13 Best Teen Bank Accounts

Not every “teen” bank account has all the functionalities of a regular bank account. If you’re earning real money from a job with a W-2, you’ll need a legit bank account that supports direct deposit, gives you a debit card and works like a good ol’ fashioned bank account. We’ve gathered 13 top bank accounts for teens that come with the typical routing number, account number and the ability to receive paychecks electronically — just like a regular bank account.

13 best bank accounts for teenagers

Compare bank accounts for teens that are afforable, accept direct deposit and offer some controls for the parents.

Methodology: How we chose the best teen bank accounts

Finder’s experts compared dozens of bank accounts designed for teens, or ones that are available for teens. We considered the following factors:

• Age range and ownership. Account must be available to teens, minimum age accepted 13.
• Accepts direct deposit. Since many teens have jobs, we looked for teen accounts with the typical features of regular bank accounts, including the very important feature of accepting direct deposit.
• Fees. $0 monthly fees, or ability to waive the monthly fee easily. (Editor’s note: we made an exception for Greenlight, as it has a free trial and its features make it an undisputed top pick).
• Parental controls. Account must have some level of parental controls, such as spending limits, alerts, chores and allowance tools or parent dashboards.
• Availability. Must be available in all 50 states.
• Extra features. Not required, but we prioritized accounts that offer earnings APY on checking balances, savings rewards, saving round ups, credit building tools, investing, early direct deposit and money lessons.

How to set up a teen bank account

If you’re under the age of 18, you’ll need an adult to help you set up your bank account. Bank accounts for minors often require teens to be at least 13, and then a parent or guardian is typically the adult joint owner of the account.

To apply for a teen bank account, you typically need this information for both applicants on the account:

• Full names
• Addresses
• Social Security numbers
• Date of birth
• For student accounts, proof of school enrollment, such as transcripts or a student ID

What if the teen is over 18?

Adults can apply for a bank account on their own in most states. You’ll need the same information if you were to apply with a joint owner, including your name, address, date of birth and valid government ID. If you’re setting up direct deposit, you’ll need to give your bank’s information to your employer.

Many mainstream banks, such as Chase Bank and PNC, don’t charge monthly maintenance fees on their student accounts, or don’t charge monthly fees until you hit around age 24 or 25. There are also plenty of student accounts out there, often designed for college-aged students with no monthly fees and basic checking perks.

How to set up direct deposit for a teen account

Direct deposit is a way to send money electronically from one bank account to another. When you have a job and get paid, it means the deposit is sent from your employer’s bank to your bank.

Direct deposit uses the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network, which is a secure system that moves money between banks in the US. Direct deposit is secure and free, and is probably the easiest and fastest way to get paid when you’re working.

Once set up, you’ll get paid automatically on payday, meaning you won’t get a physical check you have to cash or deposit at your bank. Depending on the bank, you might even get your paycheck up to two days before your actual payday with early direct deposit.

Plan on needing to give this information to your employer to set up direct deposit:

• Your bank’s routing number
• Your bank account number (often between seven and 12 digits)
• A voided check or bank letter for confirmation

Most teen-friendly bank accounts provide these details right in your banking app, or you can simply call your bank and ask for that information. In some cases, your employer will give you a direct deposit form to fill out.

Bottom line

If you’re a teen with a job, you need a real bank account that lets you get paid by direct deposit, not just an app for allowance money.

Look for accounts with no fees, a debit card and easy mobile access. Whether you want more independence or some parental backup, there are plenty of kids’ and teen bank accounts to compare.

Frequently asked questions

• What happens to the account when the teen turns 18?

  It depends on the bank, but some teen accounts continue to function as normal, while others convert to "adult" accounts.

  For example, once a teen owner of the Chase First Banking account turns 18, they need to choose another Chase checking account for it to convert to, such as Chase Secure Banking or Chase Total Checking. Another example is the PNC Virtual Wallet Student account, which automatically converts to an adult account at age 18.

• Do all teen bank accounts support direct deposit?

  Unfortunately, no. You must specifically look for teen accounts that support direct deposit because not all teen accounts are "true" checking accounts.

  Some teen accounts are just prepaid debit cards, which means they may not have a routing number and account number, which are required for employer direct deposit.

  There are also kid-owned bank accounts that don't support direct deposit as an extra layer of protection, such as Chase First Banking and Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking. These accounts only allow parents to deposit money into the account, which means they're not great fits if you're a working teen looking for an account to store your wages.

• Does BusyKid accept direct deposit?

  At the time of writing, BusyKid does not have the ability to set up direct deposit.

• What age can a teen get a bank account?

  At most traditional banks, like Chase or Wells Fargo, the minimum age a teen can open a bank account is 13 (with an adult co-owner). Some kids' debit cards, such as Greenlight or Modak, don't have minimum age requirements for kids or teens, though.

• Does Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking accept direct deposit?

  No. Direct deposit and Zelle are both unavailable for teens for the Advantage SafeBalance Banking account, since only parents can deposit or transfer money in or out of the account.

• Does Chase First Banking accept direct deposits?

  No, the Chase First Banking checking account doesn't accept direct deposits, and it doesn't allow Zelle transactions either.

• Does Cash App or Venmo count as direct deposit?

  Typically, no, Cash App and Venmo transfers aren't considered direct deposit. Direct deposit, by the traditional definition, goes through the ACH network, which requires a bank account and routing number.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Bethany Hickey

Banking editor

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Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto. Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt. Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others. Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine. See full bio

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