By Lisa Salter
Montreal travel advisor · Updated August 4, 2026
Nomad is one of the better-value travel eSIMs — and the one heavy hotspot users keep recommending. But it isn't flawless. Here's an honest review for Canadian travellers.
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See eSIM plansWhat is Nomad, and how does it work?
Nomad is a data-pack eSIM covering 200+ destinations across six continents. You buy a plan online, install it by QR code or the app, and connect on arrival. Most plans are a set amount of data with validity that starts on first use, so you can install in advance. There's a 1 GB free trial in some locations, and a "Nomad Pass" subscription (about US$3/month for 1 GB across 35+ European countries) for frequent Europe travellers. You keep your Canadian number; the eSIM carries data.
What Nomad does well
Best per-GB at 5–10 GB
Often the cheapest cost-per-gigabyte of the major eSIMs at mid and larger sizes — below Holafly across plans.
Uncapped hotspot
Tethering is allowed on every plan, and Nomad does not advertise the daily hotspot ceiling Holafly applies at roughly 500 MB to 1 GB. Some comparison sites do report a daily cap, so if heavy tethering is the whole reason you are buying, check the current terms before you commit.
Validity from first use
The clock starts when you arrive, not when you buy — install early without wasting days.
Great app + free trial
A highly rated app, a 1 GB free trial in some places, and Nomad Pass for regular Europe trips.
Where Nomad falls short
Region-specific reports
Some 2026 reviews flag outages or weak connections in certain places (Japan/Tokyo came up) — check recent reports for your destination.
Can be slow
Support skews toward chat and tickets and can take a while to reach a person; there's no phone hotline.
Charged in US dollars
Plans are priced in USD, so a Canadian card adds conversion and usually a foreign-transaction fee on top of the sticker price.
Sometimes below Airalo
A few independent tests show slightly slower speeds than Airalo in the same conditions.
What Nomad actually costs
Nomad's pricing is the reason most people end up here, so it is worth being specific rather than vague. Pay-as-you-go rates start around US$1.10 per gigabyte, small country plans open at roughly US$4.50 for 1 GB, and the cheapest per-gigabyte rates sit on the larger US plans, which drop to around half a dollar per gigabyte.
Where Nomad fits for the trips Canadians actually take
Value per gigabyte matters most when you are using a lot of data, which is not every trip. A week in a resort runs three to five gigabytes; a fortnight navigating Japan by train can pass ten. Nomad's advantage grows with the size of the plan, so it is strongest exactly where you need the most.
It is competitive across Mexico, the Dominican Republic and mainland Europe, which covers most Canadian winter and summer travel. The exception is Cuba, where every provider is expensive for the same structural reason — one state carrier with few roaming partners — so shopping around saves less than you would hope.
If you are sharing data to a partner's laptop or a tablet, the uncapped tethering is the single feature that separates Nomad from Holafly, which throttles hotspot use to a few hundred megabytes a day.
Who should not buy Nomad
Look at Holafly
Nomad sells set data amounts. If you want genuinely unlimited data on one handset and do not need to tether, Holafly is built for that.
Check Airalo first
Airalo's country list is longer. For smaller islands and less-travelled countries, check coverage before assuming Nomad reaches them.
Neither will call you back
Every major eSIM brand is chat and ticket support. If something fails at an airport, none of them has a phone number that reaches a human quickly.
Nomad vs Airalo vs Holafly — the quick take
Choose Nomad for the best value on bigger data plans and for uncapped tethering. Choose Airalo for the widest coverage and the cheapest light plan. Choose Holafly if you want truly unlimited data on one phone and don't mind paying for it. For most Canadian leisure trips, value and tethering make Nomad a strong contender — just sanity-check recent coverage for your specific destination.
Frequently asked questions
Can I top up a Nomad plan when it runs out?
Yes. Buying a data add-on in the app adds it to the eSIM you already installed — no new QR code and no reinstalling. Older reviews describe the eSIM deactivating when a plan was used up; that is no longer how it works.
Is Nomad priced in Canadian dollars?
No, plans are in US dollars. Budget for the exchange rate plus whatever foreign-transaction fee your card charges — typically around 2.5% — which is why a plan costs a little more than the advertised price on a Canadian statement.
Is Nomad eSIM good value?
Yes — at 5 GB and 10 GB it often has the best cost-per-gigabyte of the major eSIMs, and it undercuts Holafly across plan sizes.
Can I use Nomad as a hotspot?
Yes — tethering is allowed on all Nomad plans with no separate cap, which makes it a strong choice if you share data to a laptop or tablet.
Is Nomad reliable?
Generally yes, but some 2026 reviews report connection issues in specific regions (such as parts of Japan). Check recent reports for your destination before buying.
Does Nomad have unlimited data?
Most plans are a set amount of data rather than unlimited. If you want true unlimited on one phone, Holafly is the better-known option.
Can I get a refund?
Yes — refund requests within 30 days are accepted, and uninstalled or unactivated plans can be fully refunded.
Value, unlimited or tethering — which matters for your trip? Lisa Salter, a Montréal travel advisor, matches the right eSIM to how you travel and sets it up before you fly — in French or English. Ask Lisa →
