# Alipay

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/alipay/

7 people recommended Alipay in Hacker News comments, 5 had mixed feelings and 5 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 6 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend Alipay for paying by phone QR code without cards, for transit, and for tourists in China, often calling it better than Visa. Critics point to weak software, payment limits, and dependence on the phone.

Summary written by Claude from 16 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Better than Visa and credit cards (4 comments in the sample): "I found it superior to other systems I've used in basically every way." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49072964)) "WeChat Pay and Alipay are so far superior to the credit card system" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46964603)) "came up with a better system than visa in alipay" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47135785))
- Easy QR payment for transit and shops (3 comments in the sample): "The absence of plastic cards is absolutely not a problem, just look at WeChat, Alipay, etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46962108)) "Alipay in China for transit and pay is also easy. No card, just a QR on your phone." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49472402)) "you can usually pay easily in RMB with Alipay" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46696690))
- Good for tourists paying in China (1 comment in the sample): "it's actually great for tourists" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47085939))

## What people warn about

- Depends on phone and two providers (2 comments in the sample): "the issue I have with these systems is the same as yours - we are fully dependent on our phones with no backup" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48232817)) "They are fully bound to the two providers (Alipay and WeChat" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48210427))

## Other mobile payment apps people recommend

- [Apple Pay](https://hackerapproved.com/p/apple-pay/): 58 recommend, 15 mixed, 43 criticize
- [Wero](https://hackerapproved.com/p/wero/): 52 recommend, 22 mixed, 84 criticize
- [Apple Wallet](https://hackerapproved.com/p/apple-wallet/): 46 recommend, 8 mixed, 58 criticize
- [Curve Pay](https://hackerapproved.com/p/curve/): 20 recommend, 1 mixed, 10 criticize

## Where to get it

- [Visit the official site](https://www.alipay.com/)

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Alipay", https://hackerapproved.com/p/alipay/ (7 recommend, 5 mixed, 5 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.