Apps for China Travel 2026: Install These 4 Before You Fly

Apps to use in China: the four you install before you fly

The apps for China travel that actually matter come down to four: Alipay, a working VPN, Amap and DiDi International. If you only do one phone task before Shenzhen, install and log in to those four while you are still on normal internet.

Do not leave this for hotel WiFi. Once you are inside China:

• Google Play is blocked (Android users)
• The App Store sometimes restricts apps for Chinese IP addresses
• App Store search results are different for Chinese accounts
• Many app websites are blocked

The order matters. Alipay first, because it is how you pay. The VPN second, because it is how your normal internet survives. Amap third, because Google Maps will confidently send you to the wrong side of a road. DiDi fourth, because "I'll just wave down a taxi" is how you end up negotiating with a driver through a translation app outside Futian Port.

(Install WeChat too if a Chinese host, hotel or friend already told you to add them. It is useful. It is just not the app that saves you when you are hungry, lost or trying to pay.)

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Must-have apps for your China trip

🔴 Alipay — Payment

Why: Shenzhen is nearly cashless. You need it for food, taxis, everything.

Set it up at home:

1. Download → Sign up with your foreign phone number → Add your foreign card → Complete identity verification

About 10 minutes at home. If something goes wrong once you are in China, it is very hard to fix properly.

→ Full Alipay setup guide

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🔴 VPN App — Your Normal Internet

Why: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube are all blocked the moment you cross.

Set it up at home: Download your VPN and log in. Test that it works (Google should load). Use Astrill or ExpressVPN.

→ Full VPN guide

⚠️ Critical: Turn the VPN OFF when you pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay. Leaving it on causes payment failures.

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🔴 Amap (高德地图) — Navigation

Why: Google Maps is not dependable for local navigation in China. Amap is the better default: current local addresses, real-time traffic and public transit routing.

• On the App Store and Google Play
• Switch the language to English in settings (not perfect, but usable)
• Save your hotel address and nearest metro exit in Chinese somewhere outside the app

Alternatives: Baidu Maps (Chinese only), Apple Maps (works, but less detailed)

→ Set up maps for China without relying on Google Maps

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🔴 DiDi International — the China Taxi App for Foreigners

Why: This is the taxi app you want when the metro is not enough. It works in English, the driver gets your destination in Chinese, and you skip the curbside guessing game.

Set it up at home: Sign up, add your card or connect Alipay, and keep your phone number reachable for SMS verification.

⚠️ DiDi may ask for SMS verification on your first few rides. Use your home number if it works abroad; if it doesn't, take the first ride from somewhere with WiFi and some patience.

DiDi and Amap get more detail in the getting around Shenzhen guide, including which metro lines matter and how to actually pay at the turnstile.

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Best apps in China after the first four

🟡 WeChat — Messaging

Why: Your Chinese contacts almost certainly use WeChat. Hotels, restaurants and anyone you meet in Shenzhen may send you locations or booking details there.

Setup: Sign up with your foreign phone number. Add the people you know in Shenzhen before you arrive.

You can message on WeChat without setting up WeChat Pay. Stick with Alipay for payments unless a host specifically asks you to use WeChat Pay.

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🟡 Pleco — Chinese Dictionary

Why: The best offline Chinese dictionary. It works without internet: point your camera at Chinese text (menu, sign, label) and it translates on the spot.

Get the free version. The Basic add-on ($10) adds flashcards and advanced features, but the free version covers most of what a visitor needs.

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🟡 Google or Apple Translate — Best Translation Apps for China (Offline)

Both have camera translation that works on menus and signs, which makes them the best translation apps for China alongside Pleco.

• Google Translate: Download the Chinese language pack for offline use before you cross (Google is blocked)
• Apple Translate: Works offline; download the Chinese language pack in Settings → Translate

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🟡 Wise / Revolut — Better Exchange Rates

If you will withdraw cash from ATMs in Shenzhen, use a Wise or Revolut card to avoid foreign transaction fees. Set it up at home, load some money, and bring it as your ATM card.

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Nice to have, depending on your trip

🟢 Meituan (美团) — Food Delivery

The dominant food delivery app in China; nearly every restaurant is on it. The standalone app is useful if you have a +86 number, but tourists should try the WeChat or Alipay mini-program first, because it can get you past the full local-account setup wall.

Backup: search 淘宝闪购 or 饿了么 inside Alipay, or ask your hotel concierge to order for you. For the full food-ordering breakdown and what to actually eat, see what to eat in Shenzhen. For the coupon-and-queue version, use the Dianping and Meituan guide.

