Essential Apps for China

China's super-app. Messaging, payments, mini-programs, ride-hailing, food delivery, hotel booking — everything runs through WeChat. Think WhatsApp + Apple Pay + Uber + Yelp combined.

Set up WeChat Pay with your international card. Add friends by scanning QR codes — WeChat is how everyone communicates in China.

Primary payment platform. Link your Visa/Mastercard via Tour Pass to pay at 95% of merchants. Also handles utilities, metro QR codes, hospital appointments, and government services.

This is your #1 survival tool. Set up Tour Pass and link your card before arriving. You can preload up to ¥2,000.

China's Uber. Book taxis, premium cars, and shared rides. Accepts international credit cards directly. Essential for airport transfers and getting around when metro isn't convenient.

Switch to English in Settings → Language. Save your home and work addresses in Chinese for quick booking.

China's best navigation app. Far more accurate than Google Maps (which barely works in China). Real-time metro schedules, bus routes, walking directions, and traffic. Has an English interface.

Google Maps is unreliable in China — Amap shows correct building entrances, metro exits, and indoor navigation. Switch to English in settings.

Official China Railways app for booking high-speed rail tickets. Book with your passport number. Day trips to Suzhou (25 min), Hangzhou (45 min), and Nanjing (1.5h) are easy and cheap.

Select 'Passport' as ID type when registering. If 12306 is too complex, use Trip.com instead — it's fully in English and accepts international cards.

China's largest food delivery and local services platform. Order food from any restaurant, buy groceries, book hotels, buy movie tickets, and more. Fast delivery (20–40 min).

Use the WeChat mini-program version for auto-translation. Photos on every menu item make ordering possible without Chinese.

Alibaba's food delivery app. Integrated with Alipay so payment is seamless with your international card. Similar to Meituan with good new-user discounts.

Easiest access: open Alipay → search '饿了么'. No separate registration needed.

China's Amazon. Buy anything — clothes, electronics, furniture, household items — at incredible prices. Delivery in 1–3 days within Shanghai. Image search lets you find products by photo.

Use image search (camera icon) to find products without knowing Chinese. Pay via Alipay. Returns are easy and usually free.

China's Yelp + TripAdvisor. Find restaurants, cafés, bars, spas, gyms with user ratings, photos, and prices. Essential for discovering good food near you.

Look at photo reviews (图片) and ratings — you can evaluate restaurants without reading Chinese. Filter by 评分 (rating) for best results.

Shanghai Metro official app. Generate QR codes to scan at turnstiles — no ticket or card needed. Real-time train schedules, station maps, and route planning.

Alternative: use the Alipay metro QR code instead — it works the same way and doesn't require a separate app.

The best Chinese-English dictionary app. Handwriting recognition, OCR (point camera at Chinese text), stroke order diagrams, and flashcards. Indispensable for learning Chinese.

Use the camera OCR feature to instantly translate signs, menus, and labels. The free version is excellent; paid add-ons are worth it for serious learners.

Chinese-focused translation app. Better than Google Translate for Chinese contexts. Camera translation, voice translation, and conversation mode for face-to-face communication.

Works offline if you download the Chinese language pack beforehand. Use conversation mode when talking to taxi drivers or at the police station.

Book hospital appointments online across Shanghai. See available time slots, choose departments and doctors, and skip the long registration queues at public hospitals.

Useful for public hospital visits where registration (挂号) queues can be 1-2 hours. International hospitals have their own booking systems.