Paying for Things in China: Alipay, WeChat Pay and Cash

China is effectively cashless

China runs on two apps: Alipay and WeChat Pay. Together they cover almost every transaction in the country — taxis, metro, street food, market stalls, museum tickets, even temple donation boxes. Cash is accepted but increasingly awkward: small vendors may not have change.

The good news is that both apps now support foreign cards directly. You do not need a Chinese bank account, and you do not need a Chinese phone number for the basic setup.

Setting up Alipay before you fly

Download Alipay, register with your own mobile number, then add your Visa or Mastercard in the payment settings. Verify your identity with your passport as instructed in the app. This takes about ten minutes and is much easier to do at home on a good internet connection than at an airport arrivals hall.

Once set up, payments work the same as they do for Chinese users: scan the merchant's QR code, or show them yours. Transactions under a small threshold usually have no fee; larger ones may attract a small percentage charge from the card network.

Setting up WeChat Pay

WeChat Pay works similarly and is worth having as a backup, since a few small vendors accept one app and not the other. Register WeChat with your own number, then add your card under Services → Wallet. Identity verification follows the same passport process.

WeChat is also useful for messaging: it is how your guide and your hotel will most often contact you.

What we set up for you before you travel

We send you a short setup guide about two weeks before departure, with screenshots, and we are available on WhatsApp if a step does not work. On arrival, your guide will confirm both apps are working and help with anything that did not verify.

We also advise on how much cash to carry. The answer is usually not much: a few hundred yuan for small emergencies, and a card for hotel incidentals.

Tipping, bargaining and ATMs

Tipping is not customary in mainland China. It is not expected in restaurants, taxis or hotels. Guides and drivers are paid properly by us, and you should never feel obliged. If you have had an exceptional guide and want to give something, it will be gratefully received but is genuinely optional.

Bargaining is normal at tourist markets and never at fixed-price shops, supermarkets or restaurants. A polite counter-offer at around 60 to 70 per cent of the asking price is a reasonable opening.

ATMs at Bank of China and ICBC accept foreign cards and are widely available. Airport and mall ATMs are the most reliable.