8 Photo-Sharing Alternatives to Pinterest in China

By: Ashley Dudarenok

Updated: 

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Mainland China blocks Pinterest, so designers and influencers turn to local and global platforms for visual inspiration. In recent years, a handful of apps and websites have become go-to sources for creative imagery in China. These include lifestyle and social platforms, designer communities, and free image libraries. Each offers its spin on “pinning” ideas. The top 8 photo-sharing alternatives to Pinterest in China that we cover are:

  • Duitang (堆糖)
  • Douyin 图文/图集
  • WeChat Channels 视频号
  • RedNote – Little Red Book 小红书
  • Meitu (美图)
  • Zhihu (知乎)
  • Weibo (微博)
  • ZCOOL (站酷)

They all serve designers and marketers by letting users discover, save, and share pictures and ideas. Below, we explain how each works and why it’s useful as a Pinterest substitute in 2025-26.

What Makes a “Pinterest Alternative” in China?

A true Pinterest alternative in China is not just a photo-sharing app. It is a platform where visual discovery connects directly to action—whether that means making a purchase, visiting a store, or planning a trip. To understand how Chinese users approach visual platforms in 2025, it helps to break down the key criteria.

  • Image-first publishing: Pinterest thrives on visual storytelling. In China, this takes the form of 图文 (image + text posts), carousels, or curated albums. Platforms like RED and Douyin now give as much weight to image sets as to short videos.
  • Save and collection mechanics: Chinese users want to “plant and harvest” inspiration. Features like 收藏 (save), 专辑 (albums), or POI lists act as functional equivalents to Pinterest boards. The save-to-action loop is essential for fashion, food, and travel.
  • Native commerce hooks: Unlike Pinterest, Chinese alternatives are built with seamless shopping links that facilitate a seamless shopping experience. A WeChat Channels photo set can lead to a Mini Program, while RED notes often link directly to stores or local life offers.
  • Distribution and discovery: Instead of being purely board-based, discovery is driven by an algorithm. Content is surfaced through recommendation feeds, hashtags, search, and location-based entry points. This makes SEO-style optimization—titles, tags, and image covers—essential.
  • Advertising and attribution: Chinese platforms integrate self-serve ads, influencer whitelisting, and affiliate mechanics directly into the visual layer. For example, Tencent’s 2025 earnings highlight rising advertiser demand on Channels, where photo posts drive both branding and conversion.
  • Governance and compliance: Brands must operate in accordance with China’s content governance rules. This means avoiding sensitive categories and ensuring visual claims—such as before/after transformations—comply with regulations.

Taken together, these factors demonstrate why no single app can be considered “the Chinese Pinterest.” Instead, multiple platforms replicate and extend Pinterest-like functions, each optimized for different consumer behaviors—from lifestyle discovery on RED to travel planning on Dianping.

Quick Comparison of Top Pinterest Alternatives in China

PlatformMain UseBest For
DuitangHobbyist image boardsPersonal inspiration
Douyin 图文/图集Image carousels + shoppingMass reach, commerce
WeChat ChannelsPhotos + Mini Program linksE-commerce, lifestyle
RED (小红书)Lifestyle + social commerceFashion,beauty, influencers
MeituPhoto editing & filtersContent creation
ZhihuQ&A + infographicsB2B, expert content
WeiboVisual social feedTrends, celebs
ZCOOLProfessional design hubCreative industry

Duitang (堆糖) – A Leading Pinterest Alternative

duitang app

Duitang (堆糖) is a long-running image-sharing community in China, often compared to Pinterest. It focuses on aesthetic and inspirational visuals — from wallpapers and fashion to anime fan art and design tutorials. With billions of images in its database and millions of users curating themed collections, it has become a “treasure trove of beautiful images.”

Users “collect” (pin) visuals into theme-based boards, making it a discovery hub for personal inspiration rather than professional design work.

By 2026, Duitang will be a niche product. It will remain popular among hobbyists, anime fans, and casual wallpaper collectors, but lack the commercial or professional relevance of RED, Douyin, or ZCOOL.

