Written by Natalia |
Now, China has been a cashless society and the international credit card is limited in many small and medium-sized merchants. However, the apps have covered almost every aspects of daily life in China, including payment, shopping, navigation, food ordering, tickets booking, etc. There are also translation apps to help you to overcome language barrier. To facilitate your China tour, here below are some most popular apps in China recommended for you.
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- Why You Need China Apps Before Visiting
- Must-Have Apps for Traveling in China
- Top China Apps for Communication & Social Media
- Apps for Food, Shopping & Daily Life
- Apps for Navigation and Transportation in China
- Apps for Booking Tickets in China
- Apps for Booking Hotels in China
- Translation Apps for Traveling in China
- Other Survival Tools for Foreignersā
- How to Download and Use China Apps
- Essential Tips for Using Chinese Apps
- FAQs about China Apps
- Travel China with Us
Why You Need China Apps Before Visiting
- Digital dominance:Since China is aĀ digitalĀ society, so apps are required for most daily activities. And Google servicesĀ is limited in China,Ā so alternative apps are essential for travel in China. And some apps have English interface and built-in translation function, which will offer great help during the trip.
- Stats:Mobile payment has penetrated in daily life in China with 86% of transactions completed via apps.Ā So to solve payment problem, China apps are also needed in the tour.
- Travelerās reality:WithoutĀ apps, there will be difficulties inĀ taxiĀ calling, payments, translations, etc., your travel will be greatly influenced.
Must-Have Apps for Traveling in China
WeChat ā Chinaās All-in-One Super App
With all kinds of functions, WeChat is definitely an essential China travel app. Its most basic function is communication, with which you can chat with the local friends and merchants. And you do not have to worry about understanding since there is message translation function. Also, WeChat payment functionĀ can be used in almost all stores and allows to add international bank card, so it can help you to solve payment problem in almost every aspect.
Besides, there are about 5 million of built-in mini programs covering all kinds of life scenes, so just with WeChat, you can call on taxi, order food, book tickets, search travel routes, etc. The built-in translation tool can translate information on the uploaded pictures, which will be very helpful in your tour. So among the China travel tips, downloading Wechat is of great importance.
Alipay ā Cashless Payments Anywhere
With the similar coverage rate of Wechat, Alipay is another main payment app in ChinaĀ and supports the main international bank card. Its original āTapāĀ payment is quite convenient, the payment is finished as soon as you put your phone on the scan machines. Besides, it also has functions of taxi calling, ticket booking, and hotel reservation, etc. with 16 languages supported and multilingual customer service, Alipay is friendly to foreigners.
Baidu Maps / Amap ā Best Map Apps for China
Baidu Map and Amap are the best navigation appsĀ for China. Both app gather over 1.5 million of spots and provide various transportation plans, including driving, metro, bus, bicycle and walking so that you can choose according to your needs. You can also download the offline map in advance in case of unstable network. Integrating translation functions, they are good alternative apps of Google Map.
Trip.com / Ctrip ā China Hotel & Train Booking App
Trip.com is one of the largest travel websites in China, where tourists can bookĀ train, plane, hotel, ticket of scenic spots and so on. It offers all-English interface and multilingual customer service and supports main international credit card like Visa and Mastercard. To search the tourism information, this app is one of the best China travel apps.
Top China Apps for Communication & Social Media
QQ is a classic chat app in China. Its international version is an immediate communication tool designed specially for foreigners, which offers interfaces in six languages including English, French, Japanese and Korean and boasts built-in real-time translation tool.
Xiaohongshu / Little Red Book
It is a popular China social app among young people, who prefer to share their lifestyle and recommend the commodities on it. So you can search the various guides and explore the local life with Little Red Book.
Weibo is like the twitter in China, which is also a social media app in China. You can get real-time news and hot topics of both international and domestic events and post your thoughts on it. The Weibo Lite is a simplified version without too much ads and equipped with translation function.
