MobiMatter vs Nomadnetworks, prices and policies
Reviewed by Itamar Bareket (CTO, MobiMatter) · Last reviewed
Short answer
Nomad sells its own plans in each country from one partner network set; in Japan its larger plans run on KDDI au only. MobiMatter is a travel eSIM provider where you choose between plans on several vetted carriers in many countries, and buy and manage every eSIM in one MobiMatter account and app. Nomad offers a free 1 GB trial for new users and lists most fixed plans with 30 days of validity; MobiMatter lists shorter and longer plans from several providers, ranked on quality and value. The tables below show networks and prices for the same trips in four example destinations.
Live right now, MobiMatter plans run on au (KDDI), NTT docomo, Rakuten, and SoftBank in Japan; AT&T, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, and Verizon in the US; Türk Telekom, Turkcell, and Vodafone in Turkey; Bouygues Telecom, Free, Orange, and SFR in France. Multi-country plans sold for these four destinations cover up to 185 countries in one plan, and validity goes up to 365 days.
MobiMatter
Nomad
At a glance
Choice of network
Yes: 2+ network choices in the majority of destinations167 of 199 destinations, catalog checked October 12, 2026Networks chosen by NomadMulti-country plans
Yes: Up to 185 countries in one plan15 regional and global plan families; Global covers 123 countries; fixed dataLongest validity
Up to 365 daysUp to 365 days (Global-EX plans of 20 to 50 GB)Price on the same trips
Better price on 20 of 20 example tripsBetter price on 0 of 20Hotspot
Yes: Included on every planYes: Allowed
MobiMatter is rated 4.3/5 on Trustpilot from 57,137 reviews, 4.8/5 on the App Store and 4.9/5 on Google Play.
Key differences
| MobiMatter | Nomad |
|---|---|
| Model | |
| Yes: Travel eSIM provider with a choice of vetted carriers in many countries; every eSIM is bought and managed in one MobiMatter account and app | Single brand: Nomad plans from one partner network set per country; no choice of carrier[1] |
| Multi-country plans | |
| Yes: 175 multi-country plans for these four destinations, up to 185 countries in one plan | 15 regional and global plan families; Global covers 123 countries; fixed data[2] |
| Longest validity | |
| 15 plans valid 90 days or more for these four destinations, up to 365 days | Up to 365 days (Global-EX plans of 20 to 50 GB)[3] |
| Unlimited data and fair use | |
| Yes: Offered in many destinations; the daily high-speed allowance and fair use depend on the plan and are stated on its page | Yes: 2 GB a day at high speed, then slowed (1 Mbps on plan pages, 512 kbps in the fair-use document) until the daily reset[4] |
| Hotspot / tethering | |
| Yes: Included on every plan | Yes: Allowed[1] |
| Top-ups | |
| Yes: Yes, on plans that support it (shown on each plan), in the app or on the website[5] | Yes: Yes, add-ons on the same eSIM for many plans (not unlimited)[6] |
| App and account | |
| Yes: iOS and Android app plus website: all eSIMs in one account, one-tap install, data left, top-ups, home-screen data widget | Yes: iOS and Android apps: buy, top up, track usage, manage several eSIMs |
| Phone number, calls, SMS | |
| Limited: Mostly data-only; some plans include minutes or a number (for example UK plans with 300-500 minutes)[7] | Limited: Mostly data-only; some plans include a number (Thailand, UK, Maldives)[8] |
| When validity starts | |
| Stated on each plan (activation policy), for example from first data use[9] | On first network connection, or automatically after 60 days[1] |
| ID check | |
| No ID check for most plans; some carriers require one (Mtel and mts plans, and 3 plans for Hong Kong and Taiwan), stated on the plan[10] | None stated[11] |
| Rewards | |
| Yes: MobiMatter Rewards: 10% cashback in credits or a 3% instant discount on each purchase, plus referral credit[12] | Yes: Nomad Points: about 5% back (membership tiers up to 15%); not on unlimited plans[13] |
| Support | |
| 24/7 support, plus a self-serve troubleshooting tool and a help center, for every eSIM whichever carrier it runs on | 24/7 support[14] |
| Free trial | |
| No: No free trial plan | Yes: 1 GB for 3 days in 76 destinations, new users, in the app[15] |
Network choice in four example destinations
If one network is weak where you're going, pick another.
