Best Apps for China Travel: The Complete Setup List

The short version

These are the apps most visitors actually use in China. Install them at home and finish each setup before you fly.

Three setup rules:

1. Register while you can still receive texts on your home number. Most apps send a verification code by SMS.
2. Link your cards before you leave, so any problem with your bank can be fixed from home.
3. Plan for blocked apps. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and many others do not work on Chinese networks. See WhatsApp, Instagram and ChatGPT in China.

Payments: Alipay and WeChat Pay

Most shops, restaurants, taxis and even street stalls in China take payment by QR code. Foreign cards work in big hotels and malls, but not everywhere. See Can I use my credit card in China?

Alipay: your main wallet

Alipay is the easiest wallet for visitors. You sign up with your home number, link a Visa, Mastercard or other international card, and pay by scanning QR codes. It is also a super-app: inside Alipay you can:

• Book taxis (DiDi and others) without another app
• Get a metro and bus QR code in many cities: open Transport, choose City, and complete identity verification
• Buy train tickets in the official 12306 mini-program
• Fill in your arrival card in the National Immigration Administration mini-program

Setup, limits and fixes: Alipay for foreigners.

WeChat: messaging and a second wallet

WeChat is how people in China message each other, and how hotels, guides and drivers will contact you. It also has WeChat Pay, which is worth setting up as a backup wallet. Some small shops and mini-programs only take WeChat Pay.

Registration can include a security check that asks an existing WeChat user to confirm you. Do it at home, with plenty of time. See WeChat Pay for foreigners.

Maps: Amap first, Apple Maps as backup

Google Maps does not work reliably in China. Google services are blocked on Chinese networks, and even over roaming the China map is out of date.

• Amap (Gaode Map, 高德地图) has had an English version since January 2025. It gives walking, metro, bus and driving directions, shows restaurants and sights, and can call a taxi.
• Apple Maps uses Chinese map data inside China and works without a VPN. A good backup on iPhone.
• Baidu Maps has excellent data but works best in Chinese.

Save your hotel address in Chinese characters so you can show it to drivers. Full comparison: Does Google Maps work in China?

Taxis: DiDi

Uber does not operate in mainland China. Use DiDi:

• The DiDi app has an English version, lets you register with a foreign phone number and accepts international cards. It translates chats with the driver.
• You can also book DiDi inside Alipay or WeChat, or compare several ride-hailing companies in Amap.

Details and costs: How to get a taxi in China.

Trains: China Railway 12306 or Trip.com

• China Railway 12306 is the official railway platform, on the web, as an app and as a mini-program in Alipay. It has an English website, accepts foreign passports and charges no booking fee.
• Trip.com sells the same tickets with a friendlier English interface and multilingual customer service, but adds a booking fee per ticket. It also sells hotels and flights, and accepts foreign cards.

Either way, your passport is your ticket. See How to book China train tickets.

Translation: a camera translator with offline Chinese

You will use translation every day, for menus, signs, pharmacy labels and taxi chats.

• Use a translation app that can translate text through your camera and conversation mode for talking.
• Download the offline Chinese language pack before you go. Offline translation works even when your chosen app cannot connect in China.
• WeChat can translate messages: press and hold a message and tap Translate. Handy for chatting with hotels and guides.

Which apps work in China, and how much English to expect: see translation apps for China.

Many menus are also QR codes on the table. Take a screenshot and translate it. See How to order food in China.

Food: Dianping and Meituan (optional)

• Dianping (大众点评) is China’s big restaurant review app, with photos, ratings and opening hours. Parts of the interface are in English, but most reviews are in Chinese.
• Meituan (美团) is used for food delivery, group deals and bookings. It is built for Chinese users, so treat it as a bonus.

You can eat very well without either: Amap shows nearby restaurants, and table QR codes let you order and pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay.

Mobile data: set it up before you land

Every app on this list needs mobile data. Choose one before you fly:

• International roaming on your home SIM, if your plan covers China at a sensible price
• A travel eSIM for China. Many route data outside mainland China, so Google and WhatsApp keep working
• A Chinese SIM card, bought in China with your passport. Cheap, with a Chinese number, but Google and WhatsApp are blocked on it

Hotel and café Wi-Fi is common, but it is a Chinese network: blocked apps stay blocked. See our China eSIM service.

Entry and tickets

• Arrival card: fill it in online, free, on the National Immigration Administration website (s.nia.gov.cn), in the NIA 12367 app, or in its WeChat or Alipay mini-programs. See China arrival card.
• Museums and big sights: many use WeChat or Alipay mini-programs for real-name booking with your passport. The Forbidden City also has an official English booking website. See Forbidden City tickets.

Apps that do not work on Chinese networks

On Chinese Wi-Fi and Chinese SIM cards these are blocked or unavailable: Google Search, Gmail, Google Maps, Google Translate online, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, X, Telegram and ChatGPT.

They usually work over international roaming or a travel eSIM that routes data abroad. Apple iMessage, FaceTime and Apple Maps work normally in China. Full list and options: WhatsApp, Instagram and ChatGPT in China.

The best order to set everything up

One or two weeks before you fly:

1. Update your phone and check it has enough storage.
2. Install Alipay, register with your home number and link your main card. Verify your passport if asked.
3. Install WeChat, register and link a second card to WeChat Pay.
4. Install Amap, switch it to English and save your hotels.
5. Install DiDi and add a card, or plan to book rides inside Alipay.
6. Install 12306 or Trip.com, verify your passport and book your first trains.
7. Install your translator and download offline Chinese.
8. Buy your eSIM or confirm your roaming plan.

A few days before you fly:

• Tell your bank you will pay in China, and make a small test payment in Alipay if you can.
• Fill in your arrival card online and save the QR code.
• Screenshot your hotel addresses in Chinese, booking confirmations and passport page.
• Download offline copies of anything you need from Google, such as emails or documents.

On arrival: turn on your eSIM or roaming, check that Alipay shows a payment code, and take your first ride with DiDi or the metro.

Common problems and fixes

• No verification code arrives. Make sure your home SIM can receive texts abroad, or register before you leave.
• Your card will not link. Try a physical credit card, call your bank to approve the charge, or use your second card. See Alipay for foreigners.
• An app is in Chinese. Look for a language setting under Me or the profile page, or use your camera translator on the screen.
• An Android app will not download in China. Google Play does not work on Chinese networks. Install everything at home.
• Your phone battery runs out. Maps, payment and translation all use power. Carry a power bank, with a Chinese 3C mark if you will take domestic flights. See power bank rules.

Want help with your China setup?

Your personal travel concierge can tell you which apps you need for your route and help when one stops working, and our China eSIM service keeps you connected from the moment you land.