๐Reference ยท Updated 2026
Apps and websites with regional issues in China
This is a regularly-updated reference of popular Western apps and websites that do not load on mainland China networks. It is factual, not advocacy โ the status of specific services changes over time, and we keep the list current.
Last verified: April 2026. Next scheduled review: July 2026, or sooner if there is a major network-change event.
Google services
| Service | Status | Chinese alternative |
|---|
| Google Search | Unreachable | Baidu, Bing China |
| Gmail | Unreachable | Outlook, iCloud, 163.com |
| Google Maps | Partially reachable | Baidu Maps, Amap / Gaode, Apple Maps |
| Google Drive / Docs | Unreachable | Microsoft 365, WPS Office, Tencent Docs |
| YouTube | Unreachable | Bilibili, Youku, Tencent Video |
| Google Meet | Unreachable | Tencent Meeting, Zoom (partial), DingTalk |
| Google Calendar | Unreachable | Outlook Calendar, iCloud Calendar |
| Google Photos | Unreachable | iCloud Photos, Microsoft OneDrive |
| Google Sign-In | Unreachable | โ (most apps offer alternative sign-in) |
Social and messaging
| Service | Status | Chinese alternative |
|---|
| Facebook | Unreachable | WeChat, Weibo |
| Instagram | Unreachable | Xiaohongshu (RED), Douyin |
| Twitter / X | Unreachable | Weibo |
| WhatsApp | Unreachable | WeChat, iMessage, QQ |
| Signal | Unreachable | iMessage |
| Telegram | Unreachable | WeChat, QQ |
| Discord | Unreachable | QQ, WeChat groups |
| Reddit | Unreachable | Zhihu, Baidu Tieba |
| LinkedIn | Was operational, currently limited | Maimai |
| Pinterest | Unreachable | Xiaohongshu (RED) |
| Snapchat | Unreachable | โ |
Video and streaming
| Service | Status | Chinese alternative |
|---|
| YouTube | Unreachable | Bilibili, Youku |
| Netflix | Unreachable | iQIYI, Tencent Video |
| Twitch | Unreachable | Douyu, Huya |
| Vimeo | Unreachable | Bilibili |
| BBC iPlayer | Unreachable | โ |
| Disney+ | Unreachable | โ |
| Spotify | Partially reachable | QQ Music, NetEase Cloud Music, Apple Music (works) |
| Apple Music | Works natively | โ |
News and information
| Service | Status |
|---|
| Wikipedia (some editions) | Unreachable |
| BBC News | Unreachable |
| NYT, WSJ, Washington Post, Reuters, Bloomberg | Typically unreachable |
| The Economist, The Guardian | Typically unreachable |
| Medium | Partially reachable |
Work and productivity
| Service | Status | Notes |
|---|
| Slack | Slow but usually reachable | Better with a VPN |
| Notion | Partially reachable | Slow without VPN |
| Figma | Slow but usually reachable | Better with a VPN |
| GitHub | Slow but reachable | Much faster with a VPN |
| GitLab | Slow but reachable | Better with a VPN |
| Atlassian (Jira, Confluence) | Usually reachable | Can be slow |
| Office 365 / Teams | Works natively | Global infrastructure |
Dating and community
| Service | Status | Chinese alternative |
|---|
| Tinder | Unreachable | Tantan, Momo |
| Bumble | Unreachable | Tantan |
| Grindr | Unreachable | Blued |
What is easily reachable
Services that work natively on mainland networks without a VPN:
- WeChat, Weibo, Douyin (TikTok's China version), Xiaohongshu
- Apple Services (iCloud, iMessage, Apple Music, App Store)
- Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Office, Teams)
- Amazon (basic shopping, not Prime Video)
- Local Chinese banking apps, Alipay, WeChat Pay
- Local Chinese transportation (Didi, Meituan, Ctrip)
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