The current anti-China protests and social media trends against the use of Chinese apps in India have finally got their voices heard. The Government of India (GOI) has decided to ban over 125 Chinese applications that include top social media platforms such as TikTok, Helo, WeChat, PUBG, and AppLock. Yes, you read it right, banned!
The GOI, however, continues to maintain that these bans are purely a measure to protect the Indian users from Chinese surveillance and has nothing to do with the on-going border issues with China. But before you start lamenting about the banned apps, we have made sure that you don’t miss out on the fun. Below is a list of the best alternatives to the Chinese apps banned by India. These apps offer similar functionality and features and believe it or not some of them are ‘Made in India’.
1. Tiktok, Helo, Likee & Kwai
No other short video platform has gained more popularity than Tiktok. greed! Well, time to move on. Instead of Chinese short video platforms, you can opt for Dubsmash and Triller from the US. Also, you can go for the ‘desi alternative’ called Chingari, which has already fetched 25 lakh plus downloads.
2. Shein and Romwe
No brainer, right? Amazon offers products that are similar, in style and price, to Shein. If not Amazon, you can check out sites like Zaful, Dresslily, Rosegal, etc. However, if you’re steering clear of Chinese products (like most of us) don’t bother with these sites at all.
3. CamScanner
Most of us have been very comfortable with Camscanner to scan, store, and share our documents. Adobe Scan and Microsoft Office Lens offer the very same features for free. They are easy to use, ad-free, and backed by tech giants.
4. Shareit & Xender
There are more technically advanced file sharing apps over Chinese Shareit and Xender. These include ads-free apps such as ”Files Go” by
Google (American) and Jio Switch (Indian).
5. VivaVideo
The video editing app, used by millions, has a non-Chinese alternative in KineMaster and InShot. Both are full-fledged video editing with similar interface and tools.
6. UC Browser
UC browser is known for its high browsing and download speed. However, the Alibaba-owned UC Browser has much better browsers available in the market such as Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and the Indian Jio Browser.
7. Clash of Kings
It’s known amongst the mobile game enthusiasts as an adventure-packed, strategy-driven game, that engages the players with its incredible visuals, exciting story and impressive gameplay. It may have been banned but you can find an alternative in games like Age of Kings, War and Order, Rise of The Kings, Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, and Empire and Allies.
We have tried our best to list down the best alternatives to the popular Chinese apps in the market for both Android and iOS. ‘Install and Adapt’ is the only optimal solution available as escaping this Chinese app ban seems inevitable at the moment. If you feel that we’ve missed out on any app, let us know in the comments below.
Latest Addition to the List!
8. AppLock
Do Mobile’s App Lock is one of the most popular app locking apps that allows users to lock their apps apart from biometric authentication and password options. The Chinese app is the latest in the list to face the axe due to its tricky privacy policy which allowed them to access user’s personal information. Sighting the privacy concern, Norton App Lock by Symantec tops the list as an efficient alternative to the Chinese app. It comes with an anti-theft feature that takes a picture of the person trying to access the app. Moreover, it’s free to download and use. Other apps include Smart AppLock and AppLocker.
9. PUBG
PUBG Mobile is undoubtedly the most popular game ever with over 175 million downloads in India itself. However, it’s time to say goodbye to the beloved game and look for alternatives in the first-person shooting or war games. Call of Duty – Mobile has been the most significant rival for PUBG and has generated over 100 million downloads and is available for both iPhone and Android users. ShadowGun Legends and Battle Prime Online are a few other options.
10. WeChat
The most loved messaging app in China doesn’t enjoy the same lion’s share in the Indian market but has a substantial presence in the Asian market. With over 2 billion users spread across 180 countries, WhatsApp is the natural alternative to WeChat followed by Messenger and Telegram. Most of these apps offer direct chats along with voice and video calls and multimedia sharing.
We have tried our best to list down the best alternatives to the popular Chinese apps in the market for both Android and iOS. ‘Install and Adapt’ is the only optimal solution available as escaping this Chinese app ban seems inevitable at the moment. If you feel that we’ve missed out on any app, let us know in the comments below.
