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Leave the cash at home

China runs on two phone apps — and since mid-2023 both take foreign cards. Set them up once before you fly, learn the handful of places that still want cash or contactless, and you'll pay like a local for the whole trip.

MD by money_desk ◆ guide · updated · 8 min read Official source ✓ Worked recently × 162

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Will my card work here?

Tap where you're trying to pay. We rank what actually works for a foreign traveler — best option first, fallback last.

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    01Two apps run the whole country

    Cash and plastic never went away, but day-to-day China is built on two QR-based wallets: Alipay (支付宝) and WeChat Pay (微信支付). Locals pay for everything — noodles, metro, temple tickets, the guy selling roast chestnuts — by scanning a code or showing one. Since mid-2023, both apps register foreign passports and bind international cards, so you no longer need a Chinese bank account to join in.

    If you only set up one, make it Alipay: its English flow and foreign-card support are the smoother of the two, and its built-in translation, ride-hailing and transit cards mean one app covers most of a trip. Add WeChat Pay too if you'll be messaging locals — many small vendors only show a WeChat QR.

    Alipay vs WeChat Pay, for a visitor
     AlipayWeChat Pay
    Foreign cardVisa, MC, Amex, Discover, JCB, moreVisa, MC, Amex, JCB
    English setupSmooth, guidedWorkable, less polished
    ExtrasTransit, ride-hail, translate built inChat, mini-programs, splitting
    Best forYour main walletBackup + vendors who only do WeChat

    02Set it up before you fly

    Do this at home on hotel wifi, not jet-lagged at the airport. The whole thing takes about 15 minutes per app, and verification can lag a few hours — you want it green before you land.

    1. Download Alipay from your home app store and register with your passport and a phone number that can receive an SMS code. Your home number works.
    2. Open Add a card / bank card and enter an international Visa or Mastercard. Complete the identity check — passport photo and a selfie. Approval is usually minutes, sometimes a few hours.
    3. Tap Pay / Receive to find your personal QR code. This is what you'll show cashiers, and the scanner you'll use for stall codes.
    4. Repeat for WeChat Pay if you want the backup: register WeChat, open Me → Services → Wallet → Bank Cards, add the same card.
    5. Tell your bank you're traveling to China so the first few charges don't trip fraud locks — the classic reason a binding "fails".
    The Bund waterfront in Shanghai lit up at night, with the Pudong towers glowing across the river
    SHANGHAI AFTER DARK — IN A CITY THIS CASHLESS, YOUR PHONE IS THE WALLET.

    03Mind your card's fees

    One thing to keep in mind: paying with a foreign card through Alipay or WeChat can attract fees — and they come in two layers. The apps themselves take about 3% on any single payment over ¥200; at or under ¥200 they waive it entirely (WeChat's waiver runs through 2026), which is why everyday spending stays fee-free. On top of that, your issuing bank sets its own rate — some add a foreign-transaction fee on every charge, some waive it entirely — so check your own card's terms before you lean on it.

    The practical move: use the foreign card for everyday spending, and for big-ticket items — hotels, flights, long-distance trains — consider paying the merchant directly with a contactless card or at the desk. If you have one, a travel card with no foreign-transaction fee takes the guesswork out of it.

    Heads-up

    Fees here come from your bank, vary by card, and can change — so confirm yours before relying on it. A no-foreign-transaction-fee card is the simplest way to avoid surprises.

    04Where cards and cash still earn their place

    Mobile pay covers ~95% of a trip, but three fallbacks matter. Contactless Visa/Mastercard works at big-city hotels, airports, department stores, some chains — and increasingly at metro gates in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu, where you can tap a foreign card straight through. UnionPay is accepted at terminals nearly everywhere if your home bank issues one.

    And cash is still legal tender — by central-bank rule, merchants must accept renminbi, and refusing it can be reported. Carry a few small notes (10s and 20s) for the rare cashless-only stall, temple donation boxes, and rural stops. Don't carry a brick of it; you'll barely break the first 100.

    05What things cost — and tipping

    For most Western visitors China is excellent value: outside the big-city hotel splurges, a comfortable day costs far less than you'd expect. Rough 2026 prices, in renminbi (¥1 ≈ US$0.15):

    Typical 2026 prices, in ¥ RMB
    Everyday¥Out & about¥
    Street breakfast6–12Metro ride3–7
    Casual restaurant meal25–50DiDi across town15–35
    Hotpot dinner (per head)80–150Major sight ticket40–120
    Café coffee18–35HSR 2nd class (~500km)200–300
    Local beer, out10–15Hostel dorm / night60–120
    Bottled water, shop2–33-star hotel double250–450

    Add it up and the day-rate bands look like this — not counting the long intercity train or flight:

    Backpacker — ¥250–350/day on hostels, street food and public transport. Comfortable — ¥500–800/day with 3-star hotels, sit-down restaurants, the odd taxi and a big sight. Plush — ¥1,500+/day, where 5-star stays and fine dining set the ceiling.

    Tipping? Don't, really. China has essentially no tipping culture. Restaurants, taxis, DiDi, bars and ordinary hotels expect nothing — leaving coins behind can confuse staff or get you chased down the street to take them back. The price you're quoted is the price you pay.

    The only exceptions

    Top-end international hotels and some upscale restaurants add a 10–15% service charge to the bill — that's the "tip", already included. A private guide or driver won't expect one but appreciates a small thank-you. Never tip in a regular restaurant, a taxi or a DiDi.

    06Questions the board answers weekly

    Can I use Alipay or WeChat Pay as a foreigner?

    Yes. Both register with a foreign passport and phone number and bind an international Visa or Mastercard. Once verified, you pay by scanning QR codes almost everywhere, exactly like locals.

    Are there fees on a foreign card?

    Two layers. Alipay and WeChat themselves charge about 3% on a foreign-card payment over ¥200 — at or under ¥200 it's free, and WeChat's waiver runs through 2026. Your bank may add its own foreign-transaction fee on top, so check your own card before you rely on it.

    Can I pay with Visa or Mastercard directly?

    Sometimes. Big-city hotels, airports, department stores and major metro gates take contactless foreign cards. Most small shops, markets and taxis are QR-only, so mobile pay is still essential.

    Is cash still accepted?

    Yes, by law — the central bank requires merchants to accept renminbi cash. Carry small notes as a fallback, but expect change shortages in cashless-heavy areas.

    Do I need a Chinese bank account?

    No. A foreign card bound to Alipay or WeChat covers nearly all spending. A local account only helps for long stays, peer transfers, or services that exclude foreign cards.