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Chase First Banking
4.3
★★★★★
Finder score
4.3
★★★★★

Chase First Banking isn't available on Finder right now.

Fee
$0 per month
Age requirements
6 to 17 years old

Our verdict

This free kids' bank account lets parents assign chores, manage allowances, set savings goals and more.

Powered by Greenlight, the Chase First Banking account lets kids and teens develop financial literacy skills with their first checking account and debit card. While most kids' checking accounts are only available to teens 13 to 17, this account is open to kids as young as six years old. The account offers chore and allowance tracking, parental controls and alerts and lets kids set savings goals. However, parents must have an existing Chase checking account to get started, making it more ideal for those who already bank with Chase. Other limitations include: It doesn't support direct deposits, it can't be added to digital wallets or peer-to-peer payment apps and it doesn't let you perform ACH or wire transfers.

Best for: Parents who bank with Chase looking for a free kids' checking account with chores and allowance features.

Pros

  • No monthly fee or opening deposit
  • Chores and allowance tracking
  • Customizable withdrawal limits
  • Open to kids as young as 6

Cons

  • Parents must have a Chase checking account
  • Not ideal for working teens
  • No direct or mobile check deposits
  • Doesn't support digital wallets

In this guide

  • Our verdict
  • Your reviews
  • Ask a question

Who is Chase First Banking best for?

Chase First Banking is best for:

  • Parents who are existing Chase checking account customers
  • Kids between the ages of six and 17
  • Adult and child who share same residential address

Although the account is designed for kids aged six to 17 years old, they can continue using it once they turn 18. Unlike most kids’ checking accounts that transition to adult ones, this one remains the same, according to a customer rep we spoke to.

What we like about Chase First Banking

Chase First Banking is powered by Greenlight, a kids’ debit card platform known for its ease of use and flexible parental controls. But while Greenlight charges a monthly fee starting at $5.99, you get this kids’ Chase checking account for free. With no monthly fee, chore and allowance tracking and customizable parental controls, there’s a lot to like about this account.

Flexible parental controls

The Chase First Banking account has two mobile apps: one for your kid and the Chase Mobile app to manage your account.

Similar to many other kids’ cards, parents can set limits for spending and ATM withdrawals and get real-time alerts when their child makes a purchase.

And if your child is out and short on cash, they can send you a real-time request for more funds. Once you approve the request, funds are instantly transferred for free.

Chore and allowances

With Chase First Banking, parents can assign chores and pay one-time or recurring allowances. By earning money through the chore and allowance tracking, kids put those funds toward set savings goals and spend their money using their Chase First Banking debit card. And if you have multiple kids, parents can set up to five accounts.

Where Chase First Banking falls short

The Chase First Banking account has a few potential downsides. If you’re not already a Chase customer with one of the required Chase accounts, you can’t open the Chase First Banking account. And only one parent can open and manage a Chase First Banking account, so it can’t be co-managed by two parents unless you’re willing to share login information.

Lacking some key features for working teens

This Chase account has some limitations that make it not-so-great for older teens with jobs, since this account doesn’t support direct deposit or remote check deposit. Kids also can’t link their Chase First Banking debit card to Apple Pay or Google Pay or use their debit card for peer-to-peer transactions with Venmo, PayPal or Cash App.

Features and services unavailable with the Chase First Banking account include:

  • Direct deposit
  • Wire transfers, incoming or outgoing
  • ACH transfers
  • Remote check deposits
  • Zelle
  • Checkwriting privileges
  • Overdraft services

Chase First Banking’s fees and access

Type of feeFee details
Monthly service$0
Opening deposit$0
ATMs
  • Domestic: $0 with Chase ATMs, $3 out-of-network fee
  • International: $5 per withdrawal, $3 for inquiries or transfers
Debit card fees
  • Cash withdrawals: $0 with Chase ATM
  • Foreign transactions: 3% after conversion to US dollars
  • Card replacement: $5
Overdraft or nonsufficient funds$0
Wire transfersN/A
Other fees
  • Paper statements: $6
  • Account closure: $0

Compare Chase First Banking to other top bank accounts

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Get 2 months free and $10 allowance when you sign up to GoHenry with Finder's exclusive code: AFFUSFDR10.
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Finder Score: 4.6 / 5: ★★★★★

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  • Spending controls & limits
  • Instantly send money to your child
  • Up to 5% savings rewards
Get the first 30 days for free. After your one-month trial, plans start at just $5.99/month for the whole family. Includes up to five kids.
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Free trial
FamZoo
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How to open the Chase First Banking

Kids must be between the ages of six and 17 to be eligible for the account. Kids can’t open the account on their own and need a parent to open it for them. Also, parents must have one of these Chase accounts before they can open the Chase First Banking account for their kid:

Customer experience

JPMorgan Chase has a lot of customer feedback, but the majority of the reviews are in reference to other products and services. Chase sports the highest Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating of A+, but it’s not accredited by the BBB. The BBB rating is based on how well Chase responds to customer complaints and feedback, so the bank appears to make a significant effort to resolve issues.

Like other long-standing banks, Chase has a large number of complaints — over 4,000 in the last few years. Its reviews are largely poor on BBB and Trustpilot, with most negative experiences and reviews referencing issues resolving fraud, account closures, issues with auto loans and poor customer service. Based on the sheer number of complaints around its fraud resolution, Chase’s fraud department may need improvement.

Chase has over 4,700 physical branches across 48 states, so your customer support is likely to vary.

Kids’ debit card ratings

★★★★★ — Excellent

★★★★★ — Good

★★★★★ — Average

★★★★★ — Subpar

★★★★★ — Poor

We analyze top debit cards for kids and rate them one to five stars based on factors that are most important to you. We rate kids’ checking accounts by these factors: Monthly fee, features, ATM access, customer support options, and availability. We also consider APY as a factor only for those that earn interest. We rate prepaid debit cards for kids by these factors: monthly fees, features, customer support options and account availability.

Read the full methodology of how we rate Kids’ debit card accounts.

Ask a question

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Bethany Finder

Editor, Banking

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