China eSIM Guide: Internet, Phone Numbers and Travel Apps

Author: Lee | China Trip Scout · Sources checked: 3 October 2026 · Scope: Mainland China

In China, you can handle many everyday tasks through mobile apps: book a ride with DiDi, reserve hotels and flights with Trip.com, order food through services such as Meituan, or pay with WeChat Pay and Alipay. Preparing your mobile internet connection and the accounts you need before departure can make these tasks much easier.

For short-term visitors with a compatible phone, a travel eSIM covering mainland China can be a convenient way to get online. Before buying, however, understand one important distinction: mobile data, a phone number and an app account are three different things. Many travel eSIMs provide data without a Chinese phone number. [1]

1. Do You Need Internet Access, or a Chinese Phone Number Too?

If you mainly need maps, translation, messaging and online bookings, a travel eSIM is worth considering. A practical arrangement is to keep your usual number for account access and verification codes, while using the travel eSIM for mobile data.

If you also need a mainland Chinese number for regular calls, local text messages or services requiring a local contact number, consider a plan that includes those features.

When helping overseas clients and friends use ride-hailing services, I have often seen drivers check the last four digits of the account’s phone number when the passenger gets into the car. This helps identify the passenger, but it does not make a reachable number irrelevant. If you cannot find each other at the pickup point, the driver may still need to contact you. If language is a problem, try in-app text messages, a translation tool or help from your hotel reception.

Food delivery needs a separate check of registration, delivery contact details and payment. Do not assume the same arrangements that work for a ride will also work for a food order. For a short visit focused mainly on internet access, with the necessary accounts already prepared, I usually suggest comparing travel eSIMs first. Add a Chinese number if your plans depend on local calls or texts.

Option	Main purpose	Mainland Chinese phone number	What to check
International travel eSIM	Mobile data during your trip	Many plans do not include one; check the specific plan	Device compatibility, destinations, data allowance and validity
Local SIM or eSIM from a Chinese carrier	Local data, calls and other included services	Choose a plan with a local number and the features you need	Identification requirements, supported devices and plan details
International roaming on your usual number	Continue using your existing number and carrier services	Does not automatically give you a Chinese number	China coverage and data, call and text charges

Foreign visitors can take a passport or another accepted identity document to a China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom service office to ask about a SIM card. Confirm available plans and device support with the particular outlet. [2]

Some international airports also have SIM card service points. For example, Shanghai Pudong Airport’s T1 and T2 and Hongqiao Airport’s T1 have one-stop service centres in their international arrivals areas that offer SIM card services. Check your airport, terminal and the relevant service’s opening hours before travelling. [15] In the city, you can search Amap or Baidu Maps for 中国移动 (China Mobile), 中国联通 (China Unicom) or 中国电信 (China Telecom). Before visiting, check whether that outlet can process applications using a foreign passport.

2. Will a Travel eSIM Work in China?

Yes, provided your phone supports eSIM, is unlocked for use with other carriers, and the plan explicitly includes mainland China. [1][3]

There are two separate processes here: using an international travel eSIM in China and applying for a local eSIM from a Chinese carrier. Support for a travel eSIM does not automatically mean your phone can install a Chinese carrier’s local eSIM. Local eligibility depends on the exact device model, its sales region and the carrier’s requirements.

Before buying, check these three things:

Exact model and sales region. Versions of the same phone sold in different regions can have different SIM support. Check both the manufacturer’s information and the eSIM provider’s compatibility list.
Carrier lock. A phone supplied under a contract may be restricted to its original carrier. On iPhone, open Settings → General → About and check that Carrier Lock says “No SIM restrictions”.
Destination coverage. If your trip includes Hong Kong, Macau or another destination, check each place separately. A plan called “China” or “Asia” does not by itself establish its full coverage. [3]

An eSIM-only phone without a physical SIM slot can still get online in China using a compatible travel eSIM. Getting a local Chinese number is a separate question. Apple currently states that iPhones purchased outside mainland China cannot install eSIM profiles from mainland Chinese carriers. [4]

If your phone has a physical SIM slot, ask a carrier about a physical SIM plan with a Chinese number. If it has no slot and does not support a Chinese carrier’s local eSIM, buying a physical card will not solve that problem on the same device. You could consider using another compatible phone for the local number.

For the convenience of preparing before departure, a compatible travel eSIM is an option short-term visitors should compare early. Whether it suits you still depends on your device, account setup and need for a local number.

3. Can You Still Use Google, WhatsApp and Instagram?

Some travel eSIMs support these services, but check the specific plan.

Some international travel eSIMs route data through internet gateways outside mainland China, which may allow access to these services. Access depends on the provider and the plan’s routing. [1]

Nomad and Holafly currently state that their relevant China travel plans allow access to these commonly used international services. Read the details of the plan you select and ask support about any app that is particularly important to you. [1][5]

Remember that these access conditions apply while you are using that eSIM’s mobile data. After switching to local Wi-Fi at a hotel or café, services such as Google, WhatsApp and Instagram may no longer be available. This does not mean every website hosted outside China is inaccessible. [1]

International roaming on your usual number is another option. Before relying on it, ask your home carrier about access to the apps you need, the data allowance and the charges, then compare it with a travel eSIM.

4. Can You Pay, Book Rides and Order Food Without a Chinese Number?

Payments: prepare an account using your usual overseas number

China’s official guide for foreign visitors explains that overseas phone numbers can be used to register for apps such as Alipay and WeChat, followed by linking a bank card according to the app’s instructions. Alipay also provides guidance on linking international cards for everyday purchases. [2][6]

A travel eSIM provides the internet connection; it does not register the account, complete identity checks or link a card for you. I suggest preparing your accounts before departure and confirming that your usual number can receive any verification codes you need while in China.

