Airalo vs Nomad eSIM: Which Is Better in 2026?

Holafly vs Nomad: buying the eSIM

Purchase process

Vefru rating

Holafly 7/10

Google Pay only filled the billing address, our card was saved without a clear opt-in, and a WhatsApp message followed.

Nomad 8/10

Quick checkout with Google Pay, PayPal or a card; sign-up via Google or Facebook. The mobile website just sends you to the app store.

Verdict: Nomad wins by a point. Its in-app checkout took seconds with a Google account and Google Pay. Holafly sells on the website too, which Nomad does not on a phone, but its checkout made us type the card by hand and saved it without asking.

Buying from Holafly

We picked the big Google Pay button, and Holafly used it only for the billing address; we then typed the card number by hand. The confirmation page listed a saved card we had not knowingly agreed to store. Holafly's terms allow a saved card only with your explicit consent [1]. Our Holafly review shows the full flow.

• Payments: Visa, Mastercard, Google Pay, Apple Pay and PayPal, shown on the destination pages [8].
• Currency: unclear. Price tables show US dollars next to a purchase widget in euros [8]. Tax is included based on the postcode you enter [1].
• One destination per checkout, so a two-country trip on separate eSIMs means two orders [7].
• After paying, the details arrive by email, and Holafly also sent a WhatsApp message to our number.

Buying from Nomad

In the app, registration took seconds with a Google account, and our Google Pay payment went through at once. On a phone there is no way around the app: the website hands you to the app store. Our Nomad review walks through every step.

• Payments: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, JCB and UnionPay, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal [15].
• Currency and tax: US dollars only [14]. Prices include indirect taxes, worked out from your billing zip code [11].
• Free trial: new users get a free 1 GB trial eSIM, and Nomad Points is a free membership with tiers [13].

If this is your first eSIM, our guide to checking compatibility, buying and installing a first eSIM covers the basics for either provider.

HolaflyHolafly checkout on the website

NomadNomad checkout in the app

Holafly app vs Nomad app

Mobile app

Vefru rating

Holafly 7/10

Opens as a shop with the login buried under Profile. One-tap eSIM install is its best feature.

Nomad 7/10

Native, fast and nicely designed, with a remaining-data widget. It loses points for a missing install button and a counter that lags.

Verdict: a tie. Nomad's app is the nicer one to use and has a data widget nobody else has. Holafly's app is a shop first, but it lets you install the eSIM with one tap at any time, which Nomad's does not once you close its first prompt.

The Holafly app

The Holafly app opens on a list of plans for sale, with no prompt to log in. Existing customers find the login under Profile, below a scroll. Login is passwordless: you confirm a link sent to the email you bought with. On our Android phone it was a 47 MB download.

• Best feature: tap Install and the phone's own eSIM wizard opens, with no QR code to scan.
• Support chat is built into the app, so you need no browser when something goes wrong.
• Less to manage: with no top-ups and no data counter to watch, the app has little to do once the eSIM is installed.

The Nomad app

Nomad's app is native rather than a wrapped website, so screens open quickly. The standout is a home-screen widget that shows the data you have left without opening the app. On first use we rated it a 9 out of 10 experience. Three things pulled the score down:

• No second install button. Close the prompt after buying and nothing in the app brings it back.
• Offline with no data. The app stops when the plan runs out, so you need Wi-Fi to buy more.
• A lagging counter. Ten minutes after our plan ran out, the app and widget still showed the full 1 GB.

HolaflyHolafly app on Android

NomadNomad app on Android

Installing a Holafly eSIM vs a Nomad eSIM

eSIM installation

Vefru rating

Holafly 9/10

Tap Install in the app, no QR code, and the eSIM connected to 5G straight away.

Nomad 8/10

The QR code from the email worked first time. Dismiss the app's install prompt, though, and the app has no way back to it.

Verdict: Holafly wins by a point. Its one-tap install was the easiest part of the whole Holafly test. Nomad's eSIM installed first time from the emailed QR code, but only after we found that the app had no way back to the install.

