Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot in China?

Airalo says hotspot works on its eSIMs. Saily says hotspot works on its eSIMs. SefereSIM does not guarantee hotspot, because nothing in our supplier data promises it.

When do the days of an eSIM for China start?

SefereSIM: When the eSIM first connects to a network, on every plan matched above. Airalo: Most plans start when the eSIM first connects to a supported network at the destination; a few start on install, as the plan details say. Every plan on the pages we read starts on first use. Saily: The plan starts when you arrive and connect to a supported network. If it is never used, it starts on its own 180 days after purchase. It cannot be paused.

Comparison

Best eSIM for China (2026): SefereSIM vs Airalo and Saily

This page compares what SefereSIM, Airalo and Saily charge for an eSIM in China, size by size. SefereSIM wrote this page, and SefereSIM sells one of the eSIMs compared here, so please check our figures against the sources linked below. Competitor prices were checked on 9 November 2026. Our own prices are read live from our catalogue each time this page loads. All prices are in US dollars.

9 November 2026 · All comparisons

The short answer

SefereSIM is the cheapest in all 4 fixed-data sizes we compared for China.

For 7 days of unlimited data, SefereSIM costs least ($6.44) but gives full speed for only 500 MB a day, then 384 Kbps; Airalo ($27.00, 3 GB a day) and Saily ($34.99 for 10 days, 5 GB a day) give more full-speed data for more money.

For 30 days of unlimited data, SefereSIM costs least ($24.60) but gives full speed for only 500 MB a day, then 384 Kbps; Airalo ($69.00, 3 GB a day) and Saily ($71.99, 5 GB a day) give more full-speed data for more money.

Fixed data: the price of each plan size

Each provider's cheapest plan with at least this much data for at least this many days. Competitor prices checked on 9 November 2026; ours are live.
Plan size	SefereSIM	Airalo	Saily
1 GB, 7 days	Cheapest1 GB, 7 days$1.40$1.40 per GB	3 GB, 7 days$10.50$3.50 per GBSource	1 GB, 7 days$4.49$4.49 per GBvia eSIMDB's listing of Saily Source
5 GB, 30 days	Cheapest5 GB, 30 days$5.92$1.18 per GB	5 GB, 30 days$15.50$3.10 per GBSource	5 GB, 30 days$15.99$3.20 per GBvia eSIMDB's listing of Saily Source
10 GB, 30 days	Cheapest10 GB, 30 days$11.70$1.17 per GB	10 GB, 30 days$26.50$2.65 per GBSource	10 GB, 30 days$26.99$2.70 per GBvia eSIMDB's listing of Saily Source
20 GB, 30 days	Cheapest20 GB, 30 days$20.50$1.02 per GB	20 GB, 30 days$40.00$2.00 per GBSource	20 GB, 30 days$45.99$2.30 per GBvia eSIMDB's listing of Saily Source

Unlimited data: 7 and 30 days

Each provider's cheapest plan sold as unlimited for this many days, or its next longest, with its fair-use terms. Every one of them slows down after a daily full-speed allowance.
Plan size	SefereSIM	Airalo	Saily
Unlimited, 7 days	CheapestUnlimited, 7 days$6.44$0.92 per dayFull speed for 500 MB a day, then 384 Kbps	Unlimited, 7 days$27.00$3.86 per dayFull speed for 3 GB a day, then 1 MbpsSource	Unlimited, 10 days$34.99$3.50 per dayFull speed for 5 GB a day, then about 1 Mbpsvia eSIMDB's listing of Saily Source¹
Unlimited, 30 days	CheapestUnlimited, 30 days$24.60$0.82 per dayFull speed for 500 MB a day, then 384 Kbps	Unlimited, 30 days$69.00$2.30 per dayFull speed for 3 GB a day, then 1 MbpsSource	Unlimited, 30 days$71.99$2.40 per dayFull speed for 5 GB a day, then about 1 Mbpsvia eSIMDB's listing of Saily Source²

Notes

Saily sells no 7 day unlimited plan here; this is its next longest, 10 days.
Saily's Global plan, 30 days for $59.99, also covers this destination, with 30 GB at full speed in total and then 1 Mbps.

Hotspot, top-ups, speed and when the days start

From each provider's own help pages, checked on 9 November 2026. Our column describes the plans matched above.
Policy	SefereSIM	Airalo	Saily
Hotspot	Not guaranteed. Nothing in our supplier data promises hotspot on these plans, so we do not claim it.	YesAiralo's help centre says hotspot works when the phone and the network support it. On unlimited plans, hotspot use counts toward the daily full-speed allowance.Source	YesSaily's help centre explains how to share data as a hotspot. Shared data comes out of the plan's allowance, and Saily's fair use policy applies.Source
Top-up on the same eSIM	Yes on the fixed-data plans matched above; no on the unlimited ones.	Depends on the planOnly some Airalo eSIMs can be topped up; the plan details say which before you buy. Airalo's Türkiye unlimited plans are marked as not rechargeable.Source	YesYou can add data to the same eSIM in the Saily app, once or automatically.Source
Speed and fair use	Network types listed on the matched plans: 3G/4G/5G.Unlimited, 7 days: full speed for 500 MB a day, then 384 Kbps.Unlimited, 30 days: full speed for 500 MB a day, then 384 Kbps.	Unlimited plans: full speed for 3 GB a day (5 GB on some plans), then 1 Mbps until the day resets. Airalo gives no speed guarantee. Fixed-data plans state no slowdown.Source	Unlimited plans have a daily full-speed allowance (5 GB on most country plans, 3 GB for Saudi Arabia and the UAE, per eSIMDB), then about 1 Mbps until the day resets.Source
When the days start	When the eSIM first connects to a network, on every plan matched above.	Most plans start when the eSIM first connects to a supported network at the destination; a few start on install, as the plan details say. Every plan on the pages we read starts on first use.Source	The plan starts when you arrive and connect to a supported network. If it is never used, it starts on its own 180 days after purchase. It cannot be paused.Source

