Are you one of those travelers can’t conceive the thought of not visiting tourist attractions such as the Jade Buddha Temple, the Yuyuan Gardens, the Minhang canals, or the Oriental Pearl Tower? Certainly, if you want to share the best moments in these places on your social media, your best option is to get a data plan with an eSIM for Shanghai.
So, keep reading to learn about the features, plans, rates, coverage, alternatives, and other key aspects of using an eSIM to connect to the international internet in this destination in China. Also, find why eSIMs are the best alternative to roaming or international data roaming costs.
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What you should know about eSIM for Shanghai
Regardless of the country you’re going to visit, you should keep in mind that the international eSIM, or virtual chip, came to make the cellular market tremble. Indeed, we’re talking about the natural evolution of SIM cards. An eSIM consists of an embedded universal integrated circuit card chip that is pre-installed into a device. You can find them in smartphones such as the iPhone, a large part of the Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Motorola Razr, and Huawei P40, and some models from OPPO and HAMMER.
Moreover, you can buy them easily in web stores that guide you through the installation, setup, and activation process. They also offer a wide variety of highly competitive rates against roaming costs, so the eSIM for Shanghai becomes an essential product for tourists and travelers who want to stay connected to the best internet networks.
Although we already gave you a quick tip on which cell phones are compatible with eSIM technology, it won’t hurt to check if these virtual SIM cards can be used on your cellphone. Also, you must have an email account to register and thus receive a QR code to install, set up, and activate your eSIM for Shanghai. In like manner, according to the provider or operator, in some cases, you’ll have to download their official app to install this eSIM.
Finally, you need to have a prior internet connection via a WiFi hotspot or your data plan. Obviously, this way you can download your eSIM profile from the operator’s servers, scan the QR code and install the eSIM for Shanghai.
(You may be interested in Best eSIM for the USA)
Cellular providers of eSIM cards to travel to Shanghai
Before buying an eSIM for Shanghai, it’s worth knowing some of the most important providers of this product. For this reason, take a look at their rates, coverage, and requirements to buy the eSIM. In detail, compare them, analyze what they offer, and make the decision that allows you better to manage your travel budget in this Asian destination:
- Holafly
- Trifa
- Soracom Mobile
- Manet eSIM
- Webbing
- Wificoin
Prices and data plans of eSIM providers for Shanghai
As per the providers that we have just listed, it’s necessary to consider that the variation in prices is due to coverage, roaming agreements, geographic location, and physical and virtual support available to serve their users in the purchasing process.
Plans and prices of the Holafly eSIM for Shanghai*
- 5 days at $19.00 USD
- 10 days at $34.00
- 15 days at $47.00
- 20 days at $57.00
- 30 days at $69.00
- 60 days at $87.00
- 90 days at $99.00
*Plans for China with unlimited data and VPN so you can browse without restrictions.
Plans and prices of the Trifa eSIM for Shanghai
- 7 days, with 1 GB, at $9.05
- 15 days, with 3 GB, at $20.42
- 31 days, with 10 GB, at $60.12
Prices of the Soracom Mobile eSIM for Shanghai
- 30 days, with 1 GB, at $14.81
- 30 days, with 3 GB, at $44.46
- 30 days, with 5 GB, at $71.55
- 30 days, with 10 GB, at $143.11
Plans and prices of the Manet eSIM for Shanghai
- 1 day, with 300 MB, at $7.20
- 30 days, with 1 GB, at $18.00
- 30 days, with 3 GB, at $39.00
Plans of the Webbing eSIM for Shanghai
- 1 day, with 500 MB, at $12.27
- 30 days, with 3 GB, at $53.16
Comparison of eSIM carriers for Shanghai
| Provider | Data | Days | Price (USD) | Language | Sales channels |
| Holafly | Unlimited | 30 | $69 | Spanish, English, French, and German | Web |
| Trifa | 1 GB | 30 | $9.01 | English | Web/App |
| Trifa | 3 GB | 30 | $20.31 | English | Web/App |
| Trifa | 10 GB | 30 | $59.79 | English | Web/App |
| Soracom Mobile | 1 GB | 30 | $14.81 | English | Web/App |
| Soracom Mobile | 3 GB | 30 | $44.46 | English | Web/App |
| Soracom Mobile | 5 GB | 30 | $71.55 | English | Web/App |
| Soracom Mobile | 10 GB | 30 | $143.11 | English | Web/App |
| eSIM Manet | 1 GB | 30 | $18.00 | English | Web |
| eSIM Manet | 3 GB | 30 | $39.00 | English | Web |
| Webbing | 3 GB | 30 | $53.16 | English | Web/App |
Features of the eSIM to travel to Shanghai
The eSIM for one of the main cities in China has features that you should bear in mind so that your internet connection experience in this country is the best:
- Many of the virtual chips for Shanghai include VPNs so you can browse without any restrictions.
- Connection to one of the best networks in China such as China Unicom.
- Due to how striking this destination is for millions of tourists in the world, the best eSIMs for this city come with unlimited data.
- As a convenience to users, travelers and tourists can call and send messages to their WhatsApp contacts as if they were at home.
- To emphasize, the eSIM for Shanghai, like most eSIM plans, doesn’t offer analog calls, only data. So, to make calls, you can use apps such as Skype or WhatsApp.
- Virtual chips can only be installed once.
- You must remember that not all eSIMs allow you to share data with other devices.
- Specifically, the eSIM setup is vital to avoid surprise bills for international roaming.
(You may be interested in Best eSIM for Europe)
Coverage of eSIM for Shanghai
Before you buy your eSIM for Shanghai with a data plan, you should know the coverage it offers you. Indeed, this will allow you to compare the scope of each operator through their eSIMs and help you decide if it’s worth the quality/price ratio that they offer.
Therefore, take a look at the coverage maps of the local operators in Shanghai presented to us by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA). This way you can decide which best suits you regarding internet connection in this Chinese city:
Telecom coverage map for Shanghai
China Mobile coverage map for Shanghai
Unicom coverage map for Shanghai
Local cellular operators offering eSIM for Shanghai
Shanghai is a rapidly developing city that is covered by the services of different cellular operators. In fact, most of them offer 5G connectivity and eSIM plans. Surely, this option is available to locals and residents of this city who are looking to move from their physical SIM cards, contracted with a regular operator, to the functionalities provided by an eSIM.
So, if it’s your first time in this city, you should know that the eSIMs of the local cellular operators are virtually only intended for permanent residents and not for travelers, with some exceptions. For instance, among the operators that offer data plans for Shanghai through virtual chips we find:
- 1010
- China Mobile
- China Mobile Hong Kong
- China Telecom
- China Unicom
- Csl
- SmarTone
FAQ about eSIM for Shanghai
Generally speaking, these are some of the most common questions from eSIM users for Shanghai that could be useful if you’re traveling to this Asian destination for the first time:
Once you spend the contracted data plan or use up all your data, the eSIM will stop working, and your internet connection will be cut off.
eSIMs for Shanghai usually come with a VPN as well as a data plan with a specific number of days of use. Therefore, you can’t extend the use unless you buy another eSIM.
Yes, for your eSIM to get better coverage in Shanghai you must leave the “Mobile/Cellular roaming”, or “Roaming” option activated. Keep in mind that the use of this option doesn’t mean any surcharge for you or any surprise bill as long as you have configured your operator’s eSIM for your cellular data.
It’s not necessary to present a passport, although some providers will most likely ask you for your address details while you are in the city.
After installing the eSIM you have purchased, you must choose it as the default means of cellualr data, then activate the data and roaming and your virtual chip will start working.
