The best debit cards for kids for 2021

The best debit card for kids aims to teach your child how to manage their money. When searching for a card, you have two options: a prepaid debit card or a debit card attached to a checking account. Kids’ prepaid cards typically charge a monthly fee, but you’ll gain access to chores and allowance features. On the other hand, debit cards that come with a kids’ checking account typically don’t charge a fee, but their financial education tools come in the form of quizzes or are non-existent.

We researched over 35 debit cards for kids that have nationwide availability, simple fee structures, unique financial literacy features and parental controls that allow you to set boundaries, as needed.

The best debit cards for kids

Compare these top cards by monthly fee and features to find the best one for you and your family.

Best for personalized cards

Gohenry

Finder Rating: 4.3 / 5

★★★★★

Apply now at Gohenry's secure site

$3.99
Monthly fees

$0
Card purchase fee

$1.50
ATM fee

Special offer: Access all of Gohenry’s features without paying the monthly fee the first month

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Gohenry debit card is the best personalized card for kids from age 6 to 18 because it lets your children choose their own personalized card from a set of designs Gohenry provides. For instance, they'll get to choose from a picture, pattern or color. You get to decide where they use the card — online, in stores or at ATMs — and can view where and when they spend it in the mobile app. The Gohenry card offers a free trial and lets you set up recurring or one-time chores, each with its own dollar amount. You'll also never have to worry about overdraft fees because purchases that will exceed your child's balance will automatically be declined.

• Free trial. Give Gohenry a test spin with a 30-day free trial.
• Parental controls. Create savings goals for your kid to work toward and set weekly or one-off spending limits.
• Custom tasks. Create recurring or one-time chores with their own payout amount, and your child can mark them off the list as they're complete.

• Monthly fee adds up. Unlike other prepaid cards that charge a flat monthly fee for the whole family, you'll pay $3.99 for each Gohenry card, which can add up if you have more than one kid.
• One funding option. As of right now, the only way to add funds to Gohenry is with a connected debit card. You can't deposit cash, e-deposit checks or do an ACH transfer.
• Limited loads per day. You can only add funds up to three times a day for a maximum of $500 a day across all subaccounts, which may require you to plan ahead if you have multiple cards to load.

Monthly fees	$3.99
ATM fee	$1.50
Card replacement fee	$0
Account type	Debit
Card type	Mastercard
Available to Temporary Residents	No

Best for parental controls

Greenlight

Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5

★★★★★

Apply now at Greenlight's secure site

$4.99
Monthly fees

$0
Card purchase fee

$0
ATM fee

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Greenlight debit card is the best debit card for parental controls because it lets you set spending limits for specific retailers. Greenlight doesn't have any minimum or maximum age requirements, but it's intended to help kids learn to save, spend, earn, give and even invest. There are three plans to choose from, and all come with tools to help your child manage their money. But the two highest plans come with an investing platform that lets your child buy real stocks with your permission. Greenlight also stands out because of its maximum card balance and transfer limit are higher than most cards for kids. Plus, accounts with balances below $5,000 earn a 1% or 2% savings boost per year, depending on your plan.

• Funds are split between two categories. Funds in the Spend Anywhere category can be used at any store your child wishes. The other category has parental control features that allow you to designate money for specific stores.
• Saving and investing tools. Set up a savings account that has parent-paid interest or earns a savings boost of 1% or 2% on balances up to $5,000, depending on your plan. Your child can also invest money in real-time.
• Minimal fees. You won't pay any transaction, reload or withdrawal fees with Greenlight, although you may pay ATM operator fees. If you lose your card, Greenlight gives you your first replacement for free, and any after that is $3.50.

• Monthly fee. Although you'll pay at least $4.99 a month for Greenlight, this is a flat fee that includes cards for up to five kids.
• Limited direct deposit. If your teen is old enough to have a job, they can get direct deposit on their card. But they can't receive payments from Apple Cash, PayPal, Venmo or the US government.

Monthly fees	$4.99
ATM fee	$0
Card replacement fee	$3.50
Account type	Debit
Card type	Mastercard
Available to Temporary Residents	No

Best for investing

BusyKid

Finder Rating: 4.8 / 5

★★★★★

Apply now at BusyKid's secure site

$1.67
Monthly fees

$0
Card purchase fee

N/A
ATM fee

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• Pros & cons
• Details

The BusyKid Visa Prepaid Spend Debit card is best for parents who are looking beyond chores and allowances. Busykid offers a way for your kid to save, donate, share, spend or invest any earned allowances. Although Greenlight also offers investing, you'll need to upgrade to its $7.98/month plan to use it. Meanwhile, Busykid is cheaper and includes its investing feature at no extra cost. Other standout features include allowance automations and excellent customer service.