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🟢 DiDi International vs DiDi Mainland

There are two versions of DiDi: International (for tourists, English interface, foreign card payment) and Mainland (Chinese interface, for locals).

Download DiDi International. It is built for foreign visitors.

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🟢 Trip.com or Ctrip — the China Train App in English

If you are travelling beyond Shenzhen to Guangzhou or other cities, you need train tickets. Trip.com (the international version of Ctrip) is the China train booking app that lets you book high-speed rail in English. Much easier than the official 12306 app, which is Chinese only.

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Quick reference: apps to install before going to China

Install before you cross: Alipay for payment, a working VPN for blocked sites, Amap for navigation and DiDi International for rides.

Install if you have five more minutes: WeChat for messaging, Pleco for offline Chinese, and Google or Apple Translate with the Chinese pack downloaded.

Install only if your trip needs it: Wise or Revolut as ATM backup, Meituan if you have a Chinese phone number or local help, and Trip.com if you are booking high-speed rail beyond Shenzhen.

For the wider visitor toolbox (maps, official sources, communities and the stuff I would keep bookmarked) use the resources page.

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What you don't need (that locals use)

• Baidu Maps — Chinese only, and Amap is better for most foreign visitors.
• QQ — WeChat replaced it for almost everything you will touch.
• 12306 — useful for locals booking rail, but Trip.com is easier in English.
• Taobao — you are visiting, not trying to receive parcels at a 城中村 pickup shelf.
• Xiaohongshu — useful for Chinese social search, but not a first-day survival app.

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What to do after your phone is ready

Once Alipay, the VPN, Amap and DiDi are actually logged in, stop fiddling with apps and plan the trip around time. If you are still asking whether Shenzhen needs one, two or three days, use the Shenzhen itinerary next. The short answer: two days for most first-timers, one day if you are just crossing from Hong Kong, three days if you want the east coast without rushing.

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Apps blocked in China: Android notes

Android is where blocked apps hurt most:

• Google Play is blocked — you cannot download new apps once you are in China
• Download every Google app you rely on (Maps, Translate, etc.) before you leave; they won't update in China but work fine
• Some Android phones sold in China (Huawei) have no Google services at all, which doesn't matter if you are bringing your own phone
• If you forgot something: ask your hotel for the WiFi password and use a VPN to reach the Play Store

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iPhone notes

• The App Store works in China for apps that are available in the mainland Chinese App Store
• Some apps (many VPNs, some Google apps) are not in the Chinese App Store
• If your Apple ID is linked to a Chinese App Store account, some international apps won't appear
• Use your home-country Apple ID. Don't switch to a Chinese Apple ID just because an app suggests it

Questions

What apps should I use in China?

Four apps before you cross: Alipay to pay (Shenzhen is nearly cashless), a VPN app (Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube are blocked), Amap to navigate (Google Maps is not dependable here), and DiDi International for rides when the metro is not enough. Add WeChat if you have Chinese contacts, but it is not the first-day blocker.

What messaging apps work in China?

WeChat is the one that matters: your Chinese contacts, hotels and restaurants almost certainly use it. WhatsApp is blocked the moment you cross, so it only works through a VPN. You can use WeChat for messaging without setting up WeChat Pay.

What social media apps work in China?

Instagram, YouTube and anything from Google are blocked, so they need a working VPN that you installed and tested at home. Xiaohongshu is useful for Chinese social search, but it is not a first-day survival app.

Which apps are blocked in China?

Google (including Google Play), WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube are blocked, and so are many app websites. That is why you download and log in to every app on your home internet. It takes about 20 minutes and saves hours of frustration.

What is the best translation app for China?

Pleco for words: it is the best offline Chinese dictionary, and its camera reads menus, signs and labels without internet. For whole sentences, use Google Translate or Apple Translate with the Chinese language pack downloaded before you cross, because Google is blocked inside China.

Do I need WeChat Pay in Shenzhen?

Not necessarily. Alipay with a foreign card is easier to set up and works at most places. WeChat Pay as a foreigner needs a Chinese phone number for full functionality and is more complex to configure. Start with Alipay; it covers the vast majority of payments you will make.

Can I use Uber or Google Maps in Shenzhen?

Uber is not the ride-hailing app to use in Shenzhen; install DiDi. Google Maps may load through a VPN or foreign-routed eSIM, but its local navigation is not dependable enough to be your main map. Install Amap Global for routes, and download both apps at home.

Does my iPhone work normally in Shenzhen?

The hardware works fine. Your App Store account region decides which apps you can download inside China, and most apps in this guide are on international App Store accounts. Turn off iCloud Private Relay before entering China, because it can interfere with apps that detect your location.