nihaoready
Get ready
YOUR CHINA TRIP, CONNECTED.

China is calling.
Arrive ready.

More 你好. Less “now what?”

Internet that fits your trip. Payments you’ve prepared.
Apps you understand. Your adventure starts here.

Find my travel setup My departure checklist ↗
Practical steps Sources you can open Dated guidance
The Great Wall winding through China’s autumn mountains40°25′ N / 116°34′ E
你好HELLO, CHINA.
Illustration combining the Great Wall, Chinese rooflines and a modern skyline
LESS GUESSWORK.
MORE GOING PLACES.
AN ANCIENT WORLD. A NEW CONNECTION.
你好

First the essentials. Then the extraordinary.

CONNECT   /   PAY   /   EXPLORE ↗

What should you set up before traveling to China?

Arrange mobile data, prepare a payment app, save your essential apps and documents offline, and check entry conditions for your passport and route.

01 / BEFORE YOU BOARD

Big trip. Small to-do list.

Start with the essentials.
We’ll take it one step at a time.

01

Get connected

Choose a travel eSIM. Have your data ready when you land.

Find your eSIM
02

Bring the right apps

Know what works, what doesn’t and what to download.

Check your apps
03

Pay like you planned it

Set up mobile payments before your first dumpling.

Sort your payments
04

Know your way in

Check the entry rules for your passport and your route.

Check entry essentials
THE RIGHT SETUP STARTS WITH YOU

A plan for your kind of trip.

Three small decisions.
A much clearer starting point.

01
10 days1 to 30 days
02
03

Planning estimate, not a provider allowance. Choose a style to see the assumptions.

YOUR STARTING POINT
12GB
to plan around

1 GB per day + a 20% planning buffer. Downloads, video quality and background apps can change this.

Check your phone first.

Confirm eSIM support for your exact model and carrier unlock before buying any plan.

Check my options

This tool does not verify a device or recommend a specific paid package.

FAST FORWARD TO YOUR ARRIVAL

You’ve landed.
Here’s what happens next.

Make your first hour feel familiar.
Prepare these four moments at home.

A phone with a mobile signal, a SIM card and Chinese rooflines01 / CONNECT

Switch on your data.

Follow the activation instructions for your chosen plan. Check which SIM is handling mobile data before opening a heavy app.

Choose a connection
A folded map, a red route and a location marker beside Chinese architecture02 / FIND YOUR WAY

Have the address ready.

Save your first hotel in Chinese and English, plus a screenshot of its entrance and your booking confirmation.

Prepare your map
A traveler’s phone and bank card beside a Chinese restaurant and bamboo steamer03 / PAY

Know your backup.

Open your payment app, check the merchant and amount, and keep another way to pay if the card is declined.

Set up payments
A suitcase, passport and airplane with a Chinese pavilion and mountain landscape04 / EXHALE

You’re here. Be here.

Send a quick check-in if your connection allows it. Leave your first day flexible and start with one good walk.

Find your first chapter
02 / THE DIGITAL REALITY CHECK

Will my apps work in China?

Quick answer: it depends on the app
and how you connect. Here’s the picture.

APP / SERVICEON MAINLAND LOCAL NETWORKSREAD THE GUIDE
WWhatsApp
RestrictedLocal networks
GGoogle & Gmail
RestrictedLocal networks
◎Instagram
RestrictedLocal networks
AAlipay
Available*Eligible international cards
●WeChat Pay
Available*Card & identity checks apply
✳ChatGPT
Not supportedMainland not a supported region

*Availability depends on account, identity and card eligibility. Network access does not override a service’s country restrictions. Mainland China differs from Hong Kong and Macau.

Mobile data and hotel Wi-Fi are different. Airalo describes overseas routing for its China eSIM. Always check your specific plan.

Understand the difference
SAME PHONE. DIFFERENT CONNECTION.

What changes when
you change networks?

Tap a connection.
Follow the path your data takes.

↳

Coverage and routing are different things.

A travel eSIM can use a Chinese carrier’s signal while routing data overseas. Airalo describes this for its China eSIM. Check the exact provider and package; it is not a property of every eSIM.