Why Duitang Is Considered a Pinterest Alternative

Duitang allows users to “collect” (收藏) and organize visuals into theme-based albums, just like Pinterest boards. Its clean grid layout and browsing experience closely resemble Pinterest’s early design. However, unlike Pinterest’s marketing-driven boards, Duitang primarily serves as a personal archive of aesthetic inspiration, making it popular with fans but less useful for commercial campaigns.

Pros of Using Duitang as a Pinterest Alternative

  • Massive library of images across categories
  • Clean, Pinterest-like grid layout for browsing
  • Easy to scroll, save, and organize by theme
  • Active community sharing and curating content
  • Good mix of inspiration: fashion, décor, illustrations

Cons and Limitations for Marketers

  • Not aimed at professional design or marketing use

Key Features of Duitang

  • Massive image library with billions of wallpapers, photos, and illustrations
  • Theme-based albums to collect and organize images by style or topic
  • Powerful search to find visuals across categories like anime, décor, or fashion
  • One-click saving and downloading for quick image collection
  • User-curated boards where communities share and group images
  • DIY and tutorials section with guides for photo editing and design tips
  • Active fan communities around anime, idols, and lifestyle inspiration
  • Clean, Pinterest-like interface for easy browsing and discovery

Platform Relevance 

Duitang remains active with daily content updates. After over a decade of growth (including early backing from Alibaba), its extensive archive makes it valuable for casual collectors and hobbyists.

In 2024, Duitang adapted to new trends by featuring seasonal wallpapers, trending fan art, and lifestyle imagery. While it lacks the professional exposure and commercial integration of ZCOOL or RED, it maintains a dedicated user base that treats it as a visual inspiration board.

Types of Content

Duitang content reflects its hobbyist and fan-driven nature, including:

  • Wallpapers, scenic photography, and seasonal backgrounds
  • Anime and movie fan art, cartoon avatars, idol photos
  • Fashion outfits, cute pets, and lifestyle collages
  • Memes, emoji packs, and aesthetic illustrations
  • Graphic design mockups, resources, and sketch journals
  • DIY guides and photo-editing tutorials (P图教学)

Duitang thrives as a casual image archive and inspiration hub, rather than a professional creative network.

Douyin 图文/图集 – TikTok’s Visual Pinterest Alternative

Douyin photo-sharing alternative to pinterest in China

Douyin, the Chinese counterpart of TikTok, is known globally for short videos. But since 2023, its 图文 (image + text) and 图集 (carousel galleries) formats have gained traction, creating a Pinterest-like layer inside the app. 

As of 2025, Douyin’s users are approximately 54% male and 46% female. 65% of Douyin users are under 35, and usage is increasingly widespread across Tier 1–4 cities.

By 2026, Douyin will be not only a short-video powerhouse but also a serious competitor in visual discovery and lifestyle planning, especially in commerce and local life.

Why Douyin图文/图集 Works as an Alternative to Pinterest

Douyin’s 图文/图集 features allow users to create swipeable carousels of images with captions, tutorials, or mood boards. These posts are easily saved, shared, and discovered through hashtags, trending topics, or Douyin’s algorithmic feed. Like Pinterest boards, they encourage users to collect ideas—from recipes and fashion to home renovation.

What makes Douyin unique is its seamless integration with commerce. A gallery about a skincare routine can include product tags, while a travel carousel can link directly to POI (point-of-interest) pages or group-buy deals. Inspiration is not just pinned—it is immediately actionable.

