If you’re self-employed or a freelancer, organization is a must. You’ve turned a sole position into a person who wears numerous hats — perhaps all the hats. As an administrative assistant, accountant, stockbroker, salesman, and marketing professional on top of your actual role, you need a little help. That’s where apps come in. With streamlined processes and other functions you never knew you needed, these digital nomad apps make your life a bit easier.
1. Slack
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
Do you have a team working for you or you’re a freelancer for one or more clients? To keep everyone in contact and working together, many companies, freelancers, and entrepreneurs have turned to Slack. This proprietary, cloud-based team collaboration software allows you to circumnavigate endless email chains, meet deadlines, and chat with your clients, employer, or employees. While the desktop version is great, nothing’s better than having the handy Slack app to see what’s going on at work.
2. PolyTime
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
Upon embarking from Samoa to American Samoa, I — unbeknownst to myself until a few hours before the flight — crossed the International Date Line. In this “Back to the Future” scenario, I inadvertently went from being 20 hours ahead of Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) to 4 hours behind PDT. That’s right, I earned an extra day on the planet. As such, I realized that I needed an app to tackle the time-zone fiasco.
PolyTime is a time zone conversion app that allows you to input your current city along with the time zone of any client you have. Not only is it great for hitting deadlines, but you can also schedule meetings and contact others without fear of waking them up. That’s a digital nomad app that can save you from inadvertently giving a 2 a.m. wakeup call.
3. XE Currency
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
Few people can remember how many Vietnamese Dong, Fijian Dollars, British Pounds, or Euros convert to the U.S. Dollar. Cut out the hassle of converting currency with XE Currency. This digital nomad app offers up-to-the-date exchange rates if you don’t want to constantly do mental math. Your brain and your wallet will thank you.
4. WikiCamps/CamperMate
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
If you’ve joined the swarm of digital nomads that have hopped aboard the “van life” movement, you can’t go without WikiCamps (USA) or CamperMate (New Zealand/Australia). These two mobile platforms provide you with information on campsites around your respective country. Not only do they give you pricing, but also the amenities that are crucial to a digital nomad in a van, such as Wi-Fi, laundry, and hot showers. The apps also allow you to read current reviews to make sure each campsite keeps up with your camping — or glamping — lifestyle.
5. Canva
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
If you’ve ever tried to post an Instagram pic, an infographic, or make all your photos the same size on a website, you may have a headache. Fortunately, Canva allows you to crop, alter, enhance, or put graphics and text over your photo. If you’re unacquainted with PhotoShop or you don’t have the know-how to edit photos, Canva offers easy-to-use templates and filters. It’s a must-have for the travel blogger, influencer, or web developer on the go.
6. Heads Up!
Price: Free with available $0.99 add-ons
Platforms: Android and iOS
Popularized by Ellen DeGeneres on her talk show, “Ellen,” Heads Up! is an exciting game where you guess the word (person, place, or thing) that’s on your phone held above your head, based on clues from your partners. The game may not make your productivity level skyrocket, but everyone needs a break from the grind now and again.
7. PayPal
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
Every digital nomad needs payment solutions. With availability in 200 countries, PayPal is arguably the best digital nomad app to get paid. Not only can you see when and where your payments are coming from, but you can also set up a business account to streamline income from customers, clients, and others at lower fees than traditional credit or debit cards.
8. GoPro Quik
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
The GoPro is a versatile camera that many digital nomads now use to avoid the clunkiness of hauling around a DSLR. With 4K video and 12-megapixel photos, this camera is ideal for bloggers, videographers, or indulging your photography hobby. GoPro Quik is a video-editing app that allows you to trim and edit videos and photos right from your phone. In just a few minutes, you can upload your work to social media, show your friends and family your adventures, and stay connected as a digital nomad without the hassle of pulling out your laptop.
9. Dropbox
Price: Free for 2 TB of storage or $9.99 for 3 TB
Platforms: Android and iOS
Dropbox is the go-to app to handle all your storage needs. From its easy-to-use interface, you can upload, share, and access any files you need. The share feature allows you to collaborate with employees and clients, while the digital “scanner” allows you to take photos of receipts for expense reports and notes. Why carry around a wallet or purse full of receipts when you don’t have to? Dropbox ensures that these nuisances become a thing of the past.
