Chinese society has become increasingly reliant on mobile technology, with the vast majority of people using digital payment methods instead of cash. I thought it would be useful to update this old post with 10 of the most essential apps you should download before your trip to China. Most of these apps have English versions as well.
1. WeChat
China’s everything app. Aside from messaging and phone calls, WeChat Pay is one of the two major payment platforms in China and accepts foreign credit cards. It is now increasingly being used to pre-book attraction tickets for various sites that you register with your passport. WeChat also contains many mini programs — essentially apps within the larger WeChat app. One useful mini program produces a QR code to use on subways and buses in virtually every Chinese city and charges it directly to your WeChat Pay account.
2. Alipay
The other of China’s mobile payment giants which seems to have a slightly higher success rate with foreign credit cards. Simply register with your passport and connect your foreign credit card and pay like anyone else in China (with a 3% fee for transactions over ¥200). Alipay also offers a TourCard, which is essentially a virtual bank account that you can load with money (I would only recommend this if you need to transfer money to other individual users as there are stricter monthly limits compared to just linking your credit card). The app also features easy access to QR codes for riding transit in all major cities and integration with Didi and the official railway app.
3. Trip.com
Used for flight, hotel, train and attraction bookings and accepts foreign credit cards. Their English customer service is incredibly efficient. Train bookings with them incur a small service fee (less than $8 per ticket) but many people opt for booking through them due to the site’s easy interface. I book the vast majority of flights and hotels in China through Trip.com.
4. Dianping
Essentially China’s Yelp and some English available on the app. You can use Dianping to find restaurants, movie theaters, KTV bars and other places near you. For restaurants, the app often shows the menu and photos from the place. Make sure to look for coupons at each place. Another app potentially worth downloading is Meituan, which is used for ordering food delivery, renting power banks and more (less English available on this one).
5. Amap
With Google Maps unavailable in China and Apple Maps working reasonably well but with some inaccuracies, Amap is the most foreigner-friendly map app in China. There is a very good English version and you can use it to find directions by car, public transport or walking. Baidu Maps is a similar map app but doesn’t seem to be as good in English.
6. Didi
Used as China’s Uber to hail cars and vans (as well as couriers who come on scooters and can transport items across town). Great English version and can connect to foreign credit cards. Note that the Didi China app is different from the Didi app used in other countries.
7. 12306
China’s official railway app used for booking tickets nationwide. There is an English version and it accepts foreign credit cards with varying levels of success. You can also use the app to order food to be delivered to your seat when the train stops in intermediate stations. If you are less familiar with the intricacies of the Chinese rail system, it’s probably best to use a site like Trip.com instead.
8. Translator
Apps like Google Translate (download Chinese so you can use it offline before you go) or Apple Translate can help you interact with locals and read signs and menus. For those with some Chinese language experience, Pleco is a great Chinese dictionary app.
9. VPN and eSIM
As many Western social media and news sites are blocked in China, a VPN is the best way to access these sites while you are away. Astrill seems to be working the most reliably these days but that can change. NordVPN and ExpressVPN have also worked with varying degrees of reliability. You can download these apps on your computer and phone, and make sure you test your VPN before you leave for China.
China officially does not (yet) support domestic eSIMs — all phones sold locally (including iPhones) come with SIM slots. Some people might opt to buy a cheap local phone with a cheap data plan to stay connected in China. As a Chinese phone number is necessary for accessing many apps, those staying in the country for an extended period of time might choose this option. However, for shorter-term travelers, an international eSIM is probably your best bet. I’d recommend Saily, Airalo or Holafly. I would be wary of the plans with unlimited data as they often slow down after you reach a certain daily data cap. Note that many eSIM providers route their internet traffic internationally, thus eliminating the need for a VPN while on cellular data. While this sounds appealing, it might make it much slower to access Chinese apps and sites (as data has to travel internationally and then back into China). Nothing you can really do about it (besides potentially finding an eSIM provider without a built-in VPN) but something to note nonetheless.
10. RedNote
RedNote (known as Xiaohongshu or “Little Red Book”) is essentially a combination of Pinterest and Tiktok. Available in English, it might be useful to find travel guides or restaurants in Chinese cities.
