Ranui Travelled to Australia
Seamless connection, much easier than the other eSIM I've used. Will use again next time!
China eSIM plans
Kogan Mobile roaming in China: costs, data, and how to save
A plain-English guide to the Kogan Mobile International Roaming Add-Ons, what you'll pay, and a cheaper alternative if you want one
KiwiSim eSIMs from $3.50/day
Save more than $189 on a 14-day trip
What Kogan Mobile charges
Kogan Mobile International Roaming Add-Ons
$17per 24 hours
Data Only add-on: 700MB over 3 days (≈230MB/day on average). The Calls + Data add-on includes a smaller data allowance plus some voice minutes and texts — check the Kogan Mobile portal for the current breakdown.
- Calls and texts
- Only the Calls + Data add-on includes voice calls and texts. The Data Only add-on cannot make voice calls. Both packs send and receive calls to/from China and New Zealand when active.
- Hotspot
- Allowed on both add-on types, but every MB tethered to another device counts against your pack allowance.
- After the allowance
- The add-on expires 3 days after purchase regardless of how much you've used. Once it ends — or once you exhaust the data allowance — you need to buy another add-on to keep using mobile data overseas.
- Zone
- Mainland China may fall outside Kogan Mobile’s standard roaming zone — check the Kogan Mobile site for current coverage before you travel.
- Activation
- Manual purchase through the Kogan Mobile portal. The add-on activates the instant you buy it — not when you arrive — so don't buy it days in advance, or you'll burn through the 3-day window before you even leave NZ.
Kogan Mobile doesn't have a daily roaming pass. Instead, they sell prepaid 3-day International Roaming Add-Ons that you purchase through the Kogan Mobile portal before you fly. Each add-on is $11.90 flat and lasts 3 days from the moment you buy it (not from when you land in China). There are two variants: a Data Only pack (700MB over 3 days) and a Calls + Data pack that swaps some of the data allowance for voice minutes and texts.
Cost over a trip
Pick a trip length, prices as at 21 May 2026
How long is your trip?
You'd save $189.00 on a 14-day trip
Kogan Mobile roaming$238.00
KiwiSim eSIM$49.00
Kogan Mobile at $17.00 a day, KiwiSim at $3.50 a day
Your China eSIM
How long is your trip?
Our picks for a 14-day trip
Most popular
Daily Unlimited
1GB a day at full 5G speed, then unlimited at standard speed
$49.00NZD14 days × $3.50
20GB fixed data
One allowance to use across your whole trip
$49.50NZDValid 30 days
More plans
1GBValid 7 days
$3.503GBValid 15 days
$9.505GBValid 30 days
$14.5010GBValid 30 days
$28.5050GBValid 30 days
$120.50Side by side
How data is sold
KiwiSimUnlimited daily plan — pay by the number of days you need
Kogan Mobile3-day pack at $11.90 flat — same price across all 56 supported destinations
When the allowance runs out
KiwiSimContinues at reduced speed for the rest of the day — still browsable. Resets every 24h.
Kogan MobilePack expires after 3 days. Unused inclusions are forfeited; buy another pack to extend.
Hotspot / tethering
KiwiSimYes
Kogan MobileYes
Networks used in China
KiwiSimChina Mobile & China Unicom 5G/4G
Kogan MobileChina Mobile partner network
Activation method
KiwiSimScan QR code, install in 2 minutes
Kogan MobileManual purchase through the Kogan Mobile portal — activates immediately
Keeps your NZ number for calls/texts
KiwiSimYes — runs alongside your NZ SIM
Kogan MobileYes — it is your NZ SIM
Customer support
KiwiSim24/7 chat & email
Kogan MobileOnline chat & email
If you cross into another country
KiwiSimInstall a new eSIM for that country
Kogan MobileContinues working if the new country is on the supported list — otherwise no service
Kogan Mobile sells 3-day roaming packs at a flat price across 56 supported destinations. It's simple but inflexible — KiwiSim lets you match your exact trip length and works directly on local 5G/4G networks.