Holafly installation and when the plan starts

We tapped Install in the app, the Android eSIM wizard opened and the eSIM connected on 5G with no extra setup. Holafly also has a QR code, which works only once, and manual entry [7]. The plan starts on the first connection to a partner network at the destination, with data roaming on [7].

• Do not delete it: a deleted Holafly eSIM cannot be reinstalled [7], and deleting it also ends the free Always On backup data [1].
• Travel only: the terms exclude use in your home country, the whole EU for EU residents, and cap each stay in one destination at 90 days [1].

Nomad installation and when the plan starts

1. Install before you leave. Validity starts when the eSIM connects to a network at your destination, not at installation [17].
2. Use the first prompt. Nomad has a one-tap install in the app, a QR code and manual entry [17]. Close the prompt and only the QR code in your email is left.
3. Turn on data roaming for the Nomad line on arrival. That was the step that got us online.
4. Activate within 60 days. After that the eSIM activates by itself on day 60 [16]. The Thailand DTAC plan is the exception: it starts on installation.

Both need an unlocked, eSIM-compatible phone, and mainland-China iPhones do not work with Nomad [18]. Check yours in our list of phones with eSIM support. For the phone side, see our guides to adding an eSIM on an iPhone and adding one on a Samsung, and if data does not start, our eSIM troubleshooting guide lists the usual fixes.

Holafly

Nomad

Holafly vs Nomad customer support

Customer support

Vefru rating

Holafly 6/10

Chatbot questions first, then a quick handover to a helpful human. No Czech or Polish in the chat.

Nomad 2/10

An AI bot that loops on APN questions, with no path to a human. An email arrived 10 minutes after we gave up.

Verdict: Holafly wins clearly, and this is its strongest argument in the whole comparison. Both chats start with a bot. Holafly's handed us to a real agent after a few questions; Nomad's never did.

Holafly support in our test

1. Avatars first. The chat opens with photos of three staff, two of them the same person.
2. Language choice. You pick the language of the chat, but Czech and Polish are not on the list.
3. Quick handover. After a few simple bot questions, a real agent took over and gave useful answers.

Contact routes: live chat in the app and on the website, WhatsApp on +1 661 384 8482, and help@holafly.com [1]. There is no phone line.

Nomad support in our test

The bot asked for our order ID, then for our APN settings, with a list of values and no guide on where to find them. None matched our eSIM. While we checked the phone settings, the bot ended the chat and started over from the order ID. There is no text box and no handover to a human.

About 10 minutes after we gave up, an email arrived saying an agent would look at our account. Nomad promises 24/7 chat and email [13] and names hello-cs@nomadesim.com for complaints [11]; we found no phone line or WhatsApp. Its 2 is the lowest score in our ranking of eSIM customer support, and Holafly's 6 sits in the middle.

Holafly

Nomad

Holafly vs Nomad speed test

Speed test

Vefru rating

Holafly 4/10

About 30 to 40 Mbps down and up on a 5G network that normally gives far more. Usable, but it looks throttled.

Nomad 8/10

144 Mbps down and 56 Mbps up on 4G, no throttling. Data stopped at 1.07 GB and the app stopped working with it.

Verdict: Nomad wins clearly. Its fixed plan ran at full 4G speed, about four times Holafly's download. Holafly's unlimited plan held 30 to 40 Mbps all day without slowing further. The two tests ran on different networks, and we tested Nomad's fixed plan, not its unlimited one.

Holafly speed and its fair-use rule

Holafly ran at about 30 Mbps both ways from the first test. A local Sunrise 5G SIM reaches around 700 Mbps at the same spot, so the limit sits on the eSIM, not the signal. After about 6 GB in one day it still held 30 to 40 Mbps. That is enough for maps, streaming and video calls.

