Buying a local SIM card when traveling is a hassle.
You need to:
- Find a local company you can trust
- Submit your passport to register
- Make sure you don’t get ripped off
- Spend tons of time figuring it all out
Not to mention the language barrier that often comes with buying a local SIM card. And if you don’t want to buy a local SIM…
You better be prepared to pay the HUGE roaming fees.
Ready for some good news?
Nomad eSIM allows you to buy a local eSIM before you travel and activate it as you leave the airport. Just choose the plan you need and connect to the internet when you arrive at your destination.
It doesn’t get much easier than that.
But the big question is: How good is Nomad eSIM really?
After testing Nomad’s eSIM plans in 7+ countries, we are ready to give you our honest Nomad eSIM review.
What is Nomad eSIM?
Nomad is an eSIM service provider that allows you to buy a local eSIM before your trip. Nomad’s eSIMs are available in over 100+ countries and can be used as soon as you arrive at your destination.
What exactly does Nomad offer?
Nomad offers various plans, from pay-as-you-go local data plans to fully regional plans that allow you to buy once and connect in multiple countries. They have even introduced SMS plans so you can send texts while overseas.
Think of Nomad as a global eSIM marketplace.
Their data plans can cost less than $2 USD per GB, depending on the location and the length of time of the plan. Choose the country (or countries) you are visiting and buy the data you need.
That’s it!
How Does Nomad eSIM Work?
As digital nomads, the name “Nomad” alone was enough for us to take a second look.
And we are glad we did. Nomad has become a staple in our travel journey and is among the best eSIM providers right now.
Nomad is also incredibly easy to use.
Instead of using a physical SIM card, Nomad will provide a digital SIM (eSIM). All you have to do is purchase your desired eSIM plan from Nomad’s website (or app), download the Nomad app and install the eSIM on your phone.
When you arrive at the airport, you activate the eSIM and away you go!
Easy, right?
Nomad eSIMs are perfect for:
- People who travel frequently
- Digital nomads
- Remote workers
- Tourists
- Business travelers
And anyone who wants to avoid the hassle of buying a local SIM card OR doesn’t want to pay the massive roaming costs most companies charge.
eSIMs vs Physical SIM Cards
The main difference between an eSIM and a physical SIM card is that physical SIM cards require you to change your device’s SIM when traveling.
This means more time, effort and money spent buying new physical SIMs.
Most phones also only support one physical SIM card.
Think of eSIMs like a virtual SIM card. They can be installed directly using a unique identified code (called an SM-DP Address) and an activation code.
It’s also possible to install multiple eSIMs simultaneously on your device.
This makes them perfect for travelers. You can keep your current SIM card in your phone and just buy an eSIM plan to add to your phone digitally.
No more changing physical SIM cards to get connected!
Cool, right?
Review Of Nomad’s Top Features
Nomad has a number of great features.
In this nomad eSIM review, I want to highlight the most important information and features so you can decide whether it’s right for you.
Below we will look at the top features that make Nomad offers and break down the costs of Nomad’s eSIMs.
Local Data Plan
Nomad has worked hard to establish partnerships with local service providers worldwide.
That’s how they can offer such affordable plans. Nomad has over 100+ single-country data plans.
That’s impressive, right – but how much does it cost?
The smallest plan in most countries is usually 1GB and lasts up to 7 days. The more data you buy, the cheaper it is per GB. The amount you pay also varies from country to country, depending on the local data costs.
Nomad has a good range of local short-term and long-term plans available, which is great for a range of budgets and needs.
The table below shows a breakdown of how much Nomad costs in 10 popular countries:
| Country | Data Plans & Prices (USD) |
| France | 7 days – 1GB – $6
30 days – 3GB – $12 30 days – 10GB – $26 |
| Mexico | 7 days – 1GB – $8
30 days – 3GB – $18 30 days – 5GB – $27 |
| United States | 3 days – 1GB – $4
10 days – 5GB – $14 30 days – 12GB – $26 |
| Italy | 30 days – 1GB – $5
30 days – 3GB – $11 30 days – 10GB – $24 |
| Hungry | 7 days – 1GB – $8
30 days – 3GB – $15 30 days – 10GB – $24 |
| Turkey | 30 days – 1GB – $4
30 days – 3GB – $9 30 days – 12GB – $20 |
| Greece | 7 days – 1GB – $4.5
30 days – 3GB – $8.50 30 days – 10GB – $24 |
| Colombia | 7 days – 1GB – $20
30 days – 3GB – $48 30 days – 5GB – $54 |
| Indonesia | 3 days – 1GB – $4
5 days – 3GB – $9 15 days – 10GB – $22 |
Not bad, right?
