Traveling to China brings its unique set of challenges for staying connected, particularly when choosing between an China eSIM vs physical SIM card. This blog post breaks down their differences, highlights the pros and cons of each, and helps you decide which option is best suited for your trip.
1. The Differences Between eSIM vs Physical SIM Cards
Two significant differences between Chinese SIM cards and China eSIM:
Phone Number: physical SIM cards provide a local Chinese (+86) number, essential for registering most Chinese apps like Baidu and Dianping. eSIMs doesn’t provide local chinese number, but can also register Alipay, WeChat and call taxi using DiDi in the miniapp of Alipay and WeChat (but you will not receive the phone call from the DiDi drivers, workarounds are using DiDi messaging system).
Access to Overseas Services: Both options support apps using data, but a SIM card blocks many international services (e.g., Google, Facebook) unless a VPN is used.
| Feature | eSIM | SIM Card |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Digital, integrated into devices | Physical, inserted into devices |
| Setup | Online activation | Physical store activation |
| Phone Number | No +86 Chinese number | Includes +86 Chinese number |
| Device Compatibility | Requires eSIM-compatible devices | Works with most unlocked devices |
| Access to Apps | Limited SMS-based services | Full compatibility with Chinese apps |
| Carrier Profiles | Store multiple carrier profiles | limited to a single carrier profile |
Recommendations for different types of travelers
For solo travelers, long term visitors or those who prefer handling everything themselves without guides or companions I strongly recommend a physical SIM card plus a VPN, this ensures you can use any local app and make calls easily and cheaply while also staying connected to overseas services.
For small groups or family trips I suggest at least one person gets a Chinese SIM card to handle local calls and some apps when needed while other members can use eSIMs as necessary for those traveling with companions or local friends colleagues or guides.
For those who don’t need to handle local arrangements themselves, an eSIM should be sufficient to stay in touch with your friends.
Best eSIM for China
Saily is a fast-growing eSIM app created by the team behind NordVPN. It is more secure and reliable in China. While Maya eSIM is cheaper and provides more options.
Need a both secure and cheap eSIM plan? Open the Saily’s website and use the promocode shanghaispecials5 to get 5% discount and extra free data gifts.
I hope this post helps you decide which phone card option is best for you and how to buy the best China eSIM.