The Best Remote Work Tools & Apps For Digital Nomads
Everything a remote worker needs for a life of location independence.
9 min readOct 27, 2018
Does the Internet need another digital nomad packing list? I contemplated the answer to this question for quite some time before coming to an inevitable yes. I couldn’t resist. Even after having spent more than 15 years to-date as either an expat or a digital nomad, I still can’t help but marvel at the daily reality of being able to run my business from anywhere in the world. It’s an amazing time to be alive, but things weren’t always so easy for the global remote workforce.
I started my journey as a wandering entrepreneur back in the early 2000's — that’s right — before iPhones! Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then. Using history as my guide, here are my top rated digital nomad tools and apps of 2018.
First, let’s categorize said digital nomad toys. There are a few main types of must-have items for people on the move:
- Technology Tools
- Remote Work & Communication Tools
- Travel Accessories & Gadgets
- Life-Enhancing Apps
- Paperwork & Necessities
Without further ado, let’s get going!
1) Technology Tools
Without the “digital” part, nomads are just untethered people. To make a living from your laptop, you need the right tech at your disposable. 💻
The bare minimum equipment you’ll need to be an effective remote worker includes:
- A Laptop: Ideally, a fast one with mega processing power. If you need to cut corners or save money, just don’t skimp on your computer. It’s the lifeblood of your business. Enough said.
- An Unlocked Smartphone (or Two): Depending on your line of work, you may want to go for the gold and get a top-of-the-line iPhone 💸 or stay with something basic. Either way, you’ll want it to be unlocked so you can use it with any SIM card in the world. I like having one phone on an international plan with a domestic carrier like T-Mobile, so I can keep my US number for business purposes. Then, I have another phone I can stick a local SIM card in. Some phones even have dual SIM capabilities, which is optimal.
- A Decent Mouse: I like the Logitech MX 2S Anywhere Mouse because it works on everything — including glass (!) — and it only needs to be charged once or twice per year. 🙌
- A Keyboard: Any keyboard will do. I’m partial to the punchy responsiveness of Apple keyboards.
- An External Monitor: For productivity’s sake, it helps to have a second screen. The best one for you depends on what you’re using it for, but I recommend something as thin and light as possible.
- A Laptop Stand & Desk: Coffee Shop Hero makes a slick bamboo laptop stand, while Griffiti makes a nice portable laptop desk for those times when you want to work from a hotel bed (hey, no judgment here).
- Ports & Dongles: What you’ll need in this regard varies by which computer you own, but look for an all-in-one port like this Hyperdrive USB-C contraption.
- Hard Drives & Cloud Storage: If you’re working remotely, you need a back-up for your back-up’s back-up. I travel with two hard drives in separate bags, a time machine back-up, plus two cloud storage subscriptions.
- Noise-Canceling Headphones: This is a requirement as far as I’m concerned. Even if you don’t have to work in a distracting open office anymore (yay 🎉), you’ll still want a set of these for travel. I like the Bose Quiet Comfort 35 headphones.
- A Multi-Way Charging Station with USB Ports: There’s no need to charge all your devices separately. Keep it simple.
- A Universal Travel Adaptor: I like to carry two adaptors so I can keep one at “home” and one in my backpack.
- Leather Cable Organizers: A fun and affordable invention. Don’t waste another minute of your life sorting through tangled messes of cables.
- Global WiFi Hotspots: Bring your own network with you wherever you go! In addition to your cell phone’s hotspot, I recommend carrying one unlocked modem (Huawei manufactures a good one) + one device with a global data plan that you can activate per day or month, like SkyRoam or TEP Wireless. 🔊
- Back-Up Batteries for Your Phone & Laptop: Running out of power is a drag. Don’t let it happen to you. Zolt makes a versatile charger that works with laptops, but at the very least, you’ll need a battery pack for your phone.
- Cables: Such as an HDMI and Ethernet cable (and adapters, if needed).
- A Good, Techy Backpack: Many different bags will suffice for this purpose. I have two Osprey brand packs, but there are plenty of competitors and options in this space.
2) Remote Work, Productivity, & Communication Tools
Now that you have the basics, you’ll way to make your daily activities as seamless as possible. For that, these are the primary apps you’ll need: 📲
Remote Work
- Your CRM’s App: Whatever you use for project management, customer relationship management, or your help desk, see if they have an app for that.
- Google Suite: If you use Google Apps or Google Drive, it helps to have the entire suite for your phone.
- WeTransfer: Super fast and easy for sending large files around the globe.
- DocuSign or Similar: Who even uses printers anymore?
- Industry-Specific Apps: Depending on what your job entails, you may want to download a live streaming app, Wipster for video review and collaboration, Adobe Suite, or something else that makes your life easier.
- A Co-Working App: There’s no clear winner here, but I recommend looking up co-working spaces in each of your destinations to help you get in a routine and get shit done.
Productivity
- WiFi Map App: The best way to find free public WiFi. Can’t live without it.
