eSIM for China: Airalo, Saily and Yesim compared
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In China you need mobile data for almost everything: paying with Alipay, translation apps, maps, the QR code for the metro. A travel eSIM is installed at home and used from the moment you land. Here are 43 China packages from Airalo, Saily and Yesim with the providers’ euro prices, plus network, throttling and when the validity starts.
How we compare
All prices come from the providers’ China pages, checked on 26 October 2026. Providers are listed alphabetically, and “cheapest” is decided by price alone. If you buy through our links, we earn a commission and your price stays the same.
Prices at a glance
The same packages side by side at every provider. Green and bold is the cheapest price in the column. “–” means the provider does not sell that package.
| Provider | 5 GB, 30 days | 10 GB, 30 days | 20 GB, 30 days | unlimited, 7 days | unlimited, 15 days | unlimited, 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | €14.50 | €24.50 | €37.00 | €25.00 (cheapest) | €45.00 | €63.50 |
| Saily | €13.99 | €23.99 | €35.49 | €26.49 | €44.49 | €64.99 |
| Yesim | €11.00 (cheapest) | €18.60 (cheapest) | €29.80 (cheapest) | €25.20 | €41.00 (cheapest) | €63.00 (cheapest) |
We only compare providers we work with. This is not a full market overview. Throttling on unlimited packages differs a lot. More under “Conditions”.
Conditions
Airalo
- Network:
- China Unicom 5G
- Unlimited means:
- 3 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbit/s
- Validity starts:
- when it first connects in China
- Hotspot:
- no clear statement on the China page
Saily
- Network:
- China Telecom, China Unicom 5G/4G
- Unlimited means:
- 5 GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbit/s
- Validity starts:
- on arrival in China, at the latest 180 days after purchase
- Hotspot:
- yes
Yesim
- Network:
- China Mobile 5G/LTE
- Unlimited means:
- no figures. The provider says the network may throttle under its fair-use rules.
- Validity starts:
- when it first connects, at the latest 90 days after purchase
- Hotspot:
- yes
- Lengths:
- Unlimited for any number of days from 1 to 30
What applies to all
- Data only: no Chinese phone number, no Chinese text messages.
- Mainland China only. Hong Kong and Macau need a package of their own.
- The validity starts in China, not at purchase.
- To connect, you switch on data roaming for the eSIM in China.
All packages
Choose how long you are in China: the table then shows only packages valid long enough and marks the cheapest. Prices in euros, as the providers showed them on 26 October 2026. Yesim: Unlimited for any number of days from 1 to 30. The table shows a selection.
43 of 43 packages
| Provider | Package | Valid for | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | 1 GB | 3 days | €4.00 | €1.33 |
| Airalo | 3 GB | 3 days | €9.00 | €3.00 |
| Yesim | unlimited* | 3 days | €10.80 | €3.60 |
| Airalo | unlimited* | 3 days | €11.00 | €3.67 |
| Airalo | unlimited* | 5 days | €17.50 | €3.50 |
| Yesim | unlimited* | 5 days | €18.00 | €3.60 |
| Saily | unlimited* | 5 days | €20.49 | €4.10 |
| Saily | 1 GB | 7 days | €3.99 | €0.57 |
| Airalo | 3 GB | 7 days | €10.00 | €1.43 |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 7 days | €13.50 | €1.93 |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 7 days | €22.50 | €3.21 |
| Airalo | unlimited* | 7 days | €25.00 | €3.57 |
| Yesim | unlimited* | 7 days | €25.20 | €3.60 |
| Saily | unlimited* | 7 days | €26.49 | €3.78 |
| Yesim | unlimited* | 10 days | €31.13 | €3.11 |
| Saily | unlimited* | 10 days | €31.99 | €3.20 |
| Airalo | unlimited* | 10 days | €32.50 | €3.25 |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 15 days | €14.00 | €0.93 |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 15 days | €23.50 | €1.57 |
| Airalo | 20 GB | 15 days | €36.00 | €2.40 |
| Yesim | unlimited* | 15 days | €41.00 | €2.73 |
| Saily | unlimited* | 15 days | €44.49 | €2.97 |
| Airalo | unlimited* | 15 days | €45.00 | €3.00 |
| Yesim | unlimited* | 20 days | €48.33 | €2.42 |
