Last Updated on September 4, 2023 by Lauren Melnick
Despite the glamorous side to digital nomadism (jet setting off around the world for as long as you like, working from wherever)…
…It’s easy to screw up this lifestyle.
I’m talking about managing your money across currencies, finding places to work that help you stay productive, managing your time, so you’re not stuck in a hotel room 24/7, and protecting your data while abroad.
And that is the tip of the iceberg of things you need to worry about when you start living out of a suitcase.
So, if you want to start your digital nomad lifestyle properly, let me help.
Below, you’ll find my top digital nomad tools, meticulously collected over the last five years of working remotely from dozens of countries.
P.S. These are tools that will actually make your life easier. I’m skipping over no-brainer items like the “best laptops for working remotely” or “backpack”.
Ready? Let’s get you set up for working while travelling!
Want more digital nomad tips? Check out these other posts:
- How I Earn Money Online as a Digital Nomad
- How to Become a Digital Nomad in 6 Easy Steps
- A Digital Nomad’s Guide to Living in Nairobi
- The Best 40+ Sites For Finding Remote Work Online
- Digital Nomad Visas: 15+ Destinations That Let You Work Remotely
- 10 Tips For Working From Home To Maximise Your Productivity
Table of Contents
The Best Tools for Digital Nomads
Want to stay on the road while working remotely? These are the must-have digital nomad tools you need in your back pocket.
Nord VPN
Before you book your first flight, pack your bags and head to the airport – make sure you have a VPN.
A VPN isn’t only about gaming the system to watch Charmed on U.S. Netflix when you’re in Bali. It does something far more important – keeping your internet activity and data secure.
As a digital nomad, you’re going to hop onto public networks in airports, cafes, hotels, or co-working spaces. Without a VPN, you’re exposing yourself to hackers and censorship.
With a service like Nord VPN (a top-rated VPN that works on any device), you can change or hide the location of your IP address. This is especially useful if you’re travelling to countries like China that block access to apps like Whatsapp, Gmail, and Facebook.
BONUS: You buy your Nord VPN subscription with Bitcoin or PayPal.
MAC Address Spoofer
You know what’s the worst?
Going to a cafe as a digital nomad and only getting free internet for 2-hours.
If you want to get around that speed bump, use a Mac Address Spoofer. It lets you reset the free internet clock so you can watch cat videos for as long as you want before reading your emails.
Travel is Life has an excellent blog post on how to spoof your Mac address and say goodbye to internet restrictions forever.
Mobile Wi-Fi Hot Spot
As a digital nomad, your access to the internet is non-negotiable.
No internet means no work.
No work means no money.
No money means you can’t buy that flight to Vietnam.
With a Wi-Fi hotspot like Skyroam, you can access your emails from almost everywhere, whether you’re wandering the streets of Rome or on safari in the Okavango Delta.
I like Skyroam because it’s a 4G LTE hotspot and works in 130+ countries in North America, South America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Oceania.
BONUS: You can rent a Skyroam if you’re not ready to fully commit to the service.
Read More: Digital Nomad Visas: 15+ Destinations That Let You Work Remotely
Bonsai App
If you have the opportunity to work from anywhere, you fit into one of three categories:
- Full-time freelancer
- Entrepreneur
- Remote worker
No matter which one you fall into, you’ll need an app like Bonsai.
Bonsai is an all-in-one freelancer product suite. It lets you:
- Send invoices and get paid with integrations to Stripe and PayPal.
- Track your time and generate timesheets.
- Track your income and expenses (there’s also a tax option for U.S. peeps).
- Streamline your proposals and onboarding process.
- Customise and send legally binding contracts.
It gives you peace of mind, helping you focus on your work and taking care of the rest.
Read More: Best Tools for Freelancers: What You Need to Run Your Online Business
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is the least sexy thing about digital nomadism.
When you’re fortunate enough *not* to use it, it feels like you’re throwing money into a bottomless pit.
But on the day that your:
- Luggage is lost
- Flight cancelled
- Immune system bails on you
You’re going to count your lucky stars for that bottomless pit.
World Nomads and Safety Wing are the two best travel insurance options for digital nomads.
I’d recommend World Nomads for trips when you know:
- Where you’re going
- How long you’re travelling for
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers in over 100 countries. As an affiliate, we receive a fee when you get a quote from World Nomads using this link. We do not represent World Nomads. This is information only and not a recommendation to buy travel insurance.
Safety Wing is the better option if you want more flexibility with your long-term travel plans and don’t have set dates and destinations.
