The Best Reddit Subs for Traveling Digital Nomads!

With remote work is gaining traction across the world, the idea of becoming a digital nomad is becoming more and more enticing.

When you’re a digital nomad, you can take your work remotely with you anywhere in the world (provided you adhere to any immigration rules in place to ensure your work is being done legally); This, to many, is the perfect way to continue earning money through employment, while getting to live out their travel dreams simultaneously.

That being said, being a digital nomad isn’t as simple as landing a remote job and going off digital nomading. Navigating all the dos and don’ts can be overwhelming and daunting.

While there are many resources out there for digital nomads (be sure to check out our blog post on NomadList for some ideas), one of the most prolific can be found on Reddit. 

What is a digital nomad?

Before we dive into looking at some Reddit subs, it’s important to clarify what exactly a digital nomad is.

A digital nomad is someone who has a remote job, and has decided to take their work on the road with them, living an essentially nomadic lifestyle. Since their jobs are remote, they are not granted residency rights in any particular country, and therefore must typically move around frequently as remote work does not entitle you to a visa in most countries.

Being a digital nomad is not something you should just decide to do and hope that it’ll work out for you. It requires having a stable job that allows you to move around with it (a remote job does not inherently mean that an employer is happy to let you adventure around the world while doing it), and the means to support yourself while moving from country to country.

Many digital nomads are freelancers, or pick up their own gigs to not be tied down to one employer. You should also make sure you’re aware of any restrictions in place for working while abroad as a tourist.

Digital Nomad Subs on Reddit

Reddit is a great place to read up on all kinds of things, and to find subs for any given interest. Luckily for us, there are several that exist specially for digital nomads (or for people wanting to do remote work), and you can spend a decent amount of time reading through all the posts there to gain all kinds of information. Here are some subs that we at Pilot believe can be a good resource for people looking to be digital nomads!

r/digitalnomad‍

This is the top subreddit out there for digital nomads. With over one million members, there are countless posts about anything and everything related to being a digital nomad. If you can’t find your question answered somewhere, feel free to create your own post, and you can rest assured you’ll get some answers from people who are living the digital nomad lifestyle. It’s also a great resource for learning about visa and travel restrictions, and the nitty gritty aspects of being a digital nomad. 

r/remotework‍

This sub isn’t as active with only 11k members, but you can find job postings for remote work opportunities here, as well as chat with other remote workers about how to leverage remote work to best fit your goals.

Bonus: Looking for remote jobs? Consider using a site like RemoteOK to find them.

r/travel‍

If you’re ready to live the digital nomad lifestyle, but unsure where in the world you might want to visit, this sub is a perfect place to check out for that purpose. With over five million members, you can find hundreds of posts about visiting a specific city (sometimes with photos, other times with information), posts asking for insight about travel plans, and so much more.

They do have specific rules for the sub in relation to posting, so do read those carefully before you make your own post if you have questions to which you haven’t found the answer already!

r/workonline‍

A perfect sub for asking questions about making an income online. It’s not specific to remote work, so some of the opportunities posted or questions asked may not be applicable for someone aiming to live the digital nomad lifestyle.

Do note that this sub is not a place to advertise yourself as a remote worker for hire as those posts will be removed

r/cscareerquestions‍

If you work (or want to work) in a computer science related job, this is the sub for you! Not every post relates to remote work, or will help you take your CS related job on a digital nomad adventure, but the posts in the sub are helpful for those at any stage in their computer science career path. 

r/freelance‍

A sub designed for freelancers to discuss their current projects, get advice, or express interest in becoming a freelancer.

This sub is not a place for self advertisement, or for finding jobs posts, though.

r/forhire‍

If you’re looking for job opportunities, this is a definite sub to be sure to check out during your search.

You can also post about yourself and tag it [For Hire] to see if anyone searching through the sub is in need of someone with your skill set!

Bonus: Considering WWOOFing too!

r/workfromhome‍

If you’re just starting the remote worker/digital nomad lifestyle, it can be a big switch to go from working in an office to working from home.

If you’re wanting some advice, or to speak to other people with work from home experience, this is the sub for you! It is, however, not a job board.

r/IWantOut‍

If at any point during your digital nomad adventures you decide you might want to settle somewhere, this sub is an excellent resource for learning how to make a move abroad permanent. Since being a digital nomad does not give you residency rights, it is not a pathway to permanent residence, but some digital nomads are able to leverage their skills to gain a visa that enables something more permanent. This sub is a great place to visit if you decide that is a way you’d like to move forward! 

In addition to these subs, there are also country and city specific subs you can look at if you’ve chosen a place you’d like to visit as a digital nomad! 

Use Pilot to plan your next trip

Whether you’re already a digital nomad, or just dipping your toe into the possibility of becoming one, it’s important to continually do your research to ensure you’re doing things correctly, and legally. Additionally, be sure to also check out Pilot for all your itinerary planning needs, and to connect with other like minded travelers!