Conceptual diagram. App country eligibility still applies. Source: Airalo help, reviewed 5 Nov 2026.

03 / CONNECT BEFORE YOU GO

Your first connection
starts at home.

Three providers. A clearer starting point.

See the full comparison
CHEAPEST CHINA PLAN
y

Yesim

CHINA
from $3.36USD
  • 1 GB, 30 days
  • 5 GB, 30 days: $13.20
  • Unlimited, 5 days: $21.60
  • Speed may be reduced under the network’s fair-use policy.
See China plansYesim China plans ↗ · Price checked Nov 2, 2026
COMPARE PLANS ON THE PROVIDER PAGE
a

Airalo

CHINA
from $4.00USD
  • 1 GB, 3 days
  • 5 GB, 30 days: $14.50
  • Unlimited, 5 days: $19.00
  • Throttled to 1 Mbps after 3 GB per day.
See China plansAiralo China help ↗ · Price checked Nov 2, 2026
COMPARE PLANS ON THE PROVIDER PAGE
s

Saily

CHINA
from $4.49USD
  • 1 GB, 7 days
  • 5 GB, 30 days: $15.99
  • Unlimited, 5 days: $22.99
  • 5 GB per day at full speed, then up to 1 Mbps.
See China plansSaily China plans ↗ · Price checked Oct 5, 2026

Check eSIM compatibility, carrier unlock, coverage and when validity starts. Buy and install while you have reliable Wi-Fi. Prices in US dollars, from each provider’s China page on the date shown. They change often.

Steamed dumplings in a bamboo basket in Beijing
A little preparation. More time for moments like this. Photo: krzhck
Illustration of a phone, payment code and bank cardILLUSTRATED GUIDE / NO REAL PAYMENT CODE
SMALL SCAN. BIG RELIEF.

Your first dumpling
should be the easy part.

Alipay and WeChat Pay are worth preparing at home. Linking a card is one step; knowing what to do at the counter is the next.

Register. Link. Check.

Install the official app, register with a number you can receive messages on and add an eligible international card. Complete any requested identity checks. Keep access to your bank’s verification method.

Follow the Alipay walkthrough
YOUR PRE-FLIGHT COMPANION

A few small steps.
A much smoother
landing.

Tick it off now. Thank yourself later.
Your progress stays in this browser.

0/5READY FOR TAKE-OFF

NIHAOREADY / DEPARTURE CHECK
FROMPlanning
✈
TOReady.
LESS ADMIN.
MORE ADVENTURE.
04 / CHINA, IN MORE THAN ONE FRAME

Find a place.
Make it your own.

Get a feel for the place.
Then open the guide for the practical details.

Build your China route
A LITTLE HELLO GOES A LONG WAY

A few words.
A warmer welcome.

Tap to copy the Chinese phrase.
Save it to your notes before you go.

A FEW THINGS YOU’RE WONDERING

Good questions.
Straight answers.

One less open tab.
One more thing sorted.

Explore all guides
What should I set up before flying to China?

Arrange mobile data, register Alipay or WeChat Pay, save your hotel address and offline translations, and check your passport and entry requirements. Install the apps while you still have access to your usual app store.

Will my usual apps work in China?

Many familiar services are restricted on mainland local networks. Some international roaming eSIMs offer overseas routing. Check the exact plan: internet access and eligibility for an app are separate questions.

Can I use Alipay with a foreign bank card?

Yes. Alipay allows eligible international cards for everyday merchant payments. Register, link a card and complete any requested identity checks. Personal transfers and other financial features have different restrictions.

Do I still need cash?

Keep a backup payment method. A linked card can be declined and a phone can run out of battery. Ask your bank about overseas fees and keep access to a physical card and some renminbi.

Is a VPN guaranteed to work in China?

No. NordVPN publishes China-specific connection support, but that is not a guarantee of availability. Review current provider guidance before paying and follow applicable local rules.

Pack your curiosity.
We’ll help with the rest.

Let’s get you ready