Buying a Holafly eSIM for China? 

But travelling to this inherently interesting country presents challenges, so it's best to have a reliable eSIM on hand. If you were just about to buy a Holafly eSIM for China, we've got a cool little trick to score a better deal.

What is an eSIM?

New to eSIMs? The eSIM is a digital SIM card profile you download from an app and install on your phone. Once you arrive in China, it automatically connects to a partner network, giving you an instant high-speed connection. The tech works similarly to global roaming, just without the sky-high rates and BS excess data charges.

Most smartphones support eSIMs (see our eSIM compatibility checker), and installing one takes about 5 minutes.

Why get a pre-paid China eSIM?

You don't want to tackle China without data. I know because I did just that in the pre-smartphone era, with tremendous difficulty.

Yes. Foreigners can buy local SIM cards in China. Although cheap, this option is fraught with challenges. You'll need to find a SIM shopfront, wait for service, battle the language barrier, surrender your passport, and wait while your plan is registered.

The worst bit? Local SIMs are subject to the Great Firewall, which blocks all your favourite social media, email, news, and productivity websites and apps.

Global roaming is one way to bypass the Great Firewall. But you'll then be subject to hefty fees, including extortionate excess data charges.

The best eSIMs for China offer a happy middle ground. Prices are way better than roaming, it only takes a few minutes to get set up online, and you can access the full, unrestricted worldwide web.

ZenSim vs Holafly eSIM China review

Holafly is a massive Spanish eSIM brand headquartered in the tax haven of Dublin. Part of its success stems from its extensive affiliate program, which pays bloggers and influencers commissions for recommending the product online. Holafly only sells unlimited data eSIMs.

ZenSim is an Australian Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) selling low-price domestic phone plans and travel eSIMs. In addition to unlimited data eSIMs, we sell a broad range of data-capped plans in 201+ destinations, including China.

Price

While ZenSim has a China-only eSIM, it often doesn't offer the best value. If you're after 20GB or more, it's cheaper to get a ZenSim Asia eSIM instead, which includes China and has a built-in VPN to bypass the Great Firewall.

This quirky travel hack gives you access to the same great China Unicom network for less. Plus, you can take a side-trip to Japan (or another included country) without paying extra for data.

As you can see, the ZenSim Asia unlimited eSIM offers better prices than Holafly on the 15-day and 30-day plans. If you're fine with a data-capped plan, you can save even more money with ZenSim. For 10GB, our China-only eSIM is cheaper than our Asia eSIM.

I'm honestly not sure why pricing works this way, it must be some strange contractual quirk. Just don't tell the boss I told you, as he probably doesn't want this hack made public.

Winner: ZenSim

Sales & discounts

Holafly periodically releases promo codes. The brand also runs a loyalty program called HolaCoins, where customers earn virtual currency by purchasing eSIMs or inviting friends.

ZenSim offers a guaranteed 10% discount for all return customer purchases and top-ups. Our Squad Savings referral program earns you and your mates a A$5 discount each.

Winner: Case dependent

Partner network

Holafly partners with China Mobile Communications Corporation (CMCC), often known as just 'China Mobile.' The company operates the largest mobile tower network in the country and offers good nationwide coverage. However, some users have reported compatibility issues with non-Chinese smartphones.

ZenSim uses the China Unicom network, known for reliable, high-speed connections in cities and major tourist areas. Unless you're riding yaks around the Tibetan plateau, you're probably going to find China Unicom works just fine. Plus, fewer foreign users report compatibility issues with this network.

Winner: Case dependent (Holafly for rural coverage, ZenSim for compatibility)

Average feedback score

Holafly has an average Trustpilot rating of 4.7/5.0 based on 16,000+ reviews. That's higher than many competitors, but still suggests some customers experience issues. The most common complaints concern hidden daily use caps and hotspotting restrictions.

ZenSim currently boasts an industry-leading 4.9/5 stars on ProductReview. Customers say we have the best eSIM for Asia due to our reliable connections and great value for money.

