And as Chinese video websites have become an essential part of daily life in China, they have also transformed how people watch dramas, follow influencers and do their shopping online. They are more than vehicles for entertainment; they set trends, bridge community and shape buying behaviors. For anyone interested in China’s digital culture, these sites offer a window into what people talk about, what they buy and how they spend their free time. As of 2025, they are cultural spaces and business engines that are worth understanding.
Top Chinese Video Websites You Need to Know
Associated with WeChat - Tencent Video
Tencent Video
Tencent Video is China’s largest streaming service, and its tight integration with WeChat has made it especially powerful. The platform has more than 120 million paying subscribers, and countless free listeners too. The content library includes everything from dramas, movies, variety shows, and exclusive international deals. Families are known to gather in living rooms around smart TVs to watch Tencent Video and is considered a daily part of life. I recall crashing with friends in Shanghai and having everybody talk about the same Tencent drama at the office the following day.
The audience here is everyone from students to working professionals who crave quality content. For creators, Tencent seems demanding; all content gets severely vetted, but you also get a firm and reliable platform. Its model is dominated by subscriptions and premium advertising. I once tried out its recommendation engine on the strengths of having watched just a single movie, and within a few hours I was bombarded with recommendations that felt eerily right. Although Deep Sleep is free, paying users frequently mention that the VIP option — which removes ads and unlocks faster updates — is worth the fee.
Pro Tip: Use WeChat Official Accounts to link to your campaigns and capture your audience where they already are. This is a place where banner ads attached to trending dramas or short trailers that hit on fan buzz also play well.
China’s Netflix - iQiyi
iQiyi
Created by Baidu, iQiyi, is sometimes referred to as China’s Netflix. It has more than 500 million monthly users who pay for a combination of licensed hits and original shows. The platform’s AI engine is formidable in making pairing viewers and content. I was once offered a trial VIP package and it was so nice to get prompts related to what I was interested in while browsing; I quickly found a historical drama that I couldn’t stop watching.
The target audience here is highly metropolitan users who love sleek storytelling and nice‑looking pictures. VIP memberships are a hit because they eliminate ads and grant early access to new episodes. Creators based outside the United States cannot upload directly but can work with the site though ad deals or content partnerships.
Pro tip: Think in film concepts or multi‑episode campaigns rather than short ads, and always see what shows are trending for a better marketing fit.
Alibaba’s Video Platform - Youku
Youku
Youku, a subsidiary of Alibaba, melds videos with shopping in a seamless manner. Once known as the “YouTube of China,” it now operates more like Hulu, with subscriptions and carefully selected content. A smart link to Taobao and Tmall lets viewers purchase products within the video. I was watching a cooking show and the cookware links popping up that could be purchased in one click.
Its viewership is mainly urban professionals who stream through smart TVs at home. Youku has also made investments in in original productions and variety shows, frequently timed to Alibaba shopping events such as Singles’ Day. For foreign brands, this makes for a clear line of connection between ads and product sales.
Pro tip: Produce how-to or lifestyle videos that coincide with shopping and plan campaigns around big e‑commerce festival” for the best results.
Anime and Bullet Comments - BiliBili Video Best Anime Online Bilibili
Bilibili
Bilibili is the go-to community for anime, comics and gaming enthusiasts and has a cult-like following of Gen Z with over 330 million average monthly active users. Its danmu, or bullet comments, make watching shows an experience, as if sitting with friends. I remember watching an episode of an anime for the first time at midnight, and the sea of comments that came in added an element of hilarity and shared enjoyment that made the show unforgettable.
The platform presents itself as a young (the median age of a Snapchat user is 18) and highly engaged audience. Bilibili also organizes e‑sports tournaments, music festivals and offline fan events. Some creators earn money from tips, paid memberships or sponsorships. From my own use, the edercitement at live e‑sports streams was just as electric as attending a stadium event.
Pro tip: invite fans to send danmu when you have important information to transmit and join seasonal events when user activity reaches its peak.
Want to peek into China’s Gen Z internet world? Start with — What Is Bilibili? The 2025 Platform That China’s Gen Z Thinks Is Better Than YouTube
Short Video and Shopping - Douyin
Douyin
Douyin, TikTok’s Chinese twin, is the champion of short video with more than 750 million monthly users. Its algorithm disseminates trends rapidly, and the platform connects clips directly to e‑commerce. I once saw a snack review on Douyin, and the product sold out in hours — a testament to the platform’s sales power.
There are readers of all ages, although young users are the fastest trenders. You must localize: Subtitles, cultural notes, even local influencers, will make content succeed. Both paid ads and influencer campaigns often double as a sales channel.
Pro tip: keep it short, entertaining and ready for fast shares. Combine discount codes with videos to create urgency and drive more conversions.
Want to know the deeper meaning behind China’s viral app? Read this — What Does Douyin Mean? It’s Not Just a Name—It’s a Signal, a Sound, a Shift
Grassroots Community - Kuaishou
Kuaishou
Kuaishou competes with Douyin but is popular in smaller cities and the countryside. The platform has an authentic feel, with less polished but more personal videos. I used to watch a farmer’s vlog on Kuaishou, the farmer updated daily and he shared his daily activities.
The target market is the mass based populace who care about real life stories as opposed to high-end production. Live streaming and tipping are important means of income for creators here, and fans are loyal. Kuaishou is effective for foreign brands that want to reach common China.
Pro tip: Share low‑key content such as home cooking or travel diaries to create trust. Here, sponsoring relatable influencers often resonates better than polished ads.
Features and Advantages of Chinese Video Websites
Rich Localization Options
Meanwhile, Chinese video sites distinguish itself with huge localization. Platforms offer simplified Chinese subtitles and captions to help viewers understand the content. Many services also allow for bilingual tagging, so that viewers can search in English and Chinese alike. This variety attracts both local and expat users, forming a wider audience origination.
