Holafly eSIM Review: Is It a Reliable eSIM for China Travel?

Holafly is one of the most popular eSIM providers out there, covering over 210 destinations worldwide and offering unlimited data in 155 of them.

We’ve tested their digital eSIMs around the world before, from Europe and the USA, all the way to Japan. But on our latest trip, we wanted to push the provider to its limits, by exploring China.

In this article, we’ll share our experience using Holafly's China eSIM as we traveled across China, including Shanghai, Hangzhou, Zhangjiajie, and more. We’ll explain exactly how the eSIM works, the associated costs of this eSIM, and what alternatives are available for China travel.

Holafly eSIM China: What’s in the Offer?

We opted for the China-only eSIM during our time in Shanghai and Hangzhou as no other Asian destinations were on our itinerary. During our 30-day trip, we paid a total of USD 74.90 (USD 2.50 per day) for Holafly’s unlimited data package

However, if you are traveling to multiple Asian countries, know that Holafly Asian Regional eSIM can also be an option for you. It’s a little more expensive than the China eSIM, but much more convenient because you can connect across multiple Asian countries. To give you an idea of pricing, you can find them both in the table below:

Number of Days	China eSIM	Asia eSIM
1	$5.90	$5.90
3	$12.90	$20.90
5	$20.90	$28.90
7	$28.90	$36.90
14	$47.90	$48.90
30	$74.90	$89.90
90	$136.90	$218.90

Holafly China eSIM

In terms of features, if you opt for Holafly China eSIM like we did, that's what you can expect:

• Speed: 3G/4G/LTE/5G
• Hotspot: 500mb per day to share with others
• Plan type: Unlimited data
• SMS: Not included
• Calls: No, although you can still use VOIP apps
• Network: China Mobile (top network provider in China)

Based on our experience testing it, you won't have any coverage issues in most of the major cities throughout China. Even better, since local providers in China restrict access to some websites and social media, Holafly eSIMs come with integrated VPNs, allowing you to browse freely without restrictions or connectivity problems. However, be aware that coverage may become unstable in remote or isolated areas (it happened to us in some parts of the Yunnan province, though this heavily depends on China's telecom infrastructure).

Holafly Asia eSIM

The Holafly Asia eSIM offers the same benefits as the China eSIM (including unlimited data) with coverage not only in China but also in the following countries:

• Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Taiwan, Pakistan, Cambodia, Macau and Laos.

How Does the Holafly China eSIM Work?

We’ve been using Holafly on each and every continent for years and we’re now super familiar with the setup process. If you have used an eSIM before, the process is very similar, so here's for you a quick step-by-step guide on how to get your Holafly eSIM up and running:

Holafly eSIM Purchasing Process for China

We are conscious though that if you are new to the brand (or eSIMs in general) it might not be easy to figure out on your first installation, so here's exactly how the Holafly eSIM for China works in detail:

Step 1

Use the Holafly website or mobile app to find the Holafly China eSIM using their search bar.

Step 2

Once you've found the China eSIM, pick the desired duration of your plan (1-90 days ) and number of eSIMs (1-200) to tailor your package.

Step 3

Use the “Check Compatibility” tool beneath the eSIM listing on desktop and follow the on-screen instructions to double-check your device compatibility. If you're on the mobile app and you are not sure, simply contact customer service via chat to verify your device.

Step 4 

Select “Get unlimited internet” on desktop or tap on the checkout button on mobile and begin the checkout process. 

Step 5

Check out as normal, ensuring that both your telephone number and email address are entered correctly. These are required for the installation and activation process.

Holafly China eSIM: Installation and Activation Process

Holafly will email a QR code (or manual installation code), ready to install your eSIM once the payment has been processed.

Both iPhone and Android users can follow the online instruction manual (emailed alongside the QR code). Alternatively, check out our step-by-step guide or follow the steps to activate and install the eSIM:

1. Open the email received from Holafly including the QR code. For devices running iOS17+, take a screenshot of this code. For Android devices or iOS devices running older software, simply open the email on a separate device, ready to scan the QR code. 
2. In your device's “General Settings”, locate the “Mobile Data / Cellular” settings.
3. Choose the “Add Data Plan” option before scanning the QR code. This will both install and activate the Holafly eSIM.
4. Continue by following the on-screen instructions to complete the eSIM step-up process. Here you can tweak cellular data, SMS, and call preferences.
5. Rename the eSIM with “China eSIM” or similar before closing the settings.

