Nomad launched in 2020 by a company called LotusFlare and they've been at this longer than most budget eSIM providers. Coverage is solid with somewhere between 170-200+ countries depending on which source you look into. The big selling point is reliability, people describe Nomad as "it just works" which is probably one of the more valuable things when searching for an eSIM. You can have all the bells and whistles but if the basic product doesn't work, what are you doing?
Pricing is mid-range. Not the cheapest and not expensive with plans starting around $4.50 for 1GB that go up from there. They have local plans, regional plans, and even a global plan that covers 136 countries if you're really moving around and want to stay with one provider.
Globie was built by travelers who got tired of paying too much for eSIMs and decided to make their own. The aim is to simplify the process, provide some of the best pricing in the world's top destinations, and roll out some cool features that other products don't have. Globie covers 176 countries with best pricing in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. They're not trying to compete on total country count, what they're competing on is price in the places where most trips actually happen / where people most often want to travel to.
Neither has true unlimited data. Globie is data-capped completely. Nomad has some "unlimited" plans but they're actually 2GB of high-speed data per day, then throttled after that. So basically not fully unlimited as you might be thinking.
Coverage - The Numbers Game
Nomad covers more countries on paper. Up to, if not more than 200+. Globie covers 176 with about 17 different regional packages available.
But here's the thing that most people look over when assessing based on the country count- when you actually look at where those extra countries are, most people aren't going there. Nomad wins the coverage numbers game but it doesn't really matter unless you're heading somewhere super obscure. Which chances are, you probably aren't.
Where Nomad actually wins on coverage is the multiple carrier options. In most countries Nomad gives you 2-3 different network carriers to choose from- pretty cool imo. So if one network sucks in your area, you can just switch to another. That's genuinely useful and Globie doesn't have that yet. Yet being the key word here.
Both support 5G where available. Both let you use a hotspot whenever you need it and both have regional packages so you're not buying a new plan every time you cross a border in Europe, Asia, the Americas, or the Middle East.
The Top-Up Situation
The top-up situation is different between them. Nomad lets you add more data mid-trip through the app without buying a whole new plan. Globie doesn't have this yet so if you run out, you're buying another full package. That gap matters if you're the type who burns through data faster than expected. But it realistically isn't that bad given how easy it is to add and remove eSIMs.
Pricing - This Is Where Globie Fights Back
Nomad's pricing is public and pretty straightforward, you're looking at around $4.50-$45 depending on where you're going and how much data you need. Europe is usually around $6-10 for 3GB and Asia is similar. The pricing is super competitive and makes sense even when comparing to the hyper local options, it's not the absolute cheapest that you can find everywhere but it is very competitive.
One thing people mention in reviews - the difference between 1GB and 3GB plans on Nomad hover around $1-2. So if you're buying Nomad, skip the 1GB plans. They're not the greatest value for your dollar. Always go for at least 3GB because the price-per-GB drops significantly around that point.
Globie has priced really aggressively in Europe, Asia, and the Americas and is genuinely cheaper than Nomad in a lot of cases. Globie also accepts multiple currencies so you're not dealing with USD conversion fees if your card charges those (often a hidden cost most people don't realise until after checkout).
Globie also runs promos constantly, so the sticker price you see often isn't what you actually pay because there's some discount code or sale happening. Nomad does this less frequently from what I've observed.
For a direct comparison - if your trip is mainly Europe or Asia, check Globie's pricing first before you make a purchase. There's a high chance it could be noticeably cheaper. If you're going somewhere more obscure or need that multi-carrier flexibility, Nomad might be worth the extra few dollars.
Image of Globie Logo
The Reliability Thing Everyone Talks About
This is where Nomad's reputation really comes from. You'll see this often on review platforms and other places that speak about Nomad.
People consistently describe Nomad as just working. Not the fastest, not the cheapest, but reliable. It may be a bland review, but that's kinda all you want out of most eSIMs. The connection is stable, setup is straightforward, it connects when you land, yada yada yada, basically no drama. What you want out of a product.
That consistency is worth something if you are an experienced traveler. I've used eSIMs that were $2 cheaper than Nomad but spent 45 minutes trying to get them to connect properly in an airport and at that point the $2 savings wasn't worth it. I was giving myself far more trouble than saving.
Globie's reviews are more limited because they're newer. The reviews that exist are positive but there's just fewer of them. Right now they have a perfect 5 star rating on Trust pilot, so if you need reassurance you have an external site with some great initial feedback. Reliability seems fine from what people report but Nomad has years of "it works every time" testimonials backing it up. Globie has yet to show any reason why it would not be on par if not better.
