Data only eSIMs
Travel eSIM China + VPN
Set up in a few minutes
Unlimited hotspotting
Add more data with top ups
Install before travel
Set up in a few minutes
Unlimited hotspotting
Add more data with top ups
Install before travel
Plans & prices
China + VPN plans
Google, WhatsApp and Instagram, no VPN faff. The built-in VPN means your favourite apps work just like they do at home, while your China eSIM installs by QR code or one-tap in our app and connects to China Unicom.
$7 AUD
$15 AUD
$25 AUD
$45 AUD
$9/day
limited to 1 Mbps
$23 AUD
$35 AUD
$55 AUD
$84 AUD
$5.60/day
limited to 1 Mbps
$25 AUD
$39 AUD
$59 AUD
$99 AUD
$139 AUD
$4.63/day
limited to 1 Mbps
Set up in a few minutes
Unlimited hotspotting
Add more data with top ups
Install before travel
Say whaaaaat
All pros, no cons
100% money back guarantee
Plans changed, device incompatible or locked, can't get it working, we've got you covered - see our .
Data-only eSIM - no phone number
Use internet based apps like WhatsApp and Messenger as normal. Note: you can't make traditional calls or SMS (yet).
Reliable 4G/5G connection
Powered by the best networks in China including China Unicom.
Multiple data options
We have plans for 5, 15 or 30 days starting at only 1GB right up to unlimited for most destinations.
Unlimited hotspotting (tethering)
Hotspot to your laptop, tablet, to your friends, to whoever with our limitless hotspotting.
Auto-activates on arrival
Automatically activates when you arrive in China. Just update settings (we'll send instructions), and you're connected.
Install up to 90 days before travel
Install your China eSIM anytime within 90 days before you travel, the plan won't start until you arrive in China.
Keep your current number
You can have multiple eSIMs installed and switch them on and off as you like.
How to use travel esims
How it works
If you haven't used a travel eSIM before, you're in for a treat. It only takes a few minutes to setup and it's a fraction of the cost of roaming! See WTF is eSIM.
1. Quick phone check
Let's make sure your phone's on board. Our eSIM compatibility checker has all of the answers.
2. Choose a plan, enter your details
Choose a plan for your destination, enter your details and your payment information.
4. Auto-activated on arrival
Update settings on arrival (we'll email these to you) and boom, you're connected. Check your usage in the ZenSim app.
The nitty gritty
China + VPN eSIM FAQs
No, eSIMs aren’t banned in China. The confusion usually comes from the fact that devices made and sold within Mainland China don’t support eSIM technology due to local security and economic policies. If your phone was bought outside of China and supports eSIM, you’ll have no problem using it during your trip.
Yes, it does! The China eSIM comes with a built-in VPN, so you’ll be able to access all your favourite apps and websites without restrictions - including social media, Google, and more.
Absolutely. Thanks to the included VPN, you’ll be able to use Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other blocked services in China just like you do at home. It makes staying connected smooth and stress-free.
Generally no. The China eSIM is built for Mainland China, so it won’t usually connect once you cross into Hong Kong. If Hong Kong is on your itinerary, our Asia eSIM covers China and Hong Kong on one plan, so you’re not swapping eSIMs at the border.
Nope. A China travel eSIM is a single prepaid cost you know upfront before you fly, with no roaming fees and no surprise charges once you land. The price you pay for your plan is the price you pay, so there’s nothing unexpected waiting on your next phone bill.
Technically yes, but we wouldn’t recommend it. You’d need a working internet connection to buy and install it, which is awkward the moment you arrive in a country where plenty of familiar apps and sites are blocked. Sorting it at home on stable WiFi means you’re connected the second you touch down.
If you already have a ZenSim eSIM then topping it up is easy and can be done with a couple of taps in our app.
No, the China travel eSIM is data-only. It won’t give you a cellular voice line. If you want to call, just fire up WhatsApp, Telegram, or FaceTime using your data allowance.