• Affordable. While most debit cards for kids cost about $50 a year, BusyKid only costs $19.99. This annual fee includes one free prepaid card.
• Money management options. Your kids have the option to save their money with parent-paid interest, donate it to any of the 40+ charities available, use the app to buy stocks or use their Busykid spend card to make purchases.
• Parental permissions. Your child has the freedom to move money between the spend, save and share sections in their BusyKid account themselves. But they'll need your permission to move money to their Spend card.

• Cost per card. The BusyKid family subscription comes with one free spend card, but you'll pay $7.99 for each additional card you need.
• Limited parental controls. Unlike the competition, you have no control over how your child spends their money once it hits their BusyKid Spend card, which means it's ideal for parents who have already established trust with their kid.

Annual fees	$19.99
Additional Cardholder Fee	$7.99
Card replacement fee	$5
Paper statement fee	$5
Account type	Debit
Card type	Visa

Best for traveling abroad

FamZoo

Finder Rating: 4 / 5

★★★★★

Apply now at FamZoo's secure site

$5.99
Monthly fees

$2
Card purchase fee

$0
ATM fee

Special offer: Try FamZoo for one month free

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• Pros & cons
• Details

The FamZoo prepaid card is best for traveling abroad because you won't have to worry about your kid paying foreign transaction fees on international purchases while you're on vacation or a they're on a school trip. FamZoo is open to kids of all ages, and it offers a free 30-day trial. It also lets you assign dollar values to specific chores, and it gives you the ability to set up mock stocks so your kid can practice investing. Plus, there are no foreign transaction fees with this card, and you'll receive detailed information about any declined transactions.

• Real-time requests. Your kids can request extra funds in real-time, which is helpful if they're out with friends and need extra cash on the spot.
• Focus on saving, spending and giving. Your child's account is split into three subaccounts for saving, spending and giving to encourage them to develop good money management habits.
• No foreign transaction fees. FamZoo Kids traveling abroad won't pay any foreign transaction fees on international purchases.

• Monthly fee. Famzoo costs $5.99 a month — and there's no way to waive it. But your first 30 days are free, so you can try before you buy.
• Fee for 5+ cards. If you need more than four FamZoo cards, you'll pay a $2 shipping fee for each one over this limit.
• Limited cash deposits. The only way to add cash to your Famzoo card is at a GreenDot or Mastercard rePower location, both of which cost money.

Monthly fees	$5.99
Additional Cardholder Fee	$2
ATM fee	$0
Card replacement fee	$0
Account type	Debit
Card type	Mastercard
Available to Temporary Residents	No

Best for teens

Copper

Finder Rating: 4 / 5

★★★★★

Apply now at Copper's secure site

$0
Monthly fees

$0
Card purchase fee

$0
ATM fee

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Copper debit card for teens is linked to a full-fledged checking account. Copper is free to use and there are no ATM fees or overdraft charges. And although it doesn't have an integrated chores feature like many other debit cards for kids, parents can set up recurring transfers that instantly deposit cash into their kids' accounts. Plus, the mobile app includes interactive quizzes, articles and other resources to enrich your teen's financial literacy.

• No fees. There's no monthly or overdraft fee and no minimum balance requirement with Copper. Your kid can also use the Copper debit card at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs without paying a fee.
• Improves financial literacy. The Copper app features financial quizzes and other resources to help your teen be more mindful about their saving and spending habits. Kids can even earn extra cash for completing some of the quizzes.
• Integrated savings. Copper lets your kid create multiple buckets to save up for long-term goals. Your teen can also set up automatic deposits into their savings buckets and invite friends and family to contribute funds.

• Negligible interest. Saved money only earns 0.001% APY, which is virtually nothing.
• Cash deposit fee. Copper doesn't charge any fees when your kid deposits cash at participating retailers, but some businesses may charge a fee of up to $4.95.

Monthly fees	$0
ATM fee	$0
Card replacement fee	$0
Account type	Debit
Card type	Mastercard
Available to Temporary Residents	Yes

Best for no monthly fee

Jassby

Finder Rating: 4.2 / 5

★★★★★

Apply now at Jassby's secure site

N/A
APY

None
Fees

None
Min. opening deposit

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Jassby virtual debit card stands out for its no monthly fee and intuitive money-management app. It's also a great option for kids who don't need a physical debit card. There used to be a monthly fee and free six-month trial, but these were done away with after Jassby became a free virtual debit card. Your kid also gets access to the Jassby Mall, which is an in-app marketplace that includes more than 20,000 products from retailers including Apple, Starbucks and Nintendo.

