Essential Apps for China
Download these before you arrive. Each app fills a gap that cash, paper maps and awkward gestures cannot.
China's digital ecosystem runs on apps, not websites. Without the right ones installed, even hailing a taxi becomes a 20-minute ordeal. Install before you go — some are hard to download once you are inside the firewall.
⚠️ Download before you go: Many of these apps are easiest to install from your home App Store or Google Play before you arrive. Some may not be available on the Chinese mainland app stores at all. Download them ahead of time to avoid hassle.
Payments & Communication
The two pillars of daily life. Everything else connects through these.
WeChat 微信 · iOS / Android
The super-app. Messaging, payments, ride-hailing mini-programs, restaurant ordering, and more. Most daily interactions in China start and end in WeChat.
Alipay 支付宝 · iOS / Android
The original mobile wallet. International card support, built-in mini-programs for Didi, hotel booking (Fliggy), translation tools, and travel perks. English-friendly.
Full setup guide → WeChat Pay & Alipay Guide
Getting Around
Taxis, trains, metro — all in apps.
Didi / DiDi Rider 滴滴出行 · iOS / Android
China's Uber. Hail taxis, private cars, or carpools. Download DiDi Rider for full English UI and direct Visa/Mastercard payment. The Chinese app also works via WeChat Pay or Alipay.
Amap (Gaode) 高德地图 · iOS / Android
The most accurate navigation app in China. Google Maps is unreliable here. Amap shows real-time traffic, metro routes, bus times, and can even be used to hail taxis.
Trip.com 携程 · iOS / Android
The go-to for booking trains, flights and hotels. Full English interface, international payment support, and reliable customer service. Buy high-speed rail tickets without a Chinese ID.
Meituan Bike 美团单车 · iOS / Android
Bike-sharing giant. Scan a QR code on any blue-and-yellow bike, unlock, ride. Pay-per-ride or buy a pass. Available in most Chinese cities. Also works via Meituan app.
Compare routes and prices → Transit Matrix · Airport Transport
Food, Delivery & Lifestyle
China does not queue for food. It orders by app.
Meituan 美团 · iOS / Android
Everything food: restaurant delivery (30 min), dine-in deals, grocery delivery, hotel booking, movie tickets and bike-sharing. The most versatile lifestyle app in China.
Ele.me 饿了么 · iOS / Android
The other food delivery giant — owned by Alibaba. Slightly stronger in southern cities. Often cheaper than Meituan for the same restaurant.
Dianping 大众点评 · iOS / Android
China's Yelp. Search any restaurant for ratings, photos of real dishes, average spend, and user reviews. Tells you whether a place is worth walking into.
JD.com 京东 · iOS / Android
If you need something delivered fast and reliably — electronics, toiletries, luggage — JD has it in its own warehouses and delivers next-day or even same-day in most cities.
Travel Tools
The small ones that save the day.
Google Translate iOS / Android
Download the Chinese language pack for offline translation. The camera translation mode is invaluable for menus, signs and labels.
Maps.me iOS / Android
Offline maps for China. Download city maps before you arrive — they work without internet. Useful for navigating metro exits and finding your hotel when data is slow.
Registration guide for each app
How to set up the key apps as an international user.
WeChat (微信) Registration
- ✓ Download from your home App Store or Google Play BEFORE arriving in China
- ✓ Tap "Sign Up" — enter your phone number (international works, with + country code)
- ✓ You will receive an SMS code. If SMS does not arrive, try the voice call option instead
- ✓ Set a nickname (use your real name or first name — this is what contacts see)
- ✓ Add a payment method: link an international Visa or Mastercard. WeChat now accepts many international cards
- ✓ For full functionality, link to a Chinese bank account or have a Chinese friend send you a red packet to activate WeChat Pay
⚠️ Note: New accounts created outside China may have limited features until verified. Once you land and add a Chinese SIM, unlock full WeChat Pay by updating your phone number in Settings.
Alipay (支付宝) Registration
- ✓ Download from App Store or Google Play
- ✓ Tap "Sign Up with International Number" — Alipay has a dedicated international sign-up flow
- ✓ Enter your foreign phone number (with country code) and verify via SMS
- ✓ Link an international card: tap "Me" → "Bank Cards" → add your Visa or Mastercard
- ✓ Alipay has the best international card support of any Chinese payment app — Amex works too
- ✓ Set up the "Tour Pass" if available — Alipay's in-app wallet for international tourists, pre-loaded via foreign card
✅ Full English interface — Alipay's international version is fully translated. Switch to English in Settings → Language.