MobiMatter: the networks MobiMatter plans run on in each of these destinations today, with the number of plans and the lowest price on each. Nomad: the network it names on its own country page. MobiMatter prices and networks: live catalog, checked October 12, 2026.
| MobiMatter | Nomad |
|---|---|
| Japan | |
4 networksSold by MobiMatter from 7 providers      
| Nomad: its partner network(s)KDDI, SoftBank[1]20 GB and 50 GB plans: KDDI au only5G: No[1] |
| United States | |
4 networksSold by MobiMatter from 6 providers 
| Nomad: its partner network(s)AT&T (5G), Verizon (LTE)[16]5G: Yes[16] |
| Turkey | |
3 networksSold by MobiMatter from 6 providers
| Nomad: its partner network(s)Türk Telekom[17]shown as Avea5G: Yes[17] |
| France | |
4 networksSold by MobiMatter from 7 providers
| Nomad: its partner network(s)Free Mobile, Orange (5G)[18]5G: Yes[18] |
Prices for the same trips
Plans rarely match one to one, so we price trips: for each brand, the cheapest plan with at least the data and at least the days of the trip (a bigger plan counts). Prices are in US dollars: the list price on each brand's own site, without sale prices, promo codes or first-order discounts. Unlimited plans are a separate trip; check each brand's fair-use terms above. MobiMatter prices and networks: live catalog, checked October 12, 2026.
Japan
Better price on 5 of 5 example trips
Top-ranked MobiMatter plan for JapanIIJ · 50 GB, 30 days$29.99NTT docomoView planNomad: list prices on its own site, captured October 9, 2026. Sources [1].
| MobiMatter | Nomad |
|---|---|
| 1 week light: 3 GB, 7 days: MobiMatter $5.49, Nomad $7.00, MobiMatter $1.51 less | |
| TSimTech$5.49 · $1.83/GB3 GB, 15 days · SoftBank, au (KDDI) | $7.00 · $2.33/GBJapan 3 GB 30 Days · KDDI au, SoftBankcaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 1 week: 6 GB, 7 days: MobiMatter $7.99, Nomad $18.00, MobiMatter $10.01 less | |
| IIJ$7.99 · $0.80/GB10 GB, 30 days · NTT docomo | $18.00 · $1.80/GBJapan 10 GB 30 Days · KDDI au, SoftBankcaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 2 weeks: 10 GB, 14 days: MobiMatter $7.99, Nomad $18.00, MobiMatter $10.01 less | |
| IIJ$7.99 · $0.80/GB10 GB, 30 days · NTT docomo | $18.00 · $1.80/GBJapan 10 GB 30 Days · KDDI au, SoftBankcaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 30 days: 20 GB: MobiMatter $13.99, Nomad $26.00, MobiMatter $12.01 less | |
| IIJ$13.99 · $0.70/GB20 GB, 30 days · NTT docomo | $26.00 · $1.30/GBLocal Japan - 30 Days - 20 GB · KDDI aucaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 1 week unlimited: MobiMatter $19.99, Nomad $25.00, MobiMatter $5.01 less | |
| Airalo$19.99Unlimited, 7 days · SoftBank, au (KDDI) | $25.00Local Japan - 7 Days - unlimited · KDDI au, SoftBankcaptured October 9, 2026 |
United States
Better price on 5 of 5 example trips
Top-ranked MobiMatter plan for United StateseSIMGo · 50 GB, 30 days$39.99Verizon, AT&TView planNomad: list prices on its own site, captured October 9, 2026. Sources [16].
| MobiMatter | Nomad |
|---|---|
| 1 week light: 3 GB, 7 days: MobiMatter $3.99, Nomad $6.00, MobiMatter $2.01 less | |
| NextLink$3.99 · $1.33/GB3 GB, 15 days · T-Mobile | $6.00 · $2.00/GBLocal United States - 30 Days - 3 GB · AT&T, Verizoncaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 1 week: 6 GB, 7 days: MobiMatter $8.49, Nomad $15.00, MobiMatter $6.51 less | |
| Sparks$8.49 · $1.21/GB7 GB, 30 days · Verizon, AT&T | $15.00 · $1.50/GBLocal United States - 30 Days - 10 GB · AT&T, Verizoncaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 2 weeks: 10 GB, 14 days: MobiMatter $9.99, Nomad $15.00, MobiMatter $5.01 less | |
| NextLink$9.99 · $1.00/GB10 GB, 30 days · T-Mobile | $15.00 · $1.50/GBLocal United States - 30 Days - 10 GB · AT&T, Verizoncaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 30 days: 20 GB: MobiMatter $16.99, Nomad $38.00, MobiMatter $21.01 less | |
| 3$16.99 · $0.85/GB20 GB, 30 days · Verizon, AT&T | $38.00 · $1.90/GBLocal United States - 30 Days - 20 GB · AT&T, Verizoncaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 1 week unlimited: MobiMatter $14.21, Nomad $23.00, MobiMatter $8.79 less | |
| NextLink$14.21Unlimited, 7 days · T-Mobile | $23.00Local United States - 7 Days - unlimited · Verizon, AT&Tcaptured October 9, 2026 |
Turkey
Better price on 5 of 5 example trips
Top-ranked MobiMatter plan for TurkeyNextLink · 50 GB, 30 days$28.99Türk Telekom, TurkcellView planNomad: list prices on its own site, captured October 9, 2026. Sources [17].