Yes! You may install the China eSIM up to 90 days before you travel. It won’t connect or start using data until you arrive.
Early installation ensures you’re ready on arrival, and it won’t drain your plan until you’re in China.
If you encounter an activation message on iPhone before landing, it’s usually safe to ignore - see our eSIM Troubleshooting Guide for more info.
Our China travel eSIM is strictly for data; it doesn’t come with a phone number or traditional call/SMS service. You will need to use an internet based app for communication.
Your eSIM will activate automatically once you arrive in China. We advise installing your China Travel eSIM before you travel (installation is distinct from activation).
To install, just scan the QR code we send or install via the ZenSim app over WiFi. On landing in China, the eSIM will switch on by itself.
If you have any problems, check our eSIM Troubleshooting Guide or contact us 😊
Once you arrive in China, your eSIM activates automatically if it’s already installed.
If you install it after arriving, the eSIM will activate and begin working immediately.
For any setup or connection problems, refer to our eSIM Troubleshooting Guide or contact our support.
Good question! Opting for a travel eSIM instead of roaming in China offers clear advantages:
Lower Costs: Say goodbye to outrageous roaming bills by switching to a local travel package designed for China.
Seamless Switching: Change between data plans without fumbling with physical SIM cards - perfect for spontaneous travellers.
Budget Control: Track data usage in real time and avoid surprise charges or overages.
No - the plan’s data and days only start when you arrive in China. Installation beforehand simply sets it up for activation on landing.
We recommend installing before departure since you will need WiFi to complete the installation process and this way you will be connected as soon as you land.
If you need help connecting, check our eSIM Troubleshooting Guide or reach out to us.
Of course! At ZenSim, we offer eSIMs that support over 200+ destinations, including China. On top of this we also provide regional eSIMs which cover multiple countries within one eSIM, please see our Travel eSIMs page for more info on these.
Connectivity Troubleshooting: Check our troubleshooting guide if your eSIM won’t connect. Still stuck? Hit up our support team and we’ll get you back online fast.
eSIM Installation Help: For help setting up your eSIM, visit our installation guide, or simply contact us - we’re happy to assist.
Other Inquiries: Have another issue? Head to our contact page and we’ll respond ASAP.
Most ZenSim eSIMs can be topped up directly inside the app. If you ever need extra data, additional days, or want to include a new destination on the same eSIM, the Zen Garden is where you can do it.
Simply log in, tap into the Zen Garden, and you’ll find the option to top up right there.
Available top ups: For China, the top up plans are identical to the ones on the site, but you get a 10% discount.
Extending your stay: Planning to be away longer than 30 days? You can buy multiple top ups ahead of time. They activate one after another, so there’s no risk of replacing your current plan.
More than one country: Many eSIMs now let you attach extra countries through a top up. For example, while using a Europe eSIM you can add Singapore as an extra destination. It will activate automatically when you land in Singapore.
Once activated in China, your eSIM typically won’t function outside that country.
If you're planning to hop between countries, we recommend checking out our regional Travel eSIMs - they’re made for multi-country use and cover most major regions.
Yep, you can, can you should! For every friend or family member you refer to purchase a China eSIM, you will earn a A$5 voucher to use on your next purchase AND they will save A$5 on their purchase.
All you have to do is share your unique referral URL with them, which you can access after purchase, and if they click it and purchase the savings are automatic.
You can monitor your referrals and find your personal referral URL directly in the ZenSim app. Read our terms for full details.
Only if you're on one of our unlimited plans - these come with a 3GB daily allowance, which covers the vast majority of travellers comfortably, since most people only use under 1GB a day.
Go over 3GB in a day and your speed will drop to 1Mbps for the rest of that day, resetting back to full speed at midnight.
If you've gone with a fixed-data plan (like 10GB or 20GB) instead of unlimited, there's no daily cap to worry about - you can use your data however you like until it's gone. We'll notify you before you run out, and you can top up instantly through the ZenSim app.
Your plan won't start using data or counting down days until you actually arrive in China - so there's zero risk in installing it early.
