How do you do app-store user acquisition in China?
App-store user acquisition in China runs on CPD (cost-per-download) bidding inside the big Android stores — Huawei, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi — but none of it can start until your app is lawfully listed there, and that gate is a compliance one, not a marketing one.
Those stores will not accept or keep a listing without a China-registered operating entity, a software copyright certificate, and a mobile-app filing with the MIIT — the app-level counterpart to a website's ICP filing — while any game also needs an NPPA approval number (版号) and the app's data handling has to satisfy PIPL. Only once that base is in place do the mechanics in the sections below — keyword-search and featured-position CPD, Quality Weight, and the test → expand → stabilize rollout — actually move users.
This is a risk map, not legal advice — which filings apply turns on your entity, your content and the data you collect, so confirm the path with counsel. Our China team can map your publishing and UA path with you →
What has to be in place before UA can start
| Fact | Primary source |
|---|---|
| Every app in mainland China now needs its own MIIT filing before any store will list it. Since the MIIT's 2023 app-filing notice (工信部信管〔2023〕91号 / No. 105), apps distributed in the mainland must complete a mobile-internet-application filing (移动互联网应用程序备案) — the app-level counterpart to website ICP filing — and network providers, app stores and device makers may not connect, list or pre-install an unfiled app. New releases must file first; apps already live had until 31 March 2024. See how mobile-app ICP filing works. | MIIT mobile-app filing regime (Notice gong-xin-bu xin-guan [2023] No. 105); MIIT filing portal, retrieved 2026-10-07 |
| A game needs a government approval number (版号) before it can be sold — no number, no listing. In Apple's own words to developers, "Chinese law requires games to obtain an approval number from China's National Press and Publication Administration," and paid games or games with in-app purchases are removed without "a valid game license number." China's Android stores have enforced the same rule since 2016, and overseas studios generally cannot apply directly — they publish through a licensed Chinese partner. Why apps get pulled → | Apple developer notice (Dec 2020), reported by TechNode; China's National Press and Publication Administration (NPPA), retrieved 2026-10-07 |
| Chinese Android stores require a software copyright certificate and a China-based operator. To list on Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, Xiaomi and the other mainland stores, developers must supply a Computer Software Copyright Registration Certificate (计算机软件著作权登记证书) — issued by the China Copyright Protection Center under the National Copyright Administration — in a name that matches the store listing, behind a developer account backed by a Chinese business license. Overseas publishers without a mainland entity list through a China-registered company or a licensed local partner. | China Copyright Protection Center (software copyright registration); Huawei AppGallery developer review requirements, retrieved 2026-10-07 |
| The app's data handling has to meet PIPL, or the listing itself is at risk. An app that collects personal information must have a lawful basis and clear notice, collect only what is necessary, and — where China users' data is sent abroad — meet the cross-border transfer rules of PIPL Articles 38–43 (notice, separate consent and a transfer mechanism); large-volume or critical-infrastructure handlers must also store that data in China (PIPL Art 40; Cybersecurity Law Art 39). Regulators routinely order non-compliant apps pulled from Chinese stores for over-collection of personal information. | Personal Information Protection Law of the PRC (Articles 38–43, 40); Cybersecurity Law Article 39 (formerly Article 37), retrieved 2026-10-19 |
Sources verified by the 21YunBox compliance team on 2026-10-07.
Congratulations on launching your app or game in China! Now, it’s time to find and engage users in this dynamic market. At 21YunBox, we specialize in simplifying the complex landscape of China’s app stores and media platforms to help you succeed.
Introducing 21YunBox’s User Acquisition (UA) Service
When it comes to User Acquisition (UA) in China, 21YunBox offers two essential services:
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App Store UA – This involves paid advertising and campaigns within China’s app stores where your app or game is listed.
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Media Platform UA – This service focuses on mobile advertising across China’s diverse media landscape.
For most clients, we recommend starting with App Store UA. Why? Because app stores provide reliable user data and access to a vast pool of high-quality users. In this guide, we’ll dive deep into our App Store UA model.
Maximize Your App Downloads
Learn how to optimize user acquisition for your app in China. Get expert guidance and start growing your user base today.
Book Your ConsultationCPD Bidding in China App Stores
CPD (Cost per Download) bidding is the most effective way to boost downloads on major Chinese app stores. There are two types of CPD bidding options:
Keyword Search CPD
This approach allows you to select popular search keywords on each app store and bid to ensure that your app or game appears prominently in relevant search results.
Featured Position CPD
With Featured Position CPD, your app gains visibility in key locations throughout the app store, including the home page, categories page, and featured page.
Quality Weight
The success of your Keyword Search and Featured Position CPD campaigns also depends on your Quality Weight, which is determined by several factors:
- Download numbers
- User ratings
- Number of comments
- Retention rate
- App introduction
Download numbers typically hold the most significant weight in these factors for most campaigns.
The Recommended Process
Here’s a step-by-step approach to maximize your App Store UA efforts:
1. Testing
Begin by running App Store UA tests on platforms like Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi for a trial period of 15 to 30 days. This will help you understand key metrics for each App Store UA channel.
2. Expansion
Based on the results from the testing phase, it’s time to scale up your App Store UA campaign. Increase your budget to ensure that the positive results achieved during testing can be replicated at scale.
3. Stabilization
Once the expansion phase has demonstrated a positive return on investment, move on to the stabilization phase. Here, we fine-tune your App Store UA strategy to ensure consistent, long-term results.
The 21YunBox Advantage
What sets 21YunBox apart is our in-depth understanding of the Chinese market and how to effectively reach its users. When you work with us, you’ll have a dedicated account manager who can be reached via phone, email, or messaging. Additionally, our online dashboard provides 24/7 access to your campaign, complete with metrics and analytics to track its effectiveness and progress. If you’re ready to get started, send us a message.
We’re here to guide you through the intricate landscape of user acquisition in China, helping you achieve success in this vibrant and competitive market.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do we need in place before running app-store UA in China?
Treat it as a sequence, and confirm the details with counsel. Before a Chinese store will carry your app you generally need a China-registered operating entity (or a licensed local partner), a software copyright certificate, and a completed MIIT mobile-app filing; a game needs an NPPA approval number (版号) on top; and the app's personal-data handling has to satisfy PIPL. Only then do the UA mechanics in this guide — CPD keyword-search and featured-position bidding, Quality Weight, and the test → expand → stabilize rollout — have anything to run on. Skip the base and a listing can be refused or removed, which strands the ad spend.
Do games need anything the other apps don't?
Yes. A game must carry an approval number (版号) issued by China's National Press and Publication Administration before it can charge users or sell in-app purchases — Apple's China App Store and the Chinese Android stores both remove paid or in-app-purchase games that lack one, a rule the Android stores have enforced since 2016. Foreign studios generally cannot apply for the number themselves and release through a licensed Chinese publisher, and the approval can take months — so for a game the 版号 timeline is usually the real gate on when UA can start, not the ad budget.
Can 21YunBox help with app-store user acquisition in China?
Yes — and we treat it in that order. First we help make sure the compliance base is sound — your operating entity, MIIT app filing, software copyright and, for games, the 版号, plus PIPL-aligned data handling — working with your counsel on what applies. Then we run the App Store UA model itself: CPD keyword-search and featured-position bidding across the major Chinese stores, structured as test → expand → stabilize, with a dedicated account manager and a dashboard for metrics. Get in touch to map your case.
