实用应用程序
Useful Apps
支付须知
Payment Essentials
China is increasingly cashless, and mobile payments are the most common method of payment for everything from street food to shopping malls. Alipay and WeChat Pay are the most commonly used payment platforms in China, so it's best to download and set them up before your trip by linking an international credit or debit card, as they require personal identification during the registration process. You can select the “Tourist” or “International” setup, and follow instructions to link your card.
上网与流量
Internet and Data
We highly recommend getting an e-sim or a VPN if you plan to use apps that rely on Google services or getting around. While some apps like Google services are blocked in China, you may want to use a VPN to access certain websites or apps not available in China, such as Google Maps or Gmail. Popular VPNs include ExpressVPN but it’s important to download and set up a VPN before arriving in China. Last time we went to China we got both an e-sim and VPN to not take any chances!
旅行应用
Travel Apps
Didi is China’s version of Uber and the most popular ride-hailing app. You can book taxis or private cars. It’s especially useful since many taxi drivers don’t speak English. The app has an English interface and is free on iOS and Android—definitely worth downloading before your trip.
Trip.com is also an all-rounder travel app that is well integrated for Chinese travel. It has links for Didi, and we were able to buy an e-sim and book train tickets from Hangzhou to Shanghai all from this app alone.
For navigation, Baidu Maps and Amap are widely used and give directions for walking, driving, public transport, and metro routes. English support is limited on Baidu, but it's still usable once you get familiar with the layout. Just note, most place names will appear in Chinese so it's important to type the name in Chinese rather than Pinying. Amap is more accurate for real-time traffic and walking directions. It also offers slightly better English support than Baidu and the app language can be set to English. Download offline maps with Amap, or Baidu Maps before your trip in case you lose internet access.
餐饮推荐应用
Dining Out Apps
Dianping is China’s answer to Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Uber Eats all in one. It’s packed with restaurant reviews, photos, menus, price ranges, and user ratings—making it a great go-to for discovering local spots, hidden gems, and honest feedback. It also covers other services like beauty salons, entertainment, and shopping, so it’s useful beyond just dining. It was particularly useful to locate dedicated children's soft play areas in shopping malls.
翻译应用
Translation Apps
Whilst Chinese locals will be friendly and do their best to help, most will need some help if you're inquiring in English! For translation - if you have an e-sim and VPN - Google Translate is by far the most convenient and familiar to most. This is useful for both live translation of spoken Chinese and also Google Lens when looking at restaurant menus or Chinese apps. However some other options include Baidu Translate which also does the above. This needs to be downloaded as an APK and may not be found on app stores - search "百度翻译". Other useful apps like Pleco have a unique screen reader feature which can translate websites on screen.