Holafly's terms let the network slow "excessive" use, with no threshold in GB and no reduced speed published [1]. Its FAQ says any reduction lasts no more than one day [5]. Hotspot is capped at 1 GB a day on trip eSIMs [8]; if you need more for a laptop, a portable Wi-Fi hotspot may suit you better.

Nomad speed and the 2 GB unlimited allowance

Nomad ran at 144 Mbps down and 56 Mbps up on 4G, what an uncapped connection delivers. The data stopped at 1.07 GB and the app went offline with it. On unlimited plans, Nomad's help center says most give 2 GB a day at full speed, then about 1 or 2 Mbps [19]. Its country pages quote 512 kbps, so plan on that as the worst case.

For heavy users the two rules point in opposite directions. Nomad is much faster for the first 2 GB of each day, then slower than Holafly. Our 4G vs 5G explainer shows what each speed is enough for.

Holafly

Nomad

Holafly vs Nomad prices

Prices

Vefru rating

Holafly 4/10

One simple price grid, but about 9% dearer than other unlimited eSIMs and the most expensive in half of our comparisons.

Nomad 8/10

Close to the typical rate at every size and rarely the dearest. Cheap in Africa and the Americas, dearer in Europe and the US.

Verdict: Nomad wins. Its unlimited plans cost 8% to 12% less than Holafly's for the same number of days, and its fixed-data plans are cheaper still for most trips. Holafly's only edge is choice on unlimited trips longer than 10 days, where Nomad sells very few plans.

Holafly vs Nomad unlimited prices

This is the like-for-like comparison, because unlimited is all Holafly sells. Holafly uses one grid in most of its countries, and its US page shows the same numbers [8]. Nomad's figures are medians from our comparison tool, as of 2 Oct 2026.

Across all unlimited comparisons, Holafly costs about 9% more than other providers and had the most expensive plan in 49% of them. Nomad's unlimited plans cost about 6% less than typical and were the dearest in only 2.5%. Some Holafly countries sit above its own grid: Israel, South Korea, Mexico and the UAE start at $12.50 for 3 days, and India costs $111.90 for 30 days.

Nomad fixed-data plans: the cheaper path Holafly does not sell

For most trips a fixed plan costs less than unlimited. Nomad's medians across single-country plans, as of 2 Oct 2026, against Holafly's unlimited price for the same trip length:

Nomad's 10 GB plan for 30 days costs less than a week of Holafly. Holafly's 30-day price is about 1.6 times Nomad's 50 GB plan, so Holafly only pays off if you use more than about 50 GB a month. Nomad also sells a 1 GB, 3-day trial plan at $2.00 in 72 countries. Our travel data calculator shows which side of that line you fall on.

Global plans, subscriptions and free data

• Global: Holafly's Global eSIM costs $24.90 for 3 days and $161.50 for 30 [9]. Nomad's Global plan covers 123 destinations from $5.15 per GB, and its long-term Global-EX plans run up to a year [14].
• Holafly Plans: a subscription eSIM at €59.95 a month for unlimited data or €45.95 for 25 GB [10]. It renews every 30 days or every year, and if you cancel, nothing comes back for unused time [2].
• Top-ups and free data: Holafly sells no top-ups [6], but every trip eSIM bought from 25 Feb 2026 includes 1 GB of free Always On data per 30 days after the plan ends [1]. Nomad sells add-on packs on some plans.

For cheap global unlimited data, Maya Mobile charges $49.99 for 30 days, a third of Holafly's global price; see our Maya Mobile review.

Where Nomad sits on 10 GB, 30-day plans

All providers ranked by median price per GB for 10 GB, 30-day plans, the same basket as in every Vefru provider review. Holafly does not appear because it sells no fixed-data plans.

Holafly and Nomad against the market

The box below sums up both providers' price position against the market: how often each had the cheapest or dearest plan, where each is a good deal, and the countries where Nomad is clearly cheaper. Holafly sells only unlimited plans, so it has no rank among fixed-data providers.