| Saily | unlimited* | 20 days | €54.49 | €2.72 |
| Saily | unlimited* | 25 days | €59.49 | €2.38 |
| Yesim | 1 GB | 30 days | €2.80 | €0.09 |
| Yesim | 3 GB | 30 days | €7.00 | €0.23 |
| Saily | 3 GB | 30 days | €9.99 | €0.33 |
| Yesim | 5 GB | 30 days | €11.00 | €0.37 |
| Saily | 5 GB | 30 days | €13.99 | €0.47 |
| Airalo | 5 GB | 30 days | €14.50 | €0.48 |
| Yesim | 10 GB | 30 days | €18.60 | €0.62 |
| Saily | 10 GB | 30 days | €23.99 | €0.80 |
| Airalo | 10 GB | 30 days | €24.50 | €0.82 |
| Yesim | 20 GB | 30 days | €29.80 | €0.99 |
| Saily | 20 GB | 30 days | €35.49 | €1.18 |
| Airalo | 20 GB | 30 days | €37.00 | €1.23 |
| Yesim | 30 GB | 30 days | €38.00 | €1.27 |
| Airalo | 50 GB | 30 days | €45.00 | €1.50 |
| Yesim | unlimited* | 30 days | €63.00 | €2.10 |
| Airalo | unlimited* | 30 days | €63.50 | €2.12 |
| Saily | unlimited* | 30 days | €64.99 | €2.17 |
* Unlimited according to the provider, but throttled. How much is under “Conditions” above.
The links go to the provider’s China page, where you pick the package.
Fixed or unlimited?
The cheapest packages that cover your trip (fixed from 5 GB, smaller ones are in the table):
- 7 days: 5 GB for €11.00 (Yesim) · unlimited for €25.00 (Airalo)
- 15 days: 5 GB for €11.00 (Yesim) · unlimited for €41.00 (Yesim)
- 30 days: 5 GB for €11.00 (Yesim) · unlimited for €63.00 (Yesim)
For maps, translation, payments and messages a few GB are enough for many travellers. If it runs low, top up in the app. Unlimited pays off if you stream a lot or send videos on the go.
“Unlimited” is not the same everywhere. Full speed per day: Airalo 3 GB and Saily 5 GB, then 1 Mbit/s at each. Yesim gives no figures, only a possible slowdown under fair-use rules.
Check before you buy
- Does your phone support eSIM, and is it unlocked?
- Buy and install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi. Saily points out that its app may be restricted in China.
- After landing, select the eSIM for mobile data and switch on data roaming for it.
- Keep your home SIM switched on if you need your bank’s text-message codes, for example for Alipay (see Set up Alipay). Turn off mobile data on the home SIM so it runs up no roaming charges.
- If you travel on to Hong Kong or Macau, you need a separate package there.
The alternatives
Roaming with your home SIM: whether your plan works in China, and at what price, is in your provider’s roaming terms.
A Chinese SIM card: sold in the network operators’ shops, including at large airports. You show your passport and the card is registered in your name. In return you get a Chinese number, which some apps ask for.
Sources
- Airalo, China eSIM: www.airalo.com/china-esim, checked on 26 October 2026.
- Saily, China eSIM: saily.com/esim-china/, checked on 26 October 2026.
- Yesim, China eSIM: yesim.app/country/china/, checked on 26 October 2026.
- Prices can change. The price at checkout is what counts. We check the prices monthly.
FAQ
Which provider is cheapest?
It depends on the package. Cheapest on 26 October 2026: Yesim (€18.60) for 10 GB over 30 days, Yesim (€41.00) for 15 days of unlimited data. With “unlimited”, also check after how many GB a day the speed drops. That differs a lot.
Will an eSIM work with my phone?
Only if your phone supports eSIM and is not locked to a carrier. Most iPhones since the XS and many newer Android phones do. The surest check is your phone’s settings under Mobile/Cellular or SIM cards, or the manufacturer’s website.
Do I get a Chinese phone number with the eSIM?
No. All China packages in this comparison are data-only, with no Chinese phone number. You can keep your home SIM switched on next to it so your bank’s text-message codes still arrive (mind your plan’s roaming charges).
When does the validity start?
With all 3 only in China, not at purchase: when the eSIM first connects there. Some set a deadline after which the package starts by itself. See “Conditions” above.
Does the eSIM work in Hong Kong and Macau?
No. The China packages only cover the mainland. Hong Kong and Macau need a package of their own.
Related:Travel checklist → ·Set up Alipay → ·Metro in China → ·Arrival card →