We have noticed that Nomad tends to have stronger plans in North America, Europe and Asia, compared to places like Latin America.
Here’s what I mean:
If you visit countries like the United States, Singapore, Portugal or France you will find that Nomad is about the same price and sometimes even has the cheapest plans around.
But on the other side…
If you look at the data plans Nomad offers for Colombia, they offer $53 USD for just 5GB! When we purchased a (physical) SIM card in Colombia, we paid about $11 USD for 12 GB.
That’s a huge difference.
As digital nomads in Medellin, there was no way we would fork out that much extra for the convenience of the Colombian eSIM long term. However, we purchased the 1GB for $20 to test Nomad while there. You can see those results further down the blog.
And it was the same for buying a SIM card in Guatemala and our SIM card in Play del Carmen, Mexico. The local physical card offered way more data and was about a fourth of the price!
So you need to do your homework and have a quick look before you travel.
But Nomad’s biggest benefit is its convenience with no hidden costs. You DON’T need to pay a one-time connection fee or a fee for the SIM card itself.
Whatever you see, you pay. That’s it!
And that is the reason that we, more often than not, opt to buy an eSIM. From the moment we land in new digital nomad destinations, we are connected to the internet without the fear of enormous roaming costs.
You can’t really beat that!
I have also noticed that Nomad has started offering more short-term plans (less than 15 days). This is something that most of their competitors don’t do.
I think the short-term plans will suit tourists more and you ultimately save a bit of cash!
Regional Data Plans
This is one of my favorite aspects of Nomad eSIM!
Regional plans are one of the most cost-efficient ways to get data for multiple countries.
Let me explain:
A regional data plan allows you to buy once and use it in a specific group of countries. For example, Nomad offers regional plans in Europe at affordable prices.
You choose the amount of data you want and can use the plan in 35 European countries!
That means if you are visiting multiple countries, you don’t need to buy a new eSIM for every country you visit. Crazy, right?
Nomad offers 4 regional plans:
- APAC
- Nordic
- Europe
- SEA – Oceania
Check out the table below to see what the Nomad eSIM regional plans include:
| Region | Number Of Countries Included | Plans & Prices (USD) |
| APAC | 7-15 Countries | 30 days – 1GB – $6
30 days – 3GB – $15 30 days – 5GB – 16 |
| NORDIC | 4 Countries | 7 days – 1GB – $8
30 days – 3GB – $16 30 days – 5GB – $18 |
| Europe | 35 Countries | 7 days – 1GB – $9
30 days – 3GB – $17 30 days – 10GB – $26 |
| SEA – Oceania | 8 Countries | 3 days – 1GB – $6
10 days – 5GB – $16 15 days – 10GB – $25 |
Traveling through multiple countries in the same region?
eSIMs offer really affordable plans that make it cheaper, more accessible and way more convenient to stay connected as you travel. As soon as the plane hits the ground, you can connect like a local!
It’s also worth pointing out that you can buy long-term data plans in some regions for 60 and 90 days. Spending an extended time overseas?
These international data plans are a huge win.
The regional eSIM data plans are a game-changer in the industry. There isn’t any physical SIM card that offers the same level of flexibility around the world.
Global eSIM Plan
Yes, Nomad eSIM has a Global plan.
It covers up to a massive 110 countries worldwide!
Here are all the details and costs of the Nomad global plan:
| Days Valid | Data | Price |
| 7 Days | 1GB | $20 |
| 30 Days | 3GB | $48 |
| 30 Days | 5GB | $54 |
There’s only one downside…
It is expensive. And I didn’t expect it to be super cheap because it’s data that literally works in 110 countries. But when you compare the Nomad global plan with competitors like Airalo or Airhub – Nomad is out there.
But if you are fast traveling through a ton of countries, the global plan is there.
Instant Activation Through The Nomad App
Nomad has a great app!
And when I say great…I mean the best app of all the eSIM providers we have tested.
The user interface is clean and it’s easy to see all the prepaid data plans available. You can buy and activate your data within minutes.
The Nomad App also has some great features like:
- Automatic SIM activation
- eSIM data plan usage tracking
- Update your personal details
- Top up your current plan
- Seamless buying experience
It allows you to manage your entire account from one place. This makes it super convenient to use while on the go.
The other big feature I love about the Nomad app is data usage tracking.
Let’s be honest…
Most of us overuse our data plans. A big part of that is because it’s not easy to track data usage. With Nomad – You simply open the app and it shows you exactly how much data you have used and how long you have left on the plan.
Easy, right?
And if you are running out, you can always add more data without reinstalling a new eSIM.
The Best eSIM Setup Process
We have purchased a lot of eSIMs from a lot of different eSIM providers.
