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The 5 Best Virtual Mailboxes for Digital Nomads

Digital Nomad

As a digital nomad, you’re always on the move. Whether you’re working from a beach in Bali or a cafe in Seoul, you need to be able to manage your mail from anywhere in the world. That’s where virtual mailboxes come in.

A virtual mailbox is a service that allows you to manage your snail mail online. You can have your mail forwarded to your virtual mailbox, and then view and manage it from anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss the best virtual mailboxes for digital nomads.

What to Look for in a Virtual Mailbox

A virtual mailbox sounds pretty straightforward. You have a physical mailbox and your provider virtualizes it. But not every provider works the same. Pay attention to the virtual mail features of each so you don’t get trapped in with a provider that doesn’t align with your needs.

All services should have email or mobile app (Apple or Android) notifications when physical mail is received, virtual mail storage, and some form of mail forwarding service. Some will have other services like virtual offices and virtual business addresses or local phone numbers.

The Ability to Forward Mail to Your Current Location

This is potentially one of the most important features. Getting the most important mail physically in your hand should be a priority. Of course, you don’t need everything in its original format, and that stuff can stay in your digital mailbox. But some pieces of mail are important enough to be sent across the world (or maybe just the border).

A Variety of Plan Options

Again, not every service is the same. Sometimes you need a bit of flexibility with your snail mail needs. Consider how big your startup is right now and how much you expect it to grow. Don’t choose a one-size-fits-all service that only fits what you currently need OR provides too much, i.e., it’s too expensive for what you need right now. Maybe you don’t yet need package forwarding or pickup options at a local office building or to deposit checks. If so, you shouldn’t be paying for it!

A Physical Address Where You Need It

Obviously a virtual mailbox is only virtual for you. There should still be a physical street address for whoever is sending you mail. The tricky part is finding a service that has a mailbox in the area you need. If your business is incorporated in California, then you probably need a mailbox there, not Alaska. Get it? This should act as your temporary permanent address and needs to make sense when running a business.

A Selecting of Scanning and Emailing Options

So, every virtual mailbox works by scanning your mail items. How else would you be able to read your mail (and why would you pay for a virtual mail service that doesn’t offer virtual services)? But some have limits to how many letters can be scanned. Find a virtual postal service that scans it all or allows you to select which ones are worthy of the scanner.

Best Virtual Mailbox Services for Digital Nomads

Finally, what you came for. Here’s a brief list of the top virtual mailboxes that will help you organize your small business as you travel. These are the top 5 virtual mailboxes to help you relax on your semi-permanent workation. Expats, digital nomads, and traveling entrepreneurs should pay close attention.

1. Traveling Mailbox

Traveling Mailbox is one of the most popular virtual mailbox providers. They offer multiple plans to suit your needs, and their prices are very reasonable. With Traveling Mailbox, you can have your mail forwarded to one of their partner locations around the world. You can also use Traveling Mailbox to scan and archive important documents.

This one takes the cake as the best virtual mailbox all-around because it checks all the boxes. Mail forwarding, scanning, plans—it goes wherever you go!

Here are details for the lowest plan at $15/month, which will cover almost everyone’s needs:

  • 35 Scans per Month
  • 40 Letters per Month (junk mail doesn’t count)
  • 3 Mailbox Recipients
  • App and Website Mail Access
  • Free Shredding
  • Unlimited Cloud Storage

2. Earth Class Mail

Earth Class Mail is another popular virtual mailbox provider. They offer a few plans that should appeal to most people, though the starting plan that allows you to choose your mailbox location is $79/month.

With that said, this is a well-connected service and one that provides many features you need and want. It integrates so easily with programs like Quickbooks (as well as others), with a few caveats. Detailing the cheapest plan at $19/month:

  • Physical Address Only in Oregon State
  • 1 Mailbox Recipient
  • 50 Letters per Month
  • 30 Days of Free Package Storage
  • Free Shredding
  • Only Works in the US (no international partners)

3. PostScan Mail

PostScan Mail is another virtual mailbox provider that offers affordable subscription plans. It’s one of the most worldwide virtual mailbox available, with sister locations throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.

It does have a nickel-and-dime sort of feel when you see just how limited the features are. BUT!!! That’s not entirely true. PostScan Mail simply gives you the option to choose which mail gets scanned and which doesn’t. If you rarely need digital mail scans, then the base plan that comes with 0 scans per month is okay because when it comes the time to scan something, it’s just $0.25.

The starter package costs $15/month and includes:

  • No Free Scans
  • 30 Letters per Month
  • 1 Mailbox Recipient
  • Real Street Address or PO Box Address
  • Free Mail Storage for 30 Days
  • Local Pickup
  • Recycle, Not Shredded

4. BusinessAnywhere

BusinessAnywhere offers a variety of features that make it an ideal choice for those who need to stay in touch with their clients and colleagues. With BusinessAnywhere, you can receive and send mail from anywhere in the world with your virtual mailbox address. You can also track any forwarded mail with their connections to services like DHL, USPS, and FedEx.

In addition, BusinessAnywhere offers a variety of other features that make it an ideal choice for digital nomads, including the ability to forward mail to another address, schedule pickups, and more. Whether you’re a digital nomad or you just want a virtual mailing address that’s more convenient than a physical one, BusinessAnywhere is a great choice.

Starting at $20/month, you get:

  • Unlimited Mail and Packages
  • Unlimited Scans
  • 2 Mailbox Recipients
  • Worldwide Mail Forwarding
  • Address located in either WY, AZ, or NM

5. Anytime Mailbox

If PostScan Mail was on your list for being more international, then feast your eyes on Anytime Mailbox. It is world. wide. It’s actually impressive just how many locations this service has for providing mailing addresses. So if you’re a frequent traveler and plan on hopping around a lot, this should be your first choice.

Pricing changes based on location, so this one is a bit more tough to say what the cheapest option is. But let’s go with $9.99/month. You can choose a plan after selecting the location. The base plan includes:

  • 30 Letters per Month
  • 5 Scans per Month
  • 4 Mailbox Recipients
  • Shredding (for a fee)
  • Local Pickup (for a fee)
  • Free Storage for 30 days
  • Check Deposit

There you have it! Virtual mailboxes for digital nomads looking to explore the world without risk to their business.

Whether you’re a digital nomad looking for a secure mailbox or simply want to keep your business mail safe from prying eyes, these five virtual mailbox providers are the best of the best. With so many great options available, there’s no excuse not to take your snail mail security seriously.

Final note: Most of these virtual mailbox service providers have options for incorporating your business. So if you need registered agent services to become a real business owner, look no further.

And if you’re looking for an even more secure solution, consider opening an offshore bank account to protect your income and assets.