Being able to customize jokes, references, and cultural references makes the experience personal and relatable. I once started watching an iQiyi series with bilingual subtitles and witnessed how almost instantly friends from different backgrounds were enjoying the same show at once. This high degree of localization allows nonnative viewers to feel included while entertaining local audiences.
Advertising and E‑commerce Power
One of the best things about these platforms is integrating entertainment and business. Tencent Video and iQiyi work premium ads into their subscription-based models and Douyin and Kuaishou allow viewers to click on products directly inside videos. I also watched a video clip of street snack on Douyin that sold out the very day it went viral.
This close relationship between video and shopping opens extraordinary new paths for brands to engage customers with immediacy and impact. For audiences, it makes browsing a shopping excursion without leaving the app. From what I could tell, at least for my purposes, it’s seamless — you watch a clip, press a button and the thing arrives in days. This meld of media and commerce is one reason Chinese video websites are influencing consumer habits around the world.
Regulation and Trust
There are strict regulations on Chinese video websites, so it may be difficult to get started, but this also makes it a safer and more reliable environment. Reviews are conducted before content is released, lowering the spread of harmful or misleading content. This oversight fosters trust among users and maintains professionalism on platforms.
As a result, viewers are more inclined to pay for memberships, tip their favorite creators and support sponsored content, with the knowledge that the atmosphere is closely controlled. For me personally, I prefer to opt for subscriptions on platforms like Tencent Video as I am confident the content won’t suddenly disappear. The synthesis between order and trust is a major strength in order to ensure a long‑term growth.
Practical Tips for Using Chinese Video Websites
Sign Up and Upload
On most platforms, a Chinese phone number and an ID are a requirement. Foreigners can teamed up with agencies to register faster. We do not accept uploads without a review to ensure the contents meet standards. This may take hours or days, so be preemptive. Publish content in proper formats with safe titles and no spammy descriptions. Downloads aside, maintaining backups can alleviate stress when files are delayed.
ONE time I got a video delayed for two days once because I used a title with a sensitive word. The video passed after it was changed. This demonstrates why you need to know keywords before going live.
Common Issues
Language is the first challenge. The interfaces are largely in Chinese, and the approvals process can be slow. Employ browser translation or bilingual partners. Simple keywords in Chinese increases the reach. Try uploading during off‑peak times to reduce wait times. The more you watch what’s trending, the more you learn tone and style. Localize your own content to the patterns of the market while retaining your brand’s unique voice.
Creators also say the analytics dashboards aren’t always easy to read. “It takes some time to learn or to get someone to come in and explain the data,” Mr. Kwoka continued. When you know how to monitor performance, content planning is more manageable.
Helpful Tools
Creators not based in the U.S. need to rely on platform dashboards, as well as third‑party tools. AIR Media‑Tech manages distribution. HackChinese helps refine metadata. QuestMobile delivers granular data on where viewers spend time. Combining these two tools provides us with a clear snapshot of the market. Data is the key to understand and plan better to succeed in China with better strategies.
Other tools, such as Baidu Index, or social listening apps, can also be used to determine what the hot topics are right now. Now that you know these things, you can create content feeling timely and relevant.
Chinese Video Websites FAQ: Everything You Need to Know
Q1：Do Chinese video sites work without VPN in 2020?
A1: Yes. Here inside China they’re open and fast. Travelers can use them on hotel Wi‑Fi or mobile data. You don’t need anything fancy to make them, which means they’re easy on beginners. In fact, many hotels and cafes offer direct access —and thanks to that, watching on a drama or live stream on a trip is not difficult. All of which offers the handy safety net that locally-based platforms are more reliable than attempting to access blocked websites with the help of iffy VPNs.
Q2: Which is the best site for anime and gaming lovers?
Can also choose A2: the best website is Bilibili. It’s anime and gaming fan culture in club form, complete with cosplay, fan art and e‑sports events. Gratitude among the community is high, and interaction can create loyalty. Users also post guides, reviews and inside jokes that make watching a social event. For newbies, catching up via the slow-time bullet comments reinforces a sense of belonging, even if not all the cultural referents are entirely explained.
Q3: Is there an opportunity for foreign creators to make money here?
A3: Yes. With Bilibili, Douyin and Kuaishou, tipping is permissible, as are brand deals and e‑commerce. Some foreigners open online stores tied to their accounts. Trust and community are critical to establishing consistent income. The successful creators frequently combine their live streams with product placement, generating revenue and gaining strong fan loyalty along the way. Patience is key, since it can take months to build a loyal following, but such trusty fans do exist.
Q4: Are these platforms available in English?
A4: Some of apps have English menus, but most of the content are in Chinese. Foreigners can stand out by adding translated captions or localized references. Some fans go so far as to make their own subtitles for content they love. For creators, it means there’s an audience that’s eager to help surface your work. Bilingual tags with, for example, English and Chinese captions can also lure local and international viewers.
Q5: Does upload need to follow some rules?
A5: Yes. All content must adhere to Chinese law. No political or sensitive discussion is permitted. Reviews take some time to do, so plan accordingly. Dealing with local partners means you’ll have an easier time getting the project approved. You might want to consult platform guidelines before uploading. Many of them have English support pages that break down the basic dos and don’ts — you save time and avoid making mistakes.
Q6: What’s the best platform for short viral videos?
A6: Douyin dominates at viral content; Kuaishou works best in small towns. Douyin spreads trends within hours. Kuaishou grows more slowly but builds stronger community ties. Both are directly linked to e‑commerce for quick purchasing. Some brands look at Douyin for broad, national exposure and Kuaishou for more ground-up campaigns. Pairing them together creates a more rounded way to reach diverse audiences in China.
