The 15 Best Digital Nomad Business Ideas

There are so many advantages to working remotely as a digital nomad. Maybe you’re dreaming of being a nomad entrepreneur, but are looking for a digital nomad business to get you started. Or, you’re already living as a digital nomad but are looking to make a business change.

There are so many types of successful digital nomad businesses to help you get there. You’ll find digital nomads successfully working remotely in every kind of industry you can think of, from creative industries and tech to even healthcare and sales.

We’ve assembled a list of the top 15 digital nomad business ideas to help you have success as a digital nomad entrepreneur. Keep reading for the best digital nomad ideas to help you get started – or keep going! – living the digital nomad life.

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Virtual Assistance

Being a virtual assistant is one of the most common digital nomad jobs – it seems like most digital nomads work as a virtual assistant at some point in time when getting started!

Virtual assistance is just what it sounds like – assisting clients remotely with any variety of tasks. The most successful virtual assistants generally have a niche, specializing in areas like social media marketing, SEO and copywriting, web design, and more. However, virtual assistants are more in demand than ever, and you can find work as a virtual assistant in nearly any field.

This makes virtual assistance a fantastic digital nomad business idea no matter what experience you have or the field you’re coming from.

Virtual assistant positions are available through many websites, including the V.A. favorites, Upwork or Fiverr. However, the best place to find virtual assistant positions is FlexJobs – this website was designed with remote, flexible job postings like this in mind!

It can be hard to build longer-term client relationships with project-based websites like Upwork, so definitely check out FlexJobs if you’re looking for longer-term client relationships.

Also, you can check digital nomad Facebook groups for job postings (I’ve had a lot of luck with Female Digital Nomads), or virtual assistant agencies.

Many successful virtual assistants expand their business outside of client work with blogging, social media, affiliate marketing, or coaching as additional ways to build streams of income.

Virtual Assistance Agencies

One of the most common ways that digital nomads can scale this into a full-fledged business is by creating their own virtual assistance agency.

This can be a relatively easy pivot once you’ve built up a good number of clients!

Virtual assistance agencies connect virtual assistants with clients. They’re a popular way for virtual assistants to connect with steady work, and add a level of professionalism and structure for clients looking for talented assistants.

Blogging

Believe it or not, blogging can be a fantastic business opportunity for a digital nomad entrepreneur. If you’re thinking that blogs are dead and no one reads them… well, you’re reading a blog now!

Blogs with engaging content that people are searching for (run by bloggers with an understanding of the ins and outs of blogging) can be wildly successful. Some bloggers make five or even six figures or more a month.

Keep in mind, it can take time to build a blog that will make you the money you’ll need to live on. Bloggers are rarely successful overnight!

However, once you’ve built a solid blogging foundation, it is a fantastic way to earn income every month.

Here are some ways that blogs can earn money each month:

• Advertisements
• Affiliate marketing
• Sponsored posts
• Selling digital products
• …and more!

It is not just all about writing engaging content… there is a lot that you can do with a blog that will help you work remotely as a digital nomad and make a steady income.

With most of the digital nomad business ideas on this list, blogging can be a fantastic way to build a primary or additional source of income.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is a business model that allows individuals to earn a portion of the sales they drive to companies via methods like blogs, social media, email marketing, and more.

If you’re recommending products or services to potential buyers, you might be able to make money off of these sales with affiliate marketing!

Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular ways bloggers earn money, but you don’t necessarily need a blog to make a business out of affiliate marketing.

There are countless companies that have affiliate programs, and they span almost every sector. Most companies either host their programs independently or through platforms like TravelPayouts, Commission Junction, or Share-a-Sale. These platforms host thousands of companies – make sure to join if you’re interested in affiliate marketing!

This blog earns a portion of its income through affiliate marketing. As a blog that focuses on travel and living abroad, some of our most successful affiliate programs are with companies like these:

• Booking.com
• Amazon
• Get Your Guide
• Viator
• … and dozens more!

We earn a commission for sales made through links from our websites to products, experiences, and services from these companies – at absolutely no cost to the consumer.

