NXTL vs Yesim vs TooSim vs Nomad vs Airalo vs Trip.com: Travel eSIM Comparison (2026)
Last updated: July 2026 · Prices in USD unless noted, verified at time of writing.
Six travel eSIM providers, three different business models: fixed data bundles (Airalo, Nomad, TooSim, and mostly Yesim), pay-as-you-go wallets (NXTL, and Yesim’s Pay & Fly), and the travel-platform bundle (Trip.com). Here’s how they compare on plans, coverage, and activation.
At a Glance
| Airalo | Nomad | Yesim | TooSim | NXTL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Founded / HQ | 2019, global (pioneer) | Singapore/US | Switzerland | 2023, Cyprus | Lithuania |
| Coverage | 200+ countries | 200+ destinations | 200+ destinations | 180+ countries | 190+ countries, 800+ networks |
| Pricing model | Fixed bundles | Fixed bundles | Bundles + unlimited passes + Pay & Fly PAYG | Fixed bundles | Pure pay-as-you-go wallet |
| Starting price | from $4 / 1GB / 7d | $4 / 1GB / 7d | PAYG from $0.54/GB | $3.99 / 1GB / 7d | $11.99 one-time (incl. $10 credit) |
| Data range | 1GB–100GB, 7–365d | 1–50GB+, unlimited options | 500MB–20GB + unlimited 1–80d | 1–150GB, 7–180d | Any amount; balance never expires |
| 5G | Yes (plan-dependent) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, where available |
| Hotspot | Most plans | All plans, free | Yes | Free on all plans | Yes |
| Phone number | Select plans (US/UK voice) | Data only | Virtual numbers as add-on | Data only | Data only (free incoming calls/SMS) |
| Free trial | No | 1GB in 76 destinations | No | No | No |
Trip.com is covered in its own section below — our verified figures for it are China-specific, so putting global numbers in this table would overstate what we’ve checked.
Plans & Per-GB Cost (sample destinations)
| Destination | Airalo | Nomad | Yesim | TooSim | NXTL (PAYG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | from $4.50/1GB | from ~$5/1GB | unlimited $3.6/day | from $2.4/GB | from $1.21/GB |
| Europe (regional) | Eurolink from ~$5 | 50GB / €28.15 (€0.56/GB) — class-leading | regional + unlimited passes | Europe 36+ countries | UK from $1.49/GB |
| Global plan | Discover: $8.50–$66 (20GB/365d), 130+ countries | Global plans $4.50–$45 | Global unlimited from $40.09/7d | Global 105+ countries from $20.99 | One eSIM works everywhere; per-country rate |
Cheapest per GB overall: NXTL and Yesim Pay & Fly for light users; Nomad’s Europe 50GB for heavy users. Watch out: “unlimited” plans always carry fair-use caps — Yesim throttles after ~50GB/30 days; Nomad’s unlimited gives 2GB/day at full speed.
Trip.com eSIM — the travel-platform option
Trip.com sells eSIMs alongside flights and hotels, which makes it structurally different from every dedicated brand above — and for China specifically, it’s the only one here sold through the three official domestic carriers (China Mobile, Unicom, Telecom) rather than as foreign roaming. Traffic still routes internationally, which is why blocked apps are reported to work without a VPN.
| Trip.com eSIM (China plans) | |
|---|---|
| Starting price | $0.1 · 500MB · 2 days |
| Unlimited | $ for 2 days unlimited; per-day tiers from 0.5GB/day |
| Plan length | 1–365 days — the widest range here |
| Fixed packages | 1GB up to 100GB |
| Network | China Mobile / Unicom / Telecom (official carriers) |
| Activation | In-app, no QR scanning; no Chinese ID or local number required |
| Refunds | Full refund any time before the eSIM is installed |
| Support | 24/7 English support via the Trip.com platform |
Where it wins: flexibility and risk. The 1-to-365-day ladder means you’re not forced into a 7/15/30-day box, and being able to cancel right up until installation is something no dedicated eSIM brand here offers.
Where to be careful: no fair-use policy is published before purchase — neither the daily high-speed cap nor the throttled speed. And while it’s marketed as “ChatGPT available,” at least one buyer reports ChatGPT still requiring a VPN even though Google, Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp worked. We’re verifying both points in field testing.
Coverage & Networks
Airalo partners with named local carriers per plan (shown before purchase), e.g., China Unicom in China; 5G on many plans. Nomad lists named carriers too, often dual-network (e.g., China Unicom + Telecom). Yesim connects to multiple networks per country — in the US it uses T-Mobile and AT&T simultaneously, auto-selecting the stronger signal. TooSim rides AT&T/T-Mobile/Verizon in the US and Deutsche Telekom/Vodafone/Orange in Europe, but doesn’t always disclose the carrier pre-purchase. NXTL is unique: you can manually pick among networks in a country to get a cheaper per-GB rate. Trip.com discloses its carriers upfront for China — all three state operators.
Purchase & Activation
| How to buy | Activation | Validity starts | eKYC | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airalo | App / website | QR or direct install | On first network connection (most plans) — install before you fly | Required for some countries (e.g., UAE, Singapore locals) |
| Nomad | App / website | One-tap in-app, no QR needed | On first use | Rarely |
| Yesim | App / website | QR emailed instantly; ~5–10 min | Varies by destination | Rarely |
| TooSim | App / website | QR via email or app; needs internet | On first connection at destination | Not required |
| NXTL | Website / app | Install once, top up wallet | No expiry — balance carries across trips | Not required |
| Trip.com | Trip.com app / website | In-app install, no QR scan | On first connection at destination | Not required |
Universal advice: install your eSIM on Wi-Fi before departure, and check that your phone is carrier-unlocked and eSIM-capable.
Which One Should You Pick?
- First-time eSIM user / want the safest choice: Airalo — biggest catalog, mature app, solid support.
- Best all-rounder on price + features: Nomad — free hotspot everywhere, named carriers, free 1GB trial to test before paying.
- Light user or unpredictable itinerary: NXTL or Yesim Pay & Fly — pay only for what you use, no expiring bundles.
- Heavy data user: Nomad’s 50GB Europe plan or Yesim’s unlimited passes (mind the FUP).
- Trip transiting China, or an itinerary that might change: Trip.com — the 1-to-365-day ladder and refund-before-install policy give you the most room to change your mind, and it’s the only option here running on official Chinese carriers.
- TooSim: competitive in the US and Europe (from $2.4/GB), long-validity plans up to 180 days — but compare per-destination, as some markets (e.g., China) are priced far above rivals, and there’s no plan top-up.
Looking for new-user discounts? See our eSIM promo codes guide. Traveling to China specifically? Start with our on-the-ground China eSIM rankings.