Essential Apps for China: The 15 You Actually Need (And 5 You Don't)
Stay2CN | Mobile & Internet | May 2026Your phone is your lifeline in China. Here's the refined list — no fluff.
THE MUST-HAVES:
1. WeChat — messaging, payments, everything
2. Alipay — payments, transit, bills
3. Baidu Maps — navigation (Google Maps doesn't work well)
4. DiDi — rideshare with English interface
5. Trip.com — trains, flights, hotels in English
6. Google Translate — download offline Chinese pack
7. Pleco — best Chinese dictionary
8. Meituan — food delivery (pics help you order)
9. Amap (高德地图) — better than Baidu for some cities
10. MetroMan — subway maps for major cities
11. VPN app — test before arrival
12. XE Currency — quick conversion
13. AccuWeather — pollution + weather in one
14. Air Matters — AQI tracking
15. Booking.com / Agoda — hotel backups
OVERRATED / SKIP:
• Uber — doesn't exist in China, use DiDi
• Yelp — irrelevant, use Dianping (Chinese only)
• Uber Eats — use Meituan or Ele.me
• WhatsApp — technically works with VPN but nobody uses it locally
• Instagram — blocked without VPN, use Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) if you read Chinese
Pro tip: Download and set up VPN, WeChat, Alipay, and Baidu Maps BEFORE you land.
What app saved your life in China?
Stay2CN Team
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