10. Trello
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
Trello is gaining traction as the most popular project management and digital nomad app available. This app allows you to stay organized by organizing projects and details into convenient boards. By sorting these boards to your liking, you can streamline the organizational process by putting everything in one place. For example, creating “to do,” “doing,” and “done” boards can help you stay on track. Share with team members for an all-inclusive collaboration without any gray areas.
11. Expensify
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
If you have trouble tracking your expenses, you’re missing out on tax deductions or reimbursement from your employer at the end of the year. While Dropbox is a nice way to keep all your receipts together, Expensify takes the process one step further. This app allows you to categorize your expenses and keep an eye on any frivolous spending. For the digital nomad who wants to experience everything traveling has to offer, Expensify is a must.
12. ExpressVPN
Price: Free 30-day trial, then $12.95 for a one-month plan, $59.94 for a six-month plan, or $99.84 for a 12-month plan.
Platforms: Android and iOS
If you use your phone for work, play, or a hot spot for your laptop, chances are you’ve been blocked from sites in certain countries. Many U.S.-based websites block users from perceived high-risk hacking countries, barring you from using their services. Enter ExpressVPN. This virtual private network masks your IP address so it appears to servers that you’re in the same country of origin. With over 3,000 servers across 160 server sites in 94 countries, so you can always gain access to the websites you need to get work done.
13. Google Drive
Price: Free for 15 GB of storage; $1.99 per month for 100 GB
Platforms: Android and iOS
Google Drive just might be the ultimate digital nomad app. It’s your organizer, secretary, and personal assistant all in one. Okay, so Google Drive won’t do all the work for you, but it’s certainly a must-have in your arsenal. Using this app, you can create word documents, crunch numbers on a spreadsheet, or store photos and videos. All of these files are easily accessible anywhere in the world via cloud storage, providing a safety net should the unthinkable happen to your phone or laptop. The app also allows you to share files with others, as well as utilize offline viewing if you’re out of internet range.
14. LastPass
Price: Free for basic version; $36 a year for the Premium version; $48 annually for the Family version
Platforms: Android and iOS
If you’re anything like me, you find yourself clicking on the “Forgot Password?” button far more than you should. Thankfully, LastPass puts these worries to rest. Using encryption, this app stores all your passwords, login credentials, and other sensitive information. With LastPass at your fingertips, you aren’t locking yourself out of accounts or resetting your passwords every month. The Premium version allows you to share this information with trusted persons, while the Family plan provides six accounts in one for easy sharing and password management with your team.
15. Airbnb
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
While staying at a hostel allows you to meet fellow travelers and hotels provide a comfortable getaway, they don’t offer the mix of affordability and homey-ness you get from an apartment or house. Airbnb’s app provides access to thousands of short-term rental properties across the globe. You can also select the features of each property via the filters button or check out the map to select a property that’s right in the thick of things — or just far enough away.
16. Duolingo
Price: Free; $9.99 for Duolingo Plus
Platforms: If you’re moving to a new country and want to make a concerted effort to interact with locals, Duolingo is your ticket. This digital nomad app offers over 90 lessons in 22 languages, giving you the opportunity to brush up on a language before you arrive at your destination or enhance your knowledge thereafter. Just log in to the app and begin your quest toward mastering — or at least learning the basics — of a new language. At the end of each lesson, Duolingo will require you to pass a proficiency test, reaffirming what you learned. With a bit of practice and dedication, you can turn some basic phrases and words into a conversational grasp of the language.
18. TransferWise
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
Unless you’re old-school and still like to send money through Western Union, TransferWise is a superb money-transferring app. While you can send money to U.S. bank accounts, the true genius of this app is the low-cost fees for international bank-to-bank transfers. It’s cheaper than PayPal and offers a simpler, yet quick way to send money worldwide.
19. Spotted by Locals
Price: Free
Platforms: Android and iOS
If you’ve moved to a new city, you’ve probably checked out all the touristy places and must-visit hot spots. Now it’s time to start living like a local. Spotted by Locals is an app that provides information on bars, restaurants, hangouts, and other places that are usually only frequented by locals. With information on almost every major European city and a handful of U.S. cities, you’ll start to find the spots that make you look like you’ve lived there for years. Who knows what favorite spot you might uncover.
Working from anywhere across the globe certainly has its perks, but without the right digital nomad apps in your toolbox, you’ll end up floundering. So hop on your phone and get downloading. You’re just a few apps away from being an organized, streamlined, and successful digital nomad.
Do you have any digital nomad apps that you can’t live without? Share with us! Connect with Virtual Vocations on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube to share your thoughts. We’d love to hear from you!
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