How to Rent a Shared Power Bank in China as a Tourist

You’re sitting in a restaurant in China, checking the route back to your hotel, when your phone drops to 8%. You still need it for maps, translation, DiDi, metro directions, and mobile payment, so waiting until you get back isn’t really an option.

Look near the restaurant counter or entrance. There’s a good chance you’ll see a small cabinet filled with portable chargers. This is a shared power bank, known in Chinese as:

共享充电宝
Gòngxiǎng chōngdiànbǎo

You scan the QR code, approve the rental, and one power bank pops out. Once you’ve charged enough, you return it to an empty slot in another compatible cabinet operated by the same brand.

For foreign tourists, the process can be slightly less predictable. Some rental mini-programs accept overseas phone numbers and international cards without a problem. Others may ask for a mainland Chinese number, a refundable deposit, or a payment authorization that your foreign card cannot complete.

This guide shows you what to do in both situations.

Phone Almost Dead? Do This First

1. Open Alipay first. Its English interface and translation tools are generally easier for foreign visitors.
2. Scan the QR code on the cabinet, check the current price, and approve any deposit or payment authorization shown.
3. Take only the power bank released by the machine.
4. Return it to an empty slot in a cabinet operated by the same brand.
5. Before walking away, check that the order says Returned, Completed, or Rental Ended.

01. Where Can You Find Shared Power Banks in China?

Shared power bank stations are common in large and medium-sized Chinese cities. You’ll often see them in:

• Restaurants and cafés
• Shopping malls
• Convenience stores
• Hotels
• Bars and entertainment venues
• Railway stations and airports
• Tourist attractions
• Hospitals

The cabinet may be a small tabletop box with six or eight slots, or a larger floor-standing machine containing dozens of chargers.

Common Shared Power Bank Brands

Access methods can vary by cabinet and location. A QR code opening successfully doesn’t guarantee that the provider will accept your overseas phone number or foreign-card payment authorization.

You don’t need to choose a brand before your trip. Use whichever available cabinet works with your payment account.

Remember the brand after renting. A power bank from one company normally cannot be returned to another company’s cabinet.

02. Before You Rent: Can Tourists Use a Foreign Credit Card?

Foreign visitors can link supported international bank cards directly to Alipay and Weixin Pay without opening a Chinese bank account.

However, renting a power bank is different from making a normal shop payment.

A shop transaction is completed immediately. A power bank provider may need permission to charge you later, based on how long you keep the device. It may also request:

• Automatic payment authorization
• A refundable deposit
• Phone-number verification
• Access to account information
• Additional identity verification

Because of this, an international card that works in restaurants, shops, and taxis may still fail during a power bank rental.

Before scanning the cabinet, it helps to have:

• A phone with enough battery left to complete the rental
• Mobile data or working Wi-Fi
• Alipay or WeChat
• A supported international card linked to the payment app
• Passport verification completed if requested
• A phone number that can receive verification messages

For most foreign visitors, Alipay is the better place to try first. If Alipay fails, scan through WeChat or try another shared power bank brand.

03. Check the Price Before Confirming

Shared power bank prices aren’t fixed across China. The same brand can charge different rates at different venues.

A café or ordinary restaurant may charge only a few yuan per hour. Airports, bars, cinemas, tourist attractions, and entertainment venues may charge more.

Before approving the rental, check:

• Price per hour or billing period
• Minimum charge
• Billing increment
• Daily maximum, if shown
• Total rental cap
• Deposit or payment authorization
• Lost-device charge
• Any short grace period

A practical working range is around RMB 3–8 per hour, but this isn’t a fixed national price. Premium locations may charge more.

The price shown on the live rental page is the one that matters.

Don’t approve every screen immediately just because your battery is low. Take a few seconds to read the rate and maximum charge first.

04. How to Rent a Power Bank with Alipay

Alipay is generally the easier option for international visitors because of its English interface and translation tools.

Step 1: Find the cabinet’s QR code

Look for a QR code on the front or top of the charging cabinet.

