Chinese App Store List: Top 10 App Stores in China

Chinese App Store List: Top App Stores in China

Almost every one has a mobile phone today, so app stores have become important, as we need them to discover and download all kinds of useful or cool mobile apps.

In China, the situation with mobile app stores is a little different from most other countries. In countries such as the United States, there’re only two dominant app stores: the Apple App Store for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad) and the Google Play Store for android devices.

Apple’s App Store Has a Chinese Version for China

In China, for people using iOS devices, Apple’s App Store is still the go-to place and it has a Chinese version specific for China. However, some apps, for example, almost all VPN apps, are not available in Apple’s Chinese App Store after China’s recent VPN crackdown.

Google’s Play Store Is Blocked in China

However, when it comes to Android app stores in China, things are quite different. The Google Play Store is blocked in China, so it won’t be able to accessed directly from China. You can’t access it on your mobile phone or visit Google Play Store’s website in China.

How to Access the Google Play Store in China

If you want to visit the Google Play Store from China, you can use a VPN. Make sure to choose some VPNs that are still functioning in China, Below are some VPNs that we recommend for visiting Google’s Play Store in China:

There Are Many Chinese Android App Stores in China

As a result of the blocking of the Google Play Store, Android users in China have to use different sources for app downloads. There’re a number of alternative Android app stores in China. Those stores are maintained by giant Internet companies (such as Tencent), hardware manufacturers (such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Vivo), as well as telecom companies (such as China Mobile).

When a customer in China buys a new Android phone, the new phone usually comes with a pre-installed app store, severing as the default one for that phone. For example, if you buy a Xiaomi phone in China, your phone will have Xiaomi’s MIUI App Store pre-installed.

Almost all Chinese app stores will display the Chinese language (as most mobile phone purchased in China uses Chinese as its default language).

Top 10 Chinese App Stores

Below is a list of the top 10 Chinese app stores for Android devices:

1. Tencent MyApp App Store

China App Store: Tencent MyApp App Store

Chinese Name: 腾讯应用宝
Website: https://android.myapp.com/

Tencent MyApp is currently the most popular Chinese app store. It’s provided by China’s Internet giant Tencent. Tencent is the owner of some very popular Chinese software such as WeChat and QQ. Tenent MyApp currently has 270 million monthly active users and it’s the No. 1 Chinese app store at this moment.

2. Oppo App Store

China App Store: Oppo App Store

Chinese Name: OPPO软件商店
Website: https://store.oppomobile.com/

Oppo is a Chinese consumer electronics and mobile communications company with popular products such as smartphones and Blu-ray players. In recent years Oppo’s app store has grown in popularity. With about 125 million active users per month, The Oppo app store currently is the second largest Chinese app store in China.

3. Huawei App Store

Chinese App Store: Huawei App Store

Chinese Name: 华为应用市场
Website: http://app.hicloud.com/

Huawei is a big Chinese company manufacturing telecommunications equipment and consumer electronics. In recent years Huawei’s mobile phones has become one of the best-selling phones world-wide. And the Huawei App Store has also been growing in popularity. With around 122 million monthly active users, the Huawei app store in currently one of the top 3 app stores in China.

4. 360 Mobile Assistant

360 Mobile Assistant

Chinese Name: 360手机助手
Website: http://zhushou.360.cn/

360 Mobile Assistant is an Chinese app store from Qihoo 360, a Chinese internet security company with products including antivirus software and a popular web browser used by many China Internet users. For many years 360 Mobile Assistant had been staying at the second place for the top Chinese app stores until it was passed by the Oppo app store and the Huawei app store. Still being one of the top Chinese app stores,
360 Mobile Assistant currently has around 102 million active monthly users.

5. Xiaomi App Store

Chinese App Store: Xiaomi App Store

Chinese Name: 小米应用商店
Website: http://app.xiaomi.com/

Xiaomi is a very popular Chinese company with products including smartphones, mobile apps, laptops and related consumer electronics. Xiaomi’s mobile phones ship with its own Android firmware, called MIUI, which is based on Google’s Android operating system, and the Xiaomi app store is the default app store shipped with every Xiaomi phones sold in China. As one of the top Chinese app stores, the Xiaomi app store currently has about 87 million monthly active users.

6. Baidu Mobile Assistant

Chinese App Store: Baidu Mobile Assistant

Chinese Name: 百度手机助手
Website: http://as.baidu.com/

Baidu is the largest search engine in China. As Google left the Chinese market in 2010 and has been completed blocked in China, Baidu is now the dominate please for people to do online searches. Baidu also has other products. For example, it’s been active in the field of AI. Baidu has its own Chinese app store, called Baidu Mobile Assistant. This Chinese app store currently has about 81 million monthly active users.

7. VIVO App Store

Chinese App Store: VIVO App Store

Chinese Name: VIVO应用商店
Website: https://dev.vivo.com.cn/distribute/appStore

VIVO is a Chinese company that makes smartphones, phone accessories, software, and provides online services. VIVO’s parent company is BBK Electronics, which is also the parent company for other popular mobile phones such as OPPO and OnePlus. The VIVO app store is shipped with every VIVO phones sold in China. As one of the top Chinese app stores, the VIVO app store currently has about 69 million monthly active users.

8. PP Assistant

Chinese App Store: PP Assistant App Store

Chinese Name: PP助手
Website: https://www.25pp.com/

PP Assistant is a Chinese app store from the Chinese tech giant Alibaba. In addition to listing apps for Android, PP Assistant also has two app stores for iOS, one for jailbroken iOS devices and the other one non-jailbroken iOS devices. As one of the top 10 Chinese app stores, the PP Assistant app store currently has about 25 million monthly active users.

9. China Mobile MM Store

Chinese App Store: China Mobile MM Store

Chinese Name: 中国移动MM应用商场
Website: http://mm.10086.cn/store

China Mobile is a state-owned Chinese telecom company that provides mobile voice and multimedia services across mainland China. China Mobile has its own Chinese app store, called the China Mobile MM Store. As one of the top 10 Chinese app stores, it currently has about 25 million monthly active users.

10. Anzhi Market

Chinese App Store: Anzhi Market App Store

Chinese Name: 安智市场
Website: http://www.anzhi.com/applist.html

Anzhi Market is a China app store that has been around for many years. It has an active community that allow members to discuss and rate Android apps. As one of the top 10 Chinese app stores, Anzhi Market currently has about 25 million monthly active users.

Other Chinese App Stores:

In addition to the top 10 Chinese app stores listed above, there are some other ones that worth mentioning:

  • Sogou Mobile Assistant (搜狗手机助手): Website
  • HiMarket (安卓市场): Website
  • Wandoujia (豌豆荚): Website
  • Coolpad (酷派应用商店): Website
  • Lenovo Le Store (乐商店): Website
  • Samsung App Store ( 三星应用商店 ): Website
  • China Unicom Wo Store (中国联通沃商店 ): Website
  • ZTE App Store (中兴应用商店): Website
  • China Telecom 189 Store (中国电信天翼空间): Website
  • AppChina (应用汇): Website

Conclusion:

In China, for iOS (iPhone, iPad) users, Apple’s App Store (Chinese version) is still the Number One app store. However, for Android users, the situation in China is different from other countries. The Google Play Store is blocked in China. You can use a VPN (翻墙软件) to unblock it, for example, ExpressVPN, NordVPN etc, or you can use alternative Chinese app stores. There are many different China app stores for Android users. We have a listed the top 10 China app stores in this article. Hope you can find the list useful!

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