Status board
Everything we track, with the date it was last checked. App statuses are for Chinese networks without a VPN.
Apps
| App | Status | Note | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Maps | Works | Works without a VPN | Oct 8, 2026 |
| ChatGPT | Blocked | Blocked, and OpenAI doesn't support China | Oct 8, 2026 |
| GitHub | Unreliable | Slow or patchy; have an eSIM or VPN ready | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Gmail | Blocked | Works on a roaming eSIM or VPN | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Google Maps | Blocked | Use Apple Maps or Amap instead | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Google Search | Blocked | Use Bing or Baidu without a VPN | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Google Workspace | Blocked | Works on a roaming eSIM or VPN | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Blocked | Works on a roaming eSIM or VPN | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| Unreliable | Mixed reports; have an eSIM or VPN ready | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| Microsoft Teams | Works | Work accounts work; Teams Free ended in 2026 | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Outlook | Works | Works without a VPN; can be slow | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Slack | Unreliable | Mixed reports; have an eSIM or VPN ready | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Telegram | Blocked | Works on a roaming eSIM or VPN | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Works | Works on every network | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| Blocked | Works on a roaming eSIM or VPN | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| YouTube | Blocked | Works on a roaming eSIM or VPN | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Zoom | Unreliable | Not blocked; free accounts can be refused | Oct 8, 2026 |
VPNs
| VPN | Status | Based on | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Astrill | Works | Works in 2026 hands-on use | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Surfshark | Unreliable | Works with fiddling in 2026 tests | Oct 8, 2026 |
| ExpressVPN | Unreliable | 2026 reports disagree | Oct 8, 2026 |
| NordVPN | Unreliable | Apps blocked; manual setup needed | Oct 9, 2026 |
eSIMs
| eSIM | Blocked apps without a VPN | Routing | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | Gets past the firewall | Routes outside mainland China | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Nomad | Gets past the firewall | Routes outside mainland China | Oct 8, 2026 |
| Holafly | Gets past the firewall | Hong Kong or Singapore, per 2026 tests | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Saily | Mixed evidence | Unclear from Saily's own pages | Oct 8, 2026 |
| 3HK | Mixed evidence | Exits via Hong Kong, per a 2026 test | Oct 9, 2026 |
| CUniq | Not confirmed | Not stated by CUniq; no published IP tests | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Eskimo | Mixed evidence | Exits via Singapore, per a 2026 review | Oct 9, 2026 |
| GigSky | Mixed evidence | Not stated by GigSky; reports conflict | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Jetpac | Mixed evidence | Unclear; Jetpac's own guides conflict | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Klook eSIM | Mixed evidence | Via Singtel, per Klook; varies by listing | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Maya Mobile | Gets past the firewall | Exits in Singapore, per one 2026 test | Oct 9, 2026 |
| MobiMatter | Mixed evidence | Varies by plan; most plan pages list it | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Simify | Gets past the firewall | In-built VPN; exit location not stated | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Trip.com eSIM | Mixed evidence | Varies by listing; one lists Singapore IPs | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Ubigi | Mixed evidence | Unclear from Ubigi's own pages | Oct 9, 2026 |
| Yesim | Gets past the firewall | Singapore and Hong Kong, per Yesim | Oct 9, 2026 |
What changed in 2026
Dated events that changed what works, with sources.
-
LetsVPN pulls out of mainland China
After weeks of disruption, it announced it would stop serving users in mainland China.