Essential Apps for China Travel – Alipay, WeChat, DiDi
At a glance
Alipay, WeChat Pay, DiDi, Trip.com — 12 must-haves for cashless travel in China.
Essential apps for China travel – TL;DR
China is a country where cash has all but disappeared. Convenience stores, restaurants, taxis, attraction ticket counters, even street food stalls all run on QR payments by default. Since 2024, foreigners can also link an international credit card to Alipay and WeChat Pay, so be sure to finish setting this up before you leave.
| Category | Apps |
|---|---|
| Payment essential | Alipay, WeChat |
| Taxi | DiDi |
| Accommodation & flights | Trip.com |
| Maps | Baidu Maps, Apple Maps |
| Translation | Papago, Google Translate (offline) |
| Tours & tickets | Klook, KKday |
| VPN | Recommended to install before departure |
⚠️ Important: in China, Google, YouTube, Gmail, KakaoTalk, Instagram, and more are blocked. They won't work without a VPN. Be sure to install a VPN app and complete your subscription before leaving Korea — downloading a VPN app can be blocked once you're actually in China.
1. Payment apps – set these up first
Alipay (支付宝)
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
China's #1 payment app. Launched by Alibaba Group in 2004, it's now the national payment platform used by more than a billion people in China. Foreigners can also link an international credit card (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover).
- Tour Pass (for foreigners): top up a minimum of 200 yuan for 90 days of use — a QR-scan payment feature exclusively for foreign visitors.
- Setup order: install the app → sign up with your home country phone number → passport verification → link an international credit card → set up Tour Pass
- Where it's accepted: convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, etc.), restaurants, taxis (via DiDi integration), attraction ticket counters, hotels, malls — accepted by 95%+ of merchants
- Built-in translator: supports 16 languages, applied to in-app restaurant ordering and accommodation booking.
- Mini programs: open DiDi taxis, Meituan food delivery, Trip.com, and more directly inside the Alipay app.
- Tip: fully complete your Alipay setup before leaving Korea. Initial app setup can be tricky once you're actually in China.
- Note: your Tour Pass balance expires after 90 days. You can request a refund for any unused balance.
WeChat (微信) + WeChat Pay
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
WeChat is both China's KakaoTalk and a payment app. Launched by Tencent in 2011, it's now a super-app used by 1.3 billion people in China, integrating messaging, calls, payments, mini programs, news, and shopping in one app.
- Why WeChat is essential: it's nearly impossible to contact local hotels, restaurants, guides, and travel agencies without WeChat. Just like KakaoTalk in Korea, WeChat is the default way to communicate in China.
- WeChat Pay: link an international credit card to pay directly (no need to top up in advance). Setup is sometimes simpler than Alipay.
- Foreigner registration: sign up with your home country phone number. If you already have a WeChat account, log in ahead of your trip to China.
- Mini programs: order from local restaurant menus, book train tickets, and pre-book attractions, all within WeChat.
- Tip: if you have local contacts or a guide in China, add them as WeChat friends. It's helpful for asking for help or communicating in real time during your trip.
- Note: as of 2024, foreigner transaction limits are $5,000 per transaction and $50,000 annually.
2. Taxi
DiDi (滴滴出行)
China's largest taxi/ride-hailing app. Founded in 2012, it now operates in more than 400 cities across China, and it's cheaper than a regular taxi with the fare confirmed transparently in advance.
- DiDi international version: an English-language app — search "DiDi" or "DiDi International" on the App Store/Play Store
- Alipay mini program: open DiDi as a mini program directly inside the Alipay app, letting you call a taxi without installing a separate app.
- Fare: often about 10–20% cheaper than a regular taxi.
- English routing: enter your destination in the app in either Chinese or English and it's automatically relayed to the driver, so you can get around with no language barrier.
- Tip: calling DiDi through Alipay in Beijing or Shanghai is convenient since it needs no separate app installation.
- Note: DiDi works fine in China without a VPN.
3. Accommodation & flights
Trip.com (携程)
China's largest travel booking platform. Book hotels, flights, high-speed rail tickets, and buses. China's #1 OTA (online travel agency), founded in Shanghai in 1999.
- English support: Trip.com's global website/app fully supports English
- High-speed rail (高铁): book major routes like Beijing↔Shanghai and Shanghai↔Guangzhou — bookable with a foreign passport too.
- Hotels: book hotels and guesthouses (客栈) across China, ranging from luxury hotels to youth hostels.
