Destination
China eSIM
China moves at scale from Shanghai Bund walks and Beijing hutongs to Chengdu pandas, Guangzhou food alleys and Shenzhen tech districts. Having data sorted before you land matters because maps, payments and messaging apps many travellers rely on are China-specific and often need setup on day one. With NXTL you get a global pay-as-you-go eSIM for China: no tourist SIM desk, no timed data pack, and the same balance ready after Shanghai if your trip continues elsewhere. Live rates for China Telecom, China Unicom, China Mobile are shown on this page.
Live pricing
Network rates in China
Rates are per gigabyte of usage from your balance — not the eSIM purchase price. By default the cheapest network tier is enabled, so your eSIM steers to the lowest available rates; you can still pick a network manually in the app if you prefer. Full pricing page
| Network | Technology | Rate per GB |
|---|---|---|
| China Telecom Lowest rate | 5G LTE | $2.40/GB |
| China Unicom | 5G LTE | $4.53/GB |
| China Mobile | 5G LTE | $8.14/GB |
By default, NXTL steers your eSIM to the cheapest available network tier. You can still pick a network manually in the app if you prefer.
Trip cost calculator
What will data cost you in China?
Your estimate
Pay-as-you-go: there is no daily allowance or data cap. You use what you need from your balance. Estimates use the selected network’s current per-GB rate; by default NXTL steers to the cheapest available network tier.
Data use
How much data do travellers actually use?
Light
Maps, messaging and email on the go
Moderate
Social apps, browsing and music streaming
Heavy
Video calls, HD streaming and hotspot use
Costs use the cheapest network tier, which is enabled by default on NXTL eSIMs and steers you to the lowest available rates. Actual usage varies by traveller.
Why NXTL here
What NXTL changes in China
3 networks, cheapest tier by default
By default NXTL steers to the cheapest available network tier. You can still pick a network manually in the app if you prefer.
5G where verified
A 5G badge appears only on networks we can reliably match to technology data — never a guess.
Below the NXTL median
The lowest per-GB rate here is currently below the median rate across all NXTL-covered destinations.
Keeps working across borders
The same eSIM and the same balance continue in neighbouring destinations — nothing to re-buy at the border.
Balance never expires
Whatever you don’t use stays in your account for the next trip. No validity clock.
5% back in Tokens
NXTL Rewards returns 5% of usage as Tokens you can redeem into spendable balance.
Connectivity guide
Staying connected in China
China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom blanket cities and high-speed rail corridors on 4G and 5G; western Tibet routes, remote Gobi stretches and some mountain scenic areas thin out. Metro systems in major cities usually have underground coverage on at least one carrier. When you use NXTL in China, your phone attaches to local networks such as China Telecom, China Unicom, China Mobile; the live table on this page is the current list.
Foreign visitors can buy prepaid SIMs at airport counters and carrier shops with passport registration; real-name rules apply and staff often help install apps. Some travellers use Hong Kong or travel eSIMs that roam on mainland networks instead. NXTL is the lower-friction option for most visitors to China. You are not shopping for a SIM in Shanghai after a long flight — the eSIM is already on your phone, billed pay-as-you-go, with credit that carries to your next destination.
Setup takes minutes at home. For China, install NXTL while you still have reliable Wi-Fi, keep your home line active for calls and bank texts, and switch on eSIM data when you land (for example via Shanghai Pudong (PVG)) so you can navigate straight to Shanghai. Top up later if you need more; unused balance stays yours.
The reason travellers choose NXTL for China — and for trips that do not stop there — is continuity. One eSIM, pay-as-you-go pricing, no expiry, and no new SIM when you leave Shanghai for the next country. Your leftover credit is still waiting.
The Great Firewall blocks many global apps unless you prepare alternatives, so connectivity planning is as much about software as signal bars. That is where NXTL helps in China: one eSIM ready before you arrive, billed only for the data you actually use.
Local SIMs and roaming
Foreign visitors can buy prepaid SIMs at airport counters and carrier shops with passport registration; real-name rules apply and staff often help install apps. Some travellers use Hong Kong or travel eSIMs that roam on mainland networks instead. For short visits built around Shanghai and Beijing, NXTL is usually enough: data for maps and messaging, your home number kept for calls and bank texts, and pay-as-you-go credit that does not expire when you leave China.
Your options
Other ways to get data in China
An honest look at the alternatives — each has cases where it makes sense.
Roaming with your home plan
Zero setup, but daily roaming passes and out-of-bundle rates add up quickly on longer trips. Fine for a weekend; expensive for weeks.
Airport SIM counters
Available on arrival, but often with queues, ID registration and tourist pricing. An eSIM installed before you fly skips all of it.
Local prepaid SIM
Can be economical for month-long stays if you find a store and handle registration. For shorter trips, the time cost usually outweighs the saving.
Fixed-validity eSIM bundles
Simple upfront pricing, but unused gigabytes expire with the validity clock. NXTL is pay-as-you-go: your balance stays yours.
Multi-country travel
One balance continues across borders
Leaving China? The same eSIM and the same balance keep working at each destination’s own rate — no new SIM, no new bundle, no expiry.
Nearby destinations
Setup
Installed in minutes, ready before you land
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Buy the Global eSIM
Checkout takes a minute and the QR code arrives instantly by email.
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Install on Wi-Fi
Scan the QR code at home or at the airport — before the flight is easiest.
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Land connected
Enable the eSIM for data on arrival. Usage is billed per GB from your balance.
FAQ
China data questions, answered
Yes, where China is in NXTL coverage. Your phone connects to local networks listed on this page — often China Telecom, China Unicom, China Mobile — including everyday use in places like Shanghai.
Rates for China are shown live on this page and on the pricing page because they change over time. NXTL is pay-as-you-go: you only pay for the data you use.
NXTL’s travel eSIM does not give you a local China phone number, so you skip the shop ID process that local prepaid SIMs usually need. Keep your usual number for calls and bank texts.
Install on Wi-Fi before you fly. Enable data after you land — for example at Shanghai Pudong (PVG) — so you are not relying on airport Wi-Fi.
No. Credit left after China stays in your NXTL account with no expiry date, ready for later trips where NXTL has coverage.
Yes. The same NXTL eSIM and balance keep working in other covered countries, so China does not have to be a disposable tourist SIM.
A local SIM can be right for a long stay with lots of local calls. For most visits to China, NXTL is simpler: install before you travel, pay as you go, skip the desk, and keep leftover credit for the next country.
Ready for China?
Global eSIM $11.99 · includes $10.00 credit · balance never expires