9.2 Excellent
- Starts at $5.99/month after free trial
- Earn up to 6% on savings and 1% cashback
- Optional investing tools
- You and a referred friend can earn $30+
9.2 Excellent
9.2 Excellent
9.2 Excellent
9.6 Excellent
9.6 Excellent
7.6 Great
7.6 Great
Finder’s banking editors research and compare over 35 cards for kids. We evaluate features such as parental controls, ease of use, fees and tools for teaching financial literacy. We also choose cards that can suit specific needs, like large families, gamified learning and investing. To qualify as a best kids’ card, options must meet the following minimum criteria:
To find the best account for your family, consider these factors:
The key difference between prepaid cards and debit cards is that debit cards are tied to a checking account, whereas prepaid cards require you to load funds onto them. Prepaid cards may come with reload fees, monthly fees and ATM transaction limits and typically don’t allow for overdrafts.
For kids under 13, debit cards are a safer first option than credit cards. Debit cards allow kids to spend only what’s in their account, eliminating debt or interest charges. Credit cards, which require adding a child as an authorized user, can encourage overspending and impact the parent’s credit if not managed carefully.
Yes, teens aged 18 to 19 can get a debit card on their own. For teens under 18, banks require an adult to act as a joint owner to manage the account, and many bank accounts require teens to be at least 13 or 14 to become a co-owner. For kids under 13, you may have to look to prepaid cards or kids’ banking apps to find an account suitable for that age range.
Some accounts for kids under 13 automatically convert into adult accounts when they turn 18, which may include new fees. For example, PNC’s Virtual Wallet Student account is fee-free for up to six years but converts to a $25/month adult account afterward. Always check whether a kids’ account will close, convert or charge fees when your child becomes an adult.
Most cards for kids don’t charge overdraft fees, since the majority of these are prepaid cards, so they can only spend what’s been preloaded into the card. A regular kids’ checking account, like through a traditional bank, might have an overdraft fee, but it’s rare.
Modak has no monthly fee, but it’s slim on features. Greenlight starts at $5.99 but is a value for big families.
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BusyKid is one of the best kids’ cards on the market, but you’ll pay $48 per year.
Compare the best kids’ debit cards with strong parental controls, minimal fees and fun features.
See our first-hand review of the Greenlight card to see if the $5.99 monthly fee makes sense for your family.
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Compare top credit cards for teens and how they work when you’re a minor.