The 8 Apps You Must Install Before Landing in China

What it does: Pay for literally everything. Scan QR codes at shops, restaurants, street vendors, and even rural markets. Also handles ride-hailing (via DiDi integration), train tickets, and utility payments. This is your #1 app in China.

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What it does: Messaging (everyone in China uses it), social media (Moments), and payments (WeChat Pay). Think of it as WhatsApp + Facebook + Apple Pay combined into one app. You need it to communicate with anyone local ¡ª hotels, guides, new friends. WeChat Pay is less reliable for foreign cards than Alipay, so use Alipay for payments and WeChat for messaging.

What it does: Navigation. Google Maps does not work reliably in China ¡ª streets are offset, transit data is missing, and business info is years out of date. A friend visiting from London once tried to walk to a noodle shop near West Lake using Google Maps ¡ª it placed the restaurant in the middle of a canal. iPhone users: Apple Maps works perfectly in China and is the easiest option ¡ª no extra download needed. It even shows real-time bus arrival times. Android users: install Amap (¸ßµÂµØͼ). The interface is in Chinese, but you'll figure it out ¡ª the map itself is crystal clear. For public transit directions, both are excellent.

What it does: Ride-hailing ¡ª China's Uber. English interface, supports foreign phone numbers and international credit cards (Visa / Mastercard / JCB) directly ¡ª no Alipay required. Fares are shockingly cheap: last week I took a 25-minute DiDi across Hangzhou and it cost £¤32 ¡ª about $4.40. The driver handed me a bottle of water when I got in.

?? Important: Download "DiDi China: Ride Hailing" ¡ª NOT "DiDi Rider." DiDi Rider is the international version and does not work in mainland China. If the app icon says "DiDi Rider," you downloaded the wrong one. Search in the App Store or Google Play for the China version ¡ª the app icon shows µÎµÎ ch¨±x¨ªng.

What it does: Camera translation ¡ª point your phone at a menu, sign, or product label and see live English overlay. I use this constantly at local restaurants where the menu is a single laminated sheet with no pictures. Point, wait two seconds, and "ÓãÏãÈâË¿" becomes "fish-fragrant shredded pork" ¡ª not perfect, but enough to know what you're ordering. Also does voice translation for basic conversations. Download the Chinese language pack offline before your trip so it works without internet. Access to Google Translate can vary in China ¡ª it may work intermittently even without a VPN, but don't count on it being always available. Keep Baidu Translate, Apple Translate, or Youdao installed as backup, and download offline packs where available.

What it does: Food delivery, restaurant reviews, hotel booking, and local services. China's "super app" for everything local. The interface is mostly Chinese, but you can navigate it with screenshot translation. Food delivery is absurdly fast: I once ordered bubble tea at 10:30pm on a Tuesday, and a guy on an electric scooter handed it to me at my apartment gate 22 minutes later. It cost £¤15 ¡ª barely $2. A full dinner delivered to your hotel runs £¤25¨C50 ($3¨C7). Pay with Alipay at checkout.

What it does: The official China railway app for booking high-speed train tickets. Has an English version. The app is clunky and can be frustrating ¡ª many travelers prefer to book through a third-party site like Trip.com. But if you're planning lots of train travel, having the official app lets you check live schedules, platform numbers, and delay updates in real time ¡ª your passport is your ticket, no paper pickup needed.

What it does: Access Google, Gmail, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and most Western websites ¡ª all of which are blocked in China. Install and test your VPN before you fly. Many VPN websites are blocked in China, so you cannot download one after you arrive. Not all VPNs work reliably ¡ª ask in travel communities for current recommendations, as the situation changes frequently.