Pros of Using Douyin as a Pinterest Alternative

  • Massive reach with over 750M+ MAU in 2025
  • Strong viral mechanics—carousels can trend as easily as videos
  • Seamless links to Douyin Shops, POI cards, and coupons
  • Works well for tutorials, lists, and seasonal guides
  • Powerful algorithm surfaces relevant content beyond followers

Cons and Limitations for Marketers

  • Content lifecycle is short; posts need frequent refreshing
  • Algorithm favors engagement velocity—carousels may struggle against video in feeds
  • Competitive categories (beauty, fashion, food) require paid boosts or KOL support
  • A heavy ad environment may reduce organic visibility

Key Features of Douyin 图文/图集

  • Swipeable image carousels with captions
  • POI integration for restaurants, hotels, and local attractions
  • Native product tagging with instant shop links
  • Sharing on WeChat, Weibo, or Douyin groups
  • Bookmark/save functions for long-term curation
  • Paid amplification through Douyin Ads Manager
  • Analytics for saves, clicks, and commerce conversions

Platform Relevance in 2025

Douyin is no longer just a short-video platform—it is a visual commerce ecosystem. In 2024–2025, Douyin Local Life’s (抖音本地生活) growth created new opportunities for F&B, travel, and service brands. Image galleries often act as bridges to live commerce, where users first discover ideas visually and then move into livestreams for purchase.

Its dominance in Tier 1–3 cities and its strength in everyday lifestyle content make Douyin 图文/图集 a core channel for brands needing scale. Compared with RED’s niche trust-driven base, Douyin offers broad exposure and immediate commerce impact.

Best Content Types for Douyin 图文/图集

  • Step-by-step tutorials (recipes, DIY projects, makeup guides)
  • Seasonal shopping lists and collages
  • Fashion lookbooks and product styling grids
  • Travel itineraries with mapped POIs
  • Local restaurant or café galleries
  • Comparison guides (before/after, budget vs luxury)

Douyin’s 图文/图集 format is Pinterest at Douyin scale—a mix of inspiration, swipeable discovery, and commerce hooks. For brands seeking mass reach plus transactional power, it is the strongest complement to RED in 2025.

WeChat Channels 视频号 – A Social-First Pinterest Alternative

wechat channels

WeChat Channels, launched in 2020, have become one of Tencent’s strongest growth engines. In 2025, it had transformed WeChat from a private messaging app into a public discovery and commerce platform

With photo posts, short videos, and direct connections to Mini Programs, Channels now rivals Douyin in engagement while leveraging WeChat’s ecosystem advantage—its 1.3+ billion user base and integrated payments.

Why WeChat Channels Mirror Pinterest’s Discovery Role

Pinterest is about visual inspiration leading to action. Channels achieves this through multi-image posts (up to 9 photos) arranged as galleries. Users can save posts, forward them to groups, or repost them in Moments. Crucially, every gallery can link directly to WeChat Shops or Mini Programs, creating a closed-loop flow from discovery to purchase without leaving the app.

Pros of Using WeChat Channels as a Pinterest Alternative

  • Deep integration with WeChat’s ecosystem (search, groups, payments)
  • Seamless commerce flow via Mini Programs and Shops
  • Strong search visibility in WeChat’s unified 搜一搜 function
  • High trust factor—users see Channels as part of their daily WeChat usage
  • Social sharing boosts reach through Moments and group chats

Cons and Limitations for Brands

  • Content must be polished; raw or unbranded posts often underperform
  • The algorithm favors engagement spikes, making long-tail visibility harder
  • Commerce-first strategy risks cluttering feeds with overly transactional posts

Key Features of WeChat Channels

  • Multi-image gallery posts (up to 9 images)
  • Integration with WeChat Search (搜一搜)
  • Forwarding to WeChat groups, chats, and Moments
  • Direct links to Mini Programs and Shops for instant conversion
  • Paid amplification via WeChat Ads Manager
  • Social commerce functions like coupons, group buys, and CRM opt-ins
  • Video + photo synergy for hybrid campaigns
  • Verified brand accounts with e-commerce storefronts

Platform Relevance in 2025

Tencent’s 2024–2025 earnings report shows rapid ad revenue growth from Channels as advertisers shift spend from Weibo and Baidu into WeChat’s ecosystem. Channels’ biggest advantage is that they are native to user routines—people don’t need to install another app. Instead, they discover inspiration while browsing WeChat and then purchase through official stores.