As long as you've already installed your eSIM, it'll automatically activate the moment you land, and that's when your days and data officially kick off.
From there, your eSIM expires when either your data or your days run out, whichever comes first (unless you're on an unlimited plan, in which case it's purely down to the days). So if you grab a 30-day plan, it'll run out 30 days after you arrive in China, not 30 days from when you bought it.
Quickest way to check is through our eSIM compatibility checker - it'll let you know in seconds if your phone plays nicely with our China eSIM and the networks it runs on.
If anything's unclear or you'd rather double check with a human, reach out to us anytime. And if your phone ends up not being compatible, you're covered by our refund policy - full refund, no hassle - so it's worth just giving it a go.
You're covered - our 100% money back guarantee exists for exactly this situation.
Trip cancelled? Phone not eSIM-compatible? Plans changed and you just don't need it anymore? All of these are covered.
The full details sit in our refund policy, but in short: if you can't install or use the eSIM, we'll give you a full refund. You shouldn't have to pay for something you can't use.
eSIM options for other destinations
eSIM China: Connected From Beijing to Shanghai
An affordable China travel eSIM with prepaid data
We provide China travel eSIM plans with affordable prepaid mobile data, built for travellers rather than adapted from a local carrier contract. From a few days in Beijing to a month working your way down to Chengdu and beyond, there's a plan sized to match your trip. It's part of the same travel eSIM setup we offer across 200+ destinations worldwide, so the install and app experience stays familiar wherever you go next.
eSIM China install: instant QR code, ready for arrival
Your eSIM for China installs digitally in a couple of minutes, either by scanning the QR code we email you or skipping the second device entirely with a one-tap install through the ZenSim app. No physical SIM card required at any point. Install it before you fly while you're still on stable home WiFi, then switch the eSIM line on when you land. If your iPhone throws up an 'Unable to Activate eSIM' message before you've left, that's normal until the eSIM connects to a network in China, so don't panic.
Reliable mobile data in China on established local networks
Our eSIM connects to China Unicom, giving you a reliable signal in the cities travellers actually visit, from Beijing and Shanghai to Chengdu. Network reliability matters just as much as price when you're picking an eSIM for China, and running on an established local network rather than a single reseller agreement means fewer dead zones when you need your maps and translation app most.
Google, WhatsApp and Instagram in China, sorted
Here's the bit that catches plenty of travellers out: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and a long list of other familiar apps are blocked on local Chinese networks unless you're using a VPN. Our China travel eSIM comes with a built-in VPN, so you can use them without hunting down and setting up separate software, which is a proper headache once you're in China because most VPN websites are blocked there. It means your group chats, maps and photo uploads keep working the way they do at home.
Check compatibility and keep your home number with dual SIM
Most eSIM-enabled iPhone and Android smartphones bought outside mainland China support our China travel eSIM without any issue. Phones sold in mainland China generally don't support eSIM, so it's worth double checking if yours was bought there. Not sure about your device? Our eSIM compatibility checker gives you an answer in seconds. Your eSIM for China runs as a separate data-only line alongside your existing SIM, so you keep your home number active for calls and texts while your new eSIM quietly handles mobile data in the background.
No roaming fees, with hotspot and data sharing included
International roaming charges have a habit of turning a great trip into an expensive one fast. A China travel eSIM means no roaming fees at all, with an affordable prepaid plan sorted before you even board. Every plan also includes hotspot and data sharing as standard, so you can tether your laptop, tablet or a mate's phone without extra fees or chewing through your own allowance.
Manage your China travel eSIM easily through the ZenSim app
Once you're set up, the ZenSim app is where you keep track of everything, checking your remaining data, topping up if you're running low, or extending your plan if your trip runs longer than expected. You can top up from inside China too, as many times as you need, so a bigger-than-planned trip isn't a problem. All of it takes a couple of taps.
