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The best free debit cards for kids for 2024

Compare free kids debit cards that can teach your child healthy financial habits.

Best all-around kids account

Finder Award

Greenlight

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  • Free 30-day trial, then start at $4.99/month
  • Earn up to 5% on savings and 1% cashback
  • Optional investing tools

Best for financial literacy

GoHenry

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  • Finder-exclusive 2-month free trial plus $10 in allowance, then $4.99/month
  • Optional parent-paid interest
  • 45+ customizable card designs

Best for savings rounds-ups

Current teen banking

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  • $0 monthly fee
  • Automatic savings round-ups
  • Parent Current account required

Compare debit cards for kids

Use this table to compare popular debit cards for kids. Sort the list by monthly fee, ATM withdrawal and features to find the best one for you.

Name Product Fee Age requirements Features Offer
Greenlight
Finder Rating: 4.6 / 5: ★★★★★

Finder Award
Free trial
Greenlight
$4.99 per month
Any age
  • Spend, save & invest
  • Chores & allowance tools
  • 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 $4.99/month for the whole family. Includes up to five kids.
Teach your child to spend, save and invest all in one app. Get 5+ financial literacy tools, including chores and allowances. All with powerful parental controls to decide where your child can spend and how much. Includes up to 5% savings rewards. Free one-month trial.
GoHenry
Finder Rating: 4.3 / 5: ★★★★★
Exclusive
GoHenry
$4.99 per month
6 to 18 years old
  • Automate allowance & instantly send money to your child
  • Optional parent-paid savings interest
  • Spending controls & limits
  • Finder-exclusive 2-month free trial plus $10 in allowance, then $4.99/month
Get an exclusive 2 months free and $10 allowance when you sign up to GoHenry with Finder's exclusive code: AFFUSFDR5.
Get interactive money and investing tools for your kids, including expert-developed games and quizzes. Offers strong parental controls that allow you to set where and how much your child can spend.
Current teen banking
Finder Rating: 4.8 / 5: ★★★★★
Current teen banking
$0 per month
Any age
  • Automatic savings round-ups
  • $0 monthly fee
  • Spending limits and parent notifications
  • Instant transfers to your teen
    • Parent Current account required
Current’s Teen Banking card allows parents to track their teens’ chores, allowance, and spending. Requires parent to have a Current account. FDIC insured.
Jassby
Finder Rating: 4 / 5: ★★★★★
Jassby
$5.95 per month
7 to 17 years old
  • Set up allowance and chores
  • Real-time spending notifications
  • Instantly lock and unlock your child’s card
  • Quizzes, videos and games teach kids about money
  • Earn redeemable rewards points
Kids earn rewards points when they play the financial literacy games, courses and quizzes in Jassby‘s app. Teach your child spending, saving, and giving with strong parental controls. Includes chores and allowance features.
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We compare the following prepaid cards for kids & teens

How to choose the best debit card for my kid

Compare the following features when shopping around for a debit card for your child:

  • Check the fees. The costs can vary between cards and banks. Most prepaid cards will have either a monthly or yearly fee.
  • Spending limits. Look for cards that let you cap daily spending and set limits for ATM withdrawals or at 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.

Common features of a kids’ debit card

There are six common features to consider when looking for a debit card for your kid:

  • Chores and allowances. Many debit cards for kids offer a way to track and pay your kids for chores that they complete. You also have the option to pay allowances.
  • Like a regular debit card. Your kid can use their prepaid debit card to make purchases online and in person, generally anywhere Mastercard or Visa is accepted.
  • Spending controls. Many children’s debit cards come with spending control limits that parents can set within their mobile banking app to restrict how much their child can spend.
  • Card lock. Parents can also lock the debit card online or via an app.
  • Choose how your child can spend. Parents can choose if the card can be used at ATMS, online or for in-store purchases.
  • Spending tracking tools. Many mobile banking apps offer spending tracking tools and features to help your child learn how to manage their money.

How do debit cards for kids work?

Most debit cards for kids are prepaid cards. You can load money onto them from an app using your checking account. Then, your kid can use them to shop online and in-store just as they would a normal debit card. The major difference is that your kid typically can’t overdraft with a prepaid debit card as they could a regular debit card.

A lot of these cards come with extra features, like the ability to see how your child spends their money or pay them for doing chores.

At what age can my child get a debit card?

Prepaid cards are available for kids as young as five. But debit cards linked to traditional checking accounts usually require your child to be at least 13.

You can help your child transition to a prepaid debit card for teens once they turn 13, or you can help them open a checking account for teens if they’ve outgrown the prepaid card.

Are debit cards for kids safe?