- OpenSignal: Finding reliable WiFi is a major pain point for digital nomads. OpenSignal helps solve that by providing coverage maps of the 4G LTE signal in your area across multiple providers, plus it has a free WiFi map as well! You can even scope out a country or city destination before you arrive. This app is free on iPhone and Android.
- Coffitivity or Hipster Sound: These are background noise apps that provide major coffee shop vibes for your working pleasure — anytime, anywhere.
- An Online Bank Account: Having a completely international, online bank account like N26 or TransferWise will save you a lot of time, money, and headaches.
- A Meditation App: Some sort of mindfulness or meditation practice should be a part of your daily routine, especially if you’re an ungrounded digital nomad. I’m partial to InsightTimer, which has a library of 100,000’s of audios and courses, plus a standard meditation timer.
- An Appointment Scheduling App: Booking meetings any other way is a waste of time. I use Calendly and Appointlet.
- A Time Zone App: I use a combination of World Clock on my iPhone and World Time Buddy in my desktop browser.
- A Good Notes App: Most people are Evernote fans, but I recommend checking out Workflowy for its simplicity. 📝
Communication
- Slack: Almost everyone uses Slack these days. Use sparingly, but it should be on your phone.
- Skype: Their mobile app is pretty clunky, but I still use it all the time for international calls over LTE or WiFi. Google Voice is probably better.
- WhatsApp & Messenger: Everyone has at least one of these on his or her phone.
- Zoom: Or any other conferencing and meeting app is a must.
3) Travel Accessories & Gadgets
The most fun part? Here are some of the random but useful and life-enhancing items I travel with.
- Bulletproof Coffee MCT Oil Travel Packs: Ease that caffeine buzz! ☕️
- The Little Viper Mace Bracelet: This is great, especially for solo female travelers like yours truly.
- Sea-Band Anti-Motion Sickness and Nausea Relief Bracelets: These little guys work wonders on planes, trains, and boats. An added benefit — they make hangovers slightly more bearable. ⛵️
- Hydro Flask Insulated Water Bottle: Reduce plastic waste with one of these durable, refillable water bottles.
- Portable Down Travel Jacket and a Rain Poncho: With this combo, you’ll always stay warm and dry without weighing your suitcase down. I have this BCBG number.
- Packing Cubes: I’ll never pack a bag without packing cubes again.
- Aloha Bags: Founded by a surfer and a former flight attendant, this California-based brand offers splash-proof bags of all shapes and sizes. They’re perfect for travel and daily life in general.
- Travel Towels: Purchase a set of one full-sized bath towel with one hand towel. You can thank me later. 😉
- KOHIPRESS Portable French Press Travel Coffee Mug: This thing has been a lifesaver for me. Never worry about finding good coffee (or a hotel/Airbnb coffee maker) again, since you’ll be traveling with your own portable, leak-proof, spill-proof french press mug. <drops mic>
Part 4 — Apps, Apps, and More Apps
- A VPN: Keep your data and identity safe, especially on international public WiFi networks. I use Private Internet Access (PIA).
- A Forex App: So handy. I use XE. 💵 💶
- Google Translate: Love this thing — I use the camera translate feature for menus and signs on a regular basis.
- Google Trips: This is the most comprehensive, useful trip planning and organizational app I’ve found.
- Kiwi & SkyScanner: The best apps for finding cheap flights and diverse routes. Also use Google Flights.
- A 2-Factor Authenticator App
- Meet-Up, Dating, and Social Apps: Make new friends wherever you go! Check for international and local apps.
Part 5 — Paperwork & Necessities
This is the more boring but crucial part. If you’re going to be living the laptop lifestyle, I recommend having the following with you at all times:
- Travel & Medical Insurance: Things go wrong in life. Make sure you’re insured. There are daily, per-trip, monthly, and annual plans of all shapes and sizes available. I’ve used World Nomads and Insure My Trip over the years and have claimed thousands of dollars in canceled trips, medical bills, and other unforeseen expenses.
- Supplemental Insurance: Don’t assume everything you own is covered by your travel insurance or credit card insurance. Depending on your needs, you may want to look at an additional medical insurance or specific equipment insurance plan. For example, I have all my tech and camera gear insured with the PPA.
- An International Driver’s Permit: No one else will tell you this, but it’s helpful to have an international license to rent a car in many countries. If you can, also learn how to drive a manual car. It will save you a lot of money and increase your rental options.
- Good Credit Cards & Rewards Programs: You can save thousands of dollars or more per year with the right credit card. Plus, earn free flights, car rentals, hotel nights, and other perks with travel rewards programs. You can even get corporate accounts with most companies if you own a business, offering even more value. Sign up for as many as you can, then download their respective apps.
Some examples include: ✈️
- Airlines like Delta SkyTeam and SkyBonus
- Hotel booking sites like Hotels.com
- Avis Preferred Car Rental Rewards & Corporate Accounts
- Credit Cards like the Chase Reserve Card with Priority Pass Membership