For brands, Channels is a high-trust environment with a conversion-friendly design. Unlike RED, which is discovery-first, Channels is retention-first, linking inspiration to CRM funnels (WeChat groups, OAs, loyalty programs).

Best Content Types for WeChat Channels

  • Lifestyle tutorials (step-by-step beauty, recipes, fitness)
  • Product showcases and unboxings
  • Seasonal shopping guides (e.g., 春节礼品, Back-to-School)
  • Event recaps and photo carousels
  • Before-and-after stories tied to services or products
  • Brand storytelling through image galleries

In essence, WeChat Channels is Pinterest with payments built in. It blends visual inspiration with WeChat’s unmatched commerce rails, making it one of the most powerful discovery-to-purchase platforms in China today.

RedNote (Little Red Book 小红书) – Lifestyle Pinterest Alternative

RedNote website

RedNote, or Xiaohongshu (小红书) or RED, is China’s fastest-growing lifestyle and social commerce platform. Blending user-generated content with e-commerce has become a destination for product inspiration and shopping.

By 2024, RED counted over 339 million monthly active users, with a young demographic (80% under 30), 70% female, with more than half under 30, and concentrated in Tier 1–2 cities

Why RedNote Mirrors Pinterest in China

RED is more than “China’s Pinterest.” It is a Pinterest, Instagram, and Yelp hybrid, optimized for searchable inspiration and direct action. For any brand looking to build a Pinterest-style strategy in China, RED is the first and most essential stop.

Users publish “notes” (笔记), often image sets with text, similar to Pinterest pins. These can be saved, tagged, and collected into inspiration boards. The 收藏 (save) feature works like Pinterest’s boards, letting users curate fashion, beauty, home décor, food, and travel ideas. 

Unlike Pinterest, RED layers in e-commerce and POI connections, allowing users to move directly from inspiration to purchase or local experiences

Pros of Using RedNote as a Pinterest Alternative

  • Highly engaged visual community with strong influencer culture
  • Easy discovery via hashtags and a scrollable, image-first interface
  • High-quality photography and styling set strong inspirational trends
  • Viral potential for products and campaigns, boosting sales and reach

Cons and Challenges for Marketers

  • Heavy focus on commerce, making content feel promotional

Key Features of RedNote

  • “Notes” posts combining text with multiple photos or collages
  • Lifestyle tips and product reviews are the core content format
  • Tagging and bookmarking for easy discovery and saving
  • Forwarding and sharing options to spread posts widely
  • E-commerce integration with product tags and purchase links
  • Discovery page highlighting trending themes and top content
  • Innovative algorithm promoting high-engagement posts
  • Shopping carts to buy directly within the app
  • AR try-on filters for makeup and beauty products
  • Short video stories to complement image-based notes

Platform Relevance 

RedNote has become a cornerstone of influencer marketing and visual inspiration in China. In 2024, its daily engagement surged, with 56% of active users logging in multiple times per day.

RED’s trends ripple across China’s fashion, beauty, and design industries. Designers often upload portfolios or mood boards to build visibility, while brands — including global players — maintain official accounts to connect with young Chinese consumers.

Its unique content-commerce fusion sets it apart from platforms like Pinterest or Instagram: users can move seamlessly from discovering a look to purchasing the products featured in it.

Types of Content

Content on RED is aspirational and lifestyle-focused, including:

  • Beauty tutorials and makeup transformations
  • Outfit styling and seasonal fashion lookbooks
  • Travel diaries and destination guides
  • Home décor inspiration and product flatlays
  • Product reviews, unboxings, and influencer recommendations

Meitu (美图) – Design & Photography Pinterest Alternative

meitu wink

Meitu is China’s leading photo-editing and beautification app ecosystem, powering much of the polished visual content shared across RED, Weibo, and Douyin. In Q1 2025, Meitu reported 3.34 billion CNY in revenue and a 59% YoY increase in net profit, confirming its strength as both a tech and cultural platform.

