RedNote 小红书
Optional. China’s favourite app for travel tips: recent photos of places, queues, food and what is worth it, posted by people who were there this week. Mostly in Chinese, with a translate button.
Set it up at home
- 1Install and sign up at home
Install “rednote” from Xingin Information Technology. Sign-up usually works with your own phone number (choose your country code), or with Apple ID on an iPhone. Do it before you fly, while your home SIM still gets text messages.
- 2Set the language and use Translate
The menus come in several languages, including English. Under a post or comment, tap “Translate” to read it in your language. Text inside photos may not be translated while you are in mainland China, so use your phone camera’s translate function for that.
Using it in China
Most posts are in Chinese, so copy the Chinese name from our place page (for example 故宫 for the Forbidden City) and add 排队 (queue), 攻略 (tips) or 避坑 (what to avoid).
Prices, opening hours and booking rules change often. Prefer posts from the last few weeks, and confirm anything important on our place page or the official account.
Posts follow Chinese content rules and can be limited or removed. Use RedNote mainly for reading, and keep anything you post about travel.
Problems and fixes
The verification code doesn’t arrive
Check the country code, wait about a minute before asking again (repeated requests can be blocked for a while), or sign in with Apple ID instead. It is easier at home than in China.
Search only shows Chinese posts
That is normal: most users are Chinese. Search in Chinese and tap Translate under the posts you open. An English-first search filter may not be available inside mainland China.
Is RedNote safe to trust?
Use it like reviews: helpful, but some posts are ads or out of date. Look for several recent posts saying the same thing, and check booking rules and prices with an official source.
Sources
- App Store: rednote (Xingin Information Technology) (apps.apple.com)
- Google Play: rednote (play.google.com)
- Sina Tech: Xiaohongshu launches translation for notes and comments (2025-01-20) (finance.sina.com.cn)
- Rest of World: What to know about RedNote (2025-01-15) (restofworld.org)
- Xinhua: foreign travelers’ China posts on RedNote (2026-05-09) (english.news.cn)
Checked against these sources on 2026-10-01. Rules change often, so confirm on the official site before you go.
Other apps
AlipayThe payment app most visitors rely on in China. Pay shops by QR code with your own card, ride the metro and call taxis from inside the app.
WeChatHow people in China message each other, plus Weixin Pay (WeChat Pay) and the mini-programs that restaurants, museums and sights use for ordering and booking.
DiDiChina’s main ride-hailing app. It works in English with your own phone number and card, or inside Alipay with no extra account.
AmapChina’s most detailed map for walking, metro and buses, with an English version. Since August 2026 you can also book rides in English, paid through Alipay or WeChat Pay.
Railway 12306China Railway’s official ticket app and website, in English and with no booking fee. Register with your passport; your passport is then your ticket.
Trip.comBook China’s trains, flights, hotels and attraction tickets in English and pay with your own card, Apple Pay or PayPal. The easy fallback when 12306 or a Chinese booking site will not work for you.
TenPayGoTencent’s payment app for visitors, launched on 24 September 2026. Sign up with an email address and pay at any Weixin Pay merchant without a WeChat account. A good backup wallet.
MeituanChina’s food delivery app, also for groceries and local deals. The easiest way for visitors is the Meituan mini-program inside Alipay: no new account, your card is already linked, and it can switch to English.
DianpingWhere people in China look up restaurants: real photos, scores, rankings and the Must-Eat List. The app has an English setting; reviews stay mostly in Chinese.