Airalo vs Nomad for China (November 2026): Which eSIM to Buy
Airalo vs Nomad for China: WhatsApp, Google Maps and ChatGPT evidence, real Nomad speeds, unlimited limits and which package to buy.
Published 2026-11-06 Updated 2026-11-08
Airalo says Google Maps and WhatsApp work on its China eSIM without a VPN. On Nomad, Google Maps, WhatsApp and ChatGPT worked on my own phone in Shanghai. I’ve tested Nomad in China; I haven’t tested Airalo there. Airalo’s plan details come from its own website, checked on 5 November 2026; its app-access guidance was rechecked on 7 November.
The short answer:
- For most trips, Nomad. It sells fixed-data plans from 1 GB to 50 GB, which cost less than unlimited data for most travelers, and its unlimited plans cost less than Airalo’s for 5 to 15 days. It’s the one of the two I’ve tested in China.
- Airalo’s China eSIM comes only as unlimited data, for 3 to 30 days, with 3 GB a day at full speed.
- The tables below show which Nomad plan to buy for your data needs and trip length.
Airalo vs Nomad at a glance
| Nomad | Airalo | |
|---|---|---|
| Tested in China by me | Yes: Shanghai, 2 tests | No |
| Network in China | China Unicom, China Telecom | China Unicom |
| Apps without a VPN | WhatsApp, Google Maps, Instagram and ChatGPT worked in my tests; TikTok and Microsoft Copilot didn’t | Airalo says Google Maps and WhatsApp work; ChatGPT is unconfirmed |
| Data exits through | Hong Kong, in my tests | A gateway outside mainland China; Airalo doesn’t say where |
| China plans | Fixed data, 1 GB to 50 GB; unlimited, 3 to 15 days | Unlimited only, 3 to 30 days |
| Full speed on unlimited | 2 GB a day, then slowed | 3 GB a day, then 1 Mbps |
| Hotspot | Allowed; very slow in my tests | Allowed, any number of devices |
| Cheapest China plan | $5.00 for 1 GB, 7 days | $11.50 for 3 days of unlimited data |
| Refunds | Within 30 days if not activated, even after installing; unlimited plans can’t be refunded | Within 14 days of purchase, if you haven’t started using it |
| Topping up | Buy an add-on before your data runs out | Top-ups where available |
Which one should you buy?
For most trips, Nomad. It’s the one I’ve tested in China, its fixed-data plans cost less than unlimited for typical use, and its unlimited plans cost less than Airalo’s for 5 to 15 days. The one case for Airalo is unlimited data for longer than 15 days: Nomad’s unlimited plans stop at 15, and Airalo sells 30 days for $69.00.
If you know how much data you need
| You need | Buy this Nomad plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | Nomad, 1 GB, 7 days | $5.00 |
| 3 GB | Nomad, 3 GB, 30 days | $10.00 |
| 5 GB | Nomad, 5 GB, 30 days | $14.00 |
| 10 GB | Nomad, 10 GB, 30 days | $19.00 |
| 20 GB | Nomad, 20 GB, 30 days | $22.00 |
| Up to 50 GB | Nomad, 50 GB, 45 days | $37.00 |
Need more than 50 GB? Buy the 50 GB plan and add more before it runs out.
If you know how long you’re staying
Moderate use, with maps, messages, payments, social media and the odd video call, comes to about 0.8 GB a day. Heavy use, with videos, video calls or a hotspot most days, comes to about 2 GB a day (here’s how I worked that out). Each row compares every Nomad plan with enough data for the whole trip, fixed or unlimited, and shows the cheapest:
Moderate use:
| Trip length | Buy this Nomad plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days (2.5 GB) | Nomad, 3 GB, 30 days | $10.00 |
| 5 days (4 GB) | Nomad, 5 GB, 30 days | $14.00 |
| About a week (6 GB) | Nomad, 10 GB, 30 days | $19.00 |
| 10 days (8 GB) | Nomad, 10 GB, 30 days | $19.00 |
| Two weeks (12 GB) | Nomad, 20 GB, 30 days | $22.00 |
| A month (25 GB) | Nomad, 50 GB, 45 days | $37.00 |
Heavy use:
| Trip length | Buy this Nomad plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days (6 GB) | Nomad, 3 days | $12.00 |
| 5 days (10 GB) | Nomad, 5 days | $18.00 |
| About a week (14 GB) | Nomad, 20 GB, 30 days | $22.00 |
| 10 days (20 GB) | Nomad, 20 GB, 30 days | $22.00 |
| Two weeks (29 GB) | Nomad, 50 GB, 45 days | $37.00 |
| A month (60 GB) | Nomad, 50 GB, 45 days | $37.00 |
A plan shown only in days, such as “3 days”, is Nomad’s unlimited plan for that length. For a month of heavy use, add data to the 50 GB plan before it runs out; Nomad’s unlimited plans stop at 15 days. A fixed bundle has no daily speed limit, so you can use 5 GB on a day of video calls and less on the next. For the full test results, see my Nomad review. Deciding between Nomad and Yesim? See Nomad vs Yesim.
Discount codes
Nomad’s free 1GB / 3-day app trial is for new users; redeeming it rules out new-user promo codes.