Why Meitu Works as a Pinterest Alternative

Pinterest is about curating and sharing visual inspiration. Meitu plays a different role — it creates that inspiration. With AI-powered editing, beautification, and AR filters, Meitu shapes the visual styles that later go viral on platforms like RED or Weibo. While Pinterest is a discovery board, Meitu is the toolkit that feeds those boards.

Pros of Meitu for Visual Creators and Influencers

  • Huge user base: over 1B global downloads
  • Advanced AI-powered editing and beautification tools
  • Strong role in trend creation and content pipelines
  • Robust financial performance (2025 Q1: 3.34B CNY revenue, net profit up 59% YoY)

Cons of Using Meitu for Marketing

  • Not a true discovery platform; functions more as a creation tool
  • Limited direct marketing opportunities compared to RED or Douyin

Key Features of Meitu

  • AI-powered photo editor with advanced tools for quick, polished results
  • Beauty filters and skin smoothing for enhanced portraits
  • Makeup effects to apply virtual cosmetics seamlessly
  • Background removal and replacement to create cleaner images
  • Stickers and collage options for creative layouts
  • AI art/image generators to produce unique visuals
  • AR face filters (like Snapchat) for fun, interactive edits
  • One-tap stylization to transform photos instantly
  • BeautyCam app for portrait-focused enhancements
  • Wink app for stylish video editing and sharing
  • In-app themes and challenges to inspire creativity and community sharing
  • Hashtag and trend following (e.g., “fairy style,” “cosplay makeup”) to track popular aesthetics

Platform Relevance 

Meitu continues to expand beyond filters into AI and design. Its “MiracleVision 4.0” AI model represents its latest push into creative AI. In late 2023, it co-hosted an AI design conference with ZCOOL, underscoring its role in professional design and consumer creativity.

Types of Content

Content on Meitu centers on personal images and stylized edits, including:

  • Selfies with AR filters and virtual makeup
  • Before/after transformation posts and tutorials
  • Travel photos with heavy stylization
  • Collage-style layouts and flatlay product posters
  • Whimsical community frames, stickers, and seasonal effects

Although Meitu is not structured like Pinterest, its influence lies in fueling the content pipeline. The highly stylized photos created on Meitu often go viral once shared on other Chinese platforms, making it a behind-the-scenes driver of visual culture.

Zhihu (知乎) – Knowledge-First Alternative to Pinterest

Zhihu login page

Zhihu is China’s largest knowledge-sharing platform, comparable to Quora. Its core function is Q&A, where experts and enthusiasts exchange insights through detailed answers and long-form articles. While text dominates, the platform also supports images, charts, and videos, making it valuable for visual case studies.

In 2024, Zhihu remained a central platform with over 102 million monthly active users and 13.2M paying users (mid-2025). Most of those users are well-educated (over 80% have college degrees). Under-35 users comprise approximately 71% of that base. Zhihu’s tone is serious and professional, attracting programmers, entrepreneurs, academics, and specialists.

Why It Mirrors or Differs from Pinterest

Pinterest is a consumer-oriented platform, built around moodboards and lifestyle ideas. Zhihu is expertise-oriented, where visuals (infographics, case studies, annotated photos) reinforce authority. Both rely on search and long-tail discovery, but Zhihu focuses on credibility rather than inspiration.

Pros of Zhihu as a Pinterest Alternative

  • High-quality images paired with expert commentary and analysis
  • Trusted by professionals and academics
  • Great for B2B content marketing with visuals (case studies, infographics)

Cons of Zhihu

  • Text-heavy and not optimized for casual image discovery

Key Features of Zhihu for Visual Content and Storytelling

  • Q&A threads for knowledge exchange between experts and enthusiasts
  • Zhihu Columns for long-form articles with integrated visuals
  • Image embedding in posts for infographics, case studies, and photo examples
  • Zhihu Live audio sessions and Zhihu University courses
  • Short videos and an improved algorithm for richer content discovery
  • Topic tags like “graphic design” or “photography” for niche searches
  • Cross-device access on both PC and mobile apps
  • Bookmarking and following to save answers and track experts

Platform Relevance 

Zhihu continues to grow steadily, reporting a 13% year-over-year increase in content creators as of late 2023. It remains the go-to space for educated users seeking credible, professional content.