Apps for Food, Shopping & Daily Life
Meituan
Integrating functions of takeout ordering, hotel booking and scenic areas tickets booking, Meituan is more than a food delivery app in China and is widely used among Chinese. You can use it in almost all the cities in China. And it can add Visa and Mastercard international credit cards without service charge, which is quite convenient.
Ele.me
Different from Meituan, Ele.meĀ is specialized on catering delivery. Besides all kinds of food, it also offers medicines and daily necessities takeout and most commodities can be delivered in 30 minutes to one hour.
Taobao
Taobao is the largest platform for online shopping in China with over one billion kinds of goods, covering both domestic and foreign commodities. For your convenience, you can switch the language to English in settings. About 90% of foreigners use Taobao to buy goods online during their living in China, making it a top China app.
JD.com
JD.comĀ is a online shopping app in China focusing on electronic products and genuine product guarantee. And its logistics speed leads the industry. Most orders can be delivered in 24 hours and you can make an appointment for precise time slot for delivery. Its price is a little bit higher but its quality is more stable than Taobao.
Dianping
To know the real feedback and discounts of goods, Dianping is an app you need for China travel. It boasts the evaluations of both Chinese and foreigners, and some foreign users voluntarily translate the menu in the evaluations, so it will be helpful for you to judge whether the restaurants meet your expectations or not. Besides, the app pushes nearby high-scoring restaurants, along with average consumption per person and waiting time.
Apps for Navigation and Transportation in China
Baidu Maps
Baidu Map is one of the most popular apps in China for navigation. It provides AR real-scene navigation which marks the direction in combination with the real scenes through camera to avoid getting lost when walking. And it supports payment by Visa and Mastercard.
Amap
Amap covers the maps and real time transportation of more than 200 countries. It offers precise Ā subway transfer guidance and real-time congestion level alerts. You can also call a taxi in Amap.
Google Maps
If you want to use Google Map in China, remember to download the map before your departure. In China, a VPN is required to connect to the internet for updates, so you may not know real-time traffic conditions. Compared with navigation apps in China, its data of Chinese map may be less precise.
Didi Chuxing ā for Ride-hailing
This is also essential for international tourists – if you haven’t booked private transfers with ChinaxiantourĀ or other agencies. The first point is, in China, most tourists nowadays no longer use traditional taxis (of course, they are still available at train stations and airports). What’s popular then? Using mobile apps to hail taxis. I
So, what is the best app for ordering taxis or ride-hailing services in China? DidiĀ (껓껓). If you just take a look at the mobile phones of Chinese people, you will find that the majority have the Didi app. For international tourists, the best thing is that it has a complete English interface (currently also has Korean). Want to chat with your driver? Didi can automatically translate the English into Chinese for the driver to read. Link it with your Visa/Mastercard. Whether you are in Beijing or Guilin, you can easily hail a ride.
What’s more convenient is that if you don’t want to download the Didi app, you can search for āDidiāĀ in Alipay and WeChat, and you can also use it.
In addition, Baidu Map and Amap also offer ride-hailing services.
How to use Didi Chuxing in English? You can log in with your oversea phone number and then switch the language to English in settings. And there is built-in real time translation function. Payment by international credit card is also supported. If you have problems, ask the 24-hour English customer service for help.
Bus365
Bus 365 offers the inter-provincial bus ticketing, which supports online ticket purchase and scan electronic tickets for boarding.
MetroMan –Ā China Metro Apps
The advantage of Metroman is the full English interface. With this app, you can search metro line maps, first and last train times, and transfer guidance for over 20 major cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. It can show the real-time congestion level and can be used offline.
Apps for Booking Tickets in China
Trip.com
This app provides 14 languages for you choose. And it is a top China travel app covering all categories, including airplane, train, bus, hotel and tickets of scenic areas, etc. Besides, the customer service provides 24-hour multilingual support. Payment by international cards is also available.
