Rava VPN
More than most people expect.
Which apps are blocked in China?
Most of the apps a Western phone runs on: everything Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Telegram, Discord, Reddit and Wikipedia are all blocked on mainland Chinese networks. Your banking app probably works; almost everything social does not. Here is the practical list and what to do about it before you fly.
Which everyday apps stop working on Chinese networks?
Blocked: all Google services including Gmail and Maps, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, X, YouTube, Telegram, Signal, Discord, Reddit, Wikipedia and most major Western news sites. Still working: WeChat, Alipay, Apple Maps, iMessage and FaceTime, and most airline and banking apps. The fix for everything in the blocked column is the same: a VPN installed and tested before arrival.
Before you fly
- Assume every social and Google app on your phone is blocked.
- Install a VPN and test your three most-used apps with it on.
- Install WeChat if you will be dealing with anyone inside China.
Before you click
7-day refund if it is not for you
servers, incl. China-optimised routes
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One working VPN covers the entire blocked list at once — there is no app-by-app fix. Test it on your own devices before departure.
The pattern worth understanding
It is one wall, not a list of bans
Travelers often ask app by app — is Instagram blocked, is WhatsApp blocked, is Gmail blocked — but the answer is structural. Mainland China's firewall blocks the platforms those apps run on, which is why the blocked list is long, stable, and keeps growing rather than shrinking.
That is also why the fix is simple: you do not need ten workarounds for ten apps. One working VPN restores the whole list at once, and one untested VPN loses the whole list at once. That is the real reason to test before you fly rather than gamble after you land.
If you only remember one line, make it this
One wall blocks them all, and one tested VPN brings them all back. Prepare it before the flight.
The list
What breaks, what survives
Blocked: social and messaging
WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Messenger, X, Telegram, Signal, Discord, Reddit, Snapchat. If it is a Western social or messaging app, assume it is blocked.
Blocked: Google and media
Every Google service, YouTube, Wikipedia, and most major Western news outlets. Netflix does not operate in China at all.
Still works: the practical layer
WeChat, Alipay, Apple Maps, iMessage, FaceTime, plus most airline, hotel and banking apps. China's own app ecosystem is fully available.
With a VPN: the full list returns
A working VPN restores every app in the blocked column at once. Test the apps you actually rely on before departure, not after landing.
Gmail in China
Gmail is blocked on Chinese networks, so travelers should install and test a VPN before entering China, then confirm Gmail syncs on the phone and laptop they will actually carry. Also save first-day reservations offline, because the worst time to discover Gmail is not syncing is at hotel check-in or during a password reset.
Netflix in China
Netflix is unavailable on mainland China networks, so travelers should install and test a VPN before entering China, then open Netflix on the exact phone, tablet, or laptop they will carry. Download a few episodes before departure as a backup, but do not rely on downloads alone because account checks, new episodes, and some offline licenses can still need a working connection.
YouTube in China
YouTube is blocked on mainland Chinese networks, so travelers should install and test a VPN before entering China, then open the exact YouTube flows they need: signed-in homepage, subscriptions, search, video playback, comments or uploads, and casting if they rely on it. Download a few offline videos before departure too, because hotel Wi‑Fi quality can still vary even when the VPN connects.
Instagram in China
Instagram is blocked on all mainland Chinese networks, so travelers have two working options: keep data roaming on a home-country SIM, which usually bypasses the block but is expensive for photo and video uploads, or install and test a VPN before entering China. App stores and VPN download pages are often blocked inside China, so the setup has to happen before the trip.
Zoom in China
Treat Zoom in China as something to test before the trip, not five minutes before a meeting. Install and sign into Zoom on the devices you will carry, join a test meeting over a VPN, confirm audio, screen sharing and calendar links work, and keep one backup contact method in case hotel Wi‑Fi or a company network blocks the call path.
Google Maps in China
Google Maps is blocked on Chinese networks and its mainland coverage is limited even when reachable through a VPN, with sparse business listings and occasional location offset. Practical setup for travelers: a VPN installed before arrival to keep Google Maps usable for orientation and saved places, plus Apple Maps on iPhone or a local app like Amap for turn-by-turn accuracy, since those use licensed Chinese map data.
Telegram in China
Telegram is blocked on Chinese networks, so you need either roaming on your home SIM or a VPN installed and tested before you enter China. Installing one after arrival is hard because app stores and VPN download pages are often blocked too. Rava VPN runs China-optimised routes across 100+ servers, from $2.8 with a 7-day refund and a 3-day free trial, so the setup can be tested at home first.
