Moving to Shanghai means rebuilding your phone from scratch. Most of the apps you rely on at home either don’t work here or aren’t the ones locals actually use. Here’s my real list of apps for living in Shanghai, the ones I actually run on my phone day to day, organised by what each one does. For the bigger picture of settling in beyond just your phone, see our full guide to living in Shanghai.
Apps for Living in Shanghai, at a Glance
- Messaging: WeChat, the main messaging service here
- Payments: WeChat and Alipay, the two main apps for payments
- VPN: essential in China
- Translation & language: Google Translate, ChinesePro, Duolingo, Pleco
- Getting around & delivery: Meituan (taxis and food delivery), Didi, shared bikes
- Shopping & groceries: JD (Jingdong), Taobao, Hema
- Discovery, where to go and what to do: Dianping, Apple/Google Maps, Amap, Xiaohongshu (RedNote)
Messaging: WeChat
WeChat is the main app on this whole list, full stop. Almost everyone here uses it instead of texting or WhatsApp, including colleagues and students’ parents, so this is the first app to get sorted, before anything else. It also has a Chinese-instagram-style Moments feed built in.
Payments: WeChat & Alipay
These two apps run daily life in China more than any others on this list. Most places don’t take cash, and plenty don’t take foreign cards either. Setting these up properly is worth doing before you need them. Both also let you book train tickets directly, handy for weekend trips without needing a separate app.
Alongside messaging, WeChat is also how you pay in shops and split bills day to day.
Alipay
The other major payment app, and increasingly the more foreigner-friendly of the two for linking an overseas card. Alipay has been expanding into more services over time. Hema (see below) runs through it, for example. If you’ve just come through the visa and Residence Permit process, linking your overseas card here is one of the first things worth doing once you land.
Getting a VPN
More people are aware of VPNs these days, but in China it’s genuinely a must. For a lot of teachers, it’s how you stay in touch with friends and family back home through WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram. I switch providers roughly once a year (currently on Astrill), so expect to change yours too at some point, unless you’re lucky.
Translation & Language
Google Translate
Genuinely good, but needs the VPN running to work.
ChinesePro
Lets you favourite useful phrases and sayings for quick reference, handy for building your own personal phrasebook over time. Some of the main features sit behind a small one-off cost (a few pounds), but worth it.
Duolingo
Decent for general practice, and a reasonable habit-builder.
Pleco
The standout for looking up individual Chinese characters. If you’re trying to actually read signs, menus, or documents, this is a good one.
Getting Around & Delivery
Meituan
Meituan is the main app for both taxis and food delivery, and it’s genuinely the more widespread and reliable option for getting a ride. Some foreigners default to Didi since it’s the more internationally known name, but Meituan tends to pull from multiple service providers (Didi included) behind the scenes, which means better availability. Worth opening both apps during busy times or in busy areas, since casting a wider net gets you a ride faster.
Didi
Still worth having installed as a backup, especially if you’re used to it from elsewhere, but I’d lead with Meituan first. You can use Didi in WeChat too, as its own mini-program.
Shared Bikes: Meituan Bike & Alipay Bike
Both major payment apps have their own shared bike schemes built in, Meituan Bike (the yellow ones) and Alipay Bike (the blue ones). Genuinely useful for short trips around the city, and since they’re tied to apps you already have installed for payments, there’s no separate account or app needed.
Shopping & Groceries
JD (Jingdong) and Taobao
The two big online shopping platforms. Think Amazon, but with same-day or next-day delivery being completely normal. Between the two you can get almost anything.
Hema
Good for groceries, though how useful it is depends on your location, coverage isn’t universal yet. It’s part of the Alipay ecosystem, and that integration keeps expanding, so it’s becoming more widely available over time.
Discovery: Where to Go, What to Do
Dianping
The go-to for finding restaurants, things to do, and reviews of specific locations. Similar role to what Google/TripAdvisor reviews play at home, but with far better local coverage.
Maps: Apple Maps, Google Maps, or Amap
Apple Maps works well here. Google Maps is also surprisingly solid, but needs the VPN running to load. If you’re on Android, Amap (Gaode) is the native alternative most locals actually use.
Xiaohongshu (RedNote)
Essentially China’s version of Instagram, also known internationally as RedNote, but with a genuinely useful side: strong recommendations for things to see in a city, often packaged as ready-made tour routes. Worth using specifically when you want to explore somewhere new and don’t want to plan a route from scratch.
That’s the full list of apps for living in Shanghai I’d actually recommend, a list that I’ve built up gradually over time as I’ve talked to others and found out their top apps. If figuring out daily life in a new city like this sounds like the kind of challenge you’re up for, we’re currently hiring.