Updated 2025/04/15

In the 2010s, China became a mostly cashless society. The primary forms of consumer payment involve QR codes using the apps Alipay and WeChat. Acceptance of credit cards is quite rare except for large international chains. Cash is mostly perceived as a hassle by retailers, but they are legally obligated to accept it.

ALIPAY

Key Functions: payment, transport card, mini-apps

In other words: Alipay = Credit Card + PayPal + Transport Card + Uber etc.

Payment - either by presenting your QR code OR scanning the shop’s QR code + entering the payment amount
Placing an order at restaurants and cafes by scanning the QR code on the counter or wall
Using mini-apps to buy products or services (no standardised rule. Sometimes you can register using your passport, sometimes you can’t. It depends on the venue).

How to Set Up Payment:

Download Alipay + register with mandatory details (e.g. passport) + verify when necessary
Bind your credit card (preferably one that does not charge you foreign exchange fees for each transaction)
Click QR code (should be 2nd one along the top row of the hompage). Make sure your credit card details appear under the QR code. You should be able to use this as your payment method.

WECHAT

Key Functions: payment, instant messaging, social media, mini-apps

In other words: WeChat = WhatsApp + Credit Card + PayPal + Chrome + Uber etc.

Payment - either by presenting your QR code OR scanning the shop’s QR code + entering the payment amount
Placing an order at restaurants and cafes by scanning the QR code on the counter or wall
Buy tickets through mini-apps (no standardised rule. Sometimes you can register using your passport, sometimes you can’t. It depends on the venue).
Watch videos through Channels (Yingyinhao) - similar to TikTok.
Search function - only useful if you can read and write in Chinese. You can use it to find a lot of mini-apps.
Translate - click the + button in the top right corner and point your camera at the writing. The default will translate to English but you can change the setting to another language.

How to Set Up Payment:

Download WeChat + register with mandatory details + verify when necessary
Go to the “Me” tab and select “Pay and Services”. Register for the payment function using one of your credit cards and passport when prompted.
Go to the “Money” tab. A QR code will be displayed, along with details of your credit card below the words “Default Payment Method”. You should be able to use this for payments. If there are an error message, you may need to try another credit card. Please note identity verification is not immediate and could take a day or so.
After registration is successful, you will be able to access the QR code either through a shortcut on the homepage + tab in the top right corner OR via the “Me” tab -> “Pay and Services” -> “Money”

METHODS OF PAYMENT

There are 3 main methods to make payments through Alipay and WeChat. In most cases, you do not have a choice - the method is set by the seller.

Method 1: Show your QR code -> Most offline stores (you may hear staff say wǒsǎonǐ = 我扫你)

Method 2: Scan the QR code on the counter or specified by staff + enter the exact payment amount -> Smaller independent shops and food stalls (you may hear staff say nǐsǎowǒ = 你扫我)

Method 3: Pay through app by selecting the relevant option -> all online apps

*NOTE:

Some shops may only accept Alipay OR WeChat Pay.
Peer to peer payments (like PayPal) are not available as of Apr 2025.
Common problem: Some small vendors e.g. street stalls might be set up to take P2P payments only, not B2C payments so your payment may fail. In that case, your only option might be to pay by cash.
The app may ask you to verify your identity again from time to time, mainly to check that your account isn’t being used fraudulently. Often, this verification check isn’t completed immediately because it has to be manually checked by a real person, which can take a day. If you find yourself in this situation, try switching to the other app (Alipay or WeChat Pay - whichever is your backup). If this still doesn’t work, try using a different card as it could also be the bank blocking the card. Last option is cash.

TRANSACTION FEES (as of Apr 2025)

Zero fees for transactions below 200 RMB.
3% of the entire transaction for transactions 200 RMB or above.

*NOTE: sometimes, the platform may ask you to verify your ID using your passport again to prevent fraud.

It is unnecessary to top up the wallet. The payment will just draw the funds directly from your credit card.

CASH

You can still technically use cash everywhere as it is illegal for shops to refuse it. Occasionally, you may get staff declining cash initially, unless you insist and explain that you don’t have Alipay/WeChat Pay.

If you were to pay by cash, you will need to be prepared for them not to have the change to give you and you could be waiting a while. In some cases, they might just refuse your payment.

So, carry a small amount of cash for peace of mind, in case your mobile payment fails and you are unable to get it working again at that moment in time. Or your phone runs out of battery. But I don’t recommend bringing a huge amount since you’ll mostly be paying for things using Alipay/WeChat Pay (as long as you don’t run into any issues).

If for any reason, all methods have failed, take your card to a cash machine when you need more cash. But you should ask the hotel front desk for assistance with the apps before you resort to this. Most reputable hotels are normally happy to find someone who can help.

CREDIT CARD

I do not recommend paying directly by credit card for regular transactions. Some major international chains may accept credit cards, but for most local places, you might get a bad experience. If you are purchasing something expensive, then by all means communicate with staff and ask them if they accept credit card.

VIEWING THE MENU / ORDERING FOOD

The vast majority of places have digital menus, but you may be lucky enough to visit a few places that provide paper menus.

For most restaurants and cafes, if you want to see the menu, place the order, and pay for your meal:

Open QR scan function (Alipay/WeChat) -> Scan barcode on table. This barcode is unique to your table. Do not scan barcodes on other tables. Sometimes, there is more than one barcode on one table. Try one and if it doesn’t work, try the other one.
Specify the number of people (a popup will show if you are required to do this. This does not always apply.)
You will be presented with a digital menu which you can browse. Normally, there are pictures. Either use the Alipay in-built translation function or upload screenshots to a separate translation app if necessary.
Add the items you want to the basket.
Review your basket and go back to the previous screen if anything is missing.
Place the order when you are ready. You do not need to show it to staff - they should have received it.
Make payment by selecting Alipay/WeChat (you can pay at most places through the app but some places may ask you to pay at the counter when you leave). If your app is buffering, check that your VPN is off.
Wait for your meal to be served. You may order additional items by following the procedure again.

NOTE: If you have allergies, please speak to the staff directly by using a translation app. You should use your own judgement as to whether you are confident they have understood you correctly and will do as requested.

All information on this page has been tested as of April 2025. It may become outdated over time but the site creator will endeavour to keep it updated as much as possible.

Payments