After the phone number, the second wall is payment. ChatGPT Plus/Pro, Claude Pro and Max all bill monthly through Stripe, which expects a card issued in a supported country. Mainland-issued cards (UnionPay or dual-currency Visa/Mastercard) are almost always rejected, and Alipay/WeChat Pay are not accepted. This guide covers the two routes that actually work from the mainland, with 2026 pricing and honest scam warnings.
Why mainland cards get rejected
- Billing country: Stripe checks the card’s issuing country against the supported list; China (CNY billing) is not on it.
- IP vs billing mismatch: a mainland IP or a mismatched proxy raises fraud flags.
- 3D Secure: many virtual cards lack the 3DS step Stripe requires and fail at the last moment.
- Shared card numbers: cards already used by many people for OpenAI/Anthropic are flagged high-risk.
Route 1 — App Store / Google Play in-app billing (most reliable)
The highest-success route is to subscribe inside the official ChatGPT or Claude mobile app. Apple and Google handle billing, and their payment processors are far more lenient about your card’s country than OpenAI’s or Anthropic’s checkout. Both apps support in-app subscriptions.
- Switch your App Store region to a supported country (US, UK or Japan), or create a new Apple ID registered in that region.
- Top up the store balance with a gift card for that region. US App Store gift cards are widely sold on mainland platforms — buy from reputable sellers and verify the code immediately.
- Download the ChatGPT or Claude app and sign in.
- Subscribe in-app (ChatGPT: “Upgrade to Plus/Pro” in Settings; Claude: the subscription page in the app). The store balance pays the bill.
Route 2 — Foreign virtual cards (works, but be very careful)
Virtual-card platforms issue a Visa/Mastercard from a supported country that you load yourself. This space changes fast and several famous names are gone: WildCard stopped service in 2026, and Fomepay, Depay and OneKey Card exited or became scams in 2024–25. As of mid-2026, working options include CoinePay (card from about US$2.99), Redotpay and a rotating set of VCard-style platforms — verify current status and reviews before paying.
- Choose a platform with recent, consistent positive reviews — treat it as high-risk regardless.
- Complete its verification and load only a SMALL test amount first.
- Issue a card and use the US billing address the platform provides.
- Keep your proxy country and the card’s billing country consistent.
Route 3 — Crypto-backed cards (advanced)
Some platforms issue cards funded with USDT/USDC from a wallet. The mechanics and fees are similar to Route 2, and so is the scam risk — several dead names were crypto cards. Only use this if you already hold crypto and treat the platform as uninsured.
Alternatives that avoid paying the providers directly
API relay services (“中转”) resell GPT/Claude model access for RMB per token, and “代充” services fill your subscription for you. Both remove the payment headache — and both mean trusting a third party with your money or account. Fine for casual API experiments; genuinely risky for an account you plan to pay for monthly. If you use them, treat the account as disposable.
What it actually costs (monthly plans)
| Route | One-time cost | Monthly cost | Success rate | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| App Store / Google Play | Gift card markup (~3–5%) | Sticker price (~¥145 for Plus) | High | Low |
| Foreign virtual card | Card fee ~US$3–10 + spread | Sticker + 10–20% (~¥155–175) | Medium | Platform could vanish / scam |
| Crypto-backed card | Card fee + gas | Sticker + 5–15% | Medium | Same as virtual card |
| API relay / 代充 | None | Per-token or markup | N/A | Account security |
Practical tips
- Keep your proxy country, account region and card billing country consistent.
- Fill in the billing address exactly as the card platform provides; do not invent a random US address.
- Enable 3D Secure if the platform offers it — Stripe fails cards without it.
- Test with the smallest plan first, then upgrade.
- Keep a backup payment method on file for renewals.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my mainland bank card rejected?
Stripe checks the card’s issuing country against the supported list, and China is not on it. Mainland-issued cards (UnionPay or dual-currency cards) are almost always refused. Use the App Store/Google Play route or a foreign virtual card instead.
Can I pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay?
No — neither OpenAI nor Anthropic accepts Alipay or WeChat Pay. The closest route is buying App Store gift cards with those apps and using the balance to subscribe in-app.
Is it safe to use a foreign virtual card?
It depends entirely on the platform. This sector has a long history of shutdowns and scams (WildCard stopped in 2026; Fomepay, Depay and OneKey Card vanished in 2024–25). Use only platforms with recent positive reviews, load small amounts, and never put money you cannot afford to lose on a virtual card.
Do I need a proxy when paying?
Yes — keep your proxy on the same supported country used at signup. Paying from a different country than your account looks inconsistent to Stripe and raises decline odds.
What is the cheapest way to pay from the mainland?
The App Store/Google Play route: you pay only the plan price plus a small gift-card markup — no card fees or exchange spreads. Gift-card seller margins vary, so compare a few sellers.
Can a rejected card get my account banned?
A single failed attempt is harmless. Repeated failed attempts across different cards and countries look like fraud and can trigger a review or suspension. Try once, then switch routes cleanly.