If you’re looking to get started, I highly recommend checking an affiliate marketing course to get an idea of how to do it right. I took Kimi Kinsey’s Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers course, and it helped our affiliate marketing income explode – highly recommended! Check out her course and free resources here:

• Affiliate Marketing for Bloggers Course
• 10 Easy Affiliate Marketing Tips (Freebie!)
• How to Use to Amazon Affiliate Marketing Program (Blog Post)

Selling Digital Products

Selling digital products is a very broad digital nomad business idea, but an extremely common (and profitable!) one. It is also one of the most convenient and easiest business ideas for digital nomad entrepreneurs and remote workers.

The beauty of selling digital products is that you only have to create them once, and are able to sell them again and again.

With a good marketing and sales strategy, you can make passive income for months and years with just a single digital product.

Digital products can range from printables sold on Etsy to online courses with high price tags. Here are just a few ideas for digital products that can be created and sold as you start your digital product sales business:

• Photo editing presets
• eBooks
• Online courses
• Planners and calendars
• Spreadsheet templates
• …the options are truly endless.

Most digital nomads that sell digital products market them on a website – these can be as simple as a single landing page, or part of a more developed blog or website.

Some digital nomads sell digital products as a way to earn additional income, and others are able to make an entire business out of selling digital products.

If you’re interested in learning more about the possibilities in selling digital products, I highly recommend checking out Leanne Scott’s Digital Product Starter Kit, which has hundreds of ideas for products and resources for launching them successfully.

Her Digital Product Boss System is another resource I recommend with even more resources for creating, marketing, and selling digital products. This will set you up for success!

• Digital Product Starter Kit
• Digital Product Boss System

Selling Physical Products

Selling physical products can be a bit more involved – especially as a digital nomad business idea – than selling digital products, but is still a popular way to make money for digital nomads.

You’ll find plenty of digital nomads with independent physical or online stores, businesses that sell products on Amazon or Etsy, and more.

Some digital nomads have physical products businesses but are able to outsource shipping or have employees that take care of the shipping side of the business. They’re able to manage the rest of the business side remotely with these things taken care of.

Amazon FBA Businesses

Launching an Amazon FBA (FBA stands for “fulfillment by Amazon”) business is one of the most popular ways for digital nomads to sell physical products. These businesses involve developing products – anything you can find on Amazon! – and finding manufacturers to create them.

They’re then shipped directly to Amazon warehouses to be shipped out by Amazon, meaning you won’t have to handle or even see most of the products you sell. This makes them a convenient digital nomad business – they can be run from just behind a computer.

There is a lot that goes into establishing these businesses, like learning about marketing on Amazon, developing your brand, and finding manufacturers. However, they can be extremely successful in a relatively short period of time and are very conducive to the digital nomad lifestyle.

Check out Skillshare’s courses on Amazon FBA businesses for free if you’re interested in learning more – we’re Skillshare ambassadors, and we’re giving away a free month of Skillshare premium membership for our readers.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping is another extremely digital nomad business and one of the easiest ways to sell physical products as a digital nomad. Dropshipping involves selling products without having to hold inventory or get involved in the logistics of shipping.

Because dropshipping doesn’t require the seller to hold inventory, it is extremely popular as a business for digital nomads. This style of selling allows you to operate your business entirely remotely, without having to ever even see the products you sell.

While I’m no expert on the ins and outs of this business model, many digital nomads are huge fans of dropshipping and recommend it as a business model! To get started learning more, I’d recommend exploring some online courses in dropshipping to see if this is for you, and exploring the countless online resources for digital nomads looking to start a business like this one.

Photography / Videography

Many photographers and videographers build their businesses in one location…. but you don’t have to! Having photography or videography businesses is a fantastic digital nomad business idea if you have these skills, and they can take you all around the world and back.

This can be a fantastic way for digital nomads to have some incredible experiences while traveling. Businesses in the tourism industry are often looking for great photography or video content that captures what they do, as well as the marketing exposure you can provide.

Photographers and videographers can also offer services in exchange for experiences, hotel stays, and more. While this won’t pay the bills, it can be a great way to build a portfolio or just a fun way to have an experience while you travel.

However, you’re not limited to tourism sector work as a nomad entrepreneur working as a photographer or videographer. Many digital nomads find success with clients looking for portraits, wedding photography, images for magazines, and more. You’re only limited by your own creativity!

