I traveled to China earlier this year and ran into the same problem every tourist hits: Google Translate does not work in China. At all. Without a VPN, your phone becomes a lot less useful.
I tried Pleco, Baidu Translate, and a few other apps. They worked but required downloading before the trip, setting up accounts, and in some cases paying subscription fees. None of them did camera + voice + text in one clean interface.
So I built one.
What I Made
ChinaPal AI Translator is a free web app that works in any phone browser. No app download, no account, no VPN required.
It has three modes:
Text Translation
Translate between 10 languages including English, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, French, Spanish, German, and Russian. Type or paste text.
Camera Translation
Point your camera at any Chinese text and take a photo. Menus, signs, labels, train schedules, anything. It translates instantly.
Face-to-Face Voice Translation
Tap the microphone, speak in English or Chinese, and it transcribes + translates. The other person can tap their language button and reply. Great for ordering food or asking directions.
There is also a text-to-speech button so you can play the translation out loud.
How It Works
The interface runs in the browser. Translation is powered by an AI backend through our own API, not Google services, so it works on Chinese mobile data without a VPN.
The main site at aihubai.cn also has:
- An AI travel assistant that answers China travel questions
- Interactive map of nearby hospitals, pharmacies, and police stations
- Emergency phrasebook with 50+ phrases
- Currency converter
- Metro maps for major Chinese cities
- Train travel guide
- eSIM and SIM card guide
Is It Actually Free?
The translator is completely free with no limits. The AI travel assistant on the homepage gives 3 free chats per day. If you need more during a trip, there is a $4.99 7-day Trip Pass or $14.99/month. No subscription lock-in.
Try it here: aihubai.cn/translate.html
Bookmark it before your next China trip. It works on iPhone Safari and Android Chrome.
I am continuing to improve it. If you try it and have feedback, I would genuinely love to hear it.
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