Ride-hailing: DiDi supports overseas phone numbers

You can try booking a DiDi ride without a Chinese phone number. The official guide states that DiDi-Greater China supports registration using overseas phone numbers and international credit cards. Ride-hailing services are also available through Alipay’s taxi booking entry. [2]

A data-only eSIM combined with an account registered to your overseas number can therefore be a workable transport arrangement. Before the first ride, confirm that you can log in, receive verification codes and use your chosen payment method.

Food delivery: check the whole ordering process

Having an eSIM does not by itself mean you can place a food delivery order. Internet access is just one step. Check:

Whether the platform accepts your number for registration and login.
Whether it accepts that number as the delivery contact.
Whether your payment method works.
How the courier can contact you, and whether your hotel permits delivery to your room or requires collection in the lobby.

A working Alipay account does not mean every third-party food delivery service accepts the same numbers and payment methods. Check these steps on the platform you intend to use. If you run into problems, ask whether your hotel reception can help contact the restaurant or arrange collection; assistance depends on the hotel’s actual service.

Also, a plan advertised as including a “phone number” does not necessarily include a mainland Chinese number or the ability to receive registration codes. If you need those features, confirm the number’s country or region and its call and text capabilities separately.

5. How Much Data Do You Need? Is “Unlimited” Better?

Think about how you will use your phone away from Wi-Fi before choosing a plan.

If you mainly use maps, browse websites and send messages, while saving videos and large photo uploads for Wi-Fi, start by comparing fixed-data plans. Frequent video calls, short-video browsing or laptop tethering call for more data and clear hotspot support.

As a rough starting point for comparison, look at 5–10 GB for a one-week trip or 10–20 GB for two weeks, then adjust for your own habits. These are budgeting estimates, not guaranteed allowances for every traveller. Heavy video and hotspot use can easily exceed them.

Read the terms of “unlimited” plans too. Some reduce speeds after a daily high-speed allowance, and hotspot use may have a separate limit. Airalo’s unlimited plans have a fair use policy, while Holafly’s China plan describes its hotspot allowance and possible speed restrictions. [5][7]

Before buying, check the high-speed allowance, the speed after that allowance, when it resets, whether tethering is supported, and whether hotspot data has its own limit.

6. How Should You Compare Providers?

My first recommendation is Trip.com as a place to compare China eSIM plans, especially if you already use it for other travel bookings. Its marketplace offers daily and total-data plans from different suppliers. Check the selected plan’s coverage, high-speed data allowance, hotspot rules and activation terms before buying. [16]

Provider or booking platform	Options shown on its official page	Main points to compare
Trip.com — first recommendation	Daily and total-data China plans from different suppliers	Supplier reviews, exact destinations covered, speed limits, hotspot rules, activation timing and whether a phone number is included
Airalo	Fixed-data and unlimited-data options	Validity, whether the plan is data-only, and the high-speed allowance for unlimited plans
Nomad	China plans with different data allowances and durations	Activation deadline, add-ons, supported networks and any number-related features
Holafly	Unlimited-data plans selected by trip duration	No Chinese phone number; the current China plan allows 1 GB of hotspot sharing per day

These features were checked against the official pages. The price and terms of the specific plan you choose at purchase apply. [5][8][9][16]

Compare plans using the same travel duration and data needs. The lowest advertised starting price may not correspond to the plan you actually need.

7. Install Before Departure and Check Your Settings on Arrival

Before departure

Read the activation rules first, then buy and install using a stable internet connection. Common installation methods include a provider’s app, a QR code or manually entering the installation details. [10]

I recommend completing purchase and installation before entering mainland China. Nomad currently says new Nomad eSIM plans cannot be purchased from within mainland China. Add-ons for an existing active plan have separate rules; check and arrange them before the base plan expires. This is Nomad’s current policy, and other providers should be checked individually. [1]

Buying, installing and starting the validity period can happen at different times. Many plans start when the eSIM first connects to a supported destination network, but some activate at installation. Also check whether you must activate within a set period after purchase. [11][12]

Save your order, installation instructions and support contact details before travelling. Give your two lines clear names, such as “Home number” and “China travel data”.

After arriving in China

Follow the provider’s instructions and check:

Turn on the travel eSIM and select it as the line for mobile data.
If required by the plan, enable Data Roaming on the travel eSIM line.
Turn off data roaming on your usual line and disable “Allow Cellular Data Switching” or the equivalent setting, to prevent your phone from switching mobile data back to your usual number.
Keep your usual line enabled if you need verification codes. Confirm international roaming and SMS availability with your home carrier in advance, along with any call or text charges.
Temporarily switch off Wi-Fi and open a website or an app to check that mobile data works. [3][9][13]

Data roaming is a setting for a particular line. A travel eSIM requiring it does not mean you should also enable data roaming on your usual line.

8. No Internet After Landing? Check These Things First

Confirm that the travel eSIM is enabled, selected for mobile data and has data roaming switched on if required. Check that the plan is active, has not expired and still has data remaining.

Next, try toggling airplane mode or restarting the phone. If it still will not connect, follow the provider’s guidance for APN settings and supported networks. Connect to Wi-Fi to contact support with your order details and screenshots of the settings. [13]

Keep the eSIM installed while troubleshooting. Some plans cannot simply be reinstalled after deletion. Let support confirm the next step before removing it. [14]

Before departure, save your hotel’s Chinese name and address and your first day’s arrangements on your phone. Even if your mobile data has not connected immediately after landing, you can show those details when asking for help or directions.

If you are still unsure which option you need, feel free to contact me. Tell me your exact phone model and sales region, trip length, destinations and whether you need a Chinese number. I am happy to answer these basic travel questions for free. Use the Contact page or email [email protected].