Stock Photography / Videography

Selling images or videos as stock is a way to make money as a photographer or videographer that you may not have considered. Stock companies like Shutterstock or Alamy will purchase groups of shots of locations, themes, and more. Check out this list of some of the best places to sell stock photography to see the potential here!

Selling your work as stock can also be a great way to diversify your income in this business and not be overly reliant on client work.

Selling Presets

Selling photography presets – settings used in Lightroom to quickly edit pictures – is another potential income stream for photography and videography businesses. It’s also another common digital product to sell.

See how so many of these digital nomad businesses can work together for you?!

Coaching

Coaching is another very popular digital nomad business idea – you’ll find nomad entrepreneurs that work as coaches in almost any niche. With video calls and the infinite ways to connect remotely, a coaching business can operate from anywhere with a strong internet connection.

You can make a coaching business out of anything you’re successful and experienced in and find clients who need help in that area. Can’t think of something you’d feel qualified to lead others in doing? Start by making a list of your strengths and go from there.

The most successful coaches tend to offer a variety of high-end and lower-end coaching packages, along with digital products like courses, ebooks, and more.

By offering coaching packages along with digital products, digital nomad entrepreneurs are able to diversify their income and scale their coaching businesses. This can help you maintain a manageable workload, and work around your travel schedule as a digital nomad!

Translation

Translation work is a fantastic digital nomad idea for those that are fluent in multiple languages. While nomad entrepreneurs with translation businesses can work from anywhere, you may find particular success if you can travel to a country where one of these languages is spoken.

Especially with the ability to translate between some of the most commonly-used languages, you’ll find plenty of project-based, remote worth through FlexJobs. FlexJobs also has longer-term postings for remote positions and is great for building long-term clients.

As always, check out global and local digital nomad Facebook groups for job postings as well!

With a translation business as a digital nomad, you can also find new clients as you travel. Make connections with business owners at coworking spaces or companies based in cities you’re staying in! This can be a fantastic way to grow your location-independent business as a digital nomad.

Investment Management

Investment management is one of the most popular business opportunities you’ll find among digital nomads. Many nomad entrepreneurs earn some income from investments as a way to fund travels. Living off of the income earned from investments is one of the most popular ways that digital nomads can start funding their travels – and many turn it into a business.

For those that are leaving behind a traditional 9-5 job, starting life as a digital nomad can offer the time and space to learn more about how to invest and structure income from investments.

However, the opportunities of investment management as a digital nomad idea don’t stop at maximizing your own investments and living off the income they produce. There are many other ways to turn this into a business.

Many digital nomads also work in the financial sector, either as remote workers for an investment firm or by independently managing the investment of others. You’ll find many digital nomads that specialize in certain types of investment management, whether it be cryptocurrencies, stock trading, or something else.

Regardless of whether you’re looking to get into investment management as a digital nomad business idea, properly managing your investments can help you achieve your financial goals as a digital nomad entrepreneur. This is your sign to make this a priority as a way to earn income as a digital nomad!

Real Estate Management

While it might not seem so obvious right away, owning real estate is one of the most common ways that many digital nomads fund their travels.

Plenty of digital nomads rent out their homes in the short term or long term as one way of earning income while traveling. Others are able to scale this into a business that sustains them entirely by investing in multiple properties. Others invest money with colleagues that renovate and resell houses for a profit, earning passive income in the process.

There are plenty of ways that real estate investment and management can be profitable digital nomad business ideas even for those with nomadic lifestyles.

If you’re planning on renting your property while traveling, you’ll want to make sure that you have a plan in place for taking care of the property while you’re away.

If you have long-term renters, what happens if water pipes burst or the washing machine dies? For Airbnb rentals, who will hand over the keys to new guests and clean the property between spaces?

You’ll have to make sure you have a plan in place and help with the day-to-day needs of keeping up your property.

There are also many digital nomads who rent properties back home on a short-term basis through platforms like Airbnb. This allows them to return home when their travel schedule allows.

This can be a fantastic option for nomad entrepreneurs who want to spend time traveling, but aren’t ready to go “full nomad,” or would still like to have a home base. If you own your home and are interested in becoming a digital nomad, this could be the plan for you.

