Source-backed analysis6
Review basis
Research-based review: the AppDuo Editorial Team compiled it from official pages, documentation, app stores, press and user feedback, without hands-on testing. Every claim links to a source with the date it was checked.
6 reference sourcesInformation updated Nov 10, 2026
How we review
1688 Review
Alibaba's domestic wholesale marketplace: factory sourcing, high language barrier
By AppDuo Editorial Team · Updated
- Web
- iOS
- Android
On this page
Decide at a glance
Our verdict
Suited to sellers and shop owners who already source from China and can work in Chinese or through an intermediary. The trade-offs are a low Google Play rating and many steps buyers must verify themselves.
Best for: Shop owners looking for goods straight from Chinese factories and wholesalers
Skip it if: Casual shoppers who want home delivery, support in a language other than Chinese and simple returns
Pros
- Large catalogue: over 10 million suppliers across 1,700 subcategories, per WorldFirst
- Factory and wholesale suppliers, with direct negotiation via WangWang chat
- Part of Alibaba Group, operating since 1999, with over 1 million paying members in fiscal year 2024
Cons
- The website is essentially Simplified Chinese only, and WorldFirst says most suppliers have limited English
- Google Play rates it 2.6/5 from about 9.28K reviews
All pros and cons · Who is it for?
Pros
- The app has an English interface and is updated regularly
Cons
- Cross-border payment and shipping usually need extra tools or intermediaries
- The App Store privacy labels list tracking and collection of contacts
Best for
- Small-batch importers, since WorldFirst says many products have an MOQ of 1-2 items
Problems it solves
Experience & key features
1688.com is the domestic wholesale marketplace of Alibaba Group. Alibaba's own page says it was founded in 1999, calls it the "product source for Chinese e-commerce" and says it grew from B2B into procurement services for small and medium-sized businesses and consumers. In fiscal year 2024 it had over 1 million paying members. Sellers are wholesale suppliers, many of them factories.
Per its Google Play description, the app aims to serve global buyers with multi-language support, logistics and international payment options. The China App Store description stresses sourcing workflows such as one-piece dropship orders (一件代发), image search and supplier chat. WorldFirst says the website operates only in Simplified Chinese, most suppliers have limited English and many products have an MOQ of only 1-2 items.
The sources read show no buyer membership fee. Prices are listed by each supplier in CNY, so the total depends on the exchange rate, shipping and any intermediary fee. No import-duty table specific to goods bought on 1688 was found, so this review gives no duty figures.
User ratings diverge: 4.2/5 on the App Store (China) from 388,634 ratings and 2.6/5 on Google Play from about 9.28K reviews. Some Google Play users report being logged out and forced to verify through Alipay, or being unable to pay by card. The privacy labels in the two stores also do not match. 1688 fits shop owners with an established sourcing routine best; casual shoppers may find Taobao or AliExpress easier to approach.
Screenshots
Plans & pricing
Prices last verified Nov 10, 2026
Người mua / Buyer
PersonalFree
The app is free to download. Item prices are set by each supplier in Chinese yuan (CNY) and orders may carry a minimum order quantity (MOQ). The pages checked show no buyer membership fee table.
- Free plan limits
- No paid buyer tier appears in the sources read; costs are the item price, shipping and any service fee if you buy through an intermediary.
- Free trial
- No free trial
Cancellation & refunds
Refund terms for overseas buyers could not be verified. Each order is subject to supplier and platform conditions, so read 1688's Chinese-language help pages before ordering.
Privacy
App Store (China) labels say purchases, search history, browsing history and identifiers may be used to track users across other companies' apps and websites, and that financial info, contact info and contacts are linked to identity. Google Play's data-safety section instead says no data is shared with third parties, data is encrypted in transit and deletion can be requested. Both are developer declarations and they do not match; the full privacy policy was not read.
1688 alternatives
6.8/10AliExpress
Alibaba's cross-border marketplace: wide range, low prices, mixed refund reports
6.3/10Temu
PDD's bargain marketplace: high app ratings, low Trustpilot, global scrutiny
Frequently asked questions
What is 1688?
1688.com is Alibaba Group's domestic wholesale marketplace, mainly in Chinese. Per Alibaba's page it was founded in 1999 and has grown from B2B into procurement services for small and medium-sized businesses and consumers.
Does the 1688 app have English?
Yes. The App Store lists Simplified Chinese and English. The website, per WorldFirst, is currently Simplified Chinese only.
How do overseas buyers pay on 1688?
WorldFirst describes World Pay as the only authorised cross-border payment method on 1688, letting buyers pay in local currency without a Chinese bank account. This comes from the payments provider itself, so check current terms.
What is the minimum order?
It depends on the product. WorldFirst says many products have an MOQ as low as 1-2 items, but each supplier sets its own.
Review evidence & sources6
Scores
- Ease of use
- 5.0
- Features
- 7.5
- Value for money
- 7.0
- Performance
- 5.5
- Support
- 4.5
- Privacy & security
- 4.5
Why this score
The site is essentially Chinese only, most suppliers have limited English and WorldFirst points buyers to separate translation tools. The app holds 4.2/5 on the App Store (China) from over 388,000 ratings but only 2.6/5 on Google Play, so the experience looks uneven.
Why this score
Very broad catalogue (12 main sectors per the homepage description), low MOQs on many items, image search, one-piece dropship orders (一件代发) and supplier chat. Marked down because services for international buyers lean on third parties.
Why this score
Factories and wholesalers list prices in CNY and 1688 promotes factory-direct pricing. No independent price data was found, and shipping, duties and intermediary fees can raise the total, so the score stays moderate.
Why this score
The app is updated regularly (version 12.25.1 on 5 Nov 2026), but Google Play shows 2.6/5 against 4.2/5 on the App Store, and some Google Play reviews complain of forced logouts and failed payments. No independent speed or stability data was found.
Why this score
The app description lists only a China hotline (4008001688) and WangWang contact. WorldFirst notes most suppliers have limited English, and no documented official support channel in a language other than Chinese was found.
Why this score
App Store labels list tracking via purchases, search and browsing history and identifiers, plus contact info and contacts linked to the account. Google Play declares no third-party sharing, which makes the picture unclear, and the full policy was not read.
What users say
- App Store (China)4.2/5 · 388,634
- Google Play2.6/5 · 9,280
Sources
- Vendor-providedAlibaba Group: 1688.com business pageNov 10, 2026
- Vendor-provided1688.com homepageNov 10, 2026
- storeApp Store listing (China), Alibaba 1688Nov 10, 2026
- storeGoogle Play listing, 1688Nov 10, 2026
- pressWorldFirst help center: What is 1688Nov 10, 2026
- pressWorldFirst: buying from 1688 without knowing Chinese (2025-09-10)Nov 10, 2026
Specs & compatibility
- Developer
- Alibaba Group
- Headquarters
- China
- Launched
- 1999
- Category
- Shopping
Capabilities
- Mobile app
Platforms
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Interface languages
- Chinese
- English
Support
- Live chat
- Phone
- Help center
Change history
- Feature.Version 12.25.1 of the app is released on the App Store (China).
- Update.Alibaba says 1688.com had over 1 million paying members in fiscal year 2024 (the source gives no specific month).
- Feature.The Alibaba 1688 app first appears on the App Store (China).
Full change history (4)
- Launch.Alibaba Group says 1688.com was founded in 1999 (the source gives only the year).
About the author
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