Alternative to WhatsApp in China

Hi there, We’re planning a trip to China this autumn, and I just read that we won’t be able to use WhatsApp to stay in touch with people outside the country. What do you think would be the best alternative? Thanks!

Good evening, We’re planning a trip to China this autumn. And I just read that we won’t be able to use WhatsApp to communicate with people outside the country. What do you think would be the best solution? Thanks!

Hi, Install a VPN and you’ll be able to use WhatsApp. That’s what everyone does.

Hi there,

I recommend using WeChat :) It offers messaging, payment features (WeChat Pay by linking your bank card), the ability to book a taxi, order food... it's a really comprehensive app and essential for a trip to China! :)

it’s a very complete app and essential for a stay in China! :)

Complete, probably, but essential? Not really! I installed it because everyone else was using it (well, those who don’t use a VPN ;)) and I barely used it in two months. Of course, it depends—do you spend your time glued to your smartphone, or do you look up to see what’s around you (and there’s so much to see!)? To communicate with people outside China, there’s still email, or even a phone call if it’s really urgent! Of course, I’m talking about the needs of a short stay—if you’re living in China, that’s a whole different story.

I recommend using WeChat :)

WeChat is great for communicating in China, but not outside of China (unless you ask all your contacts in France to install WeChat... good luck with that!). To keep using WhatsApp, you’ll need to install a VPN.

Hi there,

The alternative is WeChat, where you can also pay in shops in China. To use WhatsApp, Gmail, and other social networks, you’ll need a VPN, which is tolerated for foreign tourists in China. Be careful with Google Maps, as it has quite a few cartography errors. You can use Baidu Maps if needed—it’s well updated.

For payments, vaccines, bookings, and more, I explain all of this in our China travel planning recap

Thanks. We’d first like to be able to stay in touch with our loved ones back in France.

Hi there, If you're with Free, you get 35GB for free in China, and it's automatic—you'll be in roaming, so you can use your apps just like in France. We spent a month there last March/April, and it worked really well. A lot of VPNs don't work or no longer work in China.

Thanks for the info, but unfortunately we’re not with Free.

Thanks for the info, but unfortunately we’re not with Free.

Other carriers (Bouygues, Orange, etc.) offer this plan. However, it seems you have to subscribe to an international option on top of it, whereas with Free, it’s included in the plan. Just FYI, we recently switched to Free because our trip to China is coming up...😉 A VPN is essential when using Wi-Fi.

Hi there,

No need for a VPN with Free—you’ll be roaming. VPNs are banned in China, and more and more are unusable since the government is cracking down. 🙁

Good evening,

No need for a VPN with Free, you’ll be roaming. VPNs are banned in China, and more and more are unusable—the government is cracking down. 🙁

That’s what I’d gathered, actually. Still, it might be useful to use the hotel Wi-Fi, so wouldn’t a VPN be necessary?

Hi,

No, the hotel Wi-Fi is on the Chinese network, no usable VPN, and no access to non-Chinese apps. We tried at first to save on our roaming since we stayed for a month, so we stuck with Free. Just set a daily limit and keep an eye on your account via the app to check the usage counter.

However, it might be useful to use the hotel's Wi-Fi, which is why a VPN is necessary?

Exactly. A VPN is also a fallback in case your data usage gets out of hand. LastVPN and LetsVPN work really well.

It's not easy to form an opinion—reviews are all over the place.

Hi,

Yeah, everyone has their own experiences. Personally, last April we gave up on VPNs because they weren’t working. No issues with Free—it was like we were in France. If you already have a VPN, you’ll just have to try it and see how it goes.

OK, thanks Patrick. We'll check it out.