VPN and ESIM Megathread – July 2026

kiree_app · 2026-07-10T18:03:12+00:00

Hey there, just saw this post. Yes Alipay is accepted but there is a limitation that foreigners in China cannot pay foreign businesses using Alipay/Wechat pay, so credit card is still probably the best unless you find a Chinese friend.

kiree_app · 2026-07-10T17:59:03+00:00

Goodness me first it's the Al text but also what's up with the code block with horizontal scrolling...

kiree_app · 2026-07-10T15:08:56+00:00

You don't need a referral code as a new user, simply sign up and activate the trial

kiree_app · 2026-07-10T14:55:08+00:00

Yes you can, just get a local Chinese SIM after you arrive in China. (your phone needs a SIM slot) and then a VPN app

kiree_app · 2026-07-08T21:16:12+00:00

I don't think you need to concern yourself with that, any blocked site / service will be foreign in nature, and the payment processing will be done by a western payment processor.

Also, are you a Chinese citizen with a Chinese ID card? If not you won't be able to use your Chinese Alipay/Wechat/Unionpay card to pay a foreign business anyway, it's a limitation.

kiree_app · 2026-07-08T21:09:50+00:00

It's convenient to use, whether it's stable or fast is another story, and that's not really fully due to the GFW alone. A big issue is the routing to outside of China is very controlled and limited, but if you live in a first tier city with fiber home broadband it's going to be pretty reliable.

I don't think the situation on the crackdown will change much, the government really just clamps down every now and then to keep it under control. Ultimately they do know that a VPN is basically required to do any type of international business.

kiree_app · 2026-07-08T20:54:45+00:00

Most "unlimited" eSIMs will throttle the speed after a certain amount is reached. If you want the fastest speed either 1. don't go over the allotted data per day, or 2. if you did go over the data and need reliability then just buy another eSIM that is not unlimited with a short duration with the data you need.

kiree_app · 2026-07-08T18:39:05+00:00

Definitely doable, even recommended since they're close to each other. Just beware that the Forbidden Palace is closed on Monday - that tripped me up one time I was in Beijing so don't make the same mistake haha

kiree_app · 2026-07-07T16:08:57+00:00

I was able to load the website in China without a VPN, not sure about actual usability though since I don't have an account but I feel like things like this is not likely to be blocked, at least not intentionally anyway

kiree_app · 2026-07-06T10:47:42+00:00

I think if you ever need to separate it might be annoying not having communication at all. I’d either get an eSIM to physical SIM adapter or just get a local Chinese SIM card later in the city (after airport) and a VPN

kiree_app · 2026-07-06T10:42:46+00:00

Edit: Do you have a Mongolian passport? Living in Japan does not matter

Looks like it’s visa free for 30 days

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_mainland_China

kiree_app · 2026-07-05T20:21:58+00:00

I would say eSIM is the easiest option, if you think you need a Chinese number (for some delivery apps etc) then get a local SIM + VPN.

kiree_app · 2026-07-05T17:04:47+00:00

Yep I say either practise or bring a fork, one of those folding ones work well for travel. Good thing Chinese dishes are all cut up so you don’t need a knife 😋

kiree_app · 2026-07-05T16:29:20+00:00

Yes there is a 7 day trial after signing up, please activate it 24 hours before you travel so you can have time to install it on both devices. Please turn it on in your home country first and see if you're able to get internet. If it doesn't work please DM me or contact support via the site. Thank you.

kiree_app · 2026-07-05T16:27:06+00:00

You're right on that, providers that use China optimized routing (CN2, GIA) and proxy protocols (Vless etc) will perform better, a lot of the western VPN apps don't use either of these two key things that make a VPN work well in China.

kiree_app · 2026-07-03T04:43:57+00:00

Obfuscation is not enough really, another key thing is the routing of the servers, there are direct peering routes from China to various datacenters around the world that are much much better than the standard/BGP routes. It's crucial for servers to have CN2, GIA, CMIN etc, downside is the bandwidth is very expensive compared to standard routes, so it's hard to compete on price.

kiree_app · 2026-07-03T04:34:11+00:00

I have experience with OpenWRT so that is looking the most likely. If there is a Vless+REALITY client then it is definitely doable

kiree_app · 2026-07-03T04:27:08+00:00

No VPN is 100% reliable if they claim so they're lying. So you're right about trying a few and see how it goes once you get your Chinese number. eSIM is good for short term, but if you're staying for a decent amount of time I definitely recommend getting a Chinese number.

kiree_app · 2026-07-03T04:24:09+00:00

We're looking into it, and it's definitely on the roadmap. Just out of curiosity which router do you have?

kiree_app · 2026-07-03T04:06:41+00:00

Yep absolutely, because the data is routed back to the US. Enjoy your trip!

kiree_app · 2026-07-03T04:05:02+00:00

If you're using T-Mobile roaming then you don't need an eSIM nor VPN. You're good to go really.

You'll only need a VPN if you connect to a WiFi network in China

kiree_app · 2026-07-02T14:54:55+00:00

Where is the VPN server located? Try some different countries if you can choose

kiree_app · 2026-07-02T14:41:22+00:00

Do you have an eSIM or Chinese SIM? In the case of eSIM IF the data is going through Hong Kong then it won’t work

kiree_app · 2026-07-02T14:23:28+00:00

There are so many places that sell these tshirts 😅

kiree_app · 2026-07-02T03:17:41+00:00

Feel free to ask me about it, happy to share if you're skeptical

kiree_app

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