Does ChatGPT Work in China?
No. On mainland Chinese networks — hotel Wi-Fi, local SIM cards, home broadband — chatgpt.com doesn’t load and the ChatGPT app can’t sign in. OpenAI doesn’t offer service in the mainland market, so there’s no official workaround coming. The same goes for Claude and Google Gemini. This isn’t a guess: we run automated checks from a monitoring node in Hangzhou around the clock, so the numbers below come from inside China, not from a blog post someone wrote two years ago.
What our monitoring shows right now
Our Hangzhou node tests two things every ~30 minutes: whether each service is reachable directly, and whether it works through GustVPN. From today’s checks (July 27, 2026):
| Test | Direct on local network | Through GustVPN |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT (chatgpt.com) | Doesn’t load | 38 / 38 checks loaded |
| Claude (claude.ai) | Doesn’t load | Loads normally |
| Gemini (gemini.google.com) | Doesn’t load | Loads normally |
| Typical page load through the tunnel | — | ~2 seconds |
| Latest download speed test | — | 43 Mbps |
One practical detail people miss: if you sign in to ChatGPT with “Continue with Google,” the login flow also needs Google itself to be reachable — which it isn’t on local networks. A working setup has to cover both, which is why half-measures like DNS tricks don’t get you signed in.
What about Chinese AI apps?
Mainland alternatives like DeepSeek and Qwen work fine on local networks and are genuinely good. But they’re not your account: your Plus subscription, your custom GPTs, your chat history, your team workspace all live with OpenAI. If ChatGPT is part of how you work or study, you need your ChatGPT — not a substitute you’ll use for two weeks and abandon.
How to keep ChatGPT working on your trip
With GustVPN connected, ChatGPT works exactly as it does at home — web, iOS app, voice mode, image generation. Setup is a one-tap connect that takes about three seconds. The one rule: install and sign in before you enter mainland China, because the mainland App Store doesn’t carry VPN apps. The full pre-flight checklist is in our China travel connectivity guide, and the status of every other major app is in the 2026 app status list.
Your ChatGPT, working in China
Download GustVPN before you fly — free to download, one-tap connect, monitored from inside mainland China around the clock.
Download GustVPN FreeFrequently asked questions
Does the ChatGPT mobile app work in China?
Not on local networks — the app can't reach OpenAI's servers, so it won't sign in or respond. With GustVPN connected, the app works normally, including voice mode.
Does ChatGPT Plus work in China?
Your Plus subscription works anywhere your connection does. With GustVPN connected you get your full account — Plus features, custom GPTs, and chat history included.
Can I sign in with my Google account?
Only if Google is reachable too, which it isn't on mainland networks. GustVPN covers the whole sign-in chain — Google, OpenAI, and the app itself — so 'Continue with Google' works normally.
Do Claude and Gemini work in China?
Same situation as ChatGPT: unreachable on local networks, working normally through GustVPN. Our Hangzhou monitor checks all three continuously.
Is there an official way to use ChatGPT in mainland China?
No. OpenAI doesn't offer service in the mainland market, and there's no mainland App Store listing. Travelers keep their existing accounts working by connecting through a VPN set up before arrival.