It’s never too early to teach your kids about money and there are now loads of options designed to help you do just that and give them some control over their finances. You can choose a prepaid kids’ debit card, where they can only spend the money you load onto the card, which can be controlled through an app. Alternatively, there are more traditional current accounts designed especially for children.
Finder money expert Kate Anderson shares our research
To come up with our Finder rating and picks for the best kids’ prepaid debit cards in the UK, our team looked at all the prepaid products available on the market and scored them across 4 key areas.
We looked at monthly fees, the app scores in the Google Play Store and the App Store, app features such as savings goals and educational modules, as well as controls and safeguards including age-restricted transactions and ATM withdrawal limits.
We scored each category out of 5. For example, if a kids’ prepaid debit card has all the controls and safeguard features listed in our criteria, it would score 5 out of 5. To calculate our Finder rating, we averaged out all these scores and rounded them to the nearest half star.
You’ll also see cards we picked as being outstanding in certain categories, such as best for parental controls or best for learning tools. What you want from a kids’ prepaid card is down to you, so these picks are just a steer to help you with your choice.
Rooster Card Subscription is free for current NatWest Group customers (card for ages 6-17, offer T&Cs and other fees may apply)
As your child learns about money, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them. NatWest’s Rooster Money has a range of flexible parental controls which you can adjust to suit how you want your child to manage their money. You can choose where and how much your kids can spend. The Rooster Card also has a dynamic CVV to keep your child’s money safe, where a new CVV is generated for each online purchase. All you need to do is go to your dashboard and request one. Meanwhile, you can take advantage of the app’s Contactless Counter which helps you keep track of whether your child is near their contactless limit. If they hit it and have forgotten their PIN, you’re able to reset contactless via your family dashboard and they can continue to tap away without any issues.
Great educational value; a slick app with lots of features to personalise the way you teach your children about finance.
Children as young as 4 years old can use it (6 for the card).
Total control over where your children use the card and how much they can spend.
Safe and secure. The card can be frozen from the app.
No fees for using the card (including abroad).
One-month free trial.
Annual fee to access the full range of features, including the card.
Parents topping up card limited to 3 loads a day/10 a month for free.
Spending abroad on the card is free up to £50 a month, then it’s 3% of the transaction.
No interest paid on the account balance.
Monthly fee
£1.99 (+1 month free trial)
Card delivery fee
£0
Card transaction fee
£0
Cash withdrawal fee
£0
Loading fee
3/day or 10/month free, then £0.50
Replacement card fee
Free for the first replacement (per household), £5 thereafter
Network
VISA
How many child accounts
No limit
Fees abroad
Free ATM withdrawals, 3% of transaction value on purchases over £50/month
Other fees
£0
Freeze/unfreeze card
Yes
Best for learning tools
GoHenry - with £15 pocket money and two months free
Get an exclusive 2 months free and £15 pocket money offer when you sign up with this link
GoHenry is known for its focus on financial education and it’s put its money where its mouth is with its Money Missions. These are bite-sized lessons for every age range, with more advanced modules for older children. There are tutorials and gamified quizzes where your child can earn a reward and a badge when they achieve each skill. Topics include banking basics, savings, interest, borrowing and much more. Alongside this, GoHenry also has savings goals and the ability to set chores so your child can earn their allowance. All of which feeds into your child having a greater understanding of how money works.
Full parental control thanks to instant notifications and spending limits
One-month free trial
It can be used by children as young as six
Reward system for completed tasks
Children learn about personal finance in a controlled environment
Relatives can also send money to the children
You can manage up to four child accounts from the same parent account
No fees to spend or withdraw cash abroad - these were scrapped in 2020
Starling Kite has no fees for overseas spending, zero. So you can rest easy when your child is spending their holiday money that they won’t get tripped up by foreign transaction fees on their card. Kite also has a daily limit for ATM withdrawals, which can be set by parents, and blocks on certain merchants such as nightclubs and bars. While not the only card with no fees for spending abroad, Starling Kite has its own kids app where they can track their spending and start budgeting. You’ll also be able to keep an eye on things from your own Starling app.