Didi / DiDi Rider (滴滴出行) Registration
- ✓ Option A — DiDi Rider (Recommended): Download the international version from App Store or Google Play. Full English, direct Visa/Mastercard payment, international phone sign-up
- ✓ Option B — Chinese Didi: Download the orange-and-white Chinese app or use the WeChat/Alipay mini-program. International number works. Pay via WeChat Pay or Alipay
- ✓ SMS verification → set a nickname → add payment → ready to ride
Trip.com (携程) Registration
- ✓ Full English interface from the moment you install
- ✓ Sign up with email or phone number (international works without issue)
- ✓ Add an international Visa or Mastercard for payment
- ✓ To book Chinese train tickets: enter passenger details exactly as they appear on the passport (name and number). Trip.com handles the 12306 integration for you
- ✓ Trip.com is the only app foreign travellers should use for train booking — Ctrip's Chinese version (携程旅行) has no English UI
Which cards work where
International card acceptance varies significantly between apps.
| App | Visa / MC | Amex | JCB | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WeChat Pay | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited | ✅ | Mastercard works best. Amex limited to high-end merchants |
| Alipay | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Best international card support. Amex works with most merchants |
| Didi (Chinese) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Links to WeChat Pay / Alipay |
| DiDi Rider (Intl) | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ | International version — direct Visa/MC, JCB limited |
| Trip.com | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Full international card support, including Amex |
| Meituan | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Requires WeChat Pay / Alipay |
| Ele.me | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Requires WeChat Pay / Alipay |
| JD.com | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ Limited | Visa/MC work for most purchases |
| Apple Pay | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Works anywhere with contactless terminals — growing fast in China |
💡 Golden rule: If you only link one card, link it to Alipay. It has the widest international card acceptance. For ride-hailing, use DiDi Rider with direct card payment. For food delivery, link Alipay to Meituan.
How to download Chinese apps
Not all apps are available in every region's app store.
📱 iOS (iPhone)
- ✓ Option A — Switch region: Settings → Your Name → Media & Purchases → View Account → Country/Region → switch to "Mainland China". You will need a Chinese address (use a hotel address) and payment method (select "None" if available)
- ✓ Option B — Second Apple ID: Create a new Apple ID with region set to China, using a regular email (not iCloud). Buy a Chinese App Store gift card from MyCard or OffGamers to fund it without a Chinese credit card
- ✓ Option C — Easiest: Download what you can (WeChat, Alipay, Trip.com, Google Translate) from your home store before you travel. Install the rest via official QR codes once you are in China and on Wi-Fi
🤖 Android
- ✓ Chinese apps are available on Google Play if your region allows it — search and install
- ✓ If not: visit the official website of each app, find the QR code, and scan it to download the .apk directly
- ✓ Recommended: install the "Tencent App Store" or "Huawei AppGallery" once in China as a local app source
- ✓ Enable "Install from unknown sources" in Security Settings for APK installs
⚠️ Security: Only download from the app's official website or the App Store / Google Play. Never download .apk files from third-party download sites. Malware disguised as Chinese apps is common.
If an app does not work for you
Fallback options for every need.
Alternatives at a glance
- ✓ WeChat alternatives: WhatsApp works in China (with a VPN), Telegram works partially. For payments without WeChat, Alipay alone covers 90%+ of daily needs
- ✓ Alipay alternatives: WeChat Pay is the only real alternative. If both fail, carry cash (RMB) — it remains legal tender everywhere
- ✓ Didi alternatives: Amap Taxi (高德打车) compares prices across all ride-hailing platforms. CAOCAO (曹操出行) — green energy fleet. T3 (T3出行) — state-backed. All require Chinese UI skills
- ✓ Meituan alternatives: Ele.me (饿了么) for food delivery. Dianping (大众点评) for restaurant discovery and reviews
- ✓ Amap alternatives: Baidu Maps (百度地图) is equally good. Apple Maps now uses Amap data in China and works surprisingly well
- ✓ Google Translate alternatives: Baidu Translate (百度翻译) app, Microsoft Translator, or Apple's built-in translate (iOS 15+)
📌 The mini-program ecosystem: WeChat's mini-programs can replace many standalone apps. Search within WeChat for: Didi (rides), Meituan (food delivery), JD (shopping), Ctrip (train tickets), and even government services. All without leaving WeChat. This is the Chinese way.
📋 Pre-departure checklist:
☐ WeChat ☐ Alipay ☐ Didi (or test mini-program) ☐ Trip.com
☐ Google Translate (offline CN pack) ☐ Maps.me (download city maps)
☐ Amap (or Baidu Maps) ☐ VPN (if you need Instagram / Google / X)
📌 Quick tip: If the app store in your country does not have certain Chinese apps (Didi, Meituan, Amap), you can usually find them on the official website via QR code download, or switch your App Store region to mainland China for a moment. For iOS, create a second Apple ID with region set to China.
Need internet first? → eSIM & SIM Guide
Will your phone work here? → Phone Compatibility Checker