Nomad
Ubigi
Nomad vs Ubigi: Which eSIM Should You Buy?
Updated September 13, 2026
The Short Answer
Both Nomad and Ubigi are built for travelers who need more than a single short trip's worth of data, but they get there in opposite ways. Nomad sells a big prepaid bundle once (its Global-EX line, up to a year of validity) and you're done until it runs out. Ubigi sells a recurring subscription that renews and charges your card automatically until you cancel it, and its own cancellation terms are stricter than most one-off eSIMs. If you don't want a plan that bills itself again without you doing anything, that difference matters more than either provider's price.
The Core Difference: One Big Bundle vs. an Auto-Renewing Subscription
Nomad's Global-EX bundles run from 10GB to 50GB, stay valid for up to a year, and get cheaper per gigabyte the bigger the bundle: roughly $2.58/GB on the largest ones versus about $5.15/GB on Nomad's standard Global plan. You pay once, use it down over as long as a year, and nothing renews or charges you again unless you buy another bundle yourself.
Ubigi instead sells recurring plans that renew on their own: a monthly plan that auto-charges every month and, per Ubigi's own help center, can't be cancelled until you've held it for at least three months, or an annual plan that's paid in full upfront and cannot be cancelled or refunded during that 12-month term at all. Ubigi does also sell one-off plans with no recurring billing, similar to Nomad's standard plans, but its long-term option specifically is the subscription, not a big prepaid bundle like Global-EX.
Price Snapshot (1GB-equivalent, before any code)
| Destination | Nomad | Ubigi |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $4.50 (1GB) | $4.00 (1GB) |
| Europe regional | $5.00 (1GB) | — |
| Global | $12.00 (1GB), or as low as ~$2.58/GB on a large Global-EX bundle | $25.00 (1GB) |
Ubigi's per-GB price runs above Nomad's standard plans on most destinations. Nomad's advantage grows further on long-term use once Global-EX bundle pricing kicks in, something Ubigi's recurring plans don't have a direct equivalent to: Ubigi's monthly and annual plans reprice by billing period, not by total volume purchased.
Discount Codes
- Nomad: NOMTRAVEL20 or NOMCYBER20, 20% off. Full code list →
- Ubigi: ADAMANDLINDS, 10% off all plans. Full code list →
Ubigi's code is ours. Nomad doesn't run the kind of affiliate program that supports a code like that, so its codes here are the best public ones we've verified, and there are two tied at the same rate.
Is Nomad or Ubigi the Right Pick
Go with Nomad if…
- You're traveling or living abroad for months and want to pay once for a bundle that lasts up to a year
- You don't want anything auto-renewing or charging your card again without you buying it
- You want guaranteed hotspot/tethering and 24/7 live chat support
Go with Ubigi if…
- You return to the same country regularly enough that a recurring monthly plan genuinely beats buying fresh eSIMs each time
- You'd rather buy from an established MVNO (Ubigi is run by Transatel, part of NTT Group) than a smaller reseller
- You're fine committing to at least 3 months on a monthly plan, or a full non-cancellable year on the annual plan, in exchange for that recurring setup
Two Things Worth Knowing Before You Decide
Ubigi's recurring plans lock you in; Nomad's Global-EX doesn't. Ubigi's monthly plan can't be cancelled for the first 3 months, and its annual plan can't be cancelled or refunded at all during its 12-month term. Nomad's Global-EX is a straight prepaid purchase: once you've paid for the bundle, there's nothing left to cancel and nothing that bills you again unless you choose to buy more.
Neither provider rolls over unused data, on any plan. Whatever's left on a Nomad bundle when it expires, or left in a Ubigi billing period when it renews, is gone either way. The difference is how long you have to use it: up to a year on a large Nomad Global-EX bundle, versus one billing cycle at a time on a Ubigi recurring plan.
For device setup and eSIM basics that apply to both providers, see our eSIM compatible devices guide.
Nomad vs Ubigi FAQ
Which is cheaper, Nomad or Ubigi
Nomad, on most destinations we've checked. Ubigi's per-GB price runs above Nomad's standard plans, and Nomad's Global-EX bundles push the per-GB cost down further on long stays in a way Ubigi's recurring plans don't match.
Which one can I cancel more easily
Nomad, because there's nothing to cancel: Global-EX is a one-time prepaid purchase. Ubigi's monthly plan requires a 3-month minimum commitment before you can cancel, and its annual plan can't be cancelled or refunded during its 12-month term at all.
Which is better for someone who returns to the same country often
Ubigi's recurring monthly plan is built for exactly that, refreshing automatically instead of making you buy a fresh eSIM on every trip. Nomad doesn't offer a recurring option; its long-term answer is a large prepaid Global-EX bundle instead.
Does either company have a notable pedigree
Ubigi is a brand of Transatel, a French MVNO enabler operating since the early 2000s and now part of NTT Group, which also supplies the connectivity behind connected-car systems for automakers including BMW, Toyota, and Jeep. Nomad doesn't advertise a similar telecom parent company.
Some codes and links on this page are affiliate codes and links, including our own (ADAMANDLINDS, where it applies). If you use one, we may earn a commission. We show our own code more prominently where we have one, not because it's automatically the best deal. See our about page for the full breakdown.