KLOOK /Meituan
Klook is specialized on the travel experience, including more than 100 thousand special activities and over 400 destinations all over the world. It offers niche experiences and fast-pass tickets for scenic spots. And you can preview the event scene through VR technology. The product detail page contains introductions in multiple languages which is convenient.
Meituan integrates domestic localized services, where you may book low-priced air tickets and hotels with platform subsidy. And for train tickets, it can automatically monitor remaining tickets and quickly buy them for you.
Related reading: How to Buy Train Tickets in China
12306.com
As the only official booking platform in China, 12306.com has no additional charges from third-party platforms, and can automatic match waiting list tickets. But the interface is Chinese and only domestic payment method is supported.
Fliggy
Fliggy also offers tickets booking service of airplanes, trains, buses, hotels and scenic spots with relative low price. It supports international credit card, but a 3% service charge is required.
Apps for Booking Hotels in China
International friendly platformĀ – Trip.com, Booking.com, Agoda
With English interface, all these three apps are easy to access for foreign users. But they have different features, so you can choose the one you need for your China travel. Trip.com provides the interfaces of 14 languages and supports international credit card with no service charge, so it it suitable for first comers.
Booking.com is an English internet and the price is transparent and includes tax by default. 90% of hotels support free cancellation, making it suitable for users with uncertain itineraries. While the price on Agoda often does not include tax, so you need to check before pay. And most discounted rooms cannot be canceled. But you can enjoy an additional discount if stay for more than 3 consecutive nights.
Local platform international versionĀ – Qunar, Meituan Hotel, Tujia Homestay
All these three platforms focus on the market in China, so they have advantages in real feedback and price. Both Qunar and Meituan Hotel are equipped with basic English interface, and have frequent promotion activities. And you can check the feedback of former guests. The difference is Qunar supports payment by international bank card with 3% service charge while Meituan only supports Chinese payment method.
Tujia Homestay is specialized on the characteristic homestays, such as those renovated from traditional architectures courtyard house and earthen building. About 70% are entire house, so it is quite suitable for families. Besides, bilingual descriptions in Chinese and English are provide in the detail page.
Translation Apps for Traveling in China
Baidu Translate
Baidu Translate has a higher accuracy in the translation between Chinese and other languages, especially English, and its translations is more in line with Chinese expression habits. The recognition rate of photo translation is up to 95% for Chinese print characters and that of voice translation is 85% even in noisy environment. When ordering in the restaurant, it can automatically translate dish ingredients. So it is definitely a useful app for china travel.
Google Translate
Google TranslateĀ is an all-round translator, which supports translation between 108 languages and is especially proficient in minority languages. To use in China, it is advised to download the language offline packages in advance. Its unique feature is the AR real-time translation, after pointing the camera to the guide board, the translation will be directly superimposed on the original text. But this function requires access to VPN.
Microsoft Translator
For business traveler, Microsoft Translator will provide you great help in multi-people session since it can display the original text and translation in split screens and there are professional vocabulary database such as law and medicine. It also supports photo translation so you can also use during the tour.
PlecoĀ
As a dictionary app for Chinese learner, Pleco will show the evolution of Chinese characters and its related words when you search to help you understand it. And idioms and allusions are accompanied by cultural backgrounds. But it is limited to Chinese-English translation, and do not have voice and photo function, making it suitable for learning but not suitable for emergency situations.
Other Survival Tools for Foreignersā
FlightAware
Do you need the best app in China to check flight status (not caring about booking tickets)? Go withĀ FlightAware. It can track the delays, boarding gates, departure times, real-time flight trajectories, aircraft locations and other information of flights worldwide (not limited to China). Even if you don’t know your flight number, just input the departure and destination cities and it will instantly provide the information. The best part is, its data is extremely accurate. Is there an English version? Yes.
