A travel eSIM is the right call for most short trips now, but the app never sets your speed, the local network does.
The costliest mistake happens before you leave: an eSIM for a phone with no chip or still carrier-locked, which many sellers will not refund.
- Check the phone is eSIM-capable and unlocked first, and never activate if unsure
- Airalo is the default: pay per gigabyte, 200-plus countries, from about $4
- Holafly sells unlimited by the day, but it throttles and caps tethering
- Sim Local when you work off your phone: up to 10 GB a day at full speed, with tethering
- For a long or heavy stay buy the local shop SIM, and install a China eSIM before you land
The sleek app is just a storefront in front of a network you have never heard of.
