Best eSIM for digital nomads (2026): 7 providers compared

For a digital nomad who stays a month in one country, the cheapest option is usually a single-country 30-day plan, and NomadGB was cheapest for 20GB in 5 of the 6 nomad bases we checked. In Mexico, Nomad ($27.50) and Airalo ($31) beat our $33.49. If you need "unlimited" data for video calls, Maya Mobile is cheapest at $49.99 for 30 days (5GB a day at full speed). If you hop between many countries, Ubigi's global plan ($39 for 10GB) is cheaper than ours ($50.49).

How we compared: we read prices on each provider's own website on 13 November 2026 and our own catalog the same week. Nomads care about different things than tourists, so we compared 30-day plans, price for 20GB in popular nomad bases, 30-day unlimited plans with their real speed caps, global plans for border hoppers, hotspot rules and top-ups. Saily blocks automated checks, so its prices are "not checked".

20GB for 30 days in popular nomad bases (November 2026)

Cheapest data-only plan of 20GB to 25GB valid 30 days, from each provider's own site. A dash means no plan of that size.

Country	NomadGB	Airalo	Nomad	Ubigi	Cheapest 30-day "unlimited"
Thailand	$11.49 (20GB)	$18.00 (20GB)	-	$24.90 (25GB)	Airalo or Ubigi $49.00
Mexico	$33.49 (20GB)	$31.00 (20GB)	$27.50 (20GB)	-	Maya $49.99
Colombia	$34.49 (20GB)	$39.00 (20GB)	$39.00 (20GB)	-	Maya $49.99
Portugal	$11.49 (20GB)	$19.00 (20GB)	$20.00 (20GB)	$28.00 (25GB)	Ubigi $48.00
Indonesia (Bali)	$11.49 (20GB)	$35.00 (20GB)	$29.00 (20GB)	$28.00 (25GB)	Maya $49.99
Vietnam	$17.49 (20GB)	$29.00 (20GB)	$25.00 (20GB)	-	Maya $49.99

7 global eSIMs compared (November 2026)

For nomads who change country every few weeks, these are the global plans:

Provider	Cheapest plan	~5GB	~10GB	~20GB	Unlimited or daily (about 7 days)
NomadGB	1GB / 7 days: $7.99	$27.99 (5GB, 30d)	$50.49 (10GB, 30d)	$84.99 (20GB, 90d)	not offered
Airalo	1GB / 7 days: $8.50	$35.00 (5GB, 60d)	$57.00 (10GB, 180d)	$66.00 (20GB, 365d)	$45.00 / 7 days (3GB a day at full speed, then 1 Mbps)
Holafly	-	-	-	-	$46.90 / 7 days
Nomad	1GB / 7 days: $12.00	$40.00 (5GB, 30d)	$62.00 (10GB, 30d)	$103.00 (20GB, 30d)	not offered
Ubigi	0.5GB / 30 days: $5.00	$19.00 (3GB, 30d)	$39.00 (10GB, 30d)	$59.00 (25GB, 90d)	$49.00 / 8 days (25GB at full speed, then 2 Mbps)
Maya Mobile	-	-	-	-	$19.99 / 7 days (5GB a day at full speed, then 3 Mbps)
Saily	not checked	not checked	not checked	not checked	not checked

"Unlimited" is never truly unlimited. Airalo slows to 1 Mbps after 3GB a day, Maya to 3 Mbps after 5GB a day, and Ubigi to 2 Mbps after 25GB on its 8-day plan. Holafly applies a fair use policy and limits hotspot to 1GB a day, which matters if you tether a laptop.

Best for each type of nomad

NomadGB: cheapest 20GB month in most bases

Our plans are built for long stays. 20GB for 30 days costs $11.49 in Thailand, Portugal and Indonesia, $17.49 in Vietnam and $34.49 in Colombia, and you can top up the same eSIM. In Indonesia we also sell 50GB for $22.99. Where we lose: in Mexico, Nomad and Airalo are cheaper at 20GB, and our Mexico 50GB plan ($102.49) is far above Airalo's 50GB ($45). Our global plan ($50.49 for 10GB) costs more than Ubigi's. Browse our global eSIM or the country plans.

Maya Mobile: cheapest "unlimited" month

Maya Mobile charges $49.99 for 30 days in every country it covers, with 5GB a day at full speed, then 3 Mbps. This is the best value for heavy users in Colombia, Mexico, Indonesia and Vietnam, where other unlimited plans cost more.

Ubigi: cheapest global plan and big buckets

Ubigi has the cheapest global 10GB ($39, 30 days, 180 countries) and a 25GB global plan for $59 over 90 days. Its 30-day unlimited in Portugal ($48) includes 60GB at full speed. Hotspot is allowed. Some single-country plans are only 7 days, so check validity.

Airalo: long validity and lots of sizes

Airalo sells global 20GB valid 365 days for $66, which suits nomads who only need data on travel days. In Mexico it has 50GB for 30 days at $45. Some of its global "Discover+" plans add calls and texts.

Nomad: steady 30-day country plans

Nomad (nomadesim.com, the getnomad.app company, not our brand NomadGB) is cheapest for 20GB in Mexico ($27.50) and close to the top in Vietnam. Hotspot is supported. Its unlimited plans are non-refundable under its own policy.

Holafly and Saily

Holafly is simple but expensive for a month (for example $73.90 for 30 days in Thailand), and its 1GB daily hotspot limit makes it a poor fit for laptop work. Saily, from Nord Security, adds an ad blocker and virtual location in its app, which some nomads like on public Wi-Fi; we could not check its prices.

What nomads should check before buying

• Hotspot: if you work from a laptop, confirm tethering is allowed. Nomad, Ubigi and Maya state it is. Holafly caps it at 1GB a day.
• Validity: a 30-day plan fits a one-month stay. Seven-day plans look cheap but run out.
• Top-ups: topping up the same eSIM is easier than installing a new one each month. Our plans support top-ups, and Airalo and Nomad sell top-ups in their apps for many plans.
• Phone number: most travel eSIMs are data only. Keep your home SIM active for bank codes, or use a number service.

Which one should you pick?

• One country for a month, normal work: a NomadGB 20GB country plan (except Mexico, where Nomad is cheaper).
• Daily video calls and big uploads: Maya at $49.99 for 30 days, or Ubigi's 30-day unlimited where it is $48 to $49.
• New country every 2 weeks: Ubigi global, $39 for 10GB.
• Data only on travel days: Airalo global 20GB for $66, valid a year.
• Laptop tethering: avoid Holafly; choose Nomad, Ubigi or Maya.

Sources: Airalo global (13 Nov 2026), Nomad global (13 Nov 2026), Nomad help center on features (13 Nov 2026), Ubigi plans (13 Nov 2026), Maya Mobile global (13 Nov 2026), Holafly global (13 Nov 2026), Saily profile on esims.io (13 Nov 2026). Country prices come from each provider's country pages. Prices checked 13 November 2026.