Yes, debit cards for kids are generally safe because of two main features. First, they’re FDIC-insured so you’re guaranteed to get your money back if the bank fails. Secondly, most debit cards for kids are COPPA-compliant, meaning they never sell or collect your child’s personal information, including their name, address, Social Security numbers, and even their geolocation and images.

Is my child ready for a debit card for kids?

Your child may be ready for a kids debit card if they often ask to borrow cash or have started earning money on their own — whether through an allowance or a paid job. A debit card like Greenlight can help them master the art of spending, saving and investing wisely.

If your child isn’t ready to handle real money just yet, consider a simulated bank account like Bankaroo. This app use virtual money to help young children learn how to spend and save until they’re ready to upgrade to a real debit card for kids.

How can I get a kids debit card?

You can open most debit cards for kids online. But keep in mind that if you decide to open a kids checking account as opposed to a prepaid card, you’ll need to open it as a joint account between a minor and an adult.

What are the pros and cons of a debit card for kids?

Before you get a debit card for your kid, 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 banking app to see where they’re going.
  • 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.

Cons

  • Not a checking account. The majority of debit cards for kids are prepaid cards, and not actual checking accounts.
  • Not good for large purchases. Accounts for children generally have much lower debit card spending limits than adult accounts.
  • Other fees. They may rack up fees for using out-of-network ATMs or overdrawing their account.
  • No interest. These types of accounts usually don’t pay interest.
  • Age limits. Each card or bank can set its own age limit.

13 debit cards for kids

Here’s a quick overview of the top debit cards available for kids:

Card nameFeatures
CopperA full-fledged checking account tied to a Mastercard debit card and a mobile app that includes interactive quizzes to increase your kid’s financial literacy. The account also includes savings tools, but funds earn virtually no interest.
Chase First BankingIt’s technically a kids checking account, but it’s powered by Greenlight and has all the same features. It’s free for parents with an active Chase Checking account.
JassbyA debit card for kids that includes budgeting tools and parental controls. There’s no longer a monthly fee. There used to be a $2.99 fee that you could only avoid when you make one purchase a month, but Jassby has done away with this.
GoHenryA basic card with chore and allowance tracking. But be prepared to pay $4.99 a month for each child — unlike other platforms that charge a flat fee for the entire family.
GreenlightThe most robust debit card for kids, offering savings and investing tools, plus store-level spending controls. Costs $4.99 to $14.98 a month depending on your plan but includes debit cards for up to five children.
BusyKidKids can donate money to charity, invest in stocks or spend with their prepaid debit card. BusyKid charges $48 per year by connecting your bank account, or $49.74 a year with a debit or credit card. The price works out to around $4 per month, and you get up to five cards on one account.
GoalsetterOffers educational quizzes and savings tools designed for Black and Latinx children. But you’ll pay $1 per transaction, which adds up quickly.
FamZooThe app divides your kid’s money into virtual piggy banks for spending, saving and giving. But there’s an unavoidable $5.99 monthly fee.
KachingaA prepaid Mastercard for teens tied to a chore app that includes features to boost your kid’s financial literacy. Parents can also activate automatic transfers and get real-time notifications about their teen’s purchases.
MazoolaA virtual debit card for kids that’s free for the first 12 months and $4.95 per month after that. It offers basic chore and allowance tracking, spending controls and savings tools. But it’s not available on Android yet.
Purewrist A wearable payment bracelet that comes with a one-time prepaid card or a reloadable option. It costs $25 to activate, but your kid can customize their bracelet color.
Revolut <18A kids' prepaid card with parent-paid bonuses, spending analyzers and task tracking. But adults must have a personal Revolut account to get started.
RoosterMoneyA free allowance app that teaches kids how to earn, spend and save. The debit card option is currently only available in the UK, but the company is looking to expand it to the US soon.

Debit card for kids alternatives

If you’re not set on a prepaid card for your child, here are some other options to consider, depending on their age:

  • Kids savings account. Help your child get a jump start on their future with a kids savings account. Most offer competitive APYs and low fees and minimum deposits. They’re a great option for any age.
  • Kids checking account. Some kids checking accounts such as Chase First Checking have no monthly fees, free ATM access and chore and allowance tracking.
  • Credit cards. You could add your child to your credit card as an authorized user. This could help them build their credit and learn financial responsibility, but beware of the risks that come.

Bottom line

A prepaid debit card for kids can help your child learn how to manage money responsibly — and let you track their spending so you can see if they’re meeting that goal. But while some prepaid cards let kids save money on them, they’re not a replacement for a savings account.Compare savings accounts for kids and prepaid debit cards to create a banking solution that’s right for your family.

Frequently asked questions?

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