Holafly vs Nomad: prices

Nomad is the cheaper of the two: its unlimited plans sit about 6% below the market and Holafly's about 9% above it, and only Nomad sells fixed-data plans. Holafly has no fixed-data rank, because unlimited plans are all it sells.

Cheapest plan in Holafly1% Nomad7%

Most expensive plan in Holafly49% Nomad6%

Share of comparisons where each provider had the cheapest, or the most expensive, plan. Holafly: 168 unlimited comparisons (same country and trip length). Nomad: fixed-data comparisons (same country, data amount and trip length).

Who is cheaper for what

Holafly Nomad

By plan type

Fixed data none sold average

Unlimited pricier cheaper

By region

Europe pricier pricier

Asia pricier average

Africa pricier cheaper

Oceania pricier cheaper

North America average cheaper

South America average cheaper

Region pills compare Holafly's unlimited plans and Nomad's fixed-data plans with the market for the same kind of plan. Holafly's South America and Oceania rest on one country each (Peru and Australia).

Where Nomad is clearly cheaper

Nomad is cheaper in

• Thailand
• India
• Peru

Countries where Nomad had the cheapest unlimited plans of any provider, as of 2 Oct 2026. In Thailand and India, Holafly's unlimited plans sit well above its rivals.

Based on all 173 Holafly plans and all 1,465 Nomad plans, each compared with 13 other providers for the same country, data amount and trip length. How we compare prices (prices as of 2 Oct 2026).

Go to Holafly Go to Nomad Compare both providers

Neither is the price leader. eSIM4Travel and Global YO cost about a third less than the typical provider, as our cheapest eSIM comparison shows.

What customers say about Holafly and Nomad

Customer feedback

Vefru rating

Holafly 9.4/10

4.7 on Trustpilot from over 113,000 reviews, among the best-rated providers we track. Slow data is the main complaint.

Nomad 8.6/10

Trustpilot 4.3 from 44,625 reviews and 4.8 on the App Store. Praise for easy setup; complaints about dropouts and chatbot support.

Verdict: Holafly wins. It holds 4.7 on Trustpilot from 113,513 reviews against Nomad's 4.3 from 44,625, and it rates as high or higher on both app stores. Customers of both praise easy setup and a connection that works on landing.

The complaints match our own tests. Holafly's reviewers describe slow data even with full signal bars, which fits our speed test. Nomad's describe a chatbot first and refunds refused or paid as points, which fits our support test. Our analysis of customer reviews across 11 providers sets them against the rest.

What customers say about Holafly and Nomad

Trustpilot reviews and app store ratings for both providers, read in October 2026.

Holafly Nomad

Trustpilot 4.7/5113,513 reviews 4.3/544,625 reviews

App Store 4.8/514k ratings 4.8/516k ratings

Google Play 4.7/577.8k ratings 4.5/515.4k ratings

Both have tens of thousands of reviews, so neither rating rests on a small sample.

What customers like and dislike

Holafly

Buying and installing the eSIM is quick, even for people who are not confident with technology

Support replies within minutes and walks customers through fixes

The connection stays reliable for the whole trip in most countries

Data can be slow or unstable in some places, even with full signal bars

Support often starts with an AI bot repeating the same steps, and refunds can be partial or slow

Nomad

The eSIM is easy to buy and install, and usually connects as soon as you land

Coverage is reliable in most countries, including China, where Google and WhatsApp work without a VPN

Support agents in the chat are helpful and quickly fix setup problems

The connection can be slow or drop out, and coverage outside cities is patchy

Support often starts with a chatbot, and refunds are usually refused or paid as points

One typical review each

HolaflySupport

This is my second Holafly eSIM. My first one in France and Spain worked without hiccup. This second one activated in Bangkok has had a hiccup and stopped working. Contacted Holafly support via the app and MariaVittoria got onto it rapidly, diagnosed the problem with screenshots of my iPhone settings and walked me through simple steps to remedy it. No messing about and it’s now working perfectly.

NomadEase of use

Nomad was easier to use compared to another service and it just worked for me during my Asia trip.

