When your family and closest friends are back in the mainland, the phone bill can quietly become one of your bigger monthly costs, unless you set things up sensibly. The trick is knowing that there are several very different ways to reach China from a Singapore number, and that the cheapest one depends entirely on how you actually call. This guide compares mobile plans for calls to China by plan TYPE and calling method, so you can pick what fits your habits. Because tariffs change often, treat the figures your telco quotes as the final word, and use this as a map for the right questions to ask.
The Main Ways to Call China from Singapore
Before choosing a plan, it helps to separate the methods, because they are billed in completely different ways.
- Internet or app calls. Calling through WeChat, or a similar app, over Wi-Fi or mobile data costs nothing beyond your data usage. For most newcomers this is the everyday default, especially for long chats and video.
- IDD (International Direct Dialling). This is a traditional voice call from your number to a Chinese phone number, dialling the country code. It is charged per minute and is invaluable when the person you are calling does not use apps, or when you need to reach a landline, a bank or an office in China.
- Roaming. This applies when you take your Singapore SIM to China and use it there, rather than calling China from Singapore. It is a separate consideration for trips home.
- A local China number. Some people keep a mainland number active for banking and verification codes, which is a different topic from your Singapore calling plan but worth bearing in mind.
For most households the pattern is simple: use app calls for daily contact, and keep an affordable IDD option in reserve for the calls that must go to a real phone number.
Understanding the Plan Types
Singapore’s telcos, including the mainline operators and the newer digital and virtual providers, package their services in a few recognisable shapes. Knowing the shape matters more than any single advertised price.
- Postpaid plans bill you at the end of each month and usually offer larger data allowances, a contract or SIM-only term, and IDD as an optional add-on you switch on.
- Prepaid (top-up) plans let you pay as you go with no contract, which suits shorter stays or lighter, more controllable spending. Many prepaid cards have their own IDD rates or pass options.
- SIM-only plans give you generous data without a bundled handset, and pair well with the app-calling approach since your calls to China mostly ride on data.
- IDD add-ons and passes are bolt-ons that lower the per-minute rate to certain countries, sometimes as a flat monthly fee for a block of minutes. If you rely on IDD, this is usually where the real savings sit.
The right combination depends on whether your calls are mostly through apps, mostly true voice calls, or a mix.
Comparing the Options at a Glance
The table below lines up the common methods so you can see which suits your calling style. Always confirm the current rate, allowance and any add-on fee with the telco before you decide.
| Option | How you are billed | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| App or internet calls | Uses your data allowance only | Daily chats and video with family who use apps |
| IDD pay-per-use | Per minute to China | Occasional calls to phones, landlines or offices |
| IDD add-on or pass | Monthly fee for cheaper minutes | Frequent voice callers who need a real number |
| SIM-only with big data | Fixed monthly data | App-first callers who rarely dial directly |
| Prepaid top-up | Pay as you go, no contract | Short stays or tightly controlled spending |
Roaming and eSIM When You Travel to China
Calling China is one thing; being in China with your Singapore phone is another. If you travel home, roaming lets your usual number keep working, but the convenience can come at a premium, so check your telco’s roaming rates and any daily roaming pass before you fly. A common alternative is a travel eSIM, a data plan you download to a compatible phone and activate on arrival, which can be a cost-effective way to stay online without swapping physical SIM cards.
Bear in mind that connectivity and app behaviour can differ once you are on a network inside the mainland, so it is wise to set up your key apps and any verification methods before you travel rather than after. Confirm with your provider which of your services roam, what a data pass covers, and whether an eSIM or a local arrangement makes more sense for the length of your trip.
What to Check Before You Commit
Comparing plans is really about matching a plan to your own calling pattern, then verifying the details. Spend a week noticing how you actually contact people at home: mostly video on apps, or a lot of genuine voice calls to numbers that do not use apps? That answer points you to the right plan type before price even enters the picture.
Then work through a short checklist with each provider:
- Ask for the current per-minute IDD rate to China, and whether an add-on or pass would be cheaper for your usage.
- Confirm the data allowance, since app calls depend on it, and check what happens when you exceed it.
- Check contract length, any early-termination terms, and whether the plan is SIM-only or bundled.
- For prepaid, ask how top-ups and IDD passes work and when credit expires.
- If you travel home, ask about roaming rates, daily passes and eSIM compatibility.
Compare like with like across at least two providers, and read the plan’s own terms rather than relying on a headline number. Rates, passes and promotions in Singapore change frequently, and provider terms differ, so always confirm the current pricing and inclusions directly with the telco, whether one of the main operators or a digital provider, before you sign up. A little homework at the start keeps you connected to family in China without any nasty surprises on the bill.
Explore more
Staying in touch is part cost and part routine. See our guide to keeping in touch with family in China for the apps and habits that make daily contact effortless, and our guide to setting up utilities and broadband when you move in so the home connection your video calls rely on is sorted from day one.