No fees for topping up the card’s prepaid account.
Robust parental controls.
Easy for parents to manage from their existing mobile banking app.
Parents already need to be a Starling account holder to order and use Kite.
Exclusive: Just £1.99 /month per child + 1 month FREE
Building a savings habit early on can help your child in later life. Nimbl makes this easy to do with its micro-savings feature. This allows children to automatically save between 5p and £5 every time they spend on their card. While other kids’ prepaid cards have savings goals and automatic transfers, Nimbl is unique in offering this type of saving feature. It’s more akin to the round-up savings tools found on adult current accounts.
Full control on how children spend their money thanks to spending control settings and instant notifications.
Children as young as six years old can use it.
It helps you to educate your children to manage their finances.
You can turn off online payments or cash withdrawals.
Safe and secure. The card can be blocked online or via the app.
You can manage more than one Child Account from the same Parent Account.
No fees for topping up the Parent Account or child’s card, or for “Gifting”.
You get a one-month trial for free.
While most mainstream bank accounts for children are for free, nimbl charges a monthly fee.
You cannot top up the account using cash.
With nimbl, children earn no interest on any savings.
Monthly fee
£1.99 (+1 month free trial)
Card delivery fee
£0
Card transaction fee
£0
Cash withdrawal fee
£0
Loading fee
£0
Replacement card fee
£5
Network
Mastercard
How many child accounts
4
Fees abroad
£1.50 per ATM withdrawal, 2.95% of transaction value on purchases
HyperJar Kids card has no monthly fee. There are also no transaction fees, no loading fees and no subscription fees. Just like the other prepaid cards, you’ll be able to track your child’s spending via the HyperJar app. Your child can also learn about budgeting by using digital jars for their regular spending as well as longer term goals. You, as the parent, can also set maximum spending limits and restrict spending from certain jars.
Completely free to use, even for foreign transactions
Parents have full control of their kids’ spending from the HyperJar app
Teach your kids how to save using saving jars
Children learn about personal finance in a controlled environment
Available for kids as young as 6
The kids’ card glows in the dark (not a true personal finance advantage, you say? Your kids might beg to differ)
A standard savings account might be better for long-term saving, as HyperJar does not pay any interest
You cannot load cash onto the account
You cannot withdraw cash at ATMs
You also need to be using HyperJar yourself to make the most of it
Parenting is often a team sport, so you want your co-parent to be involved. Revolut allows you to add a co-parent to the account at no extra cost, allowing them to fully manage the account alongside you. Co-parents can then top-up the account and manage activity. With Revolut’s Premium or Metal plan, co-parents can also set challenges and create goals for their child. Depending on what plan you have, you can get up to 5 linked accounts, whether you’re the lead parent or the co-parent.
A parent can digitally top up their child’s account with spending money.
Instant parental notifications are generated whenever the child makes a purchase with the prepaid debit card.
Parental controls mean rules can be set on where the child’s card can be used.
The child gets their own account and payment card, which helps teach them financial skills.
The dedicated Revolut
The parent has to be a Revolut account holder.
If you have more than one child and want more than one Revolut
There are charges for ATM withdrawals exceeding £40 per month.
Monthly fee
£0 (parent needs Revolut account)
Card delivery fee
£4.99 delivery charge
Card transaction fee
£0
Cash withdrawal fee
£0
Loading fee
£0
Replacement card fee
£5
Network
Mastercard
How many child accounts
1
Fees abroad
Transaction fee after £250/month
Other fees
2% ATM withdrawal fee after £40 month
Freeze/unfreeze card
Yes
Finder’s best kids’ bank accounts with debit cards in the UK 2024
Finder money expert Kate Anderson shares our research
To come up with our Finder rating and picks for the best kids’ bank accounts in the UK, our team looked at the free versions of a provider’s children’s bank account range and scored them across 6 categories.
