Airport SIM & eSIM Prices

A physical SIM with a Chinese phone number, sold at the airport arrivals counter and ready to use immediately — includes data and a small amount of domestic call/SMS credit, no advance reservation needed beyond showing a passport at purchase.

A longer-validity physical SIM aimed at business travelers and longer stays, with a larger data allowance than the short 7-8 day tourist packs — sold at the same airport counters.

A downloadable eSIM profile activated by QR code, avoiding the need to swap out a home SIM card — China Mobile has the widest network coverage of the three state carriers, useful for side trips outside central Shenzhen.

A short-stay data-only eSIM, the cheapest way to get online in Shenzhen without a physical card — no domestic Chinese phone number or SMS included, so it won't work for services requiring SMS verification with a Chinese number.

A prepaid data SIM sold by independent phone-accessory vendors scattered through Huaqiangbei's malls rather than an official carrier counter — a genuinely distinctive-to-Shenzhen buying option, though terms, activation support, and pricing vary a lot stall to stall, so it's worth comparing before buying and confirming it's an official carrier product rather than a resold/gray-market plan.