Number 1 App in China is the “Are you Dead’ App meant to notify relatives when a loved one passes

A simple app with a morbid premise has become China’s most downloaded paid application, tapping into growing anxieties about solo living in one of the world’s most populated nations.

“Are You Dead?” launched in May 2025 with a straightforward function: users must check in every 48 hours by tapping a button on their screen. Miss that window, and the app automatically sends an alert to a pre-selected emergency contact indicating something may be wrong.

The concept might sound grim, but it addresses a genuine fear among China’s rapidly expanding population of solo dwellers. By the start of 2026, the app had climbed to the top of the country’s download charts, resonating particularly with young professionals in major cities who worry about experiencing medical emergencies with no one nearby to help.

The timing reflects broader demographic shifts. Projections suggest China could reach 200 million single-person households by 2030, creating a massive population navigating life without roommates or family members nearby.

“I worry that if something happened to me, I could be alone in the place I rent and no one would know,” Wilson Hou, a 38-year-old Beijing resident, told the BBC. He designated his mother as his emergency contact.

The app markets itself as a “safety companion” for various groups: people living independently, students away from their families, and those who prefer solitary lifestyles. On Chinese social media platforms, the app has sparked conversations about isolation in modern urban environments.

One user articulated the concern plainly: “There is a fear that people living alone might go unnoticed, with no one to call for help. I sometimes wonder, if I was alone, who would collect my body?”

Another commenter suggested the app could benefit introverts, individuals with depression, and others in vulnerable circumstances.

The name itself has generated controversy, with some critics calling it unnecessarily dark. Users have proposed alternatives such as “Are you ok?” The developer, Moonscape Technologies, has acknowledged the feedback and indicated it may rebrand.

Internationally, the app operates under the name Demumu and has gained traction in several countries, ranking among top paid utility apps in the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, and Spain. This global reach likely reflects Chinese communities abroad facing similar concerns about living far from support networks.

At approximately $1.15 (8 yuan), the app represents an affordable solution created by three founders all born after 1995. They’ve revealed the entire project cost roughly $150 (1,000 yuan) to develop. One founder told Chinese media outlets the team plans to offer 10 percent of the company for one million yuan and is exploring an adaptation specifically for elderly users, targeting China’s substantial population over age 60.