Power Bank Sharing for Travelers to China

Scan a QR, grab a fully-charged pack, pay by the minute—never run out of battery while travelling China.

TikTok
YouTube
Reddit
X
Tripadvisor
大众点评
小红书
✓ Real Traveler Data
✓ Up-to-date Sources
✓ AI-Collected & Human-Vetted
✓ No OTA-Oriented

🚀 Quick Start Guide

1️⃣
Open a mini-program
In WeChat/Alipay search "小电" (Energy Monster) or "街电" (JieDian).
2️⃣
Bind foreign card
Tourist-Pay flow → deposit-free if Score ≥ 550; else ¥99 deposit (refunded on first return). Most new tourist accounts start at 0; expect a refundable ¥99 deposit unless you've built credit via other Alipay/WeChat purchases.
3️⃣
Scan the cabinet QR
Screen shows rate (typ. ¥2/30 min) & daily cap; tap "Rent".
4️⃣
Grab the power-bank
Pull when green LED flashes; cables built-in.
5️⃣
Return anywhere
Push pack into an empty slot; app beeps "Returned" & auto-deducts fee.

🔋 What is Power Bank Sharing? — A 60-second primer

Full name & birth
共享充电宝 (gòng-xiǎng chōng-diàn-bǎo) —"shared power bank." First kiosks rolled out by Jiedian & Xiaodian in 2015, now a street-corner basic.
Core service
Scan the cabinet's QR with Alipay/WeChat → a 10,000 mAh pack pops out (USB-C, Lightning & USB-A leads). Return to any kiosk nationwide.
Scale & reach (2025)
7.8 million cabinets across 1,600+ counties and prefecture-level cities* (figure counts counties/districts, not just prefecture-level cities); ≈ 350 million registered users.
Key brands
Energy Monster 小电 • JieDian 街电 • Meituan Charging 美团充电 (yellow) • Monster-Charge 归还柜 at kiosks & night-markets.
Unique perks
Deposit-free if Alipay Tourist-Pay / WeChat Score ≥ 550; one tap "find nearest return point"; packs fast-charge at 20W USB-C PD.
Language support
All mini-program UIs follow phone language; long-press Chinese text → 🔤 Translate bubble (WeChat 9.1 / Alipay 10.5.80+). Cabinet LCD is Chinese-only; rely on mini-program UI for English prompts.
Payment for visitors
Blue merchant QR → foreign Visa/Master/AmEx/JCB; ¥2–4 per 30 min; ≤ ¥30 daily cap; FX ≈ 1% spread; caps ¥5,000/txn · ¥10,000/day.
Why locals rely on it
Heavy video-streaming + map use drains phones; kiosks every 200m in tier-1 areas.
Good to know
Late fee: billed until returned (auto-buy at ¥99 after 3 days). Battery sterilised by 45°C UV cycle on return.
TL;DR
Open the Energy Monster or JieDian mini-program in Alipay/WeChat, scan the kiosk's blue merchant QR, grab a pack for ¥2–4 per half-hour, and return it at any cabinet nationwide to avoid late fees.

🏆 Most-Cited Success Recipe

1

Clip coupons in Meituan App

¥1 off first hour at >20,000 kiosks city-wide. Note: Coupon claim requires Meituan account tied to phone number; may not show on first day.

2

Set "auto-stop ¥20"

Prevents run-away billing if you forget to return. Essential safety feature.

3

Choose USB-C PD pack

0 → 50% iPhone 15 in ~25 min. Fastest charging option available.

4

Map filter "空箱" (empty slot)

Shows cabinets with return slots—avoid "full box" error.

Why it helps: Meituan coupons save money; auto-stop prevents overcharging; USB-C PD charges fastest; empty slot filter ensures smooth returns

🔄 2025 Updates

⚡

Energy Monster upgrades all Beijing kiosks to 20W PD packs

Major upgrade to fast-charging capability across Beijing's power bank network.

Sources: TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, X, TripAdvisor
💳

Alipay opens deposit-free Tourist-Pay across 1,200 cities

Expansion from 600 cities to 1,200 cities for foreign tourists.

Sources: DianPing, Xiaohongshu, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit
📱

'Blue-QR everywhere' rule

Brands must switch personal green codes to merchant blue in tourist zones.

Sources: X, TripAdvisor, DianPing, Xiaohongshu, TikTok

⚠️ Common Issues & Fixes

Only green personal QR

Ask staff for blue merchant code or pay ¥99 cash deposit. Green QRs need CNY wallet and don't work with foreign cards.

Pro tip: Keep ¥20 cash for green QR situations

Cabinet shows "满柜" (full) when returning

Use app's map filter for "空箱" (empty slot); kiosks every 150m in malls and stations. Try nearby locations.

Backup: Check nearby convenience stores with kiosks

Card rejected

Ensure 3-D Secure prompt accepted; try second card or switch to other brand's kiosk. Some cards need pre-authorization.

Alternative: Try different power bank brand nearby

Forgot to return

Daily cap ¥30, auto-buy at ¥99 after 72h—set phone alarm. Return within 3 days to avoid purchase fee.

Prevention: Set auto-stop limit and phone reminders

🔄 Backup Options

🏪

Convenience Stores

7-Eleven & Lawson

  • • Disposable 5,000 mAh packs
  • • Cost: ¥29-39
  • • Available 24/7
  • • No return needed
  • • Instant backup solution
☕

Café Charging

USB-C wall pods

  • • Free in most cafés
  • • Bring USB-C/Lightning cable
  • • Starbucks, Costa, local chains
  • • Perfect for work sessions
  • • Fast charging available
☀️

Solar Power

Portable solar key-ring

  • • ~¥39-89 on Taobao
  • • Perfect for outdoor activities
  • • Emergency backup power
  • • Eco-friendly option
  • • Weather-resistant design

🛠 Technical Notes

  • • Battery spec: 10,000 mAh Li-Poly; 20W USB-C PD + 18W QC3.0 + Lightning/Micro-USB.
  • • Standard rate: Tier-1 ¥2–3/30 min; Tier-3 ¥1/30 min.
  • • Overtime buy-out: auto-charges ¥99; user keeps power-bank.
  • • Sterilisation: 2 min UV-C + 45°C warm cycle on return.
  • • FX caps on blue QR: ¥5,000/txn · ¥10,000/day · ¥50,000/month; ~1% spread.

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