ChatGPT in China
ChatGPT is unavailable on Chinese networks for two reasons: the national firewall blocks the connection, and OpenAI restricts service to mainland China by region. A VPN with a stable overseas exit handles both, but it has to be installed and logged into before you arrive, because VPN download pages are commonly blocked. Rava VPN runs China-optimised routes across 100+ servers, from $2.8 with a 7-day refund and a 3-day free trial.
Reddit in China
Reddit is blocked on mainland Chinese networks, so travelers should not expect the app or website to open on local Wi‑Fi or a Chinese SIM. Install and test a VPN before the trip, save key threads offline, and keep one backup route such as home-SIM roaming for the first day in case hotel Wi‑Fi behaves badly.
Discord in China
Discord is blocked on mainland Chinese networks, so travelers should install and test a VPN before entering China, then check the exact Discord routine they need: login, server list, text channels, image uploads and one real voice call. Save backup contact details too, because Discord is often the place people use to ask for help when the connection itself is already broken.
TradingView in China
TradingView and many overseas brokerage and market-data services are blocked or unreliable on mainland Chinese networks. Traders who need them inside China set up a VPN before arrival and test their full stack — charts, broker login, price alerts — while still at home. Charting and order traffic is low-bandwidth, so a stable connection matters far more than a fast one for this use case.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Instagram blocked in China?
Yes, since 2014. Feeds will not load and posts will not upload on local Wi‑Fi or Chinese SIM data. With a working VPN it behaves normally, and accounts are not penalized for connecting this way.
Do iMessage and FaceTime really work in China?
Yes — Apple's messaging services are among the few Western communication tools that work on Chinese networks without a VPN. If your whole group uses iPhones, that is a useful built-in fallback.
Can I just download a VPN after I arrive in China?
Often not. VPN websites and app-store listings are themselves blocked or removed inside China, which strands people with no working option. Installing and testing before the flight is the reliable order of operations.
Can I use the Gmail app in China without a VPN?
Not reliably on local Wi‑Fi or a Chinese SIM. The app may open and show old mail from cache, but new messages, search, attachments and sign-in flows usually fail until you use a working VPN or roaming connection.
Is Netflix officially available in mainland China?
No. Netflix is not available as a normal mainland China service. The app may still be installed on your phone, but on Chinese Wi‑Fi or a Chinese SIM it should not be treated as usable without preparation.
Is YouTube completely blocked in China?
For normal planning, yes. YouTube is blocked on mainland Chinese networks. The app may show cached pieces for a moment, but search, playback, comments and uploads should be treated as unavailable without a working VPN or another route around the block.
Is Instagram banned in China?
It has been blocked in mainland China since September 2014. It is not available on Chinese networks without a VPN, and the block has been continuous since then. Hong Kong and Macau are not behind the firewall, so Instagram works normally there.
Is Zoom completely blocked in China?
Not in the same clean way as Google, WhatsApp or Instagram. Some Zoom meetings may connect, while others fail or become unstable depending on the network, account setup and meeting type. For business travel, assume it needs a pre-trip test rather than trusting it blindly.
Do offline Google Maps downloads work in China?
Partially. Areas downloaded before arrival will display and can route driving directions offline, but anything that needs a live connection — search, transit, live traffic, re-downloading — requires a VPN on Chinese networks.
Can I install Telegram after I arrive in China?
Usually not. The app stores that carry it and the download pages are commonly blocked too. Install it, log in, and confirm it works before you travel.
Is it illegal to use ChatGPT in China?
There is no law aimed at individuals using it, and enforcement in practice targets services and providers rather than travelers. That said, rules change, and this is not legal advice — see our page on VPN legality in China for the fuller picture.
Is Reddit completely blocked in China?
For practical travel planning, yes. Reddit has been listed as blocked in mainland China since 2018, and users should assume the app and website will not load on Chinese Wi‑Fi or Chinese SIM data without a VPN or a roaming route.
Is Discord completely blocked in China?
For practical planning, yes. Discord is not reliable on mainland Chinese networks, and users should assume servers, direct messages and voice channels will not work on local Wi‑Fi or Chinese SIM data without a VPN or another route around the block.
Is TradingView banned in China?
It is blocked at the network level on mainland Chinese internet connections, along with many overseas finance and market-data sites. There is no mainland-approved version; access requires a VPN or international roaming.
Before you fly
Sort the whole list with one setup, before departure
Go through your phone's first home screen: most of those apps will be blocked the moment you land. One VPN, installed at home and tested against the three apps you use most, covers all of it. The 3-day free trial is enough to prove the setup works.
This goes straight to the official 3-day trial page. Set it up before the flight and test the apps you rely on most.