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 local SIM or a standard travel eSIM drops you straight behind that wall, and suddenly you cannot pull up a map, message home, or check the thing you booked.
The best eSIM for China is the one that solves access rather than price, and that is the Holafly China eSIM, because it has a VPN built into the plan itself. We ran it across Shanghai as a family of five in September 2025 and the blocked apps loaded on arrival without anyone installing a VPN app. We last checked pricing and applied the code at checkout on July 25, 2026.
Holafly China eSIM
The eSIM we ran across Shanghai, with the VPN built into the plan.
Use code ADAMANDLINDS for 5% off your China eSIM.
Check China eSIM pricesWhy 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 routes around the apps Western travelers rely on. We watched it happen to other tourists near Yu Garden, standing with full bars and a phone that would not load anything useful.
There are two ways around it. You install a VPN before you arrive and hope it still works once you are 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 gambling on VPN apps and switched to an eSIM built for this specific problem.
What we actually used
Holafly calls itself the world's first international mobile operator, and its China eSIM is the one product in the lineup with a VPN included in the plan. 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 app or touching a setting.
Setup happened at home over Wi-Fi before we left, the same as every other Holafly eSIM we have installed since 2022, and it activated when we landed. Unlimited data meant we were not 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, so no counting gigabytes while finding your way around
- Installs at home over Wi-Fi and activates the moment you land
- One purchase per person, and the code applies to every order
* Unlimited is subject to Holafly's fair use policy. We were never throttled during our week in Shanghai.
Check China eSIM pricesHow the options compare in China
Most eSIM comparisons are about price per gigabyte. In China that is the wrong metric, because an eSIM that cannot open your apps is worthless no matter how many gigabytes it includes. Here is how the realistic options stack up on the things that 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 | Yes | No | No |
| Unlimited data option | Yes | Rarely | Varies |
| Install before you arrive | Yes | Yes | No |
| No Chinese ID or in-person registration | Yes | Yes | No |
| Cheapest per day | No | Sometimes | Yes |
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 trip where you actually need your apps to work, that is the cost we would pay again.
A standard travel eSIM does not include a VPN. It will give you data in mainland 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 are doing both, the cleanest setup is a plan that handles the mainland properly and treats Hong Kong as the easy part.
Install it before you go
Buy the China eSIM before you fly
Purchase at home and use code ADAMANDLINDS for 5% off. Buy one per person if you are traveling as a family.
Scan the QR code on home Wi-Fi
Holafly emails a QR code. Scan it at home, well before the trip, so you are not relying on a Chinese network to set anything up.
Set it to activate on arrival
Install the eSIM profile but leave activation until you land, following the steps in the Holafly email.
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 cannot easily download a fix, because the sites you would use to fix it may be the very things being blocked. We walked through the whole arrival in our Shanghai write-up.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
China eSIM questions, answered
The questions we get asked most about staying connected in mainland China and Hong Kong.
Yes. We used the Holafly China eSIM across Shanghai in September 2025 and the blocked apps worked, including Google Maps, WhatsApp and Gmail. The China eSIM has a VPN built into the plan, which is what gets it past the Great Firewall without extra setup. More detail in our full answer.
No. The VPN is built into the China plan itself, so there is nothing to install or configure. This is the 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 problems across Kowloon or Hong Kong Island.
There is no hard data cap, and the plan is subject to a fair use policy. In practice it meant we never counted gigabytes while navigating Shanghai, and we were not throttled during our time there.
Check the coverage on the specific plan before buying. 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 and is rarely the limiting factor.
Yes. Code ADAMANDLINDS takes 5% off the China destination eSIM at checkout. It is not limited to first orders, so if you are buying one per person for a family, apply it to each one. Full detail on our Holafly discount code page.
Price depends on the number of days you select, so check the current rate on the product page. It costs more per day than a local Chinese SIM, and the built-in VPN is what you are paying the difference for.
Ready for China?
Use code ADAMANDLINDS for 5% off the Holafly China eSIM, the one we ran across Shanghai.
Get your China eSIMOur Shanghai eSIM testHeading to China and still deciding? Tell us in the comments which cities you are covering and how long you will be there, and we will tell you what we would buy. If you have already used the China eSIM we would like to hear whether the VPN held up for you.
This post contains affiliate links to Holafly. If you purchase through our links or use code ADAMANDLINDS we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and you receive the stated discount. We have an exclusive partnership with Holafly and paid for the eSIMs described here ourselves. All opinions are our own.