Visiting more than China? Compare your eSIM options
If your itinerary takes in more of the region, our Asia eSIM covers China plus a handful of neighbouring countries on a single plan, and it works in Hong Kong, which a China-only eSIM generally won't. Still weighing it up? Our guide to the best eSIM options for travelling to China walks through the choices so you can pick the plan that suits your trip.
Top 3 Things to Do in China
1. Come Face to Face With the Terracotta Army in Xi'an
Picture a farmer digging a well in 1974 and hitting a clay head. That's how the Terracotta Army was found, and it turned out to be one of the biggest archaeological discoveries of the century. Buried alongside Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, more than 2,200 years ago, thousands of life-sized clay warriors have stood in formation ever since, ready to guard him in the afterlife. Pit 1, the biggest and most dramatic, is a hangar-sized chamber packed with rows of soldiers marching in perfect order, and the whole army is thought to number around 8,000, with plenty still waiting underground.
The real magic is in the detail. The faces, hairstyles and armour vary from soldier to soldier, so up close you can pick out grumpy ones, calm ones and the odd one who looks like he'd rather be somewhere else. The figures were originally painted in bright colours that faded fast once air hit them, which makes the plain clay look even more ghostly today. Pits 2 and 3 and the bronze chariot exhibit are well worth the extra time, and getting there early, about an hour east of Xi'an, lets you beat the tour bus crowds.
Back in the city, Xi'an is just as good at ground level. You can hire a bike and cycle the top of the ancient city wall, one of the best preserved in China, then head into the Muslim Quarter for street food in the shadow of the Drum Tower. Think roujiamo (the Chinese answer to a burger), hand-pulled biangbiang noodles and sizzling lamb skewers. Xi'an was the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road, and you can taste that history in every bite.
2. Meet the Pandas and Eat Hot Pot in Chengdu
Chengdu is where you go to see giant pandas properly. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding sits in bamboo-filled grounds on the edge of the city, and the pandas are at their liveliest in the morning around feeding time, so get there when the gates open before they settle in for their next long nap. The cub nursery is the headline act, and watching a tiny panda tumble off a branch is guaranteed to turn the toughest traveller into mush.
Then comes the food, because Chengdu is also the capital of Sichuan cuisine. Hot pot here comes loaded with mala, the famous numbing peppercorn that makes your lips tingle in a way that's strangely addictive, and dan dan noodles and mapo tofu are never far away either. Between meals, the tea houses in People's Park are the perfect place to slow right down with a pot of jasmine tea and a very relaxed local crowd.
If you've got an extra day, the Leshan Giant Buddha is an easy trip out of the city, a 71 metre figure carved straight into a cliff face above the river. Chengdu is also well connected by high-speed rail, making it a natural next stop after Xi'an and only around two hours from Chongqing, which is exactly where we're heading next.
3. Wander Chongqing After Dark
Chongqing looks like it was designed by someone who watched too many sci-fi films. Built across steep hills where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet, it stacks roads, bridges and buildings on top of one another until you can't tell which floor you're on. After dark it lights up like a neon fever dream, and the best place to see it is Hongyadong, an 11-storey stilted complex clinging to the cliff above the river, glowing gold and packed with food stalls, bars and souvenir shops.
Then there's the stuff you've probably seen all over your feed. The Liziba monorail runs straight through the middle of an apartment block, station and all, and locals barely look up as it rumbles past. The Yangtze River cable car gives you a sparkling skyline view at night, and an evening cruise lines up the bridges and glowing towers one after another. Chongqing is also the home of fiery hot pot, with a broth loaded with chilli and Sichuan peppercorn that's said to have started with dockworkers on the river, so come hungry and keep a cold drink handy.
Getting around Chongqing is half the fun and half the headache. The layered streets mean your map dot can say you've arrived while the entrance is three floors above you, so reliable maps and translation earn their keep here. Day-to-day life in China also runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay, and visitors can now link foreign Visa and Mastercard cards to both. Setting them up and using them takes a data connection, as does ride-hailing, so it pays to have your mobile data sorted before you touch down.
