Why your phone setup matters more than your packing list
Landing in China without the right apps is like arriving without a map, wallet, or phrasebook — except worse, because your usual apps will not work. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and Google Maps are blocked. Your credit card is rarely accepted. And airport WiFi requires a Chinese phone number for SMS verification, which you do not have.
This article covers the 6 essential apps to install before your flight. Each one solves a specific problem: getting online, navigating, paying, translating, getting around, and staying safe online. Install all six at home while you still have unrestricted internet access, and your first 24 hours in China will be dramatically smoother.
1. eSIM app — get online the moment you land
The single most important thing to sort out before your flight: mobile data. Without internet, none of the other apps work. Airport WiFi is unreliable and usually requires a Chinese phone number for SMS verification. A China travel eSIM solves this: buy and install it at home, activate data roaming when you land, and you are online within minutes — no SIM card shop, no passport registration, no WiFi hunting.
The three best options for most travelers: Airalo (easiest setup, best for first-timers), Saily (cheapest, same network quality), and Yesim (largest data plans, best for long trips). For a detailed comparison of all providers, read our best eSIM for China travel guide.
Do this before departure: buy the eSIM, install the profile on your phone, label it clearly, but do NOT turn on data roaming yet. Wait until you land.
2. VPN app — access your usual apps and websites
An eSIM routes your data through Hong Kong or Singapore, which lets many international apps work — but this is not guaranteed. The Great Firewall changes frequently, and some apps may still be blocked depending on routing. A VPN is your backup: install it before departure, test that it connects, and you have guaranteed access to Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, and any other blocked service.
See our best VPN for China travel guide for the most reliable options. Critical: install and test the VPN at home. VPN provider websites are often blocked in China, so you cannot download the app after you arrive.
3. Amap (Gaode Maps) — the only navigation app that works in China
Google Maps does not work in China. Apple Maps works but with limited transit data. Amap — also called Gaode Maps — is the navigation app that Chinese people actually use. It has accurate real-time transit directions, walking routes, taxi fare estimates, and traffic conditions for every Chinese city. The interface is in Chinese, but you can search for major landmarks in English and visually navigate using the map.
For a complete walkthrough — including how to search addresses without speaking Chinese, how to use public transit directions, and how to download offline maps — see our full Amap / Gaode Maps guide for foreigners.
Do this before departure: download Amap from your app store. Download the offline map of your first city inside the app while on WiFi. Bookmark your hotel in the app before leaving home WiFi.
4. Alipay or WeChat Pay — the only way to pay for almost everything
China is a mobile-payment-first country. From street food stalls to metro tickets to temple entrance fees, QR code payment is the default — and cash is increasingly not accepted. Foreign credit cards work at international hotel chains and some upscale restaurants, but for everyday spending you need Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Both now support foreign credit card linking: add your Visa or Mastercard to the app before departure, complete identity verification (passport photo upload), and you can scan QR codes to pay everywhere. For setup instructions specific to foreigners, see our WeChat Pay foreigner guide.
Do this before departure: download Alipay and WeChat. Link your foreign card. Complete identity verification. Test with a small transaction if possible.
5. Official taxis and airport transfers – for backup transport
For airport transfers or late arrivals, use official airport taxi queues, hotel-arranged transfers, or reputable pre-booked transfer services. Keep your destination address in Chinese characters, confirm the license plate before getting in, and keep your hotel phone number ready in case the driver needs directions.
Do this before departure: save your hotel address in Chinese, screenshot the nearest metro station, and keep a backup transport plan for late-night arrivals.
6. A translation app — for menus, signs, and unexpected situations
Even with all the right apps, you will encounter situations where you need to understand Chinese: a handwritten menu, a street sign, a note from your hotel, a conversation with a taxi driver. Google Translate works in China if you download the Chinese language pack for offline use. Microsoft Translator also works well. Both have camera translation features — point your phone at Chinese text and see English overlaid on the screen.
Do this before departure: download Google Translate or Microsoft Translator. Download the Chinese (Simplified) offline language pack.
Install these six apps in the right order
The order matters because some apps depend on others:
Step 1: Buy and install your eSIM — this gives you internet when you land, which you need for everything else.
Step 2: Install and test your VPN — you need guaranteed access to blocked services as a backup to eSIM routing.
Step 3: Download Amap and offline maps — navigation is the first thing you will use after landing.
Step 4: Set up Alipay/WeChat Pay with your foreign card — payment setup can take a day for verification, so do it early.
Step 5: Save your hotel address and backup transfer plan — ride-hailing from the airport is your first real-world test.
Step 6: Download translation app with offline Chinese pack — this is your safety net for everything else.
Install all six at home on WiFi. None of these apps will be easy to download after you land in China — either because they are blocked (VPN), because you have no internet yet (eSIM), or because app store downloads are slow on Chinese hotel WiFi.
One more thing: save these offline before you fly
In addition to the six apps, save the following to your phone while you have unrestricted internet:
- Screenshot of your hotel booking confirmation with the address in Chinese characters.
- Screenshot of your flight details (both international and any domestic connections).
- Offline Google Maps of your first city as a backup (even though Amap is your primary nav app).
- Photo of your passport ID page — you may need it for hotel check-in or identity verification in apps.
- Any eSIM activation instructions or QR codes — save them as screenshots, not just in your email, in case you cannot access email after landing.
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