Make sure you’re scanning the cabinet’s rental code, not the restaurant’s payment QR code or a promotional poster nearby.

Step 2: Open Alipay and scan

Open Alipay and tap Scan.

Point the camera at the cabinet’s QR code. The provider’s mini-program should open automatically.

If the page appears in Chinese, try Alipay’s translation function. Translation availability may vary between mini-programs.

Step 3: Review the rental conditions

The page should show the current rental price, available power banks, payment requirements, and rental button.

Common Chinese buttons include:

• 租借 — Rent
• 借充电宝 — Rent a power bank
• 确认租借 — Confirm rental
• 同意并开通 — Agree and authorize

Check whether the provider is asking for a normal payment authorization, automatic deduction, or refundable deposit.

Some local users may qualify for deposit-free rental through a Chinese credit service. A new foreign account may not qualify, so follow the conditions displayed on your screen.

Step 4: Approve the payment authorization

Choose your available payment method and follow the Alipay instructions.

If your international card can’t complete the authorization, don’t keep submitting the same failed request. Try WeChat, another cabinet, or another brand.

Step 5: Take the released power bank

After the rental is approved, one slot should flash or unlock. The power bank will normally pop out slightly.

Take only the unit released by the machine.

Many shared power banks include built-in connectors such as USB-C, Lightning, or Micro-USB, but the cable combination varies. Check that the released unit has the connector your phone needs.

05. How to Rent a Power Bank with WeChat

If Alipay doesn’t work, try WeChat:

1. Open WeChat.
2. Tap the + icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Scan.
4. Scan the QR code on the cabinet.
5. Review the price and rental conditions.
6. Approve the Weixin Pay authorization.
7. Take the power bank released by the machine.

WeChat may work if you’ve already activated Weixin Pay and linked a supported international card.

However, some mini-programs may still request a mainland Chinese phone number or a payment authorization that isn’t available to your account.

If the WeChat rental fails, try scanning the same cabinet through Alipay. The account checks can be different even when you’re using the same machine.

06. Do You Need a Chinese Phone Number?

Not in every case, but having one can make the process easier.

Alipay and WeChat allow foreign visitors to register with overseas phone numbers. The power bank company, however, operates its own mini-program inside the payment app.

The provider may ask for:

• Your authorized Alipay or WeChat number
• A separate SMS verification
• A mainland +86 phone number
• Additional account information
• Automatic payment authorization

Some tourists can complete the rental with an overseas number. Others reach the final step and are asked for a Chinese number.

If your overseas number is rejected:

1. Try Alipay instead of WeChat, or the other way around.
2. Try a different power bank brand.
3. Ask the restaurant or shop staff whether another cabinet is nearby.
4. Ask your hotel reception for help.
5. Buy a small power bank if you’ll need charging repeatedly.

Don’t use someone else’s phone number or payment account unless they understand that the rental and any continued charges will remain connected to them.

07. Don’t Expect Fast Charging

Shared power banks are mainly intended for emergency charging.

Their battery capacity and output vary by brand and model. Many will charge more slowly than your own modern USB-C fast charger, although newer units may perform better.

If you continue using navigation, recording video, making video calls, or running other power-hungry apps, the battery level may rise very slowly. In some cases, the charger may only slow down the rate at which your battery is draining.

To recover enough power for maps, payment, or a ride back to your hotel:

• Turn on Low Power Mode.
• Reduce the screen brightness.
• Close camera and video apps.
• Stop gaming or streaming.
• Lock the screen while walking.
• Save your hotel address and route for offline use.

Think of a shared power bank as an emergency tool, not necessarily a full recharge.

08. How to Return the Power Bank Properly

You normally don’t need to return the unit to the exact cabinet where you rented it.

You do need to return it to:

• The same brand
• A compatible cabinet
• A location with an empty return slot

Open your active rental order in Alipay or WeChat and look for a map of nearby return locations.

