The Maya Mobile Global eSIM is the best eSIM for China for travelers who want unlimited data at one flat price by trip length, from USD 9.99. It covers 165+ countries with a daily high-speed allowance, and you install it once before you fly.
The cost to dodge is a bill that climbs every day you’re in China.
Maya Global eSIM is the best China eSIM for flat-price trips
One Maya eSIM covers 165+ countries, so your trip is one purchase sized to your days. The universal Maya eSIM works in 165+ countries worldwide, including major destinations across all continents.
No SIM swapping. No separate plan to add per country. Pick your days and go.
Scant gave Maya Mobile five stars on Trustpilot in July 2026: “Always use for when I’m travelling to Turkey. So easy, and there’s always help at hand over WhatsApp. I’ve never had an issue and they always do the most to help you. Highly recommend.”
How do you use Google and WhatsApp in China with an eSIM?
Most travel eSIMs route your data outside the country, which lets you use Google, WhatsApp and Instagram without a separate VPN. Routing is the feature to check when you compare eSIMs for China.
Sort the eSIM before you fly, and the flight is yours to spend.
How much does a China eSIM cost for 3, 7, 14 or 30 days?
Our Global eSIM is priced by trip length: one flat price each for 3, 7, 14 and 30 days, with the same unlimited data and daily high-speed allowance on every plan. The price doesn’t climb with usage.
- 3 days: USD 9.99
- 7 days: USD 19.99
- 14 days: USD 27.99
- 30 days: USD 49.99
Every plan includes a daily high-speed data allowance (the Daily Quota), at up to 4G LTE or 5G where available on local networks. After you use the Daily Quota, data continues at standard speed for the rest of the day. The allowance resets automatically every 24 hours.
Count your days, pick the matching plan, done.
How do you set up a Maya eSIM before flying to China?
Install the eSIM at home on a stable connection, because airport Wi-Fi in China can be slow or hard to reach. The eSIM stays on your phone after the trip, so later trips need only a new plan.
On iPhone, open the Maya Mobile app, go to Home, select the eSIM, choose Installation Instructions, tap Install eSIM Now, and follow the on-screen prompts.
Then copy the code and enter it on your device when prompted. The QR code and manual code also sit on the Installation tab of the related eSIM in your account.
The days on your plan begin counting once the Maya eSIM is switched on in your phone settings. You’re set. Everything is ready before you board.
What should you look for in an eSIM for China?
Look for a price that stays put and a plan that stops when its days stop. With Auto Top-Up off, our plan runs until it expires and stops with no further charge, and Auto Top-Up is opt-in and off by default.
A flat price by trip length means you’re not buying by country or by the gigabyte. Each trip needs a plan, and the eSIM and its setup stay on your phone for the next one.
Setup matters too. On August 13, 2026, Osman D. left a one-star Trustpilot review of aloSIM that reads: “No Russian manuals available. I purchased aloSIM for my family while they were traveling, but none of them could set up the eSIM. As an experienced Windows and Android user, I could have probably figured it out by trial and error, but my family couldn’t. It’s way too complicated with English-only instructions. Plus, after my payment successfully processed, the app still asked me to buy the plan again. # update since you are planning to add Russian instructions, I’ll give aloSIM another try. My family is heading to Turkey at the end of August, and if everything goes well, I’ll update my review to 5 stars.”
Atlas takes the long view, all 4.5 billion years of it: setup is something you finish at home, once.
How much does roaming cost in China compared with an eSIM?
A carrier’s international day pass that covers China is charged per day, so a week of roaming adds up daily. A 7-day Global eSIM is one flat price for the whole trip.
AT&T’s International Day Pass lists China as a destination and says, “Stay connected abroad on land for $12/day.” (AT&T, International Day Pass: International Data Plans | AT&T)
Our 7-day Unlimited plan costs USD 19.99 (USD 2.86/day) and suits week-long trips and city breaks. You pay once and stop counting days.
Which travel eSIM should you buy for your China trip?
The table lists each provider’s own published plan structure and pricing, so you can see who sells per country, per region or one global plan before you buy for China. Maya Mobile sells one Global eSIM; Airalo, Holafly and Nomad each publish per-country and per-region plans alongside their global ones.
| Travel eSIM | How plans are sold | Unlimited plan allowance, as published |
|---|---|---|
| Maya Mobile | One Global eSIM for 165+ countries, unlimited data at a flat price by trip length: USD 9.99 for 3 days, USD 19.99 for 7 days, USD 27.99 for 14 days, USD 49.99 for 30 days | A daily high-speed data allowance (the Daily Quota) at up to 4G LTE or 5G where local networks offer it, reset every 24 hours; unlimited data at standard speed once the Daily Quota is used |
| Airalo | Per country, per region, or one global plan; priced in USD | Our unlimited data packages don’t have a fixed total data cap. However, to keep the network running fairly for everyone, when you use more than 3GB in a day, we’ll slow down (or “throttle”) your internet speed to 1 Mbps for the rest of that day. Your full high-speed connection will automatically be restored when your daily allowance next resets. Your daily allowance resets every 24 hours, counted from the time you activated your eSIM. |
| Holafly | Per country, per region (Europe, Latin America, Cruise plans), and monthly global plans: Light, 25GB of data, $ 49.90USD/month; Unlimited, $ 64.90USD/month; Ultra, $ 90.95USD/month | Unlimited data plans are subject to a fair use policy, which may temporarily reduce speed in cases of unusually high usage to maintain network quality for all users. |
| Nomad | Per country, per region and global plans; by the gigabyte and unlimited | Once the daily allowance of 2 GB is used, data speeds are reduced (throttled) for the rest of the day. Depending on the specific plan, this reduced speed is approximately 1 Mbps or 2 Mbps. |
In the table, the Airalo, Holafly and Nomad cells give each provider’s own wording or a brief summary of it, and the Maya Mobile cells give Maya’s own plan details.