Prices start at $40 per month, and you can let it run as a recurring payment for as long as you need.
Splitwise
On my first digital nomad trip to Bali, I discovered Spitwise.
It’s an app that lets you seamlessly keep track of who owes what.
In short, it makes going out to dinner a breeze and reduces road trip fights by 98%.
I use it whenever I’m travelling with someone. It keeps both of us accountable and saves so much time deciding who needs to pay for what.
At the end of the trip, you settle up, and no one is bitter because Britney didn’t pay her way…again.
YouNeedABudget
YouNeedABudget is a PAID personal budgeting app that helps you control your spending.
It’s all about becoming super intentional with your money and knowing exactly where it is going and why.
How it works:
- Get paid
- Decide what you want to do with it
- Achieve your money goals and stop overspending on UberEats
As a digital nomad, keeping track of your money is what keeps you on the road for longer. It’s a skill we all need to develop.
FNB has something similar for South Africans built into the mobile app if you don’t want to pay for an app like this. However, it’s not as robust/user-friendly.
Price: R200.00 per month
NomadWallet
Another free option for tracking your expenses on the road is NomadWallet. The app tracks all of your expenses (cash, credit, debit) on the go.
You can categorise each expense, spread the amount over x number of days, write notes, upload a photo, and create nifty little pie charts of your spending habits.
Tap on the history tab, and you’ll see exactly how much you’ve spent for the month.
While it is similar to YouNeedABudget and Splitwise, there are slight differences in the app. In the end, it comes down to which app suits your travelling style and needs better.
Bonus: NomadWallet lets you track expenditure in multiple countries and currencies.
Nomad List
Nomad List is the digital nomad bible.
With a click of your mouse, you can see exactly how expensive it is to live in Berlin for a month. Each destination also includes metrics like:
- Safety
- Internet speed
- Fun
- Family score
- Temperature
- Air quality
- Walkability
- Peace
- People density
- Quality of life
- Racial tolerance
- LGBTQI+ friendly
Helping you choose the best digital nomad destination for your needs WITHOUT hours of Googling. Much of the data comes from other digital nomads, keeping the information up-to-date.
Besides the scores for each city, you’ll find a digital nomad guide that breaks down things like:
- The best neighbourhood to stay in for digital nomads
- What wireless carrier to use
- How cashless the city is
- Where to find apartment listings
- Best electronics shop
- Best co-working space
- What plugs the city uses
Tip: Nomad List is free (but there is a limit to how many listings you can view). If you don’t want to pay the yearly membership fee, turn on your Nord VPN, change your country, and reset your free viewings.
Workfrom
When you can work from anywhere, you need to know WHERE you can work remotely.
That’s where the app Workfrom comes in.
This must-have digital nomad tool helps you find the best cafes, restaurants, and co-working spaces near you.
Each listing shows you information like:
- Wi-Fi speeds
- Amenities (like plug points and drinks)
- Background noise
- Access to power
- Notes from other community members
I honestly wish I had this app when I first started travelling and working full-time. It would have saved me so much time Googling cafes, arriving, and not being able to work because of no Wi-Fi, slow Wi-Fi, or no plug points.
Price: Free!
Read More: How I Earn Money Online as a Digital Nomad
Proof of Onward Travel
When you start travelling the world as a digital nomad, you’ll face a new problem: proof of onward travel.
Upon entering a new country, you need to show that you plan on leaving, usually with a return flight ticket.
However, digital nomads don’t like to plan that far ahead and prefer flexibility. In the past, that meant buying a flight and not using it or even Photoshopping an older onward ticket (would not recommend).
Luckily, there are services like Onward Ticket, which give you a real flight ticket valid for 48-hours.
And the price? It costs as little as $12 USD.
It sounds shady, but it’s a legit thing.
Digital Nomad Tools Honourable Mentions
These are a few of the other go-to digital nomad tools that I use:
- Airbnb: Did you know you get MASSIVE discounts for long-term stays (30 days+)? That’s sweet, sweet music to any digital nomads ears.
- TransferWise: A money transfer service without exorbitant fees and unfair exchange rates.
- PayPal: For getting paid, no matter where you are in the world.
- Go F**king Work: A Chrome extension for blocking Instagram, Facebook, and other sites that encourage your procrastination.
- Google Translate: Translate handwriting, signs, and voice on the fly.
- Skyscanner: The best site for finding cheap flights to anywhere, ESPECIALLY if you don’t have a destination in mind.
What are some of your must-have digital nomad tools? Did I miss one of your favs? Hit ya gurl up in the comments below!
If you like it, then you should put a pin on it!
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