Common labels include:

• Nearby Stations
• Return Locations
• Find a Cabinet
• 附近网点 — Nearby locations
• 归还点 — Return point
• 附近门店 — Nearby stores
• 可还 — Returns available

If the mini-program shows availability, choose a location with an empty return slot. A cabinet can have power banks available to rent while having no empty space for returns.

Push it in until it locks

Insert the power bank firmly into an empty slot.

You should normally hear or feel a click. The cabinet light may change, and the mini-program should update the rental status.

Don’t leave the power bank beside the cabinet or hand it to restaurant staff. The rental usually continues until the machine records a successful return.

09. Troubleshooting Return Problems

The cabinet is full

If every slot is occupied, find another cabinet operated by the same brand.

Use the map in the rental mini-program and look for a location that shows an available return slot.

You can ask staff:

附近哪里可以还这个充电宝？
Where can I return this power bank nearby?

The rental clock will normally continue while you search for another cabinet.

The cabinet doesn’t recognize the return

If you insert the power bank but the order stays active:

1. Check whether the unit has locked into the slot.
2. Remove and reinsert it if possible.
3. Try another empty slot.
4. Refresh the rental order.
5. Take photographs of the cabinet, slot and location.
6. Contact customer service through the mini-program.

Don’t walk away until you’ve checked the order status.

The power bank doesn’t charge

Check whether:

• You’re using the correct connector.
• The cable is fully inserted.
• The power bank has a start button.
• The phone case is blocking the connector.
• The charging indicator is on.
• The cable is visibly damaged.

If the unit still doesn’t work, return it as soon as possible and report the problem through the order page.

Avoid using a power bank that is swollen, cracked, wet, unusually hot, or has exposed wires.

10. Confirm That the Rental Has Ended

After inserting the power bank:

1. Open the rental order.
2. Look for Returned, Completed, or Rental Ended.
3. Check the rental duration.
4. Review the final charge.
5. Save a screenshot.

The physical click alone isn’t enough. The order status confirms that the provider has recorded the return.

If the order still shows an active rental, billing may continue.

If you need to contact customer service, keep evidence showing:

• The cabinet
• Cabinet identification number
• Slot used
• Location
• Time of return
• Active order status

11. What If Your Phone Is Already Dead?

A QR-based rental creates an obvious problem: you need a working phone to rent the power bank that will charge your phone.

If your phone has already switched off:

• Ask a travel companion to rent one.
• Ask restaurant or hotel staff for a charging cable.
• Use a wall socket for a few minutes.
• Look for a free charging point at an airport or railway station.
• Ask hotel reception for help.
• Buy a charging cable or power bank from a convenience store.

You can show staff:

我的手机没电了，可以充一下电吗？
My phone is out of battery. Can I charge it for a while?

If someone else rents the power bank for you, return it promptly. The rental remains connected to their payment account.

12. Can You Return It in Another City?

Some large providers operate in multiple cities, but taking a rented power bank on a long journey is risky.

You may arrive and discover:

• That brand has no nearby station.
• Every return cabinet is full.
• The local cabinet isn’t compatible.
• The rental charge has become much higher than expected.
• You can’t return it before entering an airport or railway station.

Return the power bank before leaving the area whenever practical.

A shared charger works best for a short-term problem. It isn’t a good replacement for carrying your own charger during a multi-city trip.

13. Should You Rent or Buy One?

Renting makes sense when:

• You need power immediately.
• You only need it for a short time.
• A compatible cabinet is nearby.
• Your Alipay or WeChat rental works.
• You know where you’ll return it.

Buying may be better when:

• You use maps and translation throughout the day.
• You’re visiting several cities.
• Your payment account can’t authorize rentals.
• You don’t have a Chinese phone number.
• You don’t want to search for return stations.
• You need dependable charging every day.

If you buy a power bank in China, choose a reputable product with clearly marked battery information and applicable certification. Check the current airline and railway requirements before carrying it through transport security.

Useful Chinese Phrases