Where customers report good experiences

Holafly

• United States
• China
• United Kingdom
• Italy

Nomad

• China
• United States
• Japan
• Spain

Go to Holafly Go to Nomad Compare all eSIMs

Holafly vs Nomad coverage: where each eSIM works

Coverage

Vefru rating

Holafly 9/10

First of 14 providers in our traveler reports: 92% of country-level reports say it worked.

Nomad 9/10

Widest country list in our comparison tool. Traveler reports put it at the market average: strong in East Asia, weak in Türkiye and Greece.

Verdict: a tie on our score, for different reasons. Holafly is the more reliable: travelers report it working in 2,220 of 2,406 country-level reports (92.3%), first of 14 providers. Nomad worked in 85.7% of 3,050, right at the market average, but sells in more places.

"Worked in" is separate from our test score: travelers tell us whether an eSIM worked in a country, yes or no. Both samples run into the thousands, so the figures in the big destinations are solid.

Where Holafly works and where it does not

Holafly is strongest in Western Europe, at 378 of 393 reports (96%), plus Türkiye and Vietnam (36 of 37). Adjusted for where its users travel, it had 49% fewer failures than the other providers in the same countries. Its weak spots are New Zealand and Romania (5 of 7). In the US it runs on AT&T and T-Mobile [8].

Holafly's own country counts vary from page to page: its Global page says 142 countries while the FAQ on the same page says 121 [9]. Our count of its product sitemap found 189 country and territory pages.

Where Nomad works and where it does not

Nomad's shop lists 211 destinations, including Russia, Belarus, Venezuela and Cuba, but not Iran, Syria, North Korea or Myanmar [14]. It is strongest in East and Southeast Asia: Singapore 98% of 58, South Korea 96% of 56, Japan 92% of 171 and China 91% of 388. It is also strong in the US (94% of 263) and Spain (93% of 101).

Its weak spots are Türkiye, Greece (68% of 88) and New Zealand. For a Türkiye trip, our Türkiye eSIM guide names the strongest options; for the UK, see our UK guide. The two boxes below show each provider's full country list, Holafly first.

Holafly vs Nomad terms and conditions

Verdict: Holafly's terms are friendlier. It gives six months to ask for a refund on an unused eSIM, refunds network faults after activation and must warn you 30 days before worse terms apply. Nomad pays refunds out faster, but stops refunding at activation and never refunds unlimited plans.

Holafly's contract is with Holafly Limited in Dublin, under Irish law, and consumers keep the right to claim in their own country [1]. Nomad's terms call the seller "nomadesim.com (Nomad)" and send disputes to California courts [11]; the privacy policy names LotusFlare as the parent company [12].

What's in the Holafly and Nomad terms

Both lean toward the provider on unlimited data and liability. Holafly is friendlier on refunds and on warning you before worse terms apply; Nomad pays refunds out faster.

Holafly Nomad

Unused eSIM Six months to ask for a refundAn unused eSIM bought from Holafly's own site or app can be refunded for up to 6 months. Unused eSIMs can be refunded in fullAn eSIM never installed or activated may be fully refundable; ask within 30 days of purchase.

Connection problems Refunds for network faults tooA full or partial refund when the fault is Holafly's or the network's; report it during the trip, partial refunds carry a USD 3.50 fee. Refunds stop once the eSIM is activatedAfter activation, money comes back only for a verified technical problem on Nomad's side.

Unlimited data Can be slowed, with no limit written downThe network may restrict speed or data for excessive use; no GB threshold and no reduced speed are given. Never refunded, 2 GB a dayThe refund policy rules out every unlimited plan, and full speed lasts 2 GB a day in most of them.

Liability Capped at what you paid, or €100Liability is limited to what you paid in the previous 12 months or €100, whichever is greater. Capped at three months of your paymentsNomad owes you at most what you paid in the 3 months before the claim, and nothing for outages.