If you're the type who values proven reliability over saving a few bucks, Nomad's track record matters.
What About Support?
24/7 Live Chat Support
In theory. In practice, some reviews mention wait times or slow responses. It's there, it's available around the clock, but it's not always instant. You'll find some folks saying they got help in minutes, others waited longer. Your mileage may vary, amigo.
Business Hours
Small team. If something breaks at 3am in a random timezone, you're waiting until their business hours start, but they will always help you. And, if you see something missing on the site / product, there's a high chance they will build it for you. Responses come within hours during working time, not immediately.
This is a real difference. If 24/7 support matters to you - even if it's not always lightning-fast - Nomad has it and Globie doesn't. Can't argue that one too much, but Globie does have an extremely fast moving team so they will solve your problems and then some.
If you're comfortable troubleshooting yourself or can wait a few hours for support, Globie's setup is fine. Most eSIM issues are actually setup problems that get resolved before you travel anyway.
The App Experience
Nomad's app is really clean. Probably one of the better eSIM app interfaces with everything where you'd expect it to be. That can be such a relief so that you don't have to relearn what you're doing every time you open the app. Installation is simple and tracking your data usage is straightforward. Multiple people mention the app being intuitive and easy to use. Try it for yourself and see what you enjoy.
Globie's site is clean too but it's newer so it has fewer features built out. The core functionality works - buy plan, install, activate. But Nomad's app is more polished because they've had years to refine it. The cool thing with Globie is that what you see this week will be even better the next week.
For people who aren't super tech-savvy, Nomad's app experience is probably less intimidating.
The Stuff That Adds Up
- Multiple carriers to choose from in most countries
- Top-up available through app
- Loyalty points program (~$5 per referral)
- 24/7 support (though speed varies)
- Airport lounge access with some plans
- Clean, polished app
- Been around since 2020
- 29,000+ Trustpilot reviews
- Multi-currency support
- Aggressive pricing in Europe/Asia/Americas
- Multi-currency payment (no conversion surprises)
- Pick your activation date
- Constant promos and discounts
- Simpler, leaner product
- Smaller team, newer company
- Building out features actively
Nomad just has more stuff because they've been doing this longer. The loyalty program exists. The app is mature. The support infrastructure is built out.
Globie is leaner and focused on being cheaper in the regions where you are most likely to visit. Whether that lean approach is good or bad depends on what you value and where you are traveling to.
Who Should Pick Which?
Go with Nomad if:
- You value proven reliability over saving $3-5
- You want multiple carrier options to switch between
- The polished app experience matters to you
- You need 24/7 support availability (even if response times vary)
- You're going somewhere obscure where that extra country coverage matters
- You want top-up capability mid-trip
- You travel frequently and want loyalty points
Go with Globie if:
- Your trip is mainly Europe, Asia, or the Americas
- Price is your main deciding factor
- You're comfortable with business-hours support
- Multi-currency billing matters (avoiding conversion fees)
- You don't need the multi-carrier flexibility
- You're fine with a leaner, simpler product
- You want to take advantage of constant promos
What I Actually Think
This isn't as clear-cut as some other comparisons. Both are great and both lean on reliability. My true honest answer is that it depends on what type of travel you are doing.
Nomad has the track record that they've built doing this since 2020. The reliability reputation is pretty solid - people consistently report that it works without drama or other B.S. The app is polished and you have support available 24/7 even if it's not always instant. In the end, you're paying a bit more but you're getting that proven consistency.
Globie is the scrappier option with a newer team, leaner product, but priced aggressively in the most commonly visited places on the planet. If your trip is Europe or Asia, Globie is often noticeably cheaper for the same level of quality. The multi-currency thing is genuinely useful if you hate surprise conversion fees.
For a first-time eSIM user or someone who just wants zero hassle, I'd probably lean Nomad. The extra $3-5 is worth it for that "it just works" peace of mind and the polished app experience.
For someone who's used eSIMs before and knows the setup process, Globie makes more sense if you're going to their strong regions. You're comfortable with the technology, you don't need hand-holding, and you'd rather save the money for just as solid of an experience.
Neither one is a bad choice. Nomad is the safer bet and Globie is the better value in specific regions.
Honestly? If you're going to Europe, check Globie's pricing first. If you're going somewhere less common or want that multi-carrier flexibility, go with Nomad. If you're still unsure, just pick Globie.
That's the honest answer.
Try Globie on your next trip - built by travelers who got tired of the overpriced options.
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