Smartraveller).

Will Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work on a China eSIM?

Providers say different things, so see the answer above for what each says. Whatever you choose, install the eSIM before you leave. Saily, for one, says access to its app may be limited in China.

Will my China eSIM work in Hong Kong or Macau?

No, on the plans whose providers say so. Holafly says its China eSIM is designed for mainland China only, Saily says its China plan will not work in Hong Kong and Macau, and Airalo's China page says its plan does not include Hong Kong or Macao. If your trip includes them, look for a plan that lists them, and check the country list on the plan page.

Can I get a China eSIM with a phone number?

Every plan in our China table is data only, with no Chinese phone number for calls or texts. For calls on a travel eSIM, use apps over the data connection, and check which of them work from the network your plan uses.

Will my phone work with a China eSIM?

Your phone needs to support eSIM and be unlocked (how to check). Apple says that eSIMs from carriers outside China mainland can't be installed on an iPhone while it is in China mainland, so install the eSIM before you arrive (Apple). Saily's page still says devices produced and sold in mainland China do not support eSIM. Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi before you fly, as the guide explains: how to set up a travel eSIM.

Can I keep my Australian phone number with an eSIM?

Most phones with eSIM can use two lines at once, so the travel eSIM can handle data while your Australian line stays on for texts. Your Australian line can still start roaming charges, so set it up carefully. Our guide covers the settings: how to keep your Australian number.

Do I turn off data roaming when using an eSIM?

Turn data roaming on for the travel eSIM, because most travel eSIMs are roaming eSIMs, and turn it off for your Australian line so it cannot use data abroad. The steps are in how to set up a travel eSIM.

Is an eSIM cheaper than roaming in China?

It depends on your carrier and how many days you are away. Compare the cost per day in the table with your Australian carrier's international roaming price for China. Our roaming calculator covers the destinations where we have recorded day-pass prices.

Can I use my phone as a hotspot with a China eSIM?

Hotspot rules are set by each provider and can differ by plan. The Hotspot column in the table shows the rule for each plan, so check it before you rely on the eSIM to share data with a laptop.

When does an eSIM's validity period start?

Each provider sets its own rule. On many plans the clock starts when the eSIM first connects at your destination, but on some it starts when you install it. Check the plan page before you buy, and see how to set up a travel eSIM.

Method · updated 1 Nov 2026

How we compare China eSIMs

  1. We take each plan's price from the provider's site and convert it to Australian dollars on the check date.
  2. Cost per GB is price divided by data. Unlimited plans are compared by price per day.
  3. Network is the Chinese carrier the eSIM connects to. Hotspot and 5G are as the provider states them.
  4. Each pick follows the rule printed with it, and each is a different plan. Remaining ties go to the lower total price.
  5. We recheck prices at least every 30 days and show the check date on every plan.

How we make money

eSIM Mate is free to use. No link on the site earns a commission yet. Once a provider approves us, its links will: the provider pays us, never you. That will never change your price or the order of plans, and we list providers whether or not they pay us.

Read our full disclosure
Best network · Ubigi25 GB · 30 days · A$57.00
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