• No monthly fee. Unlike other kids debit cards, you don't have to worry paying a fee every month.
• Parental features. The adult on the account can award one-time bonuses, freeze their kid's debit card and set spending limits in the mobile app.
• Jassby Mall. The app has a built-in Jassby Mall where your kid can buy products from popular retailers like Starbucks, Apple and Nintendo.

• No physical card. Jassby is a virtual debit card only, which could be a disadvantage if your kid shops at a place that doesn't support mobile wallet and contactless payments.

Account fees	$0 monthly
Can the fee be waived?	No

Best for Greenlight features for no fee

Chase First Banking

Finder Rating: 4.3 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

N/A
APY

None
Fees

None
Min. opening deposit

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

To be eligible for the Chase First Banking account and debit card, you’ll first need to be a Chase customer. The account is powered by Greenlight, so it works similar to its most basic account. But while you’ll pay $4.99 to use Greenlight, Chase First Banking is free. The account is geared toward children aged 6 to 17, and the mobile app lets you assign chores, manage allowances and create multiple savings goals. The account also includes ATM access and there’s no minimum balance requirement.

• No monthly fee. Unlike many other kid-centric bank accounts, there's no monthly fee for Chase First Banking.
• Built-in chores and allowances. When you open a Chase First Banking account, you can use Chase's mobile app to assign tasks to your child or automate their allowance.
• Parents are in control. You can restrict your kid's spending, limit their ATM access and get spending alerts. Plus, your child can send you real-time requests for cash that you can instantly transfer to their account for free.

• Must be an existing Chase customer. You can't open a Chase First Banking account unless you already bank with Chase.
• No support for multiple parents. You can only link one parent's account unless you share your login credentials with your partner.
• Missing features. This account doesn't support digital wallets, direct deposits, bank-to-bank transfers or mobile check deposits.

APY	0%
Account fees	$0 monthly
Can the fee be waived?	Yes
ATM transaction fee	$0
Foreign transaction fee	3%

Best free debit card for kids

Mazoola

Finder Rating: 4.5 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

$0
Monthly fees

$0
Card purchase fee

N/A
ATM fee

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Mazoola virtual debit card is the best free debit card for kids because it has absolutely no fees. It also offers standard features like the ability to set chores, allowances and savings goals. The Mazoola app makes it easy for your kid to track savings goals in the account, so they can monitor their progress as they get paid. And this account supports peer-to-peer payments, allowing your kid to quickly send funds to friends and family.

• No fees. Unlike most debit cards for kids, Mazoola is 100% free to use. Plus, your kid can't overdraft as any purchases that would put their balance in the red are declined.
• Savings tools. Your child can set up savings goals in the app and fund them as they complete chores and earn money.
• P2P payments. Your kid can send money to other friends and family in the Mazoola app using peer-to-peer payments.

• Not available on Google Play. Mazoola has an Android app in the works, but as of February 2021, it's only available to iPhone users.
• New app. Mazoola is a new debit card for kids, so it's too soon to tell what parents like and don't like about it.

Available to Temporary Residents	Yes

Best for building credit

Step banking

Finder Rating: 4.3 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

N/A
APY

None
Fees

None
Min. opening deposit

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Step Banking app is best for building credit because it combines the features of a debit and credit card. The unique Smart Pay system offered by Step lets your kid establish a positive credit history but prevents them from making purchases that exceed their balance. This way, you and your kid never have to worry about overspending or getting hit with overdraft fees. And unlike most debit cards, the Step card is protected by a zero-liability policy from Visa, meaning your kid will never be responsible for charges they did not authorize.

• Builds credit. Step Banking is unique because it lets kids build credit history even before they're old enough to apply for a credit card on their own.
• No fees. Step doesn't charge a monthly fee for its card, and there's no minimum balance required to keep the account open. There are also no overdraft charges or ATM fees.
• Adults can set up recurring payments. Adults, which Step calls 'Sponsors', can set up recurring deposits into their kids' accounts via the mobile app.

• Atypical ATM withdrawals. When you withdraw cash from an ATM, Step doesn't subtract those funds from your account. Instead, your ATM withdrawals are considered cash advances, which may be subject to interest and finance charges.
• Kids can't fund the account. The only way to add money to this account is through direct deposits, bank-to-bank transfers or apps such as Venmo. Neither you nor your kid can deposit cash or checks into the account.