For visual media, Zhihu is not a design showcase. Instead, it excels in visual-rich explanations: diagrams, case studies, and photo-based guides that deepen understanding. For instance, popular posts in design or photography often use annotated screenshots or infographics to break down processes.

Brands and influencers increasingly use Zhihu to publish curated, image-heavy articles (e.g., marketing case studies with infographics). Although the platform offers some e-commerce features (e-books, paid courses), its primary function is knowledge sharing, not commercial transactions.

Types of content

Visual content often appears in answers and articles on Zhihu. You will find infographics, charts, and step-by-step design guides embedded in Q&A. Popular topics include 

  • graphic design techniques (with process screenshots)
  • product photography sharing
  • interior design case study photos, and 
  • fashion photography critiques. 

Unlike Pinterest or Huaban, Zhihu does not have standalone galleries. Content is organized by question or topic, with visuals anchoredto expert commentary.

Weibo (微博) – Trend-Driven Pinterest Alternative

Weibo app homepage. photo-sharing alternative to pinterest

Weibo (literally “microblog”) is China’s largest Twitter-like platform. It is a hybrid social media that supports text posts, images, videos, and livestreams. As of 2024, Weibo boasts over 588 million active users, roughly half of whom are male and half female, with the most significant segments comprising the post-90s and post-00s generations. 

Users spend, on average, about 50 minutes per day on Weibo. While its roots lie in real-time news and updates, Weibo has evolved into a highly visual platform, with photos, short videos, and GIFs dominating timelines. It offers broad exposure and a direct link to trending conversations for designers, influencers, and brands.

Why Weibo Can Act as a Pinterest Alternative

Like Pinterest, Weibo offers visual discovery—users explore fashion, events, and creative content via trending topics and hashtags. But unlike Pinterest’s evergreen nature, Weibo’s content thrives on real-time virality, making it a platform for rapid inspiration rather than long-term curation.

Pros of Using Weibo for Visual Content

  • Massive reach with over 500M active users
  • Strong hashtag and trending system for viral image exposure
  • Wide variety of visual content (events, fashion, product shots)
  • Popular among influencers, celebrities, and brands

Cons and Platform Challenges

  • Content churns quickly, posts get buried in feeds

Key Features of Weibo for Image-Based Marketing

  • Image uploads in posts, comments, and slideable carousels
  • Stories and live streaming for real-time sharing
  • Hashtag system to join trending discussions and challenges
  • Verified accounts for celebrities, influencers, and brands
  • Repost, comment, and share functions are similar to retweets
  • Advertising options for brands and marketers
  • Weibo Square discovery page showcasing popular images and hashtags

Platform relevance 

Weibo remains a central hub for China’s social conversation. Its algorithm updates in early 2024 improved content filtering and recommendations, helping quality posts gain traction. Travel and fashion brands, in particular, report strong visual engagement.

For creatives, Weibo is often where design content—posters, concept art, or promotional visuals—first gains public exposure. Design schools, gaming firms, and studios use official accounts to showcase work and connect with audiences. The platform also experiments with short-form video and mini-programs, signaling its push to stay relevant against Douyin and Xiaohongshu.

Types of content

Weibo hosts a broad spectrum of visual material, including:

  • Event photos (concerts, product launches, exhibitions)
  • Celebrity selfies and influencer lifestyle content
  • Product imagery, especially tech and cosmetics
  • Posters, ads, and concept art from designers
  • Trend-driven memes, fan art, GIFs, and short looping videos

Brands often post polished promotional campaigns, while creatives share mood boards, illustrations, and finished projects. This mix makes Weibo both a newsfeed and a creative stage.

