How we rate
Where statuses come from
- Reader reports. Readers in mainland China tell us whether something worked, how they were connected, on which device and when. We review every report by hand before it appears.
- Public tests and measurements. Recent hands-on tests by other publications, and network measurements from inside China such as OONI Explorer. We link to them rather than copy their data.
- Provider notices. Shutdowns and service changes announced by the providers themselves.
We do not run our own tests inside China yet. When we do, this page will say so.
What the labels mean
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Works | Recent reports and tests agree it works for most people. |
| Unreliable | It works for some people or networks and fails for others. |
| Blocked | It does not work on Chinese networks without a VPN or a roaming eSIM. |
App statuses describe Chinese mobile networks and Wi-Fi without a VPN. For eSIMs, we say whether blocked apps work without a VPN, based on where the eSIM routes your data.
Percentages
We show a success rate only when there are at least 5 reader reports in the last 30 days. Below that, we say what the status is based on instead.
Keeping facts current
Every status and price shows the date we last checked it and links to the source. We re-check monthly, and sooner when readers report a change.
Money
Some links pay us a commission. Commissions never change a status or a ranking. See the affiliate disclosure.