What works in mainland China — 2026 GFW availability list
Updated 2026-04-24
TL;DR
Mainland China is one of the most closed internet markets in the world — Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X, WhatsApp and nearly every major Western service are hard-blocked by the Great Firewall (GFW). Local alternatives include Tencent Video, iQIYI, Youku, NetEase Music and QQ Music. Reaching overseas services requires a network access tool, which is itself constantly targeted by GFW. AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) face double-blocking: GFW outbound plus OpenAI/Anthropic's own China-IP rejection.
✓ Available
iQIYI International
Domestic version, mainstream in China
YOUKU
Alibaba-owned, domestic
Kimi
Moonshot AI, locally available
Bybit
User base exists, legal gray zone
OKX
Originated as OKEx, Chinese founders
Binance
Gray, signup requires overseas exit node
TokenPocket
Decentralized wallet
pixiv
Sometimes directly reachable
LinkedIn
CN edition shut 2021, intl needs overseas exit
Claude
Needs overseas exit + overseas phone number
ChatGPT
Needs overseas exit, OpenAI double-blocks CN
Gemini
Needs overseas exit, Google fully blocked
Spotify
Needs overseas exit, no official support
Netflix
Requires an overseas exit
✗ Not available / Restricted
Tips
Inside mainland China, exit-node selection is the make-or-break factor. Pick residential-IP nodes — datacenter IPs get flagged hardest by streaming services. For protocol, prefer Trojan, Shadowsocks-2022, VLESS+Reality, or Hysteria2; avoid plain V2Ray since GFW DPI catches it easily. China Mobile / Telecom / Unicom international routes vary in quality across times of day. Note that AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude) double-block: even after exiting the GFW, the service rejects China-linked accounts, so you need an overseas phone (virtual numbers often get banned) plus a clean residential IP. During major holidays or sensitive periods GFW tightens — tools breaking is the norm; keep multiple backup setups ready.