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ClubSim Hong Kong SIM Card: Buying Experience and Usage Tips

ClubSim Hong Kong SIMHong Kong eSIM guideClubSim activation tutorialTiptrans shipping Hong KongAlipayHK verification SIM
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Recently, the blogger purchased two physical SIM cards from ClubSim, successfully received and activated them. The process involved many detours, pitfalls, and costs. This article records the experience of buying a physical SIM card from ClubSim, which can serve as a reference for those needing a Hong Kong SIM card.

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What is the Use of a Hong Kong SIM Card?

  • Register for various international services
  • Convenient for internet access and making/receiving calls in Hong Kong
  • Register for applications that require Hong Kong phone number verification (e.g., AlipayHK, WeChat, Octopus)

Preparation

  • Passport (required for real-name authentication)
  • Hong Kong delivery address (I used Tiptrans): https://blog.xiaoz.org/archives/18905
  • Hong Kong phone number (The blogger filled in the Hong Kong number provided by Tiptrans, or find one online; it will not be actually verified)

Purchasing a ClubSim Physical SIM Card

ClubSim physical SIM cards only support Hong Kong delivery addresses. I used the Tiptrans Hong Kong address for delivery. A minimum of 50 HKD is required for shipping. You can freely choose package combinations. I recommend the "SMS Package + Octopus Data" combination, priced at 56 HKD, supporting payment via Alipay, WeChat, or credit cards.

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Notes for purchasing physical cards:

  • If using the Tiptrans Hong Kong address, remember to add your Tiptrans ID.
  • Enter the Tiptrans Hong Kong phone number.
  • Enter your English name (Pinyin) as it appears on your passport. This is required for subsequent real-name authentication; do not fill in the name incorrectly as it may affect authentication.

Real-name Authentication

After purchase, download the "ClubSim APP" and upload your passport for real-name authentication. It is recommended to complete this step in advance. The blogger performed real-name authentication on a weekday, and the review time took about 1 hour.

Shipping ClubSim Physical SIM Card

ClubSim will send an email notification when the physical card arrives at Tiptrans. The storage fee is $5 per item. Here is a pitfall: I bought two physical SIM cards, but ClubSim sent them as two separate regular mail items, resulting in a storage fee of $10. Adding consolidation and shipping fees, the total cost was 21.67 USD, which was higher than the cost of the SIM cards themselves.

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Using Octopus Data

If you selected the "Octopus Data" combination during purchase, it is said that this can be used for consumption deductions in the Apple or Google App Store. Since the blogger was not familiar with this at the time and chose the "4.5GB No Contract Local Data and Calling Service," I could not further share the usage process for the Octopus Data feature.

Activating the ClubSim Physical SIM Card

ClubSim requires real-name authentication before activation. It is recommended to perform real-name authentication immediately after purchasing the card to avoid delays due to long review times. Real-name authentication requires uploading a photo of your passport.

I chose "Hong Kong Post" for Tiptrans shipping and received the card in less than a week.

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Open the ClubSim APP, scan the QR code on the back of the SIM card to complete activation, then insert it into your phone to use normally. In mainland China, use "China Unicom" for roaming.

Converting Physical SIM to eSIM

ClubSim supports converting a physical SIM card to an eSIM directly via the APP. After the operation, a QR code will be sent, which you can scan with an eSIM-compatible phone to add. However, note that once a physical SIM is converted to an eSIM, it cannot be converted back.

Purchasing a ClubSim eSIM Card

ClubSim also offers eSIM cards, which are programmable SIM cards embedded directly into devices. eSIMs do not require a physical card, but your phone must support eSIM. Most domestic phones do not support this. If you use a US, Japanese, or European version iPhone or Google Pixel, some models support eSIM. The blogger used a Japanese version SE2, which worked perfectly.

If your phone supports eSIM, there is no need to purchase a physical SIM card, as physical SIM shipping is troublesome and incurs shipping fees. When purchasing on ClubSim, you will be asked to choose the SIM card type; select based on your situation. If your phone supports eSIM, prioritize choosing the eSIM card; otherwise, you must choose the physical card.

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ClubSim Costs

ClubSim has no fixed monthly rental fee; you can freely choose package combinations based on your needs. For example:

  • If you are traveling to Hong Kong, it is recommended to purchase the "Local Data Service" in advance.
  • If you need to retain the number, purchase the "SMS Package."

If you need to roam and access the internet in mainland China, the cost is 38 HKD/1GB or 88 HKD/3GB. Roaming internet access is very expensive and not recommended.

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Number Retention

If you need to retain the ClubSim number for a long time, simply wait for the current package to expire, then purchase any other combination within 365 days to retain the number. I recommend purchasing the "SMS Package," which costs only 6 HKD. By repeating this operation, the cost is equivalent to 6 HKD/year. The following content is quoted from the official source:

Customers only need to purchase any service combination within 365 days after the last used combination expires to keep using the phone number.

Other Notes

  • ClubSim does not allow number selection or number changes; numbers are random and mostly contain the digits 4 and 7.
  • Netizen feedback indicates that calling and sending SMS from mainland China is not possible, but receiving SMS works fine.
  • When purchasing a ClubSim combination for the first time, remember to turn off monthly auto-renewal.

Conclusion

ClubSim is suitable for number retention and receiving SMS or for travel to Hong Kong, but not recommended for roaming internet access in mainland China. Purchasing a physical SIM card is relatively troublesome, and shipping fees can be high. If your phone supports eSIM, it is recommended to prioritize purchasing a ClubSim eSIM card for a more convenient experience.

Additionally, Tiptrans shipping and fund transfer can be complicated. If you do not have a Hong Kong delivery address, you can find someone on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) to receive the package for you and then forward it to mainland China, which might be cheaper.

ClubSim Purchase Address: https://www.clubsim.com.hk/zh/monthlyplan?utm_medium=app&utm_source=MGM&utm_campaign=MonthlyPlanMGM_ReferralMsg_CN_202009&utm_content=landing