Continuing with the available eSIM roaming plans for use in China, there are two primary options worth considering:
- BNE SIM This provider offers a 50GB data package with no expiration date. New users can receive a 30% discount on their first purchase, bringing the total cost for 50GB down to approximately $20 (about $0.40 per GB).
The main advantage is that the data never expires, so you can use it indefinitely. While renewing data on an existing account is more expensive, you can circumvent this by registering a new account to reuse the 30% discount. The only downside is the minor inconvenience of having to install a new eSIM profile each time.
- Superalink Superalink appears to be a Korean service provider. Their 5-day China data plan is originally priced at around $6.45, but they offer a $5 discount for new registrations. This brings the cost down to just $1.45 for 5 days.
By consistently registering new accounts to take advantage of this promotion, the cost averages out to only $0.30 per day. For a foreigner residing in or frequently traveling to China, this is a very practical and affordable option.
Key features of the Superalink plan:
- It provides 5GB of high-speed data daily (speeds are throttled after 5GB, but connectivity remains active).
- It is suitable for long-term use if you are willing to manage the logistics.
- Although it requires the manual effort of switching to a new eSIM every five days, the total annual cost is only about $100 (approximately 700 RMB), which is exceptionally cheap.
A few things worth weighing before committing to either strategy:
The recurring “new account” trick works until it doesn’t. Both providers likely have device-level fingerprinting (IMEI, payment method, email patterns) to detect repeat signups, and TOS usually prohibit it. Worst case, an account gets flagged mid-trip and you’re stuck without data in a country where getting back online without a working number is genuinely painful. For short visits that’s a minor risk; for someone living in or frequently commuting to China, it’s worth factoring in.