Web Developing & Design

The options are endless for creating a digital nomad business in the areas of web design and web development. The pandemic sent so many businesses scrambling to develop and improve their presence online – you’ll find more opportunities than ever in this sector.

You’ll find plenty of digital nomad jobs in areas like web development for WordPress or Squarespace, coding, creating apps, SEO writing, and much more. These tend to be great niches for digital nomad businesses, both because they are so in demand and so easily performed from anywhere with a strong internet connection.

You don’t need to be the most tech-savvy or in the know on every new app or coding language to make this business work. Focus down on what you can do best and you can become a leader in your niche.

If you need to hone any of your skills or expand the services you offer in your business before getting started, I recommend checking out classes on Skillshare! I’ve found some fantastic ones that have helped me develop my own skills in web design needed for this blog… so this is a great place to start!

To help you build a strong client base for your web design or web development business, look for opportunities posted on websites like FlexJobs, as well as in digital nomad Facebook groups.

Graphic Design

If you’re not as gifted in web development but know your way around design software, a graphic design business may be the perfect idea for you. There seem to be more design opportunities than ever posted on job sites by companies looking to outsource their work. Plus, this is another digital nomad business idea that easily adapts to wherever you travel with an internet connection.

You can find project-based work or long-term projects that can help you expand your client base on websites like FlexJobs, as well as in digital nomad Facebook groups.

As you travel, there are also plenty of ways to connect with fellow digital nomads who could turn in to future clients – try to work from coworking spaces if you can and their networking events. I’ve found that digital nomads love to hire other digital nomads for their business needs like these!

Just like photography or videography businesses, you can also look into selling some of your designs as stock; this is just one of the many ways to diversify your income and not be so reliant on client work.

Startups

Startups in all sectors are some of the most popular digital nomad businesses. Particularly in the area of tech startups, many teams work entirely remotely, making startup jobs especially ideal for digital nomads.

Plus, working as a digital nomad in less expensive cities and countries can help you afford to make your startup a reality. You can stretch a small budget a lot further in places like Quito, Ecuador, Buenos Aires, Argentina, or Chiang Mai, Thailand than you’d be able to in the United States or western Europe.

If you’re looking to work with startups – or launch your own – make sure you spend time working from coworking spaces while you travel as a nomad. These can be fantastic places to find new opportunities or even some potential cofounders or coworkers that can help you with your budding business.

Freelancing / Consultancy

You’ll find digital nomad businesses that thrive in every sector, and digital nomads working as freelancers and consultants doing every type of work. Accountants, lawyers, and even healthcare professionals can all be digital nomads and create remote businesses that work for them.

If you doubt that with your experience or expertise you could ever be a nomad entrepreneur, start by looking for information about nomads in your field. Connect with others in Facebook groups and see that it can be done!

Even if there aren’t people around you that you know personally working freelance or as consultants in your field, that doesn’t mean that they aren’t out there.

With a strong understanding of your strengths and professional goals, you can create a remote freelancing or consulting business in just about anything… don’t limit yourself!

Digital Nomad Business Ideas

All of the Above! 

The best digital nomad business idea of all might be all of the above!

Many digital nomads don’t just have one business, or offer just one product or service… they’re involved in many! This is especially true for digital nomads that are just getting started working remotely and may not have a well-established business or client base.

You’ll often find digital nomads starting a blog, working as a virtual assistant, and working with a team to build a start-up all at once.

While this is a popular way to work as a digital nomad, many digital nomads actively work towards consolidating their efforts towards one source of income. Digital nomad life in a less-expensive city or country is a great way to build that business you’ve been dreaming of while cutting your cost of living!

However, you may not want to be so quick to consolidate towards one income stream, if that is where you’re headed! There are definite benefits to building multiple businesses or income streams that work for you, especially as a digital nomad.

Having multiple sources of income, especially passive income, is a great way to work towards additional financial freedom. If you’re able to set up passive (or mostly passive) income streams – like a website that earns from advertisements, or income from a rental property – you’ll be able to enjoy digital nomad life and travels even more.

If you’re just starting your digital nomad journey or deciding how to make digital nomad life happen for you, consider trying out a few of these digital nomad business ideas.

Not only can they be a great way to support digital nomad life, but they can also be a meaningful way to enjoy your free time and nomad travels even more.