When another eSIM is the better pick

If you need more than 500 MB a day at full speed for 7 days, look at Airalo ($27.00, full speed for 3 GB a day, then 1 Mbps) and Saily ($34.99 for 10 days, full speed for 5 GB a day, then about 1 Mbps).
If you need more than 500 MB a day at full speed for 30 days, look at Airalo ($69.00, full speed for 3 GB a day, then 1 Mbps) and Saily ($71.99, full speed for 5 GB a day, then about 1 Mbps).
If you need a hotspot for a laptop, Airalo and Saily say hotspot works on their eSIMs; we do not guarantee it on ours.

How we compared

For each size we took each provider's cheapest plan with at least that much data and at least that many days. A cell can therefore show a bigger plan than its row, and it always names the plan matched.

Unlimited rows compare plans sold as unlimited for exactly 7 or 30 days, or a provider's next longest plan where it sells neither length.

Our column is read live from our catalogue each time this page loads: the cheapest plan on our China page that fits, including multi-country plans that cover China. Our unlimited row is our cheapest Unlimited plan of that length.

Competitor prices are the regular prices each page listed on 9 November 2026, without promo codes or first-order discounts.

Saily's own website refused our automated reads, so its prices come from eSIMDB's listing of Saily. Please check them on Saily's own site before you buy.

Holafly was not checked this week: its website did not answer our requests, so it has no column on this page.

We re-check these prices every week. A competitor price older than 45 days is taken off the page rather than left up.

Sources

Airalo, checked 9 November 2026https://www.airalo.com/china-esim
Saily, checked 9 November 2026https://esimdb.com/china/saily
Airalo, checked 9 November 2026https://www.airalo.com/help/using-managing-esims/ZSEEHBT5HW6F/can-i-use-tethering-personal-hotspot/5XTAX1X7HR0B
Airalo, checked 9 November 2026https://www.airalo.com/help/using-managing-esims/ZSEEHBT5HW6F/how-can-i-top-up-an-esim/2DMCF3341SYF
Airalo, checked 9 November 2026https://www.airalo.com/m/resources/unlimited-data-plans-fair-use-policy
Airalo, checked 9 November 2026https://www.airalo.com/help/using-managing-esims/ZSEEHBT5HW6F/how-do-data-amounts-and-validity-periods-work-for-esim-packages/8KC1GEAUTAL0
Saily, checked 9 November 2026https://support.saily.com/hc/en-us/articles/12822169782812-How-to-set-up-a-hotspot-with-Saily-eSIM
Saily, checked 9 November 2026https://support.saily.com/hc/en-us/articles/12823216658204-Can-I-top-up-an-eSIM
Saily, checked 9 November 2026https://support.saily.com/hc/en-us/articles/31092295169948-How-Saily-data-plans-work-total-vs-daily-data-Unlimited-plans-and-speed-limits
Saily, checked 9 November 2026https://support.saily.com/hc/en-us/articles/21484628749084-Saily-data-plan-management

Questions

Which eSIM is cheapest for China?: SefereSIM is the cheapest in all 4 fixed-data sizes we compared for China.
Is there an unlimited eSIM for China?: For 7 days of unlimited data, SefereSIM costs least ($6.44) but gives full speed for only 500 MB a day, then 384 Kbps; Airalo ($27.00, 3 GB a day) and Saily ($34.99 for 10 days, 5 GB a day) give more full-speed data for more money. For 30 days of unlimited data, SefereSIM costs least ($24.60) but gives full speed for only 500 MB a day, then 384 Kbps; Airalo ($69.00, 3 GB a day) and Saily ($71.99, 5 GB a day) give more full-speed data for more money. Every unlimited plan here slows down after a daily full-speed allowance.
Can I use the eSIM as a hotspot in China?: Airalo says hotspot works on its eSIMs. Saily says hotspot works on its eSIMs. SefereSIM does not guarantee hotspot, because nothing in our supplier data promises it.
When do the days of an eSIM for China start?: SefereSIM: When the eSIM first connects to a network, on every plan matched above. Airalo: Most plans start when the eSIM first connects to a supported network at the destination; a few start on install, as the plan details say. Every plan on the pages we read starts on first use. Saily: The plan starts when you arrive and connect to a supported network. If it is never used, it starts on its own 180 days after purchase. It cannot be paused.

SefereSIM plans for China

Every plan we sell for China, with live prices, on one page.

See our China plans