How to pay in China as a tourist: Alipay, WeChat Pay, cards and cash (2026)
China runs on QR-code payments, but foreign visitors can now use them with their own Visa or Mastercard. Here's how to set it up before you fly, what it costs, and where your card works directly.
In Chinese cities almost everyone pays by scanning a QR code with their phone: at noodle shops, street stalls, museums, taxis, even temple donation boxes. A few years ago that left visitors stuck. Today it is easy: both big apps, Alipay and WeChat Pay, let you link a foreign Visa or Mastercard. A growing number of metro systems also accept a contactless card tapped at the gate.
The short version: set up Alipay before you leave home, add WeChat Pay as a backup, and carry a little cash.
Alipay: the one to set up first
Alipay (支付宝) has a full English interface and is the easiest app for visitors.
Setting it up (do it at home, it takes about 10 minutes):
- Download Alipay and sign up with your home phone number. You'll need to receive an SMS code.
- Add your card. Alipay accepts Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover and Diners.
- Verify your passport in the app. Unverified accounts have low limits. After verification the limits rise to about US$5,000 per transaction and US$50,000 per year.
Fees: payments under ¥200 carry no Alipay service fee. For payments of ¥200 or more, Alipay adds 3%. Your own bank may also charge a foreign-transaction fee on top, so a card without foreign fees helps.
How to pay: open the app and either scan the shop's QR code (then type the amount) or show your own payment code for the cashier to scan.
Inside Alipay you also get mini-programs for taxis (DiDi, in English), train and attraction tickets, and metro QR codes in many cities.
WeChat Pay: the backup
WeChat Pay (微信支付, Weixin Pay) lives inside the WeChat messaging app. It's worth having for two reasons: a few small vendors only take WeChat, and many official ticket-booking systems in China are WeChat mini-programs. See our guide to attractions you must book in advance.
- Cards accepted: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB, Diners Club and UnionPay.
- Verification: with your passport, in the Wallet section.
- Fees: every single payment under ¥200 is free of the 3% fee. Larger payments carry 3%. According to Beijing's official visitor information (March 2026), cards linked for the first time also get a 60-day promotion: the 3% fee is waived on daily spending under ¥1,000, saving at most ¥30 per transaction.
Tip: split big bills. The 3% fee on both apps applies from ¥200 per transaction. For a large hotel or restaurant bill, ask whether you can pay by card directly at the counter (international hotels usually can). Otherwise, accept the fee as the price of convenience: 3% of ¥500 is ¥15.
Tapping your card on the metro
You don't always need an app to ride the metro. In these cities you can tap a contactless bank card at the gates:
| City | What works at the gates |
|---|---|
| Beijing | Contactless Visa and Mastercard on all subway lines, including the airport lines and the S2 line to Badaling (since 16 June 2025) |
| Shanghai | Contactless Visa on 21 lines and 517 stations |
| Guangzhou | Contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB (since October 2025) |
| Shenzhen | Visa and Mastercard at gates marked for international cards; single-journey tokens can be bought with cash |
Alipay and WeChat metro QR codes also work in all four cities. In other cities, use the metro QR code inside Alipay or buy single tickets at the machines.
Taxis and ride-hailing
DiDi works in English, either as its own app or as a mini-program inside Alipay, and accepts Visa and Mastercard. At airports and train stations, walk to the signed ride-hailing pick-up area (网约车) before you order. Street taxis take Alipay or WeChat by QR code, and usually cash.
Bank cards directly
International hotels, large department stores and some upmarket restaurants take Visa and Mastercard at the counter, but don't count on it in small restaurants, markets or at ticket windows. In practice your card works best through Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Cash: carry a little
The Chinese yuan (renminbi, ¥ / CNY) is still legal tender and you'll be glad of some notes for small stalls, rural sights and the occasional machine that won't read your phone. A few hundred yuan is plenty for a week. Change money or use an ATM at the airport when you arrive, and keep small notes (¥10, ¥20, ¥50), as vendors may not have change for ¥100.
Before you fly: payment checklist
- Alipay installed, card linked, passport verified. Test it with a small payment if you can (some online shops accept Alipay).
- WeChat installed, WeChat Pay set up as a backup, mainly for vendors and official ticket mini-programs.
- Your home SIM can receive SMS in China. Both apps send verification codes to your phone number, and travel eSIMs are usually data-only.
- Tell your bank you're travelling so the first payment in China isn't blocked.
- A card with no foreign-transaction fee, plus a second card in case one is declined.
- A few hundred yuan in cash.
Every practical detail, in one guide
A Nihao Plan guide covers payments, data, metro tickets and taxis for each city on your route, along with day-by-day plans, sights and restaurants. It's written for your dates and printable as a PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use Alipay in China with a foreign credit card?
Yes. Alipay accepts Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover and Diners cards. Sign up with your home phone number, add your card and verify your passport in the app. Payments under ¥200 have no Alipay service fee, while payments of ¥200 or more carry a 3% fee.
Is WeChat Pay or Alipay better for tourists?
Alipay is easier to set up and has a full English interface, so set it up first. Add WeChat Pay as a backup: some small vendors only accept WeChat, and many official attraction-booking systems are WeChat mini-programs.
Can I use my Visa card on the metro in China?
In Beijing, all subway lines accept contactless Visa and Mastercard at the gates. Shanghai Metro accepts contactless Visa on 21 lines, Guangzhou accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express and JCB, and Shenzhen has gates marked for international cards. Elsewhere, use the metro QR code in Alipay.
Do I need cash in China?
You can get by almost entirely on Alipay or WeChat Pay, but carry a few hundred yuan in small notes for street stalls, rural sights and the occasional machine that won't read your phone.
What fees do foreigners pay on Alipay and WeChat Pay?
Both apps charge no fee on payments under ¥200 and 3% on payments of ¥200 or more when you use a foreign card. Your bank may add its own foreign-transaction fee. WeChat Pay also waives the fee on daily spending under ¥1,000 for 60 days after you first link a card.
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