Complete Nomad eSIM Review 2024

If you’re in the process of choosing an eSIM to stay connected while on vacation, business or studying, you’ll find our review of the Nomad eSIM useful. We tried it out on a trip to Asia when we had some experience with eSIMs and were looking for alternatives to the most popular provider, Airalo. Nomad just had a sale, so the data package was a little cheaper, and we decided to buy an eSIM from each of the two companies to compare. You can read what we found to be the pros and cons in our Nomad eSIM review.

📱 Wondering what is an eSIM? Read our article. 📱

Nomad eSIM review: Offer

Like most eSIM providers, Nomad offers data packages without calls and SMS. However, Nomad is gradually trying to expand its services and already offers SMS packages for the US, Canada and the UK. It also advertises on its website that there will be more countries where SMS packages can be purchased.

Coverage

Nomad offers coverage in more than 165 countries and regions. While that’s not a lot compared to other providers, it’s more or less enough for the average person traveling to tourist areas. Like its competitors, it also offers regional packages (e.g. Asian or Middle Eastern countries) and global packages for 109 and 139 countries, respectively.

These packages didn’t impress me much because they only offer a limited part of a given region and if you want to travel through several countries, I think you’ll find the Asia package or buying each country separately is the most worthwhile.

Data volume

With Nomad you can get packages with 1 GB to 10 GB or up to 50 GB of data. It’s a bit more varied than Airalo, as you’ll find at least 3 different packages (usually 1, 3 and 5 GB) for most countries. You will only find unlimited packages for Southeast Asian countries (e.g. Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Thailand or Singapore).

Some packages also offer the option to add more data to an already installed eSIM (which also extends its validity). It won’t save you any money, but at least you won’t have to go through the installation process again.

Prices

Prices vary depending on how much data you purchase and which country you travel to. The best deals are generally for Asia, North America, Australia and New Zealand. For these countries, you can buy 1GB of data for around $4-6 and 10GB for around $20. In addition, Nomad offers the option to choose from multiple operators for some countries, which can get you a slightly lower price than other eSIM providers.

Packages for most African countries or South America or the Caribbean are quite expensive, so you can pay up to $25 for 1GB!

The regional and global plans didn’t impress me much. Again, Europe doesn’t offer most of the Balkan countries, the global package is ridiculously expensive in my opinion and offers a maximum of 5 GB of data, and in the end the most I would buy from the selection is the Asia package.

Plans validity

Packages can be purchased from 7 to 30 days. Seven-day packages are only those with 1GB of data, so the vast majority of packages are valid for 30 days. The validity of the package usually starts from the moment you first connect to the network in that country. However, for some eSIMs this is not specified in the app, so we strongly recommend that you install your eSIM just before you leave. Also, you can activate your eSIM within 30 days of purchase!

Web and app clarity

I find the website and the app to be very clear and suitable for a beginner. You’re guided through the installation with a pictorial guide, and then you can immediately see in the app how much data you’ve already used or when your eSIM is expiring.

However, I do see a few drawbacks with them. They have a website in 7 languages. I also find that their help center has a limited number of answers to questions and still no pictures, so it can be challenging for someone who doesn’t speak English.

How hard is it to buy and install an eSIM?

Before you buy an eSIM, always make sure your phone supports the technology and is unlocked.

You can buy an eSIM on the web and in the app, where we think it’s easier. Nomad allows you to pay in five currencies (Euros, US and Canadian Dollars, Pound Sterling or Swiss Francs) using a credit card or Apple Pay or Google Pay. However, you won’t be paying with a virtual wallet like PayPal.

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Nomad code MARE67aw

Once purchased, the app will show you step-by-step pictorial instructions.

When you install it, you have two options. Either via a QR code (which requires a different device to view it on), or manually in your phone’s settings (which can be quite tricky for those unfamiliar with it).

It can be a bit more complicated for someone new to eSIM. We’ll help you install and activate it in this article.

Can I share data via hotspot?

Nomad says on its website that you can use the hotspot with any plan, including unlimited data. Unfortunately, we’ve only been able to try it out with the 30GB eSIM, but it hasn’t been a problem at all. Of course, you have to keep in mind: The more devices you have connected, the faster the data disappears.

Loyalty programme

Nomad often offers various discount promotions, so you can get their eSIM at very good prices.

You also earn Nomad Points in the app, which you can redeem for other purchases. While this sounds great, I’ll tell you what bothers me about their loyalty program.

You get 50 credits for filling out your personal information, which is the equivalent of $0.5.

You can earn an additional 300 points, or $3, for referring a friend who gets the same discount on their first purchase.

You can earn additional points as cash back. Here you earn 25 points for every $5 of the package price. Now, you’d think that 5% cash back would be cool, but if you buy a plan for $9, you still only get 25 points back, so the cash back is only 2.8%.

Also, and this is what annoys me the most, all the points you earn are only good for 6 months and then they expire. However, you can redeem the cash back once you have accumulated 100 points. So either you have to buy more than one vacation every six months or you have to recommend a lot.

💸 Use discount code $3 for first purchase 💸
Nomad code MARE67aw

Customer support

Nomad does not have live chat and you cannot contact them by phone. So you can only rely on their contact form (replies will be sent to your email).

Customer support is available 24 hours a day. Replies are quite fast, within minutes during working hours, but you can’t speak anything other than English.

Conclusion and Rating (strengths, weaknesses)

Nomad is a reliable eSIM provider with which you can get cool promotions that will get you data on vacation for a song. However, I would recommend it more to those who speak English or who already have some experience with eSIMs.

Here’s a list of pros and cons we’ve noticed over the time we’ve been using it, which may help you decide.

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