ZCOOL (站酷) – Designer-Focused Pinterest Alternative

Zcool app

ZCOOL (站酷) is China’s premier online design community. Often described as the local equivalent of Behance or DeviantArt, it is a hub for creative professionals to showcase portfolios, connect with peers, and participate in competitions. Founded in 2006 by designer Liang Yaoming, it has grown into the largest design-focused platform in China with over 17 million users.

Why ZCOOL Is a Pinterest Alternative for Creatives

Like Pinterest, ZCOOL is a visual inspiration hub, but it focuses on professional-grade portfolios, not casual mood boards. Users curate and share high-quality projects, engage in creative contests, and explore design trends via image galleries and case studies. It parallels Pinterest in concept but caters to a B2B and professional creative ecosystem.

Pros of ZCOOL for Design and Art Communities 

  • Focused solely on creativity and design inspiration
  • Community feedback improves quality and visibility
  • Useful networking features (profiles, job postings, collaborations)
  • Strong ties to tech and AI trends (e.g., Meitu partnership)

Cons and Platform Challenges

  • Niche platform with limited appeal beyond professionals

Key Features of ZCOOL for Visual Portfolios

  • Project portfolios for showcasing professional design work
  • Design galleries with posters, 3D models, logos, and more
  • Discussion forums to connect and exchange ideas with other creatives
  • Competitions and awards (e.g., annual ZCOOL Awards) highlighting top talent
  • ZCOOL Heluo marketplace for stock photos and design resources
  • Design services market for hiring and outsourcing creative projects
  • GoGroup learning platform offering design courses and tutorials
  • Workshops and conferences, including Design Week and trend events
  • Partnerships with tech leaders (e.g., 2023 Meitu Creativity Conference on AI design)
  • Engaging UI with large image previews, likes, and comments

Platform Relevance 

ZCOOL continues to define China’s creative industry. In 2024, it remains a leading showcase platform for online and offline exhibitions. In December 2023, the company partnered with Meitu to launch an “Emerging AI Designer” program, reflecting its commitment to AI-driven design.

ZCOOL is the best place for Chinese creatives to gain professional exposure and connect with clients. For international marketers, it offers a window into China’s design trends, an opportunity to source local talent, and a platform to collaborate on creative campaigns.

Recent updates include improved mobile browsing (with app version 1.0.28) and expanded support for NFTs and AI-generated art.

Types of content

The platform emphasizes polished, professional-grade projects rather than casual uploads. Content includes:

  • Branding identity kits and UI/UX app mockups
  • Typography posters and product concept renders
  • Motion graphics, video reels, and animations
  • Step-by-step design case studies and experimental AI art
  • Photography portfolios and high-resolution 3D art

ZCOOL is, above all, a portfolio and inspiration hub. It represents the cutting edge of China’s design culture and serves as a launchpad for creative professionals.

How ChoZan Helps You Leverage Pinterest Alternatives in China

The first step is to discover the Duitang, Douyin, RED, Meitu, Zhihu, Weibo, and ZCOOL platforms. The real challenge lies in understanding how Chinese consumers use these platforms, which content trends drive engagement, and how global brands can adapt without missteps. This is where ChoZan comes in.