We looked at the app scores in the Google Play Store and the App Store, overseas fees, mobile app features, account features such as savings features and withdrawal limits, how easy the application process is and what extra features are available with the account.
We scored each category out of 5. For example, if a kids’ account had no fees for spending abroad it would score 5 out of 5. To calculate our Finder rating, we averaged out all these scores and rounded them to the nearest half star.
You’ll also see accounts we picked as being outstanding in certain categories, such as best for interest or best for teens. What you need from a kids’ account is down to you and your child, so these picks are just one way to help you with your decision.
Kids’ bank accounts with debit cards
Best for interest: Santander 123 Mini Current Account
If you’re looking for a kids’ account that pays interest on balances, Santander’s 123 Mini Current Account is a good option. It offers a tiered interest rate, which peaks at a market-leading 3% AER. On balances up to £999.99, your child can earn 1% on the entire balance. This jumps to 2% AER between £1,000 and £1,499.99 and tops out at 3% AER once the balance is £1,500 up to £2,000. The account can be opened at any age, but for children under 13 there must be a trustee in place and the trustee must have their own Santander personal account.
Can be opened from the age of zero
No monthly fee
Interest paid on balances
Choice of debit card and cash card
Interest only paid on set amount
No standard savings account for children
Minimum opening balance
£0.01
Minimum operating balance
£0.01
Switch service guarantee
Yes
Account fee
£0
Overseas card transactions
2.95%
Overseas cash withdrawals
2.95%
Best for parental oversight: Lloyds Smart Start
Lloyds Bank - Smart Start Spending Account - Age 11-15
Lloyds Bank’s Smart Start account is a spending and savings account in one. Available to children aged 11 to 15, it helps children learn how to manage their own money. One of the key ways it does this is by giving parents complete oversight. As a parent, you can keep an eye on your child’s account through your own mobile banking app or online banking. You can also rest easy in that spending is not allowed in over-18 outlets like off-licences. Just bear in mind you’ll need a Club Lloyds Current Account in order for your child to be eligible to apply for Smart Start.
As they are also part of the Lloyds Banking Group, you’ll find that the Halifax Smart Start and Bank of Scotland Smart Start accounts have the same features.
Eligible for MySavings account from age 7 as part of MyMoney package.
HSBC’s MyAccount comes with automatic access to its MySavings account, which has a highly competitive interest rate on balances up to £3,000. Both the MyAccount and the MySavings account can be accessed and managed through online and mobile banking. Meanwhile, if your child wants to withdraw money from their savings account, they can do this using their cash book at any one of HSBC's branches. You can help your child start their savings journey from just £10 using HSBC’s MySavings account.
As your child grows they will want to explore more of the world. Be it on a school trip or that post GSCE holiday with friends, you’ll want to make sure that they can spend their money abroad without any issues. A large part of this is avoiding costly fees. With the Nationwide FlexOne account, there are no fees for making a payment or withdrawing cash from an ATM while overseas. The account also offers interest on balances. Plus, your child can keep it until they are 23 when they’ll be moved across to a FlexAccount or a FlexDirect account.
Account is free to open and manage
Fee-free transactions abroad
Interest paid on credit balances
Choice of cash card or Visa debit card
FSCS protection
Interest only paid on balances up to £1,000
Must be at least 11 to apply
Accounts for 11 and 12 year olds can only be opened over the phone or at certain branches with a tablet
If you have a teen or are a teen, and are looking for an account to help you with your money management, take a look at the Starling Teen account. Specifically for those aged 16 and 17, it does nearly everything Starling’s main current account does but doesn’t have an overdraft option. It can be set up in minutes through the app and has all the money management tools Starling is known for, including instant pay notifications, spending insights and dedicated Savings Spaces. Alongside this, you can settle payments with friends by sending payment links directly from your mobile. Or by using Starling's “Settle up with Nearby Payments” feature, which lets you transfer money to someone sitting next to you, with no bank details needed.