The truth is installing an eSIM for the first time isn’t exactly straightforward. There is a bit of a process to go through to make sure every setting is correct.
Nomad’s setup and installation process is the best we’ve tested.
Here’s why:
When you buy an eSIM, you typically receive the setup instructions in some long bullet point list/chunky paragraphs of text. Yuck!
It’s overwhelming to say the least – especially if this is your first time setting up an eSIM.
But with Nomad, they take you through the setup process step by step on their app. They even include pictures to show where to go on your phone.
This makes it easy to ensure that your eSIM is installed and working correctly. It’s perfect for first-time users!
Once you understand, you won’t even need the instructions, but they are available to you at any time. They also have a ton of documentation about troubleshooting.
Don’t forget you can always reach out to support if you get stuck!
Great Service & Support
Speaking of support…
Nomad’s support and service is actually really great!
We have contacted them a few times to get some stuff sorted out. Once at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, I just couldn’t activate my eSIM.
This was like the 15th time I had set up an eSIM, but something was wrong.
So I contact support. They got back to me in about 10 minutes and explained that I hadn’t turned on one of the device settings. I felt like an absolute novice!
But in that high-pressure situation of trying to activate the data so we could call a Grab and get to the hotel (the plane was delayed, so we were running late) – they were really helpful and friendly.
Nomad has 24/7 Message support built into the app, which is the best way to contact them.
This isn’t exactly live chat, but you do get responses within the chat and by email. You can decide where you want to respond. It typically takes 5-20 minutes in our experience to get a reply from the Nomad support team which is pretty good.
The only downside is that you might be in trouble if you need an answer instantly.
In saying that, none of Nomad’s competitors have live support either, so it could be an industry thing. Hopefully, they will be able to add live support sometime in the future.
New Prepaid SMS Plans
Nomad recently added the ability to buy an SMS plan.
We haven’t had a chance to check out the prepaid SMS features in detail, but they look pretty decent.
SMS is currently only available in 3 countries-
- Canada
- United States
- United Kingdom
You essentially buy a number of text messages to use in a certain period of time. The smaller plans start at $4 for 100 texts, so it’s pretty cheap.
Here’s the truth:
I don’t see the real value of SMS these days.
We just buy a data plan and use apps like WhatsApp, Messenger and iMessage to text family and friends. So SMS isn’t something we are likely to use anyway.
But if you need SMS, Nomad offers a cost-effective deal!
Nomad eSIM Speed Review In 7 Different Countries
So far everything looks great with Nomad eSIM!
But the real question is – how is the Nomad eSIM speed and performance?
That’s where we have you covered.
As long-time Nomad eSIM users, we have tracked the performance of some of our Nomad eSIMs in different countries.
The results are interesting:
| Country | Speed Test (download) | Connection |
| Singapore | 112 Mbps | Good |
| Indonesia | 23 Mbps | Good |
| United States | 48 Mbps | Good |
| Colombia | 12 Mbps | Ok |
| Sri Lanka | 3 Mbps | Bad |
| France | 27 Mbps | Good |
| India | 9 Mbps | Ok |
As you can see, the results vary significantly based on your location.
And it’s not necessarily Nomad’s fault.
It comes down to the quality of the local network provider. For example, we ended up buying physical SIM cards in Sri Lanka and the speeds didn’t improve much – about an increase of 5 Mbps.
In more developed countries, we found that eSIMs generally had better performance. In Singapore, I even had 5G on my iPhone 14 Pro despite Nomad saying the eSIM would only give 4G.
It was also way cheaper than buying a local SIM card in Singapore for the few days we were there!
Nomad eSIM Pros & Cons
Nomad has a lot of great features.
But they aren’t perfect. Here are the pros and cons of Nomad eSIM:
Nomad eSIM Pros
- Coverage in 100+ countries worldwide
- A seamless app that is easy to use on the go
- Competitive eSIM prices with no hidden costs
- Great 24/7 support and customer service
- Way cheaper than data roaming
- Good performance and speeds in the most countries
- Automatic eSIM card activation
- Best setup and installation process we have seen
- Flexible and convenient
Nomad eSIM Cons
- No live chat support
- No unlimited data plans
- eSIMs don’t include a local phone number
- Limited plans in some countries/regions
The truth is that most of the cons are more industry related, not necessarily specific to Nomad themselves. In our opinion, the pros of Nomad’s eSIMs far outweigh the cons. This is what makes them one of the best eSIM providers you can use.
Will Nomad eSIMs Work On Your Phone or Device?
There are 2 things you need to check before buying an eSIM:
- Is your phone unlocked?
- Is your phone eSIM compatible?