APY	0%
Account fees	$0 monthly
Can the fee be waived?	Yes
Overdraft fee	$0

Best for financial quizzes

Goalsetter Cashola

Finder Rating: 4 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

$0
Monthly fees

$0
Card purchase fee

N/A
ATM fee

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Goalsetter Cashola Prepaid Debit Mastercard is best for kids aged 6 to 16. It offers financial quizzes like competitor Copper banking, but offers added features that ensure that your kid is taking at least one financial quiz a week. Other standout features include a way for family members to auto-save or round up purchases toward the balance in the account.

• Savings goals. Your kid can create financial goals toward vacations, gifts and more. Plus, you have the option to set up auto-save and round-ups.
• No monthly fee. You won't pay a dime for your child to use this account. If you'd like to give, you have the option to pay what you can.
• Financial quizzes. This account stands apart from other accounts that offer quizzes because you can choose to freeze the card when your child doesn't complete at least one quiz a week.

• No ATM access. Unlike other prepaid cards like Greenlight and Famzoo, your kid won't be able to withdraw money from an ATM with this account.
• Not transparent. The account markets itself as being fully transparent, but you don't have access to the fees unless you create an account or reach out to customer service.
• Inactivity fee. You'll pay $1 a month after 12 months of no transactions.

Monthly fees	$0
Card replacement fee	$8
Account type	Prepaid
Card type	Mastercard
Available to Temporary Residents	Yes

Best for military kids

Navy Federal Visa Buxx

Finder Rating: 3.6 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

$0
Monthly fees

$0
Card purchase fee

$0
ATM fee

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

If you or a member of your family are in the military or work for the Department of Defense, the Visa Buxx card from Navy Federal Credit Union lets you give your kid spending power without handing over your credit card. There are no fees to open this account or keep it active, and it includes parental controls you can use to monitor your kid’s spending habits and limit the amount of cash they can access. However, this card doesn’t include allowance or chores functionality, and if you don’t have any ties to the military, you won’t qualify for an account.

• Parental controls.You can track your kid's purchases, check their balance and reload the card online or over the phone. You can also limit ATM access and restrict how much cash your kid can get back from participating retailers
• Zero-liability protection.Your kid won't be held responsible for confirmed fraudulent transactions as long as you notify Navy Federal within 60 days of the statement date on which the fraudulent transactions first appear
• No monthly fees.There's no monthly fees to keep the account open.

• Eligibility criteria.You must be a current or former member of the military, work for the Department of Defense or have a family member who meets either of these criteria to qualify for membership in this credit union. Your child must also be at least 13 years old
• No integrated chores or allowance.Unlike several other cards on this list, including Greenlight and BusyKid, this card doesn't include integrated chores or allowance features.

Monthly fees	$0
ATM fee	$0
Card replacement fee	$5
Account type	Prepaid
Card type	Visa
Available to Temporary Residents	No

Best for savings round-ups

Current teen banking

Finder Rating: 4.8 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

N/A
APY

$36 yearly
Fees

None
Min. opening deposit

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Teen Debit Card from Current gives you the power to track your teen's chores, automate their allowance and monitor their transactions all from the palm of your hand. The parental controls let you set spending limits, deactivate the card and block ATMs withdrawals or purchases from specific retailers. Plus, the chores feature can teach your kid to negotiate by letting them propose a different amount of compensation for certain chores. And this card includes an automatic round-up setting that can help your teen reach their savings goals even faster.

• Savings round-ups. Purchases can be rounded up to the nearest dollar, and the difference will be deposited into the savings goal of your choice.
• Parental controls. Adults on the account can set spending limits, block ATM access, disable the card and select which stores their kid can shop at.
• Separate funding sources. Divorced parents or parents who like to keep their finances separate can link individual funding sources to this account.

• Annual fee. This account requires a $36 annual fee, which is $3 broken down into 12 months. This is pretty average, but you'll find cheaper options out there as well.
• Overseas fees. If your kid uses this card outside of the US, they'll pay a 3% transaction fee and a $3 ATM fee on top of what the ATM owner charges.