Your China eSIM will then be ready for use when landing in China and local data can be accessed immediately after turning off your “Airplane Mode”.

Our Experience Using Holafly’s China eSIM

When taking the Holafly eSIM to China, we expected a few issues with connectivity and internet speeds, considering we'd be using a VPN throughout our stay.

However, we were thrilled to find that the eSIMs performed faultlessly on the entire trip, making accessing the internet in China super easy. During our time in the country, we took reliable measurements of both the download and the upload speeds we experienced and documented these in the table below:

Location	Download Speed	Upload Speed
Shanghai	79.31 Mbps	14.96 Mbps
Hangzhou	56.11 Mbps	12.23 Mbps
Dali	36.38 Mbps	10.26 Mbps
Zhangjiajie	20.10 Mbps	9.34 Mbps

Although the internet on our phone worked without a hitch, we must say that the hotspot limit did prove a little frustrating at times. Holafly offers just 500MB per day as a hotspot allowance, making it tricky when using the mobile as the primary internet connection, so that's just something to keep in mind.

We also did get stuck a couple of times when working from our laptop tethered to the mobile hotspot, but quickly learned to work around the limitations.

Pros and Cons of Holafly eSIM for China

So, if you are considering picking Holafly as your next eSIM for China, here is a short list of the pros and cons of the Holafly eSIM so you can make your own decision on whether it's the right eSIM for you.

Are There Any Alternatives to Holafly in China?

eSIM providers have come a long way since the launch of Holafly in 2017. Now, there’s a wide range of eSIMs on the market, albeit with varying levels of reliability to be aware of.

In the world of international eSIMs for China, these are the two main competitors to Holafly in China: Airalo and Jetpac.

Airalo

Airalo is widely considered the most popular eSIM for international travel, amassing a large following of digital nomad users.

However, for China in particular, their eSIMs are not a particularly cost-effective solution. A breakdown of the different packages can be found below for reference:

Data Offered	Package Duration	Price (USD)
1 GB	7 Days	$5.00
2 GB	15 Days	$8.50
3 GB	30 Days	$11.50
5 GB	30 Days	$16.50
10 GB	30 Days	$28.00
20 GB	30 Days	$49.00

The biggest difference between Holafly and Airalo lies in the data caps. Where Holafly offers unlimited data for each of their packs, Airalo offers finite data for a set period (e.g. 10 GB for 30 days). This may be a good short-term solution for light-data users visiting the country. However, the Holafly eSIM for China proves a much better solution for data-heavy users.

Jetpac

Similar to Airalo, Jetpac also offers a range of data packages tailored to tourists and international travelers. You can choose from one of the below packages, but again, they do not offer a particularly cost-effective solution for this particular country:

Data Offered	Package Duration	Price (USD)
1 GB	4 Days	$1.00
3 GB	7 Days	$11.00
5 GB	30 Days	$15.00
10 GB	30 Days	$23.00
15 GB	30 Days	$25.00
20 GB	30 Days	$39.00
30 GB	30 Days	$60.00
40 GB	30 Days	$75.00

Jetpac shares many of the same limitations as Airalo when compared to Holafly. Unlimited data packages are not available and users must select a duration of either 4,7 or 30 days that their pack must span. Once again, this may prove useful for short trips to China. But for data-heavy users, the Holafly eSIM is the better solution.

Our Final Thoughts

Life as an international traveler in China isn’t easy, but with the help of a reliable eSIM, access to the internet is made just that little bit smoother.

With unlimited data packages and flexible coverage periods between 1 and 90 days, the Holafly eSIM is a top pick for international travelers, digital nomads, or data-heavy tourists visiting China.

Among the various connectivity options available in China, Airalo and Jetpac are good alternatives, but if price and data are a concern, Holafly is the way to go.

Ready to Give Holafly a Go for Your Trip to China?

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