How to Pay in China as a Foreign Traveller
China is close to cashless, and the two apps that matter both accept foreign cards now. Set them up properly before you fly and the whole question disappears. Turn up without them and you will spend the first two days asking strangers for help.
Set up these two before you fly
| App | What you need | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Alipay | Your overseas mobile number, passport, and a Visa / Mastercard / Amex | Transactions up to ¥200: no platform fee. Above ¥200: roughly 3%. |
| WeChat Pay | Same: overseas number, passport verification, one or two cards | Same structure as Alipay. |
Carry cash anyway
Roughly ¥1,000 to ¥2,000 per person, in small notes, is the right amount for most trips. Cash still matters in village guesthouses, at public toilets, for temple donations, at street stalls and for tips to porters. Small notes matter more than the total — nobody wants to break a ¥100 note for a ¥3 purchase.
Where cards actually work
| Place | Cards accepted? |
|---|---|
| Airports, international hotels, large malls | Yes, generally |
| Local restaurants, small shops, taxis | Usually not — Alipay, WeChat Pay or cash |
| Ticket offices at scenic areas | Increasingly yes, but do not count on it |
| Village guesthouses | Cash |
ATMs and cash machines
Bank of China, ICBC, China Construction Bank and China Merchants Bank ATMs accept overseas cards. Airport arrivals halls have them, and the menus usually offer English. Withdraw a larger amount once rather than several small withdrawals — fixed fees make small withdrawals expensive.
If a payment fails, in this order
- Try the other app (Alipay → WeChat Pay, or the reverse).
- Switch to your second card inside the same app.
- Ask the merchant to scan your payment code instead of you scanning theirs.
- Pay cash.
The other thing to sort out: your phone
Payment apps need data. If your roaming is not active on landing, you cannot pay for anything except with cash. Read our internet and roaming page before you travel — it takes ten minutes and removes the largest single source of first-day stress.
Common questions
Can I use Alipay without a Chinese bank account?
What does it cost to pay with a foreign card in China?
Is cash still accepted everywhere?
Do I need to tip?
Last verified 2026-10-31. Information on this page is checked against official sources and re-verified monthly. If you are booking, we confirm your specific case in writing before you pay anything.
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