Speed and apps in China
I can only speak for Nomad here. I tested it twice in Shanghai, on my iPhone 12 mini:
| Where and when | Download | Upload | Ping |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hongqiao Airport, 14 Aug 2026 (5G) | 68.2 Mbps | 38.4 Mbps | 95 ms |
| Shanghai hotel, 2 Nov 2026 (4G) | 15.5 Mbps | 1.18 Mbps | 122 ms |
At the airport it was fast. In the hotel it was slow, but still fine for maps, messaging and browsing; sending photos and videos is slow at 1.18 Mbps up.
Nomad sent my data out through Hong Kong, so Google, including Google Maps, plus Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Grok all loaded without a VPN. TikTok and Microsoft Copilot didn’t, so if you need either, you’ll still want a VPN (here’s what they cost). The hotspot connected but was very slow, only good enough for web pages on the second device.
Airalo says its China eSIM sends your data through gateways outside mainland China, so Google Maps, WhatsApp, social media and email work without a VPN. It doesn’t say which country the data exits through, or whether TikTok works. Its China eSIM runs on China Unicom, while Nomad’s China plans use China Unicom and China Telecom.
Which works with WhatsApp, Google Maps and ChatGPT in China?
For these three apps, Nomad has my China field results: WhatsApp, Google Maps and ChatGPT worked without a separate VPN. Airalo has official guidance for Google Maps and WhatsApp, but I haven’t tested it in China. Its help page doesn’t explicitly confirm ChatGPT and notes that AI services can impose their own geographic restrictions.
| eSIM | Google Maps | ChatGPT | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nomad eSIM | Tested: worked without a VPN | Tested: worked without a VPN | Tested: worked without a VPN |
| Airalo | Brand says it works | Brand says it works | Not confirmed |
“Tested” refers to my checks on the reviewed China plan. “Brand says” is official information, with field testing still pending. “Not confirmed” means the checked official pages don't establish support; it doesn't mean the app is proven blocked. App access doesn't guarantee every navigation, registration or account feature.
If ChatGPT is central to your choice, I’d prefer the recorded Nomad result over assuming every internationally routed eSIM supports it. These are app-access results and official statements, not guarantees for every login, account or map feature.
Unlimited plans compared
Airalo’s China eSIM only comes as unlimited data. Here are both brands’ unlimited plans for mainland China, in US dollars on each brand’s own website:
| Length | Nomad | Airalo |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | $12.00 | $11.50 |
| 5 days | $18.00 | $19.00 |
| 7 days | $25.00 | $27.00 |
| 10 days | $33.00 | $35.00 |
| 15 days | $39.00 | $49.00 |
| 30 days | — | $69.00 |
| Full speed each day | 2 GB, then slowed | 3 GB, then 1 Mbps |
Nomad costs less for 5 to 15 days, and Airalo for 3 days. Nomad’s unlimited plans stop at 15 days, while Airalo’s go up to 30.
Neither is unlimited at full speed. Nomad gives you 2 GB a day, then slows you down until your next 24-hour cycle: to about 1 Mbps according to its help center, or 512 kbps according to its fair usage policy. Airalo’s default is 3 GB a day, then 1 Mbps for the rest of that 24-hour period, and its China plans don’t list a different limit. Either way, the slow speed is enough for maps and messages, but not for video.
Fixed-data plans: Nomad only
If you’d rather pay for a set amount of data, only Nomad sells that for China. Airalo’s China page lists no fixed-data plans; it suggests its Asia and Global eSIMs instead, which also cover China.
| Data | Valid for | Nomad price |
|---|---|---|
| 1 GB | 7 days | $5.00 |
| 3 GB | 30 days | $10.00 |
| 5 GB | 30 days | $14.00 |
| 10 GB | 30 days | $19.00 |
| 20 GB | 30 days | $22.00 |
| 50 GB | 45 days | $37.00 |
For most trips, a fixed plan is the cheaper way to buy. A week of moderate use comes to about 6 GB, so Nomad’s 10 GB plan ($19.00) covers it, against $25.00 for Nomad’s 7-day unlimited plan and $27.00 for Airalo’s. When I checked on 5 November 2026, Nomad’s 10 GB and 20 GB plans were on sale, so check today’s price before you buy.
Refunds, activation and top-ups
Buy and install before you fly. Nomad won’t sell you a new plan once you’re in mainland China, and provider websites may not load there, so set the eSIM up at home on Wi-Fi. Nomad’s days start when the eSIM connects to a network in China, or by themselves 60 days after purchase. For most Airalo packages, days start when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination; the Airalo app shows each package’s validity policy.
Refunds. Nomad refunds a plan within 30 days of purchase if it hasn’t been activated, even after you’ve installed it. The exceptions are unlimited plans, which can’t be refunded, and plans bought with a discount code, once they’re installed. Airalo’s terms give you 14 days from purchase to cancel an eSIM you haven’t started using, and refunds you request in the Airalo app come back as Airmoney, its in-app credit.
Topping up. When a Nomad fixed-data plan runs out, data stops, and Nomad can’t add data to an eSIM that has already run out. So buy an add-on while you still have some data left: you can do it from inside China while your plan is active, and it starts when your current plan ends. Airalo says you can top up many of its eSIMs, and shows top-ups in the app when they’re available.