Account is free to open and operate
Interest is paid on in-credit balances
App is packed with features to help young people better manage their money
24/7 customer support
Account can only be operated via the app
Your teen will need to have a mobile phone
Only available to 16 and 17 year olds
Minimum opening balance
£0
Minimum operating balance
£0.01
Switch service guarantee
Yes
Account fee
£0
Overseas card transactions
£0
Overseas cash withdrawals
£0
Features of a kids’ prepaid debit card
Spending controls. Many children’s debit cards come with spending control limits that parents can set within the linked mobile app.
Card lock. Parents can also lock the debit card via the app so it can’t be used.
Choose how your child can spend. Parents can choose if the debit card can be used at ATMs, online or for in-store purchases.
Spending tracking tools. Many of the apps offer spending tracking tools and features to help your child learn how to manage their money.
How to choose the best prepaid debit cards for kids
Compare the following features when shopping around for a debit card for your kids:
Check the fees. The costs can vary between different cards. Most prepaid accounts will have either a monthly or yearly fee.
Spending limits. Look for cards that let you cap daily spending, set limits for ATM withdrawals or block specific stores.
Shopping online. Consider whether being able to buy online is a benefit or a downside, and opt for a kids’ debit card that can restrict or block online spending if needed.
Expert analysis: More options for children to manage their money than ever
There’s been a whole new breed of children’s account launched in recent years – prepaid cards for kids let you load their pocket money onto the card and set spending controls. Kids can also learn to budget and set goals through innovative apps that effectively gamify money management.
Some cards have monthly fees. These include NatWest’s Rooster Money, GoHenry, Starling Kite and Nimbl. GoHenry is famous for its tools to help children learn about money, with quizzes, rewards, badges and the ability for them to earn money by doing chores. The personalised cards are also fun for children to have.
Starling and Revolut, which are well known as digital-only banking apps for adults, require you to have your own account with them if you’re setting an account up for your child. While Revolut’s under-18 account has no monthly fee, you’ll get an extra level of control over your child’s account if you have one of Revolut’s paid-for accounts yourself.
HyperJar Kids is another option with no monthly fee. Its digital jars let children save money for specific things and set goals, and they can choose names and colours for each. It means they can learn to save and budget without even realising it.
How do prepaid debit cards for kids work?
Many debit cards for kids are prepaid cards. You can load money onto them from the parent’s bank account using a mobile app that accompanies the physical card.
A lot of these cards and apps come with extra features, like the ability to see how your child spends their money or the option to pay them pocket money for doing their chores.
At what age can my child get a prepaid debit card?
Prepaid cards can be available for kids as young as 6. You can let your child keep their prepaid card as they get older, or help them open a current account for teenagers when they’ve outgrown the prepaid card.
What’s the difference between a kids’ prepaid debit card and a children’s bank account?
Debit cards are available with both the app-based digital accounts mentioned in this guide, as well as with traditional children’s bank accounts. So the difference is actually between the accounts themselves. Children’s bank accounts are current accounts, operated by traditional banks in a similar way to adult current accounts, although they don’t have overdrafts and sometimes have spending limits. There’s usually not a fee involved for having the account, and kids can use the accompanying debit card to make purchases and ATM withdrawals. Obviously children will need money in their bank account in order to do this, and you can add funds as a parent, have family members pay monetary gifts in, or they can even have some wages from a part-time job paid in if they’re old enough to be working.
With the app-based accounts, usually run by digital-only providers, the kids’ debit cards are prepaid, so you’ll have to load money onto them. Often it’s only the account owner, which is the parent, who can do this. There’s sometimes a subscription fee associated with these accounts, but in return you get more digital features and innovative ways to manage the account through the app (including parental controls and digital notifications), than you would with a traditional children’s bank account. This type of digital account plus card is also available for kids who might be too young to open a traditional bank account.
Can I get a credit card for my child?
You have to be 18 to get a credit card in the UK, so it won’t be possible for your child to have one. However, parents can get a prepaid card (like the ones outlined in this guide) for children as young as 6. Another option is to set up a children’s bank account, as these often come with a debit card or a cash card that kids can use from around the age of 11.