Why KiwiSim
Built in New Zealand for Kiwis heading overseas
Locally owned & operated
You're in good hands with our Kiwi team
Global 5G/4G network
Fast, reliable coverage in 200+ destinations
Simple to set up
Connected in minutes, all online
Hotspot & tethering
Share your data with a laptop, tablet or mates
Priced in NZ dollars
No USD conversion, no exchange fees, no surprises on your statement
Works with most phones
Most modern phones support eSIM. Check yours
What Kiwis say
4.6 out of 5 from 80+ reviews
Garry Travelled to Australia
Definitely my to go to eSIM😬
Euan Travelled to Australia
We travel from Perth to Melbourne by road. We had data connection everywhere you would expect like roadhouses on Nullarbor. Would be handy if there was some way to receive Message. As we found camp ground sent after hours check in info on message.
Ele Travelled to Australia
Great price and very easy setup. I will use again.
Dave Travelled to Australia
Super easy & great price!
Sandrine Travelled to Australia
First time using an esim. It was so simple to install that I thought I did something wrong 😅. And super easy to use.
sue Travelled to Australia
Was brilliant easy to use
Nic Travelled to United States
Super easy to set up! And affordable which was awesome.
Christine Travelled to Australia
Was a little nervous, as the company was new, but everything worked easily and simply, Used it for a week in the Gold Coast. Highly recommend.
KR Travelled to Indonesia
Really easy to use and no issues with connectivity. Love that its nz owned. Only gave 4 stars because I manually chose 8 days of coverage however on the last day it stopped working.
Kingsley Travelled to Australia
Did all we needed for our short trip.
Mke r Travelled to Australia
Simple, easy and chepaer than roaming packages. Highly recommend
Questions, answered
How is the daily cost for Kogan Mobile calculated?
Kogan Mobile's roaming products vary by data allowance and pack duration, so they aren't always priced as a flat daily fee. To compare like-for-like with KiwiSim's unlimited daily plan — which gives you around 1GB of data per day at top speed — we worked out what you'd actually pay Kogan Mobile to get roughly the same data each day at their published rates. That's the figure used in the chart and tables on this page.
Is a Kogan Mobile roaming add-on worth it in China?
For a trip of 3 days or less with light data use, the $11.90 add-on is decent value. The catch is the 700MB data cap and the fixed 3-day window — longer trips need multiple back-to-back packs, which adds up fast. A KiwiSim eSIM matches your exact trip length and gives you unlimited daily data at top speed.
How do I buy a Kogan Mobile roaming add-on?
Log into the Kogan Mobile portal before you fly and add the International Roaming add-on of your choice (Data Only or Calls + Data). The add-on activates immediately on purchase, so buy it close to your departure date — not weeks in advance — or you'll burn the 3-day window before you leave NZ.
Can I use Kogan Mobile and KiwiSim at the same time?
Yes — keep your Kogan Mobile SIM in your phone (with data roaming off so you don't pay standard PAYG data rates), and use the KiwiSim eSIM for all your mobile data in China. Your Kogan number stays available for incoming calls and texts if you want it.
What happens when my Kogan Mobile add-on runs out mid-trip?
Once the 3-day window ends or the 700MB data allowance is used up, mobile data stops working on the Kogan Mobile SIM. You'd need to log back into the portal and buy another $11.90 add-on to keep going. There's no auto-renewal.
Does the Data Only add-on include voice calls?
No — the Data Only add-on covers data only. If you want to make voice calls or send texts overseas, you need the Calls + Data variant instead (same $11.90 price, but with a smaller data allowance and some included minutes/texts).
Will I get charged by Kogan Mobile if I install a KiwiSim eSIM?
No — KiwiSim is a completely separate carrier connection. Installing the eSIM has no impact on your Kogan Mobile account or balance.
Does Kogan Mobile roaming work on all phones?
Yes — the Kogan Mobile add-on works on whatever phone already uses your Kogan SIM. KiwiSim requires an eSIM-compatible phone (most iPhones from XS onward, most flagship Androids from 2020 onward).