Airalo sells in USD and slows speed to 1 Mbps after 3GB in a day. Holafly prices its global plans by the month and applies a fair use policy. Nomad sells by the gigabyte and unlimited, with a 2 GB daily allowance on its unlimited plans. We sell one plan by trip length, so your choice is a number of days.
How Maya replaces China data shopping with one eSIM
You buy one Global eSIM and one plan length. Every plan, whether 3, 7, 14 or 30 days, includes unlimited data in 165+ countries.
The same eSIM stays on your phone, so the next trip is a new plan and nothing else. Every plan is a one-time purchase that ends when its days end, unless you turn on Auto Top-Up. The Global Unlimited plan supports 165+ countries, and the daily high-speed allowance runs at up to 4G LTE or 5G where available on local networks.
Our Unlimited eSIM plans are designed for individual travelers using data on the move. No storefront, no per-country hunting. Land, connect, go.
FAQ
Do travel eSIMs come with a Chinese phone number?
No. Maya Mobile eSIM plans don’t include a local phone number, and most travel eSIMs are data-only without a mainland +86 number. Internet apps like WeChat and WhatsApp still work, though local SMS or calling for certain Chinese services may be restricted.
Which phones work with a Maya eSIM in China?
Yes, if your phone is carrier unlocked and eSIM-compatible, such as an iPhone XS or newer. To check an iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and look at the Carrier Lock field. An unlocked device shows “No SIM restrictions”; anything else means it’s locked.
What happens when my Maya plan days run out in China?
The plan ends. Each plan is a one-time purchase, and Auto Top-Up is off by default. If you turn Auto Top-Up on, it automatically buys the same plan again when the current one expires; otherwise there’s no automatic recurring charge.
How do refunds work if my eSIM does not connect in China?
Yes, in the cases our Terms set. A full refund is available if no data has been used and you ask within 30 days of purchase, or if an activated plan is completely unusable through a Maya error that isn’t fixed within 10 days of your request. If an incompatible or carrier-locked device can’t install the eSIM, you get a full refund less payment processing fees when no data was consumed and the request is within 30 days. Refunds go to the original payment method, or as Maya Rewards Points if you prefer, and the Terms of Service carry the complete terms.
How do you fix a Maya eSIM that will not connect in China?
Check that the Maya eSIM is switched on and selected for Cellular Data in phone settings. Then toggle Airplane Mode and wait up to 15 minutes for the eSIM to re-authenticate and start receiving data. Still stuck after 15 minutes? See the eSIM Connection Troubleshooting Guide. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular (it may be labelled Mobile or Mobile Service), choose the eSIM plan, tap Cellular Data Network, and type the APN name into the APN fields. On Android, select the new APN after creating it and restart the device.
Can you share a hotspot with family on a China eSIM?
Yes. Full hotspot and tethering are included at no extra cost, on both Apple iOS and Android smartphones, where supported in the country. Turn on Mobile Hotspot / Internet Sharing on your phone and connect the other devices to the broadcast Wi-Fi network. Using a laptop or tablet on a Zoom call is acceptable regular use.
How do you stop your home SIM from charging roaming fees in China?
Turn Data Roaming off on your home line and leave it ON for the eSIM line. Our help center says to turn off Data Roaming on the Primary line (home SIM) to prevent roaming charges, and on iPhone to choose Primary for Voice/SMS and iMessage and use the Maya Mobile eSIM for mobile data only. For the eSIM plan, Turn On This Line and Data Roaming must both be ON.
- Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap Cellular, then make sure you have at least two lines (below SIMs).
- Turn on two lines by tapping a line, then tapping Turn On this Line.
- Tap Cellular Data, then tap a line. To use either line depending on coverage and availability, turn on Allow Cellular Data Switching.
- You may incur roaming charges if Data Roaming is on and you’re outside the country or region covered by the carrier’s network.
Source: Apple Support, Use Dual SIM on iPhone
To turn off data roaming on a dual-SIM iPhone:
- Open Settings.
- Tap Cellular or Cellular Data.
- If your device uses Dual SIM or Dual eSIM, turn on Cellular Data, tap the number you want to modify, then tap Cellular Data Options, and turn off Data Roaming.
Source: Apple Support, About cellular data roaming options for your iPhone and iPad
How does a Maya eSIM work when a trip crosses several countries?
One eSIM covers 165+ countries and is installed once. The universal Maya eSIM works in 165+ countries worldwide, so a border crossing needs no second plan.
Maya sells one Global eSIM with unlimited data across 165+ countries, priced flat by trip length from USD 9.99.
