Will my usual apps work in China?

This page is about mainland China. Hong Kong is a separate destination on YuzuSIM, with its own plans.

What is blocked

The Chinese authorities control internet access, and many foreign services cannot be reached on networks in mainland China. The UK government’s travel advice lists Google, Facebook, YouTube and X as permanently blocked. CNN has reported that Instagram and WhatsApp are blocked too, and that Google Maps is restricted.

The same UK advice notes that access can be limited around key political events and dates, and that other websites may sometimes be blocked. A site that opens one day may not open the next.

What people use instead

Paying by phone is part of everyday life. The UK government describes cashless payments through apps such as WeChat and Alipay as almost universal, and both now accept foreign cards:

• Alipay says travellers can link an international credit or debit card, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover, Diners Club International and UnionPay International.
• WeChat Pay, which Tencent calls Weixin Pay, says visitors can set it up with a passport and link an international credit or debit card from Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover or Diners Club.

CNN also notes that WeChat is useful beyond payments, for swapping contacts, reading restaurant menus and buying train tickets.

How your plan connects matters

Whether a foreign site opens can depend on how your data is routed, and plans connect in different ways. Each China plan page on YuzuSIM says how that plan connects, before you pay. Read it before you choose. The difference is explained in local eSIM or roaming eSIM.

Before you go

• Set up your payment app and link your card before you travel.
• Save what you need offline, such as booking confirmations and your hotel’s address.
• Check how your plan connects on its plan page, and keep your setup guide to hand.

If your eSIM does not connect at all once you arrive, see my eSIM is installed but not connecting.