  • China Research & Insights: ChoZan helps you decode how visual-first platforms like RED or ZCOOL shape consumer demand, and how casual hubs like Huaban or Duitang influence aesthetics and trends. With proprietary China consumer market research, ChoZan pinpoints what resonates with your audience and how visual culture evolves across different demographics.
  • Strategy & Localization: Whether you’re a designer seeking visibility on ZCOOL or a marketer aiming to build influencer campaigns on RED or Weibo, ChoZan translates your global brand strategy into locally effective executions. That includes platform-specific content roadmaps, seasonal campaign themes, and influencer selection.
  • Executive Learning Trips: For teams who want to go beyond surface knowledge, ChoZan organizes immersive China Innovation Tours to meet platform operators, creators, and agencies behind RED, Weibo, and ZCOOL. You’ll see firsthand how Chinese users create, pin, and shop using visuals in real-time.
  • Training & Masterclasses: ChoZan equips your design and marketing teams with the skills to succeed across China’s fragmented visual ecosystem — from optimizing RED “notes” to building moodboards on Huaban, or understanding how Zhihu columns can elevate B2B visual storytelling.
  • Consulting & Expert Calls: Get direct access to experts who can answer questions like: How do we repurpose Meitu-style content for RED? What design niches trend on ZCOOL? How can Weibo hashtags drive image virality? You can also book keynote sessions with Ashley Dudarenok to gain executive insights into China’s digital ecosystem and the future of social commerce.

If you want to move beyond browsing and start turning inspiration into impact across China’s photo-sharing platforms, ChoZan is your partner in making that leap.

Contact ChoZan to learn how your brand can harness China’s visual platforms for design inspiration, influencer marketing, and measurable growth.

FAQs: Photo-Sharing Alternatives to Pinterest in China 

Pinterest is blocked in China due to internet regulations and the Great Firewall. Local platforms like RED, Douyin, and WeChat Channels filled the gap, offering similar image-sharing features but with deeper e-commerce and social integrations.

Yes. RED integrates UGC, e-commerce, and influencer marketing, directly driving sales. Duitang is now a niche, more suitable for personal collections or fan content. For marketers, RED is far more impactful.

ZCOOL serves fashion, graphic design, product design, advertising, and architecture. It’s where brands scout talent, launch design contests, and showcase creative campaigns.

No. Meitu is also a trendsetting tool. Its AI-powered features fuel visual culture across RED, Weibo, and Douyin. Many brands collaborate with influencers using Meitu edits for product promotion.

Douyin offers scale and immediacy—mass reach and fast commerce. RED is more niche, high-trust, and search-driven. Many marketers use RED for targeted seeding campaigns, and Douyin for mass amplification.

Yes, but it varies. RED, Weibo, Douyin, and WeChat Channels provide structured ad tools and influencer collaborations. Meitu is more creator-driven. ZCOOL is best for design-focused campaigns. Local partners are often essential.

ChoZan helps brands localize strategy across RED, Douyin, ZCOOL, and others by explaining user behavior, campaign mechanics, and influencer ecosystems.

Yes. ChoZan offers masterclasses and workshops on platform mechanics, trend analysis, and campaign design across RED, ZCOOL, Douyin, and more.

Because platform complexity, regulations, and cultural nuances can derail campaigns. ChoZan provides research, training, and expert calls to help brands launch with confidence and achieve measurable results.

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About The Author
Ashley Dudarenok

Ashley Dudarenok is a leading expert on China’s digital economy, a serial entrepreneur, and the author of 11 books on digital China. Recognized by Thinkers50 as a “Guru on fast-evolving trends in China” and named one of the world’s top 30 internet marketers by Global Gurus, Ashley is a trailblazer in helping global businesses navigate and succeed in one of the world’s most dynamic markets.

 

She is the founder of ChoZan 超赞, a consultancy specializing in China research and digital transformation, and Alarice, a digital marketing agency that helps international brands grow in China. Through research, consulting, and bespoke learning expeditions, Ashley and her team empower the world’s top companies to learn from China’s unparalleled innovation and apply these insights to their global strategies.

 

A sought-after keynote speaker, Ashley has delivered tailored presentations on customer centricity, the future of retail, and technology-driven transformation for leading brands like Coca-Cola, Disney, and 3M. Her expertise has been featured in major media outlets, including the BBC, Forbes, Bloomberg, and SCMP, making her one of the most recognized voices on China’s digital landscape.

 

With over 500,000 followers across platforms like LinkedIn and YouTube, Ashley shares daily insights into China’s cutting-edge consumer trends and digital innovation, inspiring professionals worldwide to think bigger, adapt faster, and innovate smarter.