What are the pros and cons of prepaid debit cards for kids?
Before you get a debit card for your child, consider these features and drawbacks:
Pros
Control. Keep track of your child’s spending online and cap the daily limit as you see fit.
Security. You can monitor your child’s spending in the mobile app and see where they’re shopping.
Safety. Because you can quickly and easily lock the debit card if it’s misplaced, debit cards are often safer than carrying cash.
Good practice. Using a debit card will teach your child how money works digitally, as well as create good budgeting habits.
Cons
Not a current account. These types of debit cards are prepaid cards and not actual current accounts.
Not good for large purchases. The spending limits on these prepaid debit cards for kids are generally much lower than those found on traditional adult debit cards.
Account fees. Many of these cards and their associated apps come with a monthly or annual fee.
No interest. These types of prepaid accounts usually don’t pay interest.
Age limits. Each debit card or app can set its own age limit.
Kids’ prepaid cards customer satisfaction league table 2024
Finder surveyed the customers of kids’ prepaid card providers about their experiences, and we used the results to generate customer satisfaction star ratings for those brands. As part of the survey, we also asked customers whether they would recommend their kids’ card provider to a friend. We’ve shown both the star ratings and “would recommend” scores in the table below. Learn more about the results and the winners.
Brand
Logo
Overall satisfaction
Customers who’d recommend
Review
Link
Starling Kite
★★★★★
94%
Starling Kite is Starling’s own kids’ prepaid card option. Parents with a Starling account can order the card for their child and then manage it through their own app. Kids can also have their own app to track their pocket money and see where they’ve spent it. Starling Kite achieved a customer satisfaction score of 4.8 out of 5.
NatWest Rooster Money is a dedicated kids’ card and app, which lets parents set and track asks for their children to earn pocket money. It’s all managemd digitally and has a big focus on fianncial education. In our survey, it scored 4.7 out of 5.
Popular kids’ card and app combo GoHenry offers customised spending cards and parental controls. Its interactive Money Missions programme helps improved children’s financial literacy. It secured a score of 4.5 in this year’s customer satisfaction survey.
Revolut <18 is Revolut’s kids’ preapid card offering. Scoring 4.6 out of 5, customers commented on its ease of use. Parents will already need to have an account with Revolut to get the card and app for their child.
HyperJar Kids is a money management app for adults that has it’s own prepaid card for kids. It has no monthly fees or loading charges and children get their own app to check in on their money. It scored 4.4 out of 5 in our survey.
Nimbl is a kids’ pocket money card and app, which also aims to help children learn money skills. Less popular than some of the other providers, it achieved a score of 4 out of 5 in this year’s customer satisfaction survey.
How satisfied are you overall with your kids debit card provider?
Response
% of respondents
Very satisfied
41.84%
Reasonably satisfied
36.94%
Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied
15.92%
Moderately dissatisfied
4.29%
Highly dissatisfied
1.02%
Source: Finder survey by OnePoll of 500 Brits
Customer satisfaction scores methodology
Our independent survey of 500 kids’ card customers was carried out in December 2023. We asked adults who have a prepaid card for their child to rate their satisfaction (on a scale of 1 to 5) with the service they had received from their provider, and also whether they would recommend that provider to a friend.
We crunched the numbers and used these star ratings to decide the winners of our awards (if there was a draw on the star ratings score, we then used the “would recommend” percentage as a tie-breaker).
Our customer satisfaction score (“Customers say”) are based on a survey of 500 customers carried out in December 2023.
Bottom line
Prepaid kids’ debit cards with apps to control them are a great way for kids to learn how to manage their money and make it fun and accessible. GoHenry is probably the best known but there are a range of alternatives you can consider. Read our guide to GoHenry and similar alternatives to find out more.
If you would prefer your child to have an account with a fuller range of banking features or one just for savings visit our guides to current accounts for children and savings accounts for children.
