Will my apps work in China?
That one isn't in the list yet. See the full blocked list.
Every app we check
Of the 55 apps below, 32 are blocked outright, 6 aren't offered in mainland China, 4 are unreliable, 8 work with a catch, and 5 work normally. Each name links to the full guide.
Messaging and calls
| App | Status | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Blocked | Blocked since 2017. Messages and calls fail on every mainland network, hotel wifi included. | |
| Works | Works without a VPN. Sign up at home with your own phone number. | |
| iMessage and FaceTime | Works | Both work normally on wifi and cellular, because Apple operates inside China. |
| Telegram | Blocked | Blocked since 2015 on all mainland networks. |
| Signal | Blocked | Blocked since March 2021 on all mainland networks. |
| Messenger | Blocked | Blocked along with Facebook since 2009. |
| Line | Blocked | Blocked since 2015 on all networks. |
| KakaoTalk | Blocked | Blocked on all networks, hotel wifi included. |
| Viber | Blocked | Messages hang and calls never connect. |
| Discord | Blocked | Blocked since July 2018 on all mainland networks. |
Social
| App | Status | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Blocked | Blocked since 2014. The app opens but the feed never refreshes. | |
| Blocked | Blocked since July 2009 on all mainland networks. | |
| X (Twitter) | Blocked | Blocked since June 2009 on all mainland networks. |
| TikTok | Blocked | Blocked and never operated there. Douyin is the separate local app. |
| Threads | Blocked | Blocked since its 2023 launch, like every Meta app. |
| Snapchat | Blocked | Blocked on all networks, hotel wifi included. |
| Blocked | Blocked since August 2018 on all mainland networks. | |
| Blocked | Blocked since March 2017 on all mainland networks. | |
| Blocked | The global site is unreachable, and the local versions closed in 2021 and 2023. | |
| Tinder, Bumble and Hinge | Blocked | All blocked. Facebook and Google logins break separately. |
| App | Status | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search | Blocked | Blocked since 2014, along with Google Translate. |
| Gmail | Blocked | Blocked since 2014. Losing 2FA codes and bookings is the real trap. |
| Google Maps | Blocked | Blocked, and offset by 50 to 500 meters even on a VPN. Use Apple Maps instead. |
| Google Drive and Docs | Blocked | Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Photos are all blocked since 2014. |
| YouTube | Blocked | Blocked since 2009, with YouTube Music. Premium downloads still play offline. |
| Google Play | Blocked | Apps will not install or update, so install everything before you fly. |
Work and AI
| App | Status | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Blocked | Firewall-blocked, and OpenAI does not serve mainland China either. |
| Claude, Gemini and Perplexity | Blocked | Blocked the same way as ChatGPT. |
| Zoom | Works, with a catch | Mostly works without a VPN. Sign-in can be flaky and quality varies. |
| Microsoft Teams | Works, with a catch | Mostly works, with variable quality. Some company tenants geo-fence sign-ins. |
| Outlook and Microsoft 365 email | Works | Works without a VPN, with occasional slowdowns. |
| Slack | Unreliable | Not formally blocked, but messages hang and uploads stall on most networks. |
| Notion | Unreliable | Loads slowly and drops syncs. Plan as if it is blocked. |
| GitHub | Unreliable | Not blocked, but heavily throttled. Clones stall and raw downloads often fail. |
| Dropbox | Blocked | Blocked since 2014. Files will not sync and shared links fail. |
| iCloud | Works | Works without a VPN for foreign Apple IDs. Sync can be slow. |
Streaming and games
| App | Status | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Netflix | Not offered | Never launched in China. Downloads still play, and a VPN shows that server's catalog if Netflix does not flag it. |
| Disney+ | Not offered | Never launched in China. Downloads made before arrival play offline. |
| Hulu, Peacock and Max | Not offered | Fail through their own geo-restrictions. Downloads made before arrival still play. |
| Prime Video | Not offered | Geo-blocked by Amazon. Downloads made before arrival play fine. |
| Spotify | Unreliable | Streams stall or fail on most networks. Downloaded music plays, and Apple Music works. |
| Twitch | Blocked | Blocked since September 2018 on all mainland networks. |
| Steam | Works, with a catch | Installed games usually run. The store is intermittent and community features are blocked. |
| Roblox | Blocked | Unreachable, and the licensed Chinese version shut down in 2021. |
Money
| App | Status | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| US banking apps | Works, with a catch | Not blocked. The traps are SMS codes that never arrive and fraud flags on Chinese IPs. |
| Alipay | Works | Pays by QR code everywhere. Link your home card before you fly. |
| Apple Pay | Works, with a catch | Foreign cards are declined at most terminals. Use Alipay or WeChat Pay instead. |
| PayPal | Works, with a catch | The app generally loads, but Chinese merchants do not accept it. |
| Venmo | Not offered | US-only by design, so it does not work anywhere abroad. |
| Coinbase, Binance and Kraken | Blocked | Blocked, and these exchanges do not serve mainland China either. Expect them to be unreachable. |
Travel and reading
| App | Status | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Uber | Not offered | No drivers on the mainland, and a VPN will not fix that. Use Didi. |
| Airbnb and Booking.com | Works, with a catch | The apps load, but Airbnb has no mainland listings. Trip.com is the practical choice. |
| Amazon shopping | Works, with a catch | The site and your orders load, but Amazon no longer delivers within China. |
| Wikipedia | Blocked | Every language edition has been blocked since April 2019. |
| Western news sites | Blocked | NYT, BBC, Reuters, Bloomberg, WSJ and The Guardian are all blocked. Email newsletters still arrive. |
How this is built. Each verdict summarizes one of our guides and was last reviewed in October 2026. These are not live network tests, and blocking changes, so test anything critical before you rely on it. Traveler's VPN sells a VPN, which is one fix for the blocked apps here. A roaming eSIM is another.
Common questions
How accurate is this checker?
Each verdict summarizes one of our guides and was last reviewed in October 2026. These are not live network tests, and China's blocking changes, so test anything critical before you rely on it.
Does this apply to Hong Kong and Macau?
No. It covers mainland China only. Hong Kong and Macau sit outside the Great Firewall, so most blocked apps work normally there.
Do I need a VPN if none of my apps are blocked?
Probably not. If everything you use shows as working, you can skip it and set up the local apps instead. Check the list again if you add apps later.
Is using a VPN legal in China?
It's a genuine grey area. China requires VPN services to be state-approved, and consumer travel VPNs are not. Documented enforcement has overwhelmingly targeted sellers, with occasional small fines for individual users.
Link to this tool
Writing a China travel guide? Link your readers straight to the checker, no permission needed:
<a href="https://travelersvpn.com/tools/china-app-checker/">Check which of your apps work in China</a>
