Below you can find all the companies and services I use for my travels. Most of them are pretty obvious but still, I am just sharing the ones I personally use for backpacking around the world, and I usually keep it pretty simple.
Moreover, remember that by booking or purchasing some of these services through my link, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you.
These small earnings help me maintain Against the Compass site.
The services I use the most
IATI Insurance
My favorite travel insurance
Nowadays, IATI is pretty much the only one I use, since I have their annual plan that covers for all the countries in the world, including destinations like Syria or Iran. You can get a 5% discount with my link.
ExpressVPN
The best VPN
When I travel and connect to public Wi-Fi networks, I always connect to a VPN, it’s much safer. It’s also pretty handy to defeat censorship in countries like Iran, Saudi and Afghanistan, just to name a few.
HolaFly
Internet access to 160 countries
I recently discovered how convenient and comfortable is to get an eSIM when you travel, so you can get internet connection at the moment you land into the country. HolaFly offers eSIMs to 160 destinations around the world. You can get a 5% discount with my link.
Booking.com
The handiest app to book your accommodation
Everyone knows booking.com and it’s the one app I use for booking my accommodation when I travel, especially because the more you use it, the more benefits and discounts you get.
More handy services I use
Hostelworld
Best place to look for budget hostels
Sometimes, when I travel solo and want to look for a proper backpacking hostel, I use Hostelworld instead.
Amazon
No better place for buying travel gear
Not everyone likes Amazon but since I am always busy, this is the website where i buy all the stuff I need for traveling, from book guides to camping gear and electronics.
Skyscanner
Best search engine for flights
I rarely check flights with the airline. Skyscanner offers the best available flight combinations and usually cheaper than buying it with the airline,.
1stQuest
Best website for Iran
Foreign cards or popular sites such as booking.com can’t be used in Iran, and 1stQuest is a local company that offers services such as visa LOI, hotel booking, tours, domestic flights, and travel insurance for Iran. 5% discount on ALL bookings with voucher code: ATC-QST
My camera gear
Sony a7 IV
The best camera I ever had
I bought it in May 2023, upgrading from a Nikon D750, and it’s incredibly amazing.
Sigma 24-70 f2.8
Light-weight lens for traveling
I bought Sigma instead of Sony because it’s much cheaper, and the quality is still amazing.
Manfrotto Befree Advanced
Lightweight tripod
The perfect tripod for traveling, lightweight but extremely resistant
Tours and banking
Against the Compass Expeditions
Best tour company for offbeat destinations
As the founder of ATC Expeditions, I can’t recommend it enough. The best company for tours into Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Mauritania and more! Check our Google Reviews.
GetYourGuide
Best website for booking short tours and day trips
GYG offers all sort of short, 1-day tours in hundreds of cities around the world, which you can book with only 1 click.
N26
Best commission-free bank
Free withdrawals across the world and no exchange rate commissions when paying by card.
Blogging tools
I have used many, many tools for blogging but these are the mains ones I currently use, or have used in the past.
Hostgator
Best hosting for beginners
This is the first hosting I ever used with Against the Compass, good for beginners, and super cheap. Special offer with my link.
Agathon
My current web hosting
When your blog grows, you’ll need to get a more powerful hosting and server, the reason I am currently using Agathon. It’s fast, and has an excellent customer service, but it costs me $100 per month.
Convertkit
My favorite email marketing tool
Convertkit is expensive but there’s no better tool for marketers.