Terms updates 30 days' notice before worse terms applyUpdates to your disadvantage, prices and limits included, need at least 30 days' notice, and you can cancel first. Terms can be updated without telling youNomad updates the terms by moving the 'Last updated' date, and you waive any right to specific notice.

Refund payout Back to your account in 3 to 5 daysRefunds go to the original payment method in 3 to 5 business days after you email help@holafly.com. Your choice of points or cardNomad Points arrive instantly and a card refund takes 2 to 5 business days.

Red flag Watch out Fair

Sources: Holafly: Trip Service terms and conditions, Holafly Plans terms and conditions, Privacy policy (updated 22 Jul 2026), Refund policy. Nomad: Terms and conditions (updated 19 Mar 2026), Privacy policy, Refund policy (updated 24 Aug 2026). Read on 7 Oct 2026. Our reading, not legal advice.

Holafly vs Nomad: refunds and your data

• Holafly: a full refund needs a purchase through Holafly's own site or app, no activation and a request within 6 months; the money comes back in 3 to 5 business days [4]. Always On data is not refundable [1].
• Nomad: besides unlimited plans, UK voice plans, the Thailand 10-day 50 GB plan and the Europe Nomad Pass are never refunded [20]. The terms also say the eSIM cannot call 911, 112 or any emergency number [11].
• Your data: Holafly logs device identifiers, usage and support calls and keeps payment records for 7 years [3]. Nomad stores personal data in the US, shares identifiers with ad partners and keeps usage data for 12 months and invoices for 7 years [12].

Holafly vs Nomad: which eSIM to pick

Verdict: Nomad wins this Holafly vs Nomad comparison, 7.3 against 6.9. It is faster, cheaper for unlimited data, and the only one of the two with fixed-data plans, which suit most trips better than unlimited.

Holafly's case is real, though. Its support reaches a person, its terms are friendlier, and travelers report it working in 92% of cases, the best result we track. If you are not confident fixing an eSIM yourself, that matters more than speed. For how each one does against Airalo, see our Airalo vs Holafly comparison and our Airalo vs Nomad comparison.

Holafly or Nomad: which one should you pick?

Based on our tests, Nomad is the better all-round eSIM: faster, cheaper and with fixed-data plans. Holafly is the better pick when reliable data and a human on chat matter most.

Our pick

6.9/10

Pick Holafly if you

• Want to reach a human in the chat if something goes wrong.
• Want unlimited data with no daily counter, for trips of 15 days or more.
• Are going to the UK, Switzerland, Türkiye or Western Europe, where Holafly reports are strongest.
• Want six months to ask for a refund on an unused eSIM.

Travelers who want one simple unlimited plan that works on arrival.

Go to Holafly Read the full Holafly review

Our pick

7.3/10

Pick Nomad if you

• Need a fixed amount of data, from 1 GB to 50 GB, at a lower price than any Holafly plan.
• Want fast data: 144 Mbps in our test against Holafly's 30 to 40 Mbps.
• Are going to Singapore, South Korea, Japan, China or the US, where Nomad reports are strong.
• Know eSIMs well and will not need to talk to anyone at support.

Experienced travelers who want fast data at a fair price.

Go to Nomad Read the full Nomad review

Look at another provider if you

• Want the lowest price and the best support: eSIM4Travel, the highest-scoring provider in our tests, scored 10 for both.
• Want cheap global unlimited data: Maya Mobile charges $49.99 for 30 days.
• Want a polished app and a human on chat fast: Saily also scored 10 for support.

Compare every provider for your destination

Holafly and Nomad plans and prices

Verdict: the tables above are a snapshot; the finder below is live. Pick your destination, or several, to see every Holafly and Nomad plan side by side with current prices.

For a two-country trip, try Holafly and Nomad for Thailand and Vietnam: Nomad is the cheaper of the two in Thailand, while Holafly worked for 36 of 37 travelers in Vietnam. Our Thailand eSIM guide and Vietnam eSIM guide cover the rest of the field.