Mobile payments and digital wallets, curated for travelers visiting China.
WeChat Pay and Alipay handle roughly 80% of daily transactions in China. Tourists can now use both with just a foreign passport and international credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Amex). No Chinese bank account needed. Transaction limits: $5,000 per transaction, $50,000 annually. Alipay has the easier tourist setup via its Tour Pass feature. Set up Alipay BEFORE arriving in China. Google Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal do NOT work here.
China's second dominant mobile payment platform, accepted everywhere from street vendors to high-end restaurants. More tourist-friendly setup than WeChat Pay.
These apps need data
Guac eSIM covers China with plans from $1.50 per GB. Install it before you land and activate instantly.
Alipay is the top-rated payments app in China. China's second dominant mobile payment platform, accepted everywhere from street vendors to high-end restaurants. More tourist-friendly setup than WeChat Pay.
There are 1 payments apps available in China as of 2026.
Asia's world city, where East meets West at full speed
Rail-first travel, flexible IC cards, official Shinkansen booking, and disaster alerts
From K-pop streets to ancient palaces, navigate like a local
Where East meets West on the casino floor and in the streets
Where ancient temples meet neon night markets
