Nomad eSIM plans and prices
Nomad sells fixed amounts of data, most valid 30 days, plus unlimited plans by the day. Here is what it costs in Thailand, where it is the pick, and in Japan and Spain for comparison.
| Plan | Thailand | Japan | Spain |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 GB, 7 days | $5.00 | $4.00 | $4.00 |
| 5 GB, 30 days | $8.00 | $10.00 | $9.00 |
| 10 GB, 30 days | $10.00 | $16.00 | $14.00 |
| 20 GB, 30 days | Not offered | $23.00 | $21.00 |
| 50 GB, 10 days | $15.00 | Not offered | Not offered |
| 50 GB, 30 days | Not offered | $35.00 | $35.00 |
| "Unlimited", 7 days | Not offered | $25.00 | $25.00 |
| "Unlimited", 10 days | $15.00 | Not offered | $33.00 |
Prices checked Nov 9, 2026, in US dollars. Plan sizes change from one country to the next: Thailand has a 50 GB plan for 10 days, Japan and Spain one for 30. The price on Nomad's site when you buy is the one that counts.
Two weeks in Thailand with maps, Grab and messages fit in 10 GB, which costs $10.00 and stays valid for a month.
Get Nomad for ThailandWhat you get with a Nomad eSIM
Networks, hotspot and the start date decide more about a trip than the price list does. Refunds are the one gap.
What you actually get with Nomad speed, hotspot, refunds
- Network in Thailand
- AIS and dtac on the 10 GB plan, True on the 10-day 50 GB and unlimited plans, all with 5G
- Network in Japan
- KDDI (au) and SoftBank. Plans over 10 GB use KDDI only. 5G is supported
- Hotspot
- Allowed on every plan, says Nomad
- When the days start
- When your phone first connects to a network in the country. A plan not started within 60 days of purchase starts by itself
- Unlimited plans
- Full speed for 2 GB a day, then 1 Mbps until the next day
- If you run out
- Add-on data from Nomad's shop, added to the same eSIM
- Phone number
- Some Nomad eSIMs include a local number, and the plan details say which. Your US line stays on for calls and texts either way
- If your trip changes
- Not stated by Nomad
From Nomad's country pages and help answers, and its plan list on esimdb, Nov 9, 2026.
Nomad eSIM for Thailand
Thailand is where Nomad wins outright. Four providers sell 10 GB for a month there, and Nomad is the cheapest of them.
| Provider | 10 GB, 30 days | Network |
|---|---|---|
| Nomad | $10.00 | AIS and dtac, 5G |
| Saily | $10.99 | Not stated by Saily |
| Airalo | $11.00 | AIS and True, 5G |
| Ubigi | $11.00 | AIS and True Move |
The gap is small, so the network settles it as much as the price. Nomad's plan names the network it uses, and Saily's doesn't. For a trip of 10 days or less with heavy use, the 50 GB plan runs on True and costs about $15.00 for five times the data.
Nomad is also my pick for Mexico, on AT&T and Movistar.
Thailand, 10 GB, 30 days at $10.00.
Get Nomad for ThailandNomad's 50 GB plans and hotspot
If a laptop will live on your phone's connection, Nomad's large plans are the reason to buy it. Hotspot is allowed on all of them, and a video call on a laptop uses about 1 GB an hour.
| Trip | Nomad, 50 GB | Airalo, 50 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | $15.00 (10 days) | $27.50 (30 days) |
| Greece | $31.00 (30 days) | $42.00 (30 days) |
| China | $37.00 (45 days) | $49.00 (30 days) |
| Japan | $35.00 (30 days) | Not offered |
In Japan, the 50 GB plan runs on KDDI only, and no other provider here sells a fixed plan that large for Japan. Holafly's unlimited plan stops sharing at 1 GB a day, which the Holafly review covers. Unsure whether you need 50 GB at all? The data calculator sizes your trip.
How a Nomad eSIM starts
Nomad lets you install weeks ahead. The plan waits until your phone reaches a network in the country.
1At home, any time in the 60 days before
Buy and scan the QR code
Nomad sends the code in its app and by email. Scan it on Wi-Fi at home. The eSIM appears as a second line and nothing counts yet.
2On the plane
Keep your US line from roaming
Keep Data Roaming off on your US line for the whole trip, so it can't start a day pass when you land.
3At Suvarnabhumi
Pick Nomad for data
Choose the Nomad line for cellular data and turn on its Data Roaming. It joins AIS or dtac, and the 30 days start from that moment.
Every screen on an iPhone is in how to set up an eSIM on iPhone, and on Pixel and Galaxy in how to set up an eSIM on Android.
When Nomad isn't the right eSIM
Nomad comes second on price in most of Europe, and loses outright on two kinds of trip.
One country in Europe
Ubigi's 10 GB costs about $12.00 in Italy against about $18.50 for Nomad, and the pattern repeats in Spain, France, Greece and the UK. The Ubigi review has the country-by-country prices.
China
Airalo writes on its own help page that Google and WhatsApp work without a VPN, so it is the pick for China even at a higher price.
Streaming every day
Nomad's unlimited plans slow to 1 Mbps after 2 GB a day. Holafly publishes no daily cap.
Refunds
Nomad doesn't publish what happens if your trip is cancelled. Holafly refunds to your card, and Airalo gives store credit.
Nomad vs Airalo
The comparison people make most often before buying Nomad. In Thailand, Nomad wins on price and Airalo on unlimited data and written terms.
10 GB in Thailand
$10.00Wins10 GB, 30 days
$11.0010 GB, 30 days
Nomad, by $1.00
50 GB in Thailand
$15.00Wins50 GB, 10 days
$27.5050 GB, 30 days
Nomad, if 10 days cover your trip
Unlimited, 10 days in Thailand
$15.002 GB a day, then 1 Mbps
$31.00Wins5 GB a day, then 1 Mbps
Airalo, more full-speed data each day for heavy users
If plans change
Not statedno refund terms published
AirmoneyWinsAiralo's store credit
Airalo, the terms are in writing
Airalo's Europe and China plans in the Airalo review, and every destination with its pick in all destinations.
Nomad eSIM review questions
How much is Nomad eSIM?
In Thailand, $5.00 for 1 GB over 7 days, $10.00 for 10 GB over 30 days and $15.00 for 50 GB over 10 days (Nov 9, 2026). Japan costs more: $16.00 for 10 GB.
Are Nomad eSIMs legit?
Yes. Nomad sells data plans that install from a QR code like any other eSIM, on the main local networks: AIS and dtac in Thailand, KDDI and SoftBank in Japan, Movistar and Orange in Spain.
Which is better, Airalo or Nomad?
For one country, Nomad is usually cheaper: about $10.00 against about $11.00 for 10 GB in Thailand. For several countries in Europe on one plan, Airalo Eurolink is the better buy, and Airalo is the pick for China.
Does Nomad eSIM give you a phone number?
Some Nomad eSIMs do, and the plan details say which. Most travelers don't need one: your US line stays on for calls and texts, and WhatsApp or FaceTime calls run over the Nomad data.
Is Nomad better than Holafly?
For most trips, yes, because a fixed plan costs much less than unlimited: 10 days in Thailand cost about $36.50 with Holafly against about $10.00 for Nomad's 10 GB. Holafly is the better buy if you stream every day, since Nomad's unlimited slows after 2 GB a day.