ExpressVPN / NordVPN
To ensure your free communication and privacy security, the VPN app is needed for China travel and ExpressVPN / NordVPN are the two hot apps in China. Both app provide a large number of servers to ensure stable connection and promise not to record user activities. The payment for NordVPN is Alipay and ExpressVPN supports international credit card.
XE Currency
XE Currency offers real-time exchange rates for over 180 currencies and multi-currency conversion to assist you in cash payment decisions. It also displays the 30-day or 90-day fluctuation trend to help you judge the best exchange time to prevent exchange rate losses. You can also search the ATMs that support cash withdrawal with foreign cards and estimated service charge on it.
Moji Weather
Due to the vast territory in China, the weather is quite different between cities, to help you plan the itinerary and protect your health, Moji Weather is an app you need for China tour. It provides high-precision weather forecast, air quality index, disaster warning and 15-day trend forecast to assist in planning trips. Besides, special report for scenic areas is offered, covering the sunset and sunrise time and suitability for mountain climbing, etc.
How to Download and Use China Apps
China apps download
If your device is ISO system, the most stable way is to register an Apple ID in Chinese region. Create a new account in the official website with your oversea email or phone, choose the mainland of China in region and fill in the hotel address in China, then log in the new ID in App store and downtown the apps you need for China tour.
If you use Android phone, install the app store in your phone and switch the region to China, then download the app directly. Or visit the official website of app store through a browser and download the APK file to install.
The common way is to connect the Chinese server VPN, and visit the official website to download.
RegistrationĀ and InformationĀ Filling
After download the app, you should also register before use. Usually, it needs to fill in oversea or Chinese phone number, name, passport and your hotel address. And to use payment function, some apps require real name authentication and bank card, Wechat or Alipay binding.
Essential Tips for Using Chinese Apps
- Have you checked your packing list for your China tour? Also, check if you have downloaded the necessary apps. That is to say, you’d better download them before you come to China.
- When using taxi apps or maps, directly entering the destination in Chinese is the most accurate. And it’s also convenient for you to show it to the driver, right?
- For the same type of apps, choose the largest and the most widely used one – the reason is simple, the service is generally better and the experience will generally be safer.
- According to our clients’ experience, sometimes using certain VPNs cannot smoothly use Alipay for payment. What should you do? Turn off the VPN temporarily – the prerequisite is that you have a network.
FAQs about China Apps
Can I use WhatsApp in China?
Yes, you can use Whatsapp in China, as long as you have downloaded and configured the VPN app in advance. You can also use its web version which can be connected to the domestic network directly.
How to pay without Chinese bank cards?
Some large shopping malls, hotels and chain restaurants support pay by main international credit cards. The most popular way is to download Wechat or Alipay and add your international bank card, then you can use Wechat pay and Alipay, which have covered almost all the scenes in China. Cash payment is also acceptable.
If you travel in Shanghai, another convenient way is to use theĀ Shanghai Pass, a special card for oversea tourists. It does not require real name authentication. The card fee is CNY 20 and non-refundable. To use it, you need to deposite money in advance, the highest amount is CNY 1000. It can be used in the transportation in almost all major tourism cities in China and the scenic spots and some chain stores in Shanghai.
Related reading: How to Pay in China As a Foreigner: Popular Payment Methods
What’s the best app for ordering taxis or a ride-hailing service in China?
The most common app is Didi Chuxing, while Baidu Map and Amap also offer ride-hailing service .
How do I download these apps if the Google Play Store is blocked in China?
You can download from the app store in your phone or from the official website of app store after connecting the VPN. For details, please see above-mentioned content in China apps download.
Travel China with Us
To ensure you enjoy a relaxing China tour, we are glad to offer multilingual tour guide service to overcome language barrier and customize the tour plan based on your needs. In case of unexpected situations, we will adjust the itinerary flexibly in time. Besides, we can also book the tickets and hotels for you in advance. If you have no idea about how to plan your first trip to China, just contact with us for more information now.