In the United States, most devices purchased from major internet and phone providers like AT&T and T-Mobile are locked by default. Contact your current data provider to see if your device is unlocked.
iPhone user?
You can see if your iPhone is unlocked now:
- Click onSettings > General > About
- Now scroll down until you see the “Carrier lock” section
- If it says“NO SIM restrictions,” your phone should be unlocked
If your mobile phone isn’t unlocked, you won’t be able to install a Nomad eSIM. So make sure you check first.
Next, you must check if your phone model is an eSIM compatible device.
Here’s a brief list of eSIM-compatible phones:
- iPhone XS & XR or later
- Samsung Galaxy S20 or later
- Samsung Galaxy Fold &Z Fold
- Google Pixel 3 & 3XL or later
- Huawei P40, P40 Pro & P50 Pro
For a complete list of eSIM-compatible devices, check out this article.
Nomad Alternatives
Nomad has competitors.
And they offer some really interesting features. These are the top 2 alternatives to Nomad right now.
Airalo vs Nomad
Airalo is Nomad’s biggest competitor.
The truth is that we highly recommend Airalo eSIM as well as Nomad. Why?
Where one lacks a data plan, the other usually covers it. We have used both companies over the years and they are our top 2 recommend eSIM providers.
The main difference is that Airalo offers more plan options in over 200+ countries and territories worldwide. They also have more regional plans and a better global plan.
But Nomad has a better user experience overall, and their customer service tends to be more responsive. Nomad also offers some cheaper local single-country plans where Airalo really drops the ball.
That’s why we recommend downloading both apps! If you want an alternative that compliments Nomad well, download Airalo as well.
Want to learn more about Airalo? Make sure you check out our complete Airalo review.
Holafly vs Nomad
Holafly is another well-known eSIM provider with a wide range of eSIM plan options.
But there is a big difference with Holafly.
Holafly is more expensive than Nomad, but they offer primarily unlimited data packages. Essentially you pay more, but you also get more – so that makes sense.
The Holafly app is also good and offers a streamlined eSIM experience. I also really like their regional plans, which allow you to have unlimited data in a bunch of countries all on one eSIM.
While they aren’t our go-to eSIM provider every time, Holafly is definitely up there with the best.
If you need tons of data for your international travel, Holafly is definitely worth checking out!
How To Buy An eSIM Plan On Nomad
Ready to get started with Nomad eSIM?
Here’s how to do it:
Head over to the Nomad eSIM website.
Now choose the data plan you want for the country (or region) you are visiting.
You will now be prompted to sign in or sign up. Sign up for an account on Nomad.
Now choose your preferred payment method and complete the order.
That’s it! You will receive an email with the installation instructions and a QR code. Just follow the instructions to install your eSIM. You can download the Nomad app and log in to access your new plan.
Remember:
If you are heading overseas now, buy your Nomad eSIM before you leave. Then you can activate it when you arrive at the airport in your destination country.
Nomad eSIM Review: Wrapping It Up
That brings us to the end of our Nomad eSIM review.
Nomad is one of the best eSIM providers available at the moment. Along with Airalo, they have been rock solid for us as we travel from country to country.
They offer a great range of plans in over 100+ countries with really competitive prices. In many locations, we have found them to have the cheapest overall plans.
I also think the Nomad app is the best among all the eSIM providers we have tried. It’s easy to use and makes buying and activating eSIMs on the go that much more streamlined.
Ready to get started?
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Nomad eSIM?
Nomad is an eSIM marketplace that allows you to buy digital eSIM data plans for your phone or device in over 100+ countries worldwide. Once you have purchased the data plan and installed it on your phone, you can connect to local data for the country you are visiting.
How does Nomad eSIM work?
Nomad provides eSIM data plans and packages. You first need to download the app or visit their desktop site. You’ll find lots of different eSIM plans and packages for individual countries. Choose your preferred plan for the country you are visiting and buy the eSIM. Lastly, follow the instructions to set up your eSIM properly. You can find, purchase and install a Nomad eSIM in less than 5 minutes!
How do I activate my eSIM on Nomad?
Activating your eSIM is easy on both Android and iOS devices. You simply go to your phone’s settings and turn the Nomad eSIM on. For iOS devices, go to Settings > Cellular > toggle the Nomad eSIM on. For Android devices, go to Settings > Network and Internet > SIMs > Tap the Nomad eSIM > toggle Use eSIM. That’s it!
Is Nomad eSIM worth it?
Yes, Nomad eSIM is worth it. They offer some of the best data plan options of any eSIM provider or marketplace in the world. Nomad is worth it for anyone who wants to have local, regional or even global data coverage for short or long-term trips. This is all backed by 24/7 support and customer service.
