Substitute Apps for Google/Youtube/Instagram and More in China

China has a whole universe of awesome apps that you may not have ever heard about. And due to the network environment, some apps may be not accessible in China. But once you land here, you can have a bunch of substitutes, and soon you will find them indispensable. For everything from checking maps to making payments, finding great restaurants to hailing a taxi, these apps will help you navigate China like a local!

1

Google

It is almost impossible to imagine a world without being able to easily google everything you don’t know. But there is a “world” where this is the case – in China, all services by Google are blocked. That does not only include the Search Engine, but also Mail, Maps, Play Store, Music and every other service. But don’t worry too much, there are a ton of alternatives!

Substitute: Bing

It might not really be the go-to search engine in the western world, but you will learn to love Bing in China. It works in English. It has Maps. It has a translation tool. But mostly, it gives you the search results you are looking for, in a language that you understand.

2

Google Maps

Especially in big Chinese cities, it is very hard to get around without the help of a good guide – or an app, that tells you where to go. Google Maps is not available. Even when you manage to connect to Google Maps, the information there is mostly outdated and not very accurate. That means, you should get used to the Chinese Alternatives as soon as possible!

Substitute: Baidu Maps

Baidu offers most of what Google does in the western world. Baidu Maps offer a lot: Navigation, Street View, Tips and Reviews. The only downside is that it is only available in Chinese. As soon as you start to get familiar with the streets around you though, it is a great help! If you create an account, you can even save your favorite places (or especially the address of your apartment). What more could you want?

Substitute: Gaode Maps

Gaode Maps or amap was bought by Alibaba in 2014 and is also one of the largest map services in China. While it offers the same functions as Google Maps and Baidu Maps, it also lacks a non-Chinese version – like Baidu Maps.

3

YouTube

YouTube offers a broad range of funny, instructional and informative videos for people all over the world – yet China does not allow users to access YouTube from inside China. For your daily dose of videos, there are some similar apps for the Chinese market.

Substitute: Iqiyi

Iqiyi is a completely independent video platform with a lot of content – obviously almost exclusively in Chinese. If you are proficient in that language and looking for content in Chinese though, Iqiyi is something you have to look at!

Substitute: Iqiyi

Streaming apps have changed the way that people listen to music nowadays. And they are extremely useful – sadly, Spotify does not work in China. Of course, there are several alternatives that do work though. Apple Music does work in China, but it is of course not a Chinese app.

Substitute: QQ Music

QQ Music has a huge number of users. It is, like WeChat, part of the Tencent ecosystem. It offers many Chinese songs – but also international songs. In fact, you should have almost no problem in finding the same songs on QQ Music that you listen to on Spotify at home. In the basic version, QQ is free, but some of the songs require either a premium subscription or a direct purchase in the app.

5

Tinder

Tinder is the biggest dating app in the world – but it is also banned in China. Don’t worry though, there are a lot of alternatives to help you browse the Chinese singles market (which are also free to use). Most of these apps function the same way as Tinder, so the language barrier should not lower your chances of success!

Substitute: Tantan

One of many alternatives, but it is very easy to use: Tantan. It is very much the same as Tinder: Log in, create your profile, start swiping! It is a good idea to be able to speak at least a little bit of Chinese though, since most people using this app are Chinese speakers (and its impressive and useful to learn Chinese, too!). Another cool feature is that you can see how many people already swiped right on you – so you can keep track of your popularity!

6

Instagram

Instagram is a great way to let your friends and family be a part of your travels and your life in general. However, Instagram is a part of Facebook, and maybe for that reason not available from Mainland China. If you want to build your followers on the Chinese market, you might need some alternatives.

Substitute: Xiaohongshu

As with many other Chinese Apps, Xiaohongshu is not just one function in an app. Rather, it combines Instagram with E-Commerce. Users can livestream themselves to review products (and mostly clothes), and you can buy these products directly from the app, too.

CONTRIBUTOR

Jamie Cai

(AnyHelper Volunteer)

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