Baidu (百度) : China's dominant web search engine, backed by maps, encyclopedia entries and an AI assistant.

Baidu is where people in China go to look things up, a role Google fills in the West. Robin Li founded the company in 2000.

Searchers refine queries in Chinese, read contributor-written encyclopedia entries on Baike, ask questions on Zhidao, and use Maps for directions.

The site is reachable worldwide, but results and tools center on Chinese-language content; no full English interface exists.

Outside search, Baidu develops the Ernie AI chatbot and Apollo, its self-driving program.

How does Baidu search compare to Google?

Baidu dominates China's search market with ~65% share but indexes far fewer international sites than Google. Results prioritize Chinese-language content and Baidu-owned properties (Baidu Baike, Tieba). Image and video search quality lags behind Google.

Does Baidu require a Chinese phone number to register?

Non-Chinese phone numbers work for Baidu registration, including US numbers. An email-based registration option is also available. However, some features like Baidu Wallet require additional identity verification with a Chinese ID.

Can I use Baidu from the United States?

For the most part, yes. Baidu is accessible from the US without a VPN. However, search results are filtered according to Chinese government censorship requirements. The interface is predominantly Chinese with no full English mode, making it challenging for non-Chinese speakers.