- Alipay integration: also usable as an Alipay mini program.
- Tip: hotels in major Chinese cities booked through Trip.com are sometimes similar to or cheaper than the local price. Compare against Agoda and Booking.com before choosing.
4. Maps
Baidu Maps (百度地图)
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Google Maps is blocked in China. Baidu Maps is China's #1 local map app, offering more detail than Apple Maps.
- Accuracy: map accuracy within China is far higher than Apple Maps, with rich data on alleys, restaurants, and shops too.
- Public transit: search subway and bus routes in Beijing and Shanghai.
- Language: the interface is mostly in Chinese, but you can search English/Korean POI (points of interest) too.
- Offline: download offline maps by city.
- Tip: if Baidu Maps feels difficult, translate your destination's Chinese characters with Papago and search that way. Another option is to use offline saved places from Google Maps (note this can differ slightly from actual coordinates in China).
Apple Maps
Google Maps is blocked in China, but Apple Maps works normally. Its English interface is convenient, and it covers major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Shenzhen reasonably well.
- Offline saving: save specific areas offline on iOS 17 or later
- Public transit: includes Beijing and Shanghai subway lines
- Tip: using Apple Maps and Baidu Maps together lets each fill in the other's gaps.
5. Translation
Papago (Naver)
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
The strongest option for Korean↔Chinese translation. It often works fine in China without a VPN, making it a strong alternative to Google Translate.
- Camera translation: translate restaurant menus, pharmacy products, and attraction signage in real time.
- Voice translation: speak in Korean, hear Chinese output — hand your phone to a local when talking.
- Offline: download the Simplified Chinese offline pack in advance.
- Tip: just like using WeChat instead of KakaoTalk in China, default to Papago instead of Google Translate.
Google Translate
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
The app only works normally in China with a VPN. But downloading the Chinese offline pack in advance lets you do basic translation (text/camera) without an internet connection.
- Offline pack: download the Simplified Chinese offline pack while still in Korea.
- Camera translation: with the offline pack, camera translation also works without internet.
- Note: some features (voice translation, conversation mode) need internet — use them once connected to a VPN.
6. Tours & tickets
Klook
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Pre-book China's major attractions. Klook can sometimes be accessed without a VPN.
- Great Wall tickets: book Beijing's Badaling or Mutianyu sections of the Great Wall, letting you enter without an on-site purchase queue.
- Forbidden City (故宫) reservation: an advance online reservation is mandatory for the Forbidden City — no on-site purchase available.
- Shanghai Disneyland: advance reservation required, sells out early during peak season.
- The Bund rooftop tour, a Chengdu panda base tour
- Tip: major Chinese attractions (the Forbidden City, Mount Huangshan, Zhangjiajie, and more) may not allow on-site purchase, or queues can run very long. Always pre-book through Klook or the official site.
KKday
📱 Download: App Store | Google Play
Used alongside Klook for booking China tours. Offers tour products across various cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guilin.
7. Other important information
VPN – essential to install before departure
One of the most important preparations for a China trip. A VPN is essential to use KakaoTalk, Instagram, YouTube, and Google services.
- Recommended VPNs: paid VPN services like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Astrill, and Surfshark
- ⚠️ Note: free VPNs often don't work in China and carry security risks. A paid service is recommended.
- When to install: make absolutely sure to finish installing the app and completing your subscription before leaving Korea. VPN apps themselves often can't be downloaded once you're actually in China.
- Tip: if your VPN stops working after arriving in China, you can also have family back in Korea send you the app's download link or APK file in advance as a backup.
App installation checklist
- Alipay (Tour Pass set up, card linked) ← the most important one
- WeChat (WeChat Pay set up)
- DiDi (or the DiDi mini program inside Alipay)
- Trip.com (hotel/train bookings)
- Baidu Maps (saved offline by city)
- Papago (Chinese offline pack)
- Google Translate (Simplified Chinese offline pack)
- Klook or KKday (attraction pre-booking)
- VPN (installed and subscribed before departure) ← never forget this
Why an eSIM matters for a China trip
Since Google is blocked in China, Google services won't work over domestic roaming or an ordinary international eSIM. That said, local Chinese apps like Alipay, WeChat, DiDi, Trip.com, and Baidu Maps run fine over the local network. Using a China-specific eSIM, or an eSIM that supports China roaming, lets you reliably use every essential app on local data.
👉 Compare the best China eSIM prices on esimoa
Note: app details are current as of 2025 and service policies may change.
