Interest-oriented and political-oriented online alternative media in China have undergone rapid development in recent years. This exploratory research investigated factors that might influence online alternative media use. In light of previous literature, lifestyles, gratificationsought, satisfaction of current state of media, and social media use were investigated. These factors provided significant predictive power for intensity of online alternative media use in China, suggesting a differentiated users’ typology of online alternative media as opposed to that in western context. These differences suggest an expansive realm of “alternative media” as “critical media” with multiple re?exivity.