Financial education: Are parents equipped to fill the gap?
Finder published a paper in August 2023 exploring financial education in the UK and how parents are stepping in to teach their children about money. The report includes the findings of our survey of 1,007 of UK adults with children either at primary or secondary school, and insights from teachers, an academic and experts at GoHenry, HyperJar and All Things Money.
Kids' banking: Can traditional banks catch up with the fintechs?
Finder published a paper in November 2022 exploring how both pocket money apps and traditional banks are adapting and innovating to meet the demands of parents and the younger generation. The report includes the findings of our survey of 2,004 UK adults, and insights from experts at GoHenry, Canvas8, Hyperjar, Revolut, Nationwide Building Society and Lloyds Bank.
When pocket money goes digital: How the children's account sector is evolving
Finder published a paper in August 2021 exploring how kids are using banking and pocket money apps to manage their money and learn about personal finance. The report includes the findings of our survey of 1,000 children aged 10 to 15, and insights from experts at Canvas8, gohenry, Manchester Metropolitan University, Nationwide Building Society, nimbl and Starling Bank.
This is completely up to you and your individual experience. You might consider giving your child a debit card when:
They start going out with their friends without adults around.
They start secondary school, or if they take public transport to get to school.
They start wanting or needing to buy things when you’re not with them.
Fraudulent transactions, including those where a thief stole and used the card or where the seller didn’t deliver what they promised, can often be reversed by contacting the card company.
You can’t request that the card company reverses a transaction unless you can prove the transaction was fraudulent. But you can keep an eye on your child’s spending via the card’s accompanying mobile app. And in many cases, cards can be frozen from the app so that your child can’t continue to spend if you aren’t happy with their purchases.
If your child’s debit card is definitely lost or stolen you need to contact the account provider to cancel the existing card and order a replacement. Some of the app-based accounts will also let you freeze the card via the app if it’s lost, and then you can unfreeze it if you find it again.
If the kids’ account and debit card you’ve signed up to has an age limit of 18, then your child will no longer qualify to use it when they reach adulthood. But rather than a blunt cut-off point on their birthday, they’ll usually be able to use the debit card until it reaches its expiry date (and then it won’t be renewed). At that point you’ll also need to contact the provider to cancel the account, especially if you’re paying a subscription fee for it.
You won’t need a credit check for most of these app-based kids’ accounts and prepaid debit cards. However, providers are likely to do an ID check to verify your identity and address, in order to issue and send you the payment card.
These types of app-based kids’ accounts and prepaid debit cards are often operated by financial providers that are not licensed banks, so they are not specifically covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
However, in order to offer these types of financial products the providers will need to be registered and regulated in the UK, which means they are obligated to ring-fence and safeguard customer funds (usually by holding them on trust at a licensed bank).
No, although if they earn more than £100 in interest from money given to them by a parent, the parent will need to pay tax on it if it’s above their personal savings allowance.
As prepaid kids’ debit cards can be taken out for children from the age of six, these are the only options for children this young. They need to be at least 11 to get a child’s current account. Santander’s 123 Mini current account can be taken out for children younger than this but they can only get a cash or debit card once they’re 13.
Banking scores
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables has the source: Moneyfacts Group PLC. In other cases, Finder has sourced data directly from providers.
Matthew Boyle is a banking and mortgages publisher at Finder. He has a 7-year history of publishing helpful guides to assist consumers in making better decisions. In his spare time, you will find him walking in the Norfolk countryside admiring the local wildlife.
If you are looking for a free prepaid card to teach your kids about finance while retaining full control, HyperJar is certainly a competitive option. Here’s how it works.
Digital challenger bank Starling has launched a new children’s app for its Kite debit card. This prepaid card for kids comes with parental controls and can be managed from the parent’s banking app.
GoHenry gives financial independence to children and full control to parents. We look at how it works and what features it has to see if it’s worth the fee.
With nimbl, children as young as 6 can use a card and manage their money through an app. We cover how it works, the fees, and the pros and cons for parents.
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