Nomad vs Sim Local:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Nomad had more branded searches than Sim Local among travel eSIM providers worldwide. Nomad had about 124,000 branded searches, while Sim Local had 18,100. Nomad made up 3.6% of all travel eSIM provider searches we track, and Sim Local accounted for 0.52%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about travel eSIM providers, Nomad and Sim Local each appeared in two of the five answers. Nomad and Sim Local were each mentioned first in two of the four answers that named either.
Who do people search for more?
Nomad, about 7 searches for every 1 for Sim Local
Who does AI mention more?
Both were mentioned in 2 of 5 answers.
Who does AI recommend more?
Each is named first in 2 of 4 answers.
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Top travel eSIM providers in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Nomad was mentioned in two out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Sim Local was mentioned in two out of five: not in any of the three ChatGPT answers, but in both Google AI Overviews. Nomad and Sim Local were each listed first in two of the four answers that named either.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Airalo5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Holafly5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Saily4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Ubigi3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- Nomad2 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Roamless2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Sim Local2 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
GigSky1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about travel eSIM providers
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which travel eSIM provider should I use?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best travel eSIM providers?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best travel eSIM provider for overseas data?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“travel esim providers”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best travel esim”
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Nomad or Sim Local more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Nomad and Sim Local by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight travel eSIM providers we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Nomad, Sim Local. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Airalo | Holafly | Saily | Ubigi | Nomad | GigSky | Roamless | Sim Local |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 42.4% | 34.8% | 11% | 6.1% | 3% | 1.5% | 0.67% | 0.45% |
| Nov 2025 | 45.7% | 31.8% | 9.8% | 6.5% | 3.2% | 1.6% | 0.88% | 0.48% |
| Dec 2025 | 43.8% | 35.1% | 10% | 5% | 3.1% | 1.5% | 1% | 0.45% |
| Jan 2026 | 43.5% | 34.7% | 9.7% | 5.9% | 2.9% | 1.8% | 0.97% | 0.53% |
| Feb 2026 | 43% | 34.2% | 11.2% | 5.6% | 2.8% | 1.8% | 0.92% | 0.5% |
| Mar 2026 | 42% | 34.5% | 11.7% | 5.8% | 2.9% | 1.5% | 0.96% | 0.53% |
| Apr 2026 | 42.3% | 33.8% | 11.8% | 5.9% | 3% | 1.8% | 0.97% | 0.53% |
| May 2026 | 42.1% | 33.7% | 11.7% | 5.9% | 3.5% | 1.7% | 0.79% | 0.53% |
| Jun 2026 | 42.2% | 33.8% | 11.8% | 5.9% | 3.6% | 1.2% | 0.97% | 0.53% |
| Jul 2026 | 45.1% | 30.3% | 13.5% | 5% | 3.7% | 1.2% | 0.82% | 0.45% |
| Aug 2026 | 40.7% | 33.5% | 13.4% | 5.5% | 4.1% | 1.4% | 0.9% | 0.49% |
| Sep 2026 | 41.8% | 34.4% | 11.7% | 5.8% | 3.6% | 1.3% | 0.96% | 0.52% |
How has the Nomad and Sim Local comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Nomad was ahead of Sim Local in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nomad’s share of searches among travel eSIM providers worldwide moved from 3% to 3.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 99.7K to 124K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Sim Local’s share of searches among travel eSIM providers worldwide moved from 0.45% to 0.52%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 14.8K to 18.1K.
How did search popularity change for travel eSIM providers worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Nomad lost share of searches among travel eSIM providers worldwide, from 4.1% to 3.6%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for Sim Local worldwide rose 22.3% over 12 measured months, from 14.8K to 18.1K in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
6 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Nomad’s and Sim Local’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among travel eSIM providers
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