giffgaff is a young low-cost operator from the UK, part of O2, one of the UK's three big operators, and founded in 2009. It keeps costs down for users with no shops, no phone support line and flexible plans, which makes it a good fit for short-term visitors and students in the UK. It roams worldwide, and in China it can also send and receive texts, take calls and go online.
Why choose a UK giffgaff SIM?
👋 What makes giffgaff different
A physical SIM, not a virtual number (it is a virtual operator, but it assigns genuine real numbers)
Activate anywhere in the world giffgaff can be topped up and activated in places including mainland China
Top up £10 to activate: topping up £10 = activation done, and you get a random UK number
eSIM support (
after 2021eSIM devices can switch to eSIM themselves in the official giffgaff app); you can also ask the author to generate the QR code for youWiFi Calling support (with a UK IP or routing rules; at present it is hard to turn on in China)
No monthly fee (choose pay as you go no monthly plan)
No real-name registration (topping up with an official voucher needs no real name, only any real address that has not been used before)
Receiving texts is free, and the number works for signing up to ChatGPT and almost every mainstream international app and service
Roaming in mainland China is supported (on China Mobile or China Unicom towers)
Keeping the number costs very little: one text every 6 months (a change in balance) keeps the number. A £10 top-up (a little over 90 RMB) can keep it for 25 years in theory. (How this is worked out: top up £10 and get £5, for £15 of credit; a text costs £0.30.)
Good compatibility: it works perfectly with all overseas apps, services and bank cards, for example TikTok / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / LINE / WhatsApp / Telegram, ChatGPT 3.5/4.0, Apple ID, Amazon, PayPal, Citi, Standard Chartered, Barclays, Deutsche Bank, UBS, WISE transfers and more.
❤️ [Blank SIM option]
A brand-new, unactivated SIM with no credit and no phone number assigned. You need to top up at least £10 with a physical VISA or MasterCard card to activate it before it can be used. SIMs sold in this shop come with the "£5 of credit on the first top-up" bonus.
❤️ [Pre-topped-up SIM option]
A brand-new, unactivated SIM. On the day you order, support tops it up and activates it with £15 of credit (£10 paid + £5 bonus), so the activation date is as recent as possible. The date can be checked and the SIM works as soon as it is inserted; you do not have to register or link any personal details yourself!
