Apps to Download Before Going to China 2026 (4 Must-Install)

Install these four before you fly

If you only do one phone task before Shenzhen, do this: install and log in to Alipay, a working VPN, Amap, and Didi International while you are still on normal internet.

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

• Google Play is blocked (Android users)
• 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. Set up Alipay first because it is how you pay. Test the VPN second because it is how your normal internet survives. Download Amap third because Google Maps will confidently send you to the wrong side of a road. Add 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.)

---

Must-Have Before You Arrive

🔴 Alipay — Payment

Why: Shenzhen is nearly cashless. You need this to pay for food, taxis, anything.

Setup at home:

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

Takes 10 minutes at home. Very difficult to set up properly once in China if you run into issues.

→ Full Alipay setup guide

---

🔴 VPN App — Internet Freedom

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

Setup at home: Download and log into your chosen VPN. Test it works (Google should load). Recommended: Astrill or ExpressVPN.

→ Full VPN guide

⚠️ Critical: Turn VPN OFF when using Alipay or WeChat Pay. It will cause payment failures.

---

🔴 Amap (高德地图) — Navigation

Why: Google Maps doesn't work in China. Amap is the best alternative — accurate, real-time traffic, public transit routing.

• Available on App Store and Google Play
• Set language to English in settings (not perfect but usable)
• Download offline maps for Shenzhen before you arrive

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

---

🔴 Didi International — Ride Hailing

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

Setup 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 the first few rides. Use your home number if it works abroad; if it doesn't, handle the first ride from somewhere with WiFi and patience.

Didi and Amap are covered in more detail in the getting around Shenzhen guide — including which metro lines matter and how to actually pay at the turnstile.

---

Highly Recommended

🟡 WeChat — Communication

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

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

Note: You can use WeChat for messaging without setting up WeChat Pay. Start with Alipay for payments unless a host specifically asks you to use WeChat Pay.

---

🟡 Pleco — Chinese Dictionary

Why: The best offline Chinese dictionary. Works without internet. Point your camera at Chinese text (menu, sign, label) and it translates instantly.

Download the free version. The Basic add-on ($10) adds flashcard and advanced features but the free version covers most needs.

---

🟡 Translate App with Offline Download

Both Google Translate and Apple Translate have camera-based translation that works on menus and signs.

• Google Translate: Download the Chinese language pack for offline use (before crossing — Google is blocked)
• Apple Translate: Works offline, download Chinese language pack in Settings → Translate

---

🟡 Wise / Revolut — Better Exchange Rates

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

---

Nice to Have

🟢 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 avoid the full local-account setup wall.

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

---

🟢 DiDi International vs DiDi Mainland

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

Download Didi International — it's specifically designed for foreign visitors.

---

🟢 Trip.com or Ctrip — Train Tickets

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

---

Quick Reference Table

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 for 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.

---

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.

---

What to do after your phone is ready

Once Alipay, 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.

---

Android-Specific Notes

Android users face more friction in China:

• Google Play is blocked — you cannot download new apps once in China
• Download all Google apps (Maps, Translate, etc.) before leaving — they won't update in China but work fine
• Some Android phones (Huawei) sold in China don't have Google services at all — irrelevant if you're bringing your own phone
• If you forget to download something: ask your hotel for their WiFi password and use a VPN to access the Play Store

---

iPhone-Specific Notes

• The App Store works in China for apps that are available in the mainland Chinese App Store
• However, 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