Winner: ZenSim

Unlimited plans

Holafly specialises in unlimited data plans. You'd be forgiven for thinking they'd come up trumps here. Not so.

Holafly hides its daily data use cap within a confusing 'Fair Use Policy.' That means CMCC decides when to throttle your connection. Reddit and other forums are full of disgruntled customers complaining about getting throttled at inconvenient or seemingly random times.

At ZenSim, we have a transparent 3GB/day use cap on all unlimited plans. Once you hit that limit, your speed will drop to 1 Mbps until midnight, when it resets. This predictability allows users to better plan data use.

Winner: ZenSim

Tethering

Holafly restricts hotspotting to 500MB-1GB/day, depending on your plan. That's a dealbreaker for digital nomads, couples sharing one eSIM, or anyone streaming media to another device.

ZenSim has no restrictions on hotspotting. You can tether forever as far as we care.

Remember that local WiFi networks are subject to the Great Firewall. Hotspotting from your phone is the only way to access the unrestricted web via WiFi.

Winner: ZenSim

In-app top ups

As of January 2025, Holafly no longer offers eSIM extensions. If you decide to travel longer, you will have to purchase a new plan and install a whole new eSIM.

In normal circumstances, that's inconvenient. But in China, it could cause a crisis. The Great Firewall blocks access to most Western eSIM websites and apps, potentially making it impossible to purchase a new plan. You could become digitally stranded in a strange country where virtually nobody speaks English.

At ZenSim, we let users add data and day top-ups through our mobile app. We also offer a neat feature called destination top-ups. Say, for example, you're going to England after China. You can add a UK eSIM to your existing China or Asia travel eSIM, rather than stuffing around with two separate plans.

Rest assured, we've tested our app in China and can confirm it's not blocked by the Great Firewall.

Winner: ZenSim

Talk & text

Holafly provides a US number with limited talk & text on its Global eSIM subscription, a premium product suitable for long-term travellers. Talk & text isn't available on the single-trip Holafly China eSIM.

ZenSim is strictly a data-only service. We encourage our customers to use online messaging apps and WiFi calling.

Winner: Tie

Ease of installation

Holafly customers install its eSIM by scanning a QR code on a different screen and following the prompts. If the QR code doesn't work, you can do a manual install by copying a code and pasting it into your phone settings.

ZenSim offers an easier solution: direct, one-click installs through the app. The mega-simple procedure works on almost all Android and iOS smartphones. If you can't get it working, you can still get set up within minutes using a QR code or manual installation (much like Holafly).

Winner: ZenSim

Customer support

Holafly is a massive multinational, so it's no surprise they have a dedicated 24/7 support team. Customers can get in touch through the app, email, or WhatsApp. You might have to deal with a chatbot before reaching a human agent.

At ZenSim, we offer near-24/7 support from native Australians over WhatsApp. If our team doesn't get back to you straight away, rest assured we'll respond shortly.

Winner: Case dependent. Holafly has longer hours, but ZenSim has personalised, native-Australian support.

Refunds

Holafly offers refunds for three main reasons, albeit with various caveats attached.

• Change of plans: you must have bought your eSIM from the Holafly app/website less than 6 months ago, and must not have activated it.
• Incompatible/locked phone: you must not have scanned the QR code or activated the plan, and must have purchased it within 6 months.
• Connection issues: a full or partial refund may be provided. We're pretty relaxed about refunds. ZenSim customers get a 100% money-back guarantee for any reason before departure. If you have already activated your eSIM (by arriving at your destination), get in touch with us via WhatsApp, and we'll see what we can do.

Winner: ZenSim

ZenSim vs Holafly China eSIM: the verdict

The ZenSim Asia eSIM bypasses the Great Firewall and offers better prices than Holafly for travellers visiting China. Choosing ZenSim also means you get a stack of other handy benefits, including a predictable daily use cap, unlimited hotspotting, and a generous refund policy.

Don't pay more than you have to for data in China. Grab your ZenSim Asia eSIM today, or check out the China eSIM for a better price on a 10GB plan.