| MobiMatter | Nomad |
|---|---|
| 1 week light: 3 GB, 7 days: MobiMatter $3.49, Nomad $6.00, MobiMatter $2.51 less | |
| NextLink$3.49 · $1.16/GB3 GB, 15 days · Türk Telekom, Turkcell | $6.00 · $2.00/GBNomad - Turkey - 30 Days - 3 GB · Aveacaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 1 week: 6 GB, 7 days: MobiMatter $7.99, Nomad $15.00, MobiMatter $7.01 less | |
| NextLink$7.99 · $1.14/GB7 GB, 30 days · Türk Telekom, Turkcell | $15.00 · $1.50/GBNomad - Turkey - 30 Days - 10 GB · Aveacaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 2 weeks: 10 GB, 14 days: MobiMatter $8.99, Nomad $15.00, MobiMatter $6.01 less | |
| NextLink$8.99 · $0.75/GB12 GB, 30 days · Türk Telekom, Turkcell | $15.00 · $1.50/GBNomad - Turkey - 30 Days - 10 GB · Aveacaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 30 days: 20 GB: MobiMatter $15.99, Nomad $20.00, MobiMatter $4.01 less | |
| NextLink$15.99 · $0.64/GB25 GB, 30 days · Türk Telekom, Turkcell | $20.00 · $1.00/GBNomad - Turkey - 30 Days - 20 GB · Aveacaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 1 week unlimited: MobiMatter $12.60, Nomad $28.00, MobiMatter $15.40 less | |
| NextLink$12.60Unlimited, 7 days · Türk Telekom, Turkcell | $28.00Local Turkey - 10 Days -Unlimited · Aveacaptured October 9, 2026 |
France
Better price on 5 of 5 example trips
Top-ranked MobiMatter plan for FranceBouygues · 120 GB, 30 days$49.99Bouygues TelecomView planNomad: list prices on its own site, captured October 9, 2026. Sources [18].
| MobiMatter | Nomad |
|---|---|
| 1 week light: 3 GB, 7 days: MobiMatter $4.49, Nomad $6.00, MobiMatter $1.51 less | |
| Sparks$4.49 · $1.50/GB3 GB, 30 days · Free, Orange, Bouygues Telecom | $6.00 · $2.00/GBLocal France - 30 Days - 3 GB · Free Mobile, Orangecaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 1 week: 6 GB, 7 days: MobiMatter $7.99, Nomad $14.00, MobiMatter $6.01 less | |
| NextLink$7.99 · $1.14/GB7 GB, 30 days · Free, Orange, Bouygues Telecom | $14.00 · $1.40/GBLocal France - 30 Days - 10 GB · Free Mobile, Orangecaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 2 weeks: 10 GB, 14 days: MobiMatter $8.49, Nomad $14.00, MobiMatter $5.51 less | |
| eSIMGo$8.49 · $0.85/GB10 GB, 30 days · Free, Orange, Bouygues Telecom | $14.00 · $1.40/GBLocal France - 30 Days - 10 GB · Free Mobile, Orangecaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 30 days: 20 GB: MobiMatter $13.99, Nomad $21.00, MobiMatter $7.01 less | |
| eSIMGo$13.99 · $0.70/GB20 GB, 30 days · Free, Orange, Bouygues Telecom | $21.00 · $1.05/GBLocal France - 30 Days - 20 GB · Free Mobile, Orangecaptured October 9, 2026 |
| 1 week unlimited: MobiMatter $14.99, Nomad $25.00, MobiMatter $10.01 less | |
| Airalo$14.99Unlimited, 7 days · Bouygues Telecom | $25.00Local France - 7 Days - unlimited · Free Mobile, Orangecaptured October 9, 2026 |
Which is the better choice?
When MobiMatter is the better choice
- You want to choose your network: MobiMatter has 2+ network choices in the majority of its destinations.
- You are visiting several countries: MobiMatter plans sold for these four destinations cover up to 185 countries in one plan.
- You want to choose between several vetted carriers in the same country, not one partner network set.
- You want plans shorter or longer than 30 days, from several providers, ranked on quality and value.
- You want every eSIM in one MobiMatter account and app, with 10% cashback in credits or a 3% discount on each purchase.
When Nomad is the better choice
- You want to try before you buy: new Nomad users get 1 GB for 3 days free in 76 destinations, in the app.
- You already collect Nomad Points or have a Nomad membership tier.
