Frequently asked questions
How a China eSIM plan behaves before you fly, while you are in China, and after you get home.
What is an eSIM?
A SIM card built into the phone as software. You install a plan by scanning a QR code instead of pushing a chip into a tray, and the plastic SIM you already have stays exactly where it is.
Does my phone support eSIM?
Most phones sold since 2018: iPhone XS and newer, Samsung Galaxy S20 and newer, Google Pixel 3 and newer, and most current Android models. The phone also has to be carrier-unlocked. The big exception is phones bought in mainland China itself, which mostly ship without eSIM — but the handset a visitor arrives with almost always qualifies. Our setup guides show where to check on your model.
When should I install it?
At home over Wi-Fi, a day or two before departure — the download needs a working connection, so it is not a job for the arrivals hall. In China the timing matters more than usual: once you are on a local connection the app stores themselves are hard to reach, so get the app, the plan and the install all done before the flight. Nothing starts running early — the clock begins when the eSIM first connects to a network in mainland China.
Will the apps I use at home keep working in China?
That is the point of a travel eSIM like this one. Your data routes through an international network, the way roaming on your home SIM does, so the apps on your phone behave the way they do at home — no VPN to set up, nothing to configure. This is a property of how roaming works, not a promise about any particular service on any particular day. One caveat worth knowing: hotel and café Wi-Fi are local connections with local rules, so an app that works on the eSIM may not work on the Wi-Fi. When an app misbehaves, switch Wi-Fi off and let the eSIM carry it.
Do I keep my own number?
Yes. The eSIM is data-only, so your home line stays active for your number, your SMS codes and your messaging accounts. Point mobile data at the eSIM and leave the rest alone. What you do not get is a Chinese (+86) number. Most tourist-facing services accept a foreign number, but a few mainland apps insist on a local one to register, and a data plan cannot provide it.
How fast is it?
It runs on nationwide Chinese networks: LTE wherever they reach, and 5G in most cities. Because the data travels an international route, latency runs a touch higher than a local SIM — something you might notice in a fast online game, not in maps, payment apps, streaming or video calls.
Do I have to take my physical SIM out?
No. Both lines run at once. The only setting that matters is which line carries mobile data: point it at the eSIM, and switch data roaming off on your home line so it cannot connect quietly in the background.
What if I run out of data?
Top up in the app. The data goes onto the eSIM already installed in your phone, so there is no second QR code and nothing to reinstall.
Can I use it as a hotspot?
Yes, tethering is included. One plan can carry a laptop, a tablet and everyone else in the group — and whatever connects through the hotspot rides the same international route as the phone.
Can I make calls and send texts?
Not on this plan. It carries internet, not a phone line, so ordinary calls and texts stay on your home SIM, as does your number. Calling over the internet works as usual on the eSIM, which in practice is how most visitors phone home from China anyway.
How long is a plan valid?
Every plan shows its own validity before you buy, and the range covers everything from a short city break to a month-long stay. The countdown starts when the eSIM first connects in mainland China, not on the day you paid.
Does it cover all of China? What about Hong Kong and Macau?
The plan covers mainland China as a whole — crossing a provincial border changes nothing. Signal is a separate question: cities, high-speed rail corridors and tourist regions are well covered, while the high-altitude far west and the desert stretches have thin coverage or none, from any operator. Hong Kong and Macau run their own networks and are not included; the app sells them as separate destinations, so buy those plans alongside this one if your route continues there.
How does payment work, and can I get a refund?
Payment runs through the App Store or Google Play, so your card details never reach us. If an eSIM will not install or activate on a compatible phone, message support in the app and we will fix it, or refund it where that is the right answer.
Is this better than buying a SIM when I arrive?
For a visit, usually. A local SIM is sold under real-name registration — a counter, your passport, a form — and it is a local connection, so it follows local network rules rather than behaving like roaming. This installs at home in two minutes and keeps your apps working the way they do now. What the local SIM offers that this does not: a +86 number and slightly lower latency. If you are staying months or registering for local services, buy one as well — with your passport, at the counter.