Why "before" is the whole point: The day you arrive, three things break at once. The Great Firewall blocks Google, the Apple App Store may not show Chinese apps tied to your US account, and the apps that do download often can't send the SMS verification code they need to finish setup. Anything that needs Google, a foreign login, or a phone code is a pain to fix from a hotel room in Shanghai. So you do all of it at home, on US Wi-Fi, while your phone still has a working US number.
Below is the install list in the order the trip will demand each one — gate to ground to getting around. For each app I've flagged three things first-time American travelers actually ask: does it take a US card, is there real English, and why it has to go on before you fly.
Tier 1 — Install and fully set up before you board
These need to be not just downloaded but logged in, verified, and card-linked while you're still on US internet with a US phone number that can receive a text.
Alipay (支付宝) — your single most important app
- US card: Yes. Alipay lets you bind a foreign Visa or Mastercard and pay merchants directly; Alipay handles the currency conversion. This is the workaround that replaced "you need a Chinese bank account."
- English: Yes — full English interface, and an English-language "Travel" section built for tourists.
- Why before: Setup requires identity verification (passport scan) plus an SMS code to your phone. Far easier on a stable US connection than at immigration. Cash is widely refused and street vendors expect a QR scan — landing without Alipay working is the #1 avoidable mistake.
The full mechanics of binding a US card, daily limits, and the small-transaction fee are covered in our Alipay and WeChat foreign card guide for 2026.
WeChat (微信) — payments plus how China communicates
- US card: Yes. WeChat Pay also accepts foreign Visa/Mastercard binding now. In practice most travelers lean on Alipay and keep WeChat as the backup wallet plus messenger.
- English: Yes, app is in English; many in-app mini-programs are Chinese-only.
- Why before: New WeChat accounts frequently require an existing user to "scan to verify" you, and that's vastly easier to arrange before you go (have a friend ready). Register and link your card at home. WeChat is also how hotels, guides, and tour operators will message you.
A VPN — install it, don't wait
- US card: Yes, you pay the VPN company before you leave.
- English: Yes.
- Why before: This is the one people forget and regret. You cannot reliably download or activate a VPN once you're inside China — the VPN providers' own sites and app listings are often blocked. Install it, log in, and run a test connection at home. Without it, Gmail, Google Maps, Instagram, WhatsApp, and most US apps won't load. Pick two different VPNs as backup; no single one works 100% of the time. We compare the trade-offs against an alternative in our China eSIM vs VPN 2026 breakdown.
An eSIM app (the VPN-free shortcut)
- US card: Yes — you buy the data plan in the app before departure.
- English: Yes (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad and similar are all English).
- Why before: A China travel eSIM that routes through a Hong Kong or international gateway often reaches Google and Western sites without a separate VPN, because your traffic exits outside the firewall. You must install the eSIM app and download the profile before you land — provisioning a new eSIM from inside China can fail. Keep your US line for SMS codes; use the eSIM for data.
Tier 2 — Get on your phone before you go, you'll open them on day one
Amap (高德地图) — the maps app that actually works
- US card: Not needed (free).
- English: Yes — Amap shipped an English-mode tourist version ("Amap" in the US App Store) with English place names, navigation, and transit.
- Why before: Google Maps is blocked and, even via VPN, its China data is poor and often wrong. Amap is what locals and drivers use. Download it home so you're not troubleshooting a maps app while standing lost at an exit of a 15-exit subway station. Apple Maps works passably; Amap is better for transit and walking directions.
Trip.com — trains, domestic flights, hotels, attraction tickets
- US card: Yes, takes foreign cards directly.
- English: Yes, fully English and built for international travelers.
- Why before: China's high-speed rail tickets sell out, and booking through an English platform that accepts your US card and links to your passport beats fighting the official Chinese railway app. Book key trains before you fly. Trip.com also handles many attraction tickets that otherwise require a Chinese ID to reserve.
Tier 3 — Have them ready, you'll be glad they're there
DiDi — but get to it through Alipay
- US card: Yes, when run as a mini-program inside Alipay (it bills your linked card).
- English: Yes — DiDi has an English interface, and the Alipay mini-program path is the most reliable for foreigners.
- Why this way: Many travelers skip the standalone DiDi app entirely and open DiDi as a mini-program inside Alipay (search "DiDi" in Alipay). It sidesteps a separate registration and payment setup, and it's the smoothest ride-hail path for a US visitor. Standalone app also works; the Alipay route just has fewer failure points. Our full walkthrough is in the DiDi for Americans guide.
A translator — pick one with offline + camera
- US card: Not needed.
- English: Yes.
- Why before: Google Translate's app no longer functions normally in mainland China (the service was pulled), so don't rely on it. Download an alternative that works offline and has camera/photo translation for menus and signs — Microsoft Translator (download the offline Chinese pack at home), Pleco for dictionary lookups, or Baidu Translate. The camera-on-menu feature is the one you'll use most.
One more thing that isn't an app — the digital arrival card
Since November 2025, China rolled out an electronic China Digital Arrival Card (CDAC), submitted online at s.nia.gov.cn rather than through an app store. It's free — anyone charging you is a scam — and there are timing rules for when to submit, with paper forms still possible on arrival. We walk through exactly when and how to file it in the China Digital Arrival Card 2026 guide. Confirm current requirements on the official site before you travel.
The night-before checklist
- Alipay — installed, identity verified, US card bound, test it shows a balance/payment screen.
- WeChat — account created, card linked, friend on standby to verify if asked.
- VPN — installed and test-connected at home (plus a backup VPN).
- eSIM app — installed, data plan purchased, profile downloaded (activate on landing).
- Amap — installed in English mode.
- Trip.com — installed, key trains/flights booked.
- Translator — installed with the offline Chinese pack downloaded.
- DiDi — confirm you can find it as a mini-program inside Alipay.
For everything else that has to happen before wheels-up — visa, money, connectivity, what to pack — work through our complete China trip checklist for Americans, and if you're still not sure which entry route fits your itinerary, run the trip details through our China visa eligibility checker. Whether you need a regular L tourist visa or qualify for the 240-hour transit visa-free entry changes a few of these steps (a pure round-trip can't use transit), so settle that first.
Checked May 2026. App availability, card-binding support, and entry rules change. Before you travel, confirm visa and entry requirements with the Chinese Embassy in the US and the National Immigration Administration (NIA), and verify the digital arrival card at the official NIA portal.