Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
Revenues	$ 11,900	$ 12,304	$ 34,847	$ 27,104
Cost of revenues	11,857	12,945	35,739	26,548
Gross (loss)/profit	43	(641)	(892)	556
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing expenses	58	58	159	293
General and administrative expenses	1,471	592	10,366	4,520
Research and development expenses	88	113	251	443
Total operating expenses	1,617	763	10,776	5,256
Loss from operations	(1,574)	(1,404)	(11,668)	(4,700)
Other income/(expenses)
Interest income/(expense), net	1	1	3	0
Other income/(expenses), net	(37)	(21)	265	(4)
Loss on disposal of long-term investments	0	0	(38)	0
Change in fair value of warrant liabilities	2,853	(64)	9,682	4
Total other income/(expenses)	2,817	(84)	9,912	0
(Loss)/income before income tax benefit and noncontrolling interests	1,243	(1,488)	(1,756)	(4,700)
Income tax benefit	131	155	171	87
Net (loss)/income	1,374	(1,333)	(1,585)	(4,613)
Net (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	1	0	(1)	2
Net (loss)/income attributable to ZW Data Action Technologies Inc.	1,375	(1,333)	(1,586)	(4,611)
Net (loss)/income	1,374	(1,333)	(1,585)	(4,613)
Foreign currency translation loss	(2)	(203)	(25)	(135)
Comprehensive (loss)/income	1,372	(1,536)	(1,610)	(4,748)
Comprehensive (income)/loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	2	(1)	3
Comprehensive (loss)/income attributable to ZW Data Action Technologies Inc.	$ 1,372	$ (1,534)	$ (1,611)	$ (4,745)
(Loss)/earnings per common share
Basic and diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.04	$ (0.06)	$ (0.05)	$ (0.22)
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding:
Basic and diluted (in shares)	35,332,220	21,720,259	32,279,304	21,271,301
Unrelated Parties [Member]
Revenues	$ 11,896	$ 12,300	$ 34,843	$ 27,086
Related Parties [Member]
Revenues	$ 4	$ 4	$ 4	$ 18