How we compare
Trips, not plans: 1 week light (3 GB), 1 week normal (6 GB), 2 weeks (10 GB), 30 days (20 GB) and 1 week of unlimited data, in Japan, the United States, Turkey and France. For each brand we take the cheapest plan that covers the trip; if none does, the table says so. Above each destination's trips we also show MobiMatter's top-ranked plan there (quality and value, as on our destination pages), once. When no plan with a set amount of data covers a trip, we use the brand's cheapest unlimited plan that lasts long enough, if its published full-speed allowance (per day times the trip's days, or its total cap) reaches the trip's data; it is tagged "unlimited plan" because it is not like-for-like. If the brand does not publish that allowance, the price is shown tagged "full-speed allowance not stated" and is not counted in the "better price" tally. The same rule applies to MobiMatter.
Nomad prices are the list prices on its own site on the date shown, in US dollars, without sale prices, promo codes, first-order discounts or memberships (standing discounts are listed separately), and are re-checked at least every three months. Regional plans count for a country only where the brand lists them for that country with the same data. MobiMatter prices and networks are read live from the plans on sale.
Facts about Nomad come from its own public pages (plan pages, help center, terms) and app store listings, each linked to its source with the date it was read; anything we could not confirm on an official page says so. We do not quote speed tests: speed depends on the network, the place and the time, so we name the networks instead.
Disclosure: MobiMatter publishes this page and sells travel eSIMs, so it has a commercial interest in the comparison. MobiMatter also sells plans from some other eSIM brands, including Airalo.
How we write, source and correct our content: editorial policy
Reviewed by Itamar Bareket (CTO, MobiMatter) · Last reviewed
Questions
Which networks does Nomad use in Japan?
Nomad's Japan plans run on KDDI au and SoftBank; its 20 GB and 50 GB plans list KDDI au only. On MobiMatter you can choose Japan plans by network; the networks available today are in the table above.
Source[1]
Does Nomad have a free trial?
Yes: new users can claim 1 GB for 3 days in 76 destinations in the Nomad app, without a card. MobiMatter has no free trial plan.
Source[15]
Do Nomad unlimited plans slow down?
Yes. Nomad's unlimited plans give 2 GB a day at high speed, then a lower speed until the daily reset: its plan pages say 1 Mbps, its fair use document says 512 kbps.
Source[4]
Sources
- [1]Nomad: Model; Hotspot / tethering; When validity starts; Network choice in four example destinations: Japan; Prices for the same trips: Japan; Questions: Which networks does Nomad use in Japan?nomadesim.com/japan-esim · captured October 11, 2026
- [2]Nomad: Multi-country plansnomadesim.com/global-eSIM · captured October 9, 2026
- [3]Nomad: Longest validitynomadesim.com/global-ex-eSIM · captured October 9, 2026
- [4]Nomad: Unlimited data and fair use; Questions: Do Nomad unlimited plans slow down?nomadesim.com/documents/data-plan-detail-unlimited · captured October 9, 2026
- [5]MobiMatter: Top-upsmobimatter.com/topup-esim · captured October 9, 2026
- [6]Nomad: Top-upsnomadesim.com/en/documents/data-plan-detail-Sapphire?network=KDDI%20au · captured October 9, 2026
- [7]MobiMatter: Phone number, calls, SMSmobimatter.com/esim-united-kingdom · captured October 9, 2026
- [8]Nomad: Phone number, calls, SMSnomadesim.com/help-center/en/articles/9886329-do-nomad-esims-come-with-a-phone-number · captured October 9, 2026
- [9]MobiMatter: When validity startsmobimatter.com/travel-esim/iij-japan-50-gb-esim · captured October 9, 2026
- [10]MobiMatter: ID checkmobimatter.com/travel-esim/mtel-montenegro-500-gb-esim · captured October 9, 2026
- [11]Nomad: ID checknomadesim.com/en/documents/terms-and-conditions · captured October 9, 2026
- [12]MobiMatter: Rewardsmobimatter.com/rewards · captured October 9, 2026
- [13]Nomad: Rewards; Standing discounts (not applied above)nomadesim.com/documents/nomad-esim-reward · captured October 9, 2026
- [14]Nomad: Supportnomadesim.com/ · captured October 9, 2026
- [15]Nomad: Free trial; Questions: Does Nomad have a free trial?nomadesim.com/documents/landing-trial-plan · captured October 9, 2026
- [16]Nomad: Network choice in four example destinations: United States; Prices for the same trips: United Statesnomadesim.com/united-states-esim · captured October 11, 2026
- [17]Nomad: Network choice in four example destinations: Turkey; Prices for the same trips: Turkeynomadesim.com/turkey-esim · captured October 11, 2026
- [18]Nomad: Network choice in four example destinations: France; Prices for the same trips: Francenomadesim.com/france-esim · captured October 11, 2026
- [19]Nomad: Standing discounts (not applied above)nomadesim.com/blog/nomad-esim-membership · captured October 9, 2026