China breaks most travel SIMs. The Great Firewall blocks Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail, and a long list of apps you probably use without thinking about it. A normal local SIM or a standard travel eSIM drops you straight behind that wall, and suddenly you can't pull up a map, message home, or check the thing you booked. We spent time in Shanghai as a family of five and ran the Holafly China eSIM the whole time, so this is what actually worked rather than what a spec sheet promises.
The short version: the Holafly China eSIM has a VPN built into the plan, so the blocked apps load without you installing or configuring anything separately. That one detail is the whole reason it works in China when cheaper options don't.
Holafly China eSIM
The eSIM we used across Shanghai, with the VPN built into the plan.
Use code ADAMANDLINDS for 5% off your China eSIM, or 10% off if you go with a monthly Plan.
Get your China eSIMWhy China Is Different From Everywhere Else
In most countries the question is coverage and price. In China the question is access. You can have a strong 5G signal in Pudong and still be unable to open Google Maps, because the network itself routes around the apps Western travelers rely on. We watched this happen to other tourists near Yu Garden, standing with full bars and a phone that wouldn't load anything useful.
There are two ways around it. You install a VPN before you arrive and hope it still works once you're on a Chinese network, which is a moving target the government actively disrupts. Or you use an eSIM that routes your data outside the firewall from the start. The second approach is why we stopped fiddling with VPN apps and switched to an eSIM built for this specific problem.
The Holafly China eSIM (What We Used)
Holafly is the world's first international mobile operator, and its China eSIM is the one product in their lineup with a VPN included in the plan itself. You buy it, install it before you fly, and the blocked apps work on arrival. We had Google Maps, WhatsApp, and Gmail running in Shanghai without opening a separate VPN app or touching a single setting.
A few specifics from using it. Setup happened at home over WiFi before we left, the same as every other Holafly eSIM we've installed since 2022. It activates when you land. Unlimited data meant we weren't counting gigabytes while navigating a city where getting lost without a map is a genuinely bad time with three kids in tow.
What Made It Work in Shanghai
- VPN built into the plan, so blocked apps load with no separate install
- Unlimited data, no counting gigabytes while finding your way around
- Installs at home over WiFi and activates the moment you land
- One purchase per person, the same code applies to every order
* Unlimited subject to Holafly fair use policy. We were never throttled in our time in Shanghai.
Get your China eSIMHow Holafly Compares to the Alternatives in China
Most eSIM comparisons are about price per gigabyte. In China that's the wrong metric, because a cheap eSIM that can't open your apps is worthless no matter how many gigabytes it includes. Here's how the realistic options stack up on the things that actually decide whether your phone works behind the firewall.
| What matters in China | Holafly China | Standard travel eSIM | Local China SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blocked apps work (VPN in plan) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Unlimited data option | ✓ | ✗ | Varies |
| Install before you arrive | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| No Chinese ID or registration | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Discount code available | ✓ ADAMANDLINDS | ✗ | ✗ |
The pattern is simple. The cheaper options either need a separate VPN you have to gamble on, require a passport registration in person, or both. The Holafly China eSIM costs more per day, and for a short China trip where you actually need your apps to work, that's the cost we'd pay again.
A standard Airalo or generic travel eSIM does not include a VPN. It will give you data in China, but the blocked apps stay blocked unless you bring your own working VPN, which is the part China makes difficult.
A Note on Hong Kong
If your trip includes Hong Kong, the rules are different there. Hong Kong runs on separate networks and the firewall does not apply, so Google and WhatsApp work normally on almost any eSIM. We spent time in Kowloon and across Hong Kong Island and connectivity was never the problem it is on the mainland. If you're doing both, the cleanest setup is a plan that covers the mainland properly and treats Hong Kong as the easy part.
Installing Before You Go (Do This Part at Home)
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Buy the China eSIM before you fly
Purchase the Holafly China eSIM at home and use code ADAMANDLINDS for 5% off. Buy one per person if you're traveling as a family.
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Scan the QR code on home WiFi
Holafly emails a QR code. Scan it on WiFi at home, well before your trip, so you're not relying on Chinese networks to set anything up.
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Set it to activate on arrival
Install the eSIM profile but leave it to activate when you land in China, following the activation steps in the Holafly email.
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Confirm it before you board
Check the eSIM appears in your cellular settings before you fly. If anything is wrong, you can fix it at home while you still have open internet.
The one rule that matters more in China than anywhere else: set this up before you board. If you land in Shanghai with no working data and no VPN, you can't easily download a fix, because the sites you'd use to fix it may be the very things being blocked.
FAQ
Holafly China eSIM FAQ
The questions we get asked most about staying connected in mainland China and Hong Kong.
Yes. We used the Holafly China eSIM across Shanghai and the blocked apps worked, including Google Maps, WhatsApp, and Gmail. The China eSIM has a VPN built into the plan, which is what lets it get around the Great Firewall without extra setup.
No. The VPN is built into the China plan itself. You don't install or configure anything separately. This is the main difference between the Holafly China eSIM and a standard travel eSIM, which gives you data but leaves the blocked apps blocked.
Yes, and Hong Kong is the easy part. Hong Kong runs on separate networks and the Great Firewall does not apply there, so Google and WhatsApp work normally. We had no connectivity issues across Kowloon and Hong Kong Island.
Holafly plans have no hard data cap and are subject to a fair use policy. In practice, unlimited data meant we never counted gigabytes while navigating Shanghai, and we weren't throttled during our time there.
Check the coverage on the specific plan before you buy. Mainland China is the harder case because of the firewall, so choose a plan that handles the mainland properly. Hong Kong connects easily on most eSIMs, so it's rarely the limiting factor.
Yes. Code ADAMANDLINDS takes 5% off the China destination eSIM at checkout. It works on every order, so if you're buying one per person for a family, apply it to each one.
Ready for China?
Use code ADAMANDLINDS for 5% off the Holafly China eSIM, the one we ran across Shanghai.
Get your China eSIM Read: Does an eSIM Work in China?This post contains affiliate links to Holafly. If you purchase through our links we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions are our own.
