The Great Firewall blocks Google, WhatsApp and Instagram on any local SIM or Wi-Fi. An international eSIM such as Saily roams through servers outside mainland China, so those apps work with no VPN - but it has to be installed before you fly, because foreign eSIM profiles cannot be downloaded once you land.
- The Great Firewall blocks Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail and Facebook on local SIMs and on hotel Wi-Fi.
- An international eSIM roams through servers outside mainland China, so blocked apps work without a VPN. Saily is 15.99 USD for 5 GB/30 days, 26.99 USD for 10 GB/30 days.
- Install and activate it before departure. A foreign eSIM profile cannot be downloaded once you are inside China.
- A local SIM needs real-name registration - passport plus a face scan - and its data still goes through the firewall, so you would also need a working VPN.
- The one thing a local SIM gives you is a +86 number, which some Chinese apps demand for SMS verification.
- Counters for China Unicom, China Mobile and China Telecom sit in the international arrivals halls of the major airports; city stores are cheaper but slower.
- For a stay of up to a couple of weeks, the eSIM bought before the flight is the simpler answer.
The connection decides which apps work
In China this is a technical decision, not a convenience one. Without a connection you cannot start the payment apps, maps or a translator - and the type of connection decides whether half your apps work at all.
- A Chinese network blocks most Western apps. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail and Facebook sit behind the Great Firewall, so a local SIM or local Wi-Fi needs a VPN that is installed and working before you arrive - and VPNs are regularly disrupted.
- An international travel eSIM routes around it. The data roams out through servers outside mainland China, so the censorship does not apply and the blocked apps simply work. This is what eSIM sellers mean when they advertise a "built-in VPN" - there is no VPN, only foreign routing.
- A local physical SIM gives the best coverage and a Chinese number, but requires real-name registration - passport plus a biometric face scan - and its traffic still passes the firewall.
Saily plans for China
| Plan | Data | Validity | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed data | 1 GB | 7 days | 4.49 USD |
| Fixed data | 3 GB | 30 days | 10.99 USD |
| Fixed data | 5 GB | 30 days | 15.99 USD |
| Fixed data | 10 GB | 30 days | 26.99 USD |
| Fixed data | 20 GB | 30 days | 45.99 USD |
Saily also sells day-capped plans marketed as unlimited - 5 GB a day at full speed, then throttled to 1 kbps, from 18.99 USD for 5 days.
Buying locally
- China Unicom, China Mobile and China Telecom all have counters in the international arrivals halls of the big airports - Beijing Capital and Daxing, Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou Baiyun, Shenzhen Bao'an, Chengdu Tianfu.
- Bring your passport. Real-name registration is mandatory for every SIM sold in China and includes a face scan; budget five to ten minutes at the counter.
- Airport prices are marked up. A brand store in the city sells the same data for noticeably less, at the cost of a harder conversation and a longer wait.
Short verdict
Buy and install a Saily eSIM before you fly. It skips the registration queue, and it is the only option that gives you working navigation and messaging the moment you land - a foreign eSIM cannot be downloaded and installed once you are already behind the firewall. Add a local SIM later only if an app insists on a +86 number.
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