Minimum Apps to Load for a Visit to Mainland China?
 

Between phone storage limits and privacy concerns, I am trying to figure out what are the must-have Apps when visiting Mainland China.

I plan to use public transit when I can and don't plan to get takeout. I can speak Mandarin fine and can read a lot of the Simplified Chinese writings. Will have an eSIM based out of HK so I can still access things like WhatsApp and Google. Visiting only 5 days - GuangZhou only.

It seems:

1 - Ali Pay (I will do that instead of WeChat)
2 - GaoDe Map
3 - Maybe CTrip or Trip if I book through them

Anything else I must have?

Thanks.

That's enough, to be honest.

I saw on 抖音 that the métro of Guangzhou 广州 now accept contactless foreign bank cards similar to the scheme in 北京, so that might be a boon for you.

I use 百度 for maps, not sure what the map you mentioned is. But also if you have an iPhone, the maps will work fine as-is without anything else. It's just Google Maps that prove problematic.

WeChat is the most important by a country mile.

Also 饿了么, alipay, and maybe another map app.

I wouldn't bother with much else, especially because mini programs (inside WeChat and Alipay) are the norm these days.

Bumping this since I'm curious: is there a way for someone to download Douyin without having to have a Mainland China or HK App Store account? While I can get my aunt who lives in HK to get me an App Store gift card I don't want the hassle of having to set up yet another App Store account. (I have accounts for US/PH/ES/PL/JP.)

Also, I use Baidu Maps when I'm in China but should I also download Amap as well? Or is Apple Maps (which uses Amap's data) sufficient for this purpose?

Apple maps should be fine. It's really Google/android users that are impacted.

Anyone can download 抖音 as an apk for Android (not sure about Apple) but you have to have a mainland chinese number to register as a user.

I only use baidu in situations where I need its detailed landmarks or enhanced features, which is quite often.

My primary map app (amap clone, I think) is more visually appealing (i.e doesn't make my head spin), and good enough for most missions.

I'm surprised that no one mentioned Didi and Dianping.

I use Amap to call multiple rideshare companies at once. Quite convenient.

Didi is accessible from within Alipay. Dianping is a must-have, at least for me.

I have the Didi app. Haven't tried calling one from Alipay or WeChat but I suppose it works the same way save for perhaps a cheaper fare here or there.

VPN
 

Make sure your vpn (or 2) is loaded. You won't be able to load it in China.

I don't know of a single commercial VPN that claims to work in China for which the client(s) can't be downloaded in China, but I'm curious to hear about any that don't.

When I was there last April, I couldn't download Astril or Express VPN. (I Believe I was trying to use those 2 by memory now) couldn't get to their websites. It was like trying to use gmail without a vpn.

I just realized that Didi China is a separate app from Didi outside of China. I had the latter installed from my trip to Costa Rica a few weeks ago, but it didn't do me any good in Suzhou. Fortunately, Didi can be booked within Alipay, Wechat, and Amap, but I personally prefer avoiding the mini apps when possible, as they seem to be giving me more issues.

Overall, my experience is much better than my last trip to CN in 2018, thanks to everything moving to app-based purchasing. But definitely do what you can to get verified before traveling, as it feels like a neverending process for both Wechat and Alipay.

Another headache was when I tried to book a Didi at Suzhou railway station, from the clearly marked rideshare area. Apparently, there are several very similar-sounding Didi pickup spots in the same general vicinity/side of the station, as it turned into a royal PITA (I had the same issue at both the north and south exits).

I'm finally starting to regain some of my sense and sanity, but the first 24 hours in China can be quite bewildering and frustrating for a wide variety of reasons. I still have absolutely no idea how to order food at a restaurant. The first 10 I walked past near my hotel all have the menu on the wall behind the counter, so my typical approach of using Google translate and then pointing to what I want on the menu isn't an option. The last restaurant I went to only had their menu on a single tablet, which was probably more annoying, but at least I could select what I wanted. I really miss Japan and their gorgeous meal mock-ups. Fortunately, I will be heading back there in a few days.

Express no longer bills itself as a viable option in China (in fact, they told this straight up last month when I asked them about it), but there are still many ways to get it inside China. Meanwhile, A always maintains mirror URLs that are accessible from within China.

As I've mentioned in other threads, locating your specific car/driver in busy areas is usually sufficiently annoying for me to pass. Fortunately, there are almost always other ways to leave airports and train stations. And, if you happen to be in the middle of People's Square, just walk ~500 meters to a less chaotic area before requesting a car.

Regarding restaurants, I dislike being forced to order from my phone or a tablet (this issue isn't unique to China), but I can't recall the last time I've seen one that didn't have descriptive pictures. Furthermore, many restaurants still make it easy to order the old fashioned way.