Account fees	$36 yearly
Can the fee be waived?	Yes
ATM transaction fee	$0
Paper statement fee	$2
Wire transfer fee	$0
Foreign transaction fee	3%
Overdraft fee	$0

Best for earning interest

Alliant Credit Union Free Teen Checking

Finder Rating: 4.1 / 5

★★★★★

Read review

Up to 0.25%
APY

None
Fees

None
Min. opening deposit

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

Alliant's free checking account for teens is geared toward kids aged 13 to 17, making it best for high school students who already have a handle on how to save and spend. Balances in the account earn a commendable 0.25% APY, and there's no minimum deposit required. The debit card can be used at 80,000 ATMs across the US without any fee, and Alliant will reimburse up to $20 in out-of-network ATM fees each month. Plus, you won't have to worry about your kid spending thousands of dollars because the account is limited to $100 in ATM withdrawals and $300 in purchases per day.

• Solid interest rate. Your kid can earn 0.25% APY if they opt out of paper statements and receive at least one electronic deposit each month.
• No monthly fee. There's no ongoing service fee to use this account, but you may need to make a one-time $5 donation to the nonprofit Foster Care to Success to qualify for membership.
• ATM network and rebates. Your kid will have free access to 80,000 ATMs, and if they do use an out-of-network machine, Alliant will reimburse up to $20 in fees each month.

• Limited locations. Alliant Credit Union only has two brick-and-mortar branches, and they're both in Illinois.
• Few parental controls. Compared to other debit cards for teens, this one has relatively few parental controls.

APY	0.25%
Account fees	$0 monthly
Can the fee be waived?	Yes
Insufficient funds fee	$25
ATM transaction fee	$0
Paper statement fee	$1
Foreign transaction fee	1%
Overdraft fee	$25
Accout closure fee	$10

Best for low fees

Till Financial

Read review

N/A
APY

None
Fees

None
Min. opening deposit

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

Till Financial is best for low fees because this debit card doesn’t have any one-time or recurring charges, which is rare for an account that comes with both a physical and virtual card. Till’s focus is on helping kids become savvy spenders, though the account also includes integrated savings goals. Plus, Till provides parents with plenty of ways to contribute to the account and share access with other family members.

• No fees. Till doesn't charge a fee to open or maintain an account. The only fees associated with this account are for international transactions, overseas ATM withdrawals and replacement cards.
• Virtual and physical cards. Some debit cards for kids are strictly virtual, but Till offers both virtual and physical debit cards for free. You can even get multiple cards if you have more than one kid.
• Advanced options. Till lets parents contribute to their kid's account in several ways. In addition to one-time transfers, you can choose to match your kid's savings efforts, set up automated allowance payments or enable parent-paid interest on savings goals.

• No Android app. Till's app only works on iPhones and the iPod Touch.
• Few support options. Till doesn't offer phone or chat support. If you need help with your account, you can email support@tillfinancial.io or contact a representative via social media.
• Not compatible with all banks. Till is compatible with many of the most popular banks in the US, but some smaller banks and credit unions may not be supported.

Account fees	$0 monthly
Can the fee be waived?	Yes
ATM transaction fee	$0
Paper statement fee	$0
Foreign transaction fee	3%

What’s changed in 2021?
While you may find Akimbo listed on competitor best lists, we removed it from our list because we spoke to two customer representatives who confirmed that the card is currently unavailable. We added Navy Federal Credit Union’s Visa Buxx card to our best list and the Mango prepaid card to our list of alternatives. We also added selected Current’s debit card for kids as the best card for savings round-ups, we chose Alliant Credit Union’s teen checking account as the best account for earning interest and Till account as the best card for low fees.

8 debit cards for kids alternatives

Although you might find these popular cards for kids on other sites, they didn’t make the cut on our list because they don’t offer comprehensive features or unique educational tools for kids.

1. Capital One Money

This free account for kids age 8 or older, earns 0.1% APY and it’s one of the few accounts that supports ATM deposits.

Why we didn’t choose it: Unlike other kids’ debit cards, Capital One Money doesn’t offer comprehensive hands-on education tools for kids. Instead, it offers a financial resource hub with articles. If you can do without educational tools, Capital One is a good alternative for its 0.1% APY, as most prepaid debit cards don’t offer interest unless it’s in the form of parent-paid interest. But if you’re only after an interest-bearing account, consider Axos Bank First Checking, which earns 0.1% APY with ATM reimbursements and no fees.

2. Kachinga

A prepaid Mastercard 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.

Why we didn’t choose it: Kachinga is a very basic prepaid card for kids. Like most cards, it offers spend, give and donate options and a way for parents to set up chores and allowances. But you’ll pay $36 a year or more depending on how many kids you have. For the lack of features, the cost is not worth it when compared to other cards, which gives you more for your money. For instance, BusyKid offers more options like investing for $19.99 a year depending on the amount of kids.

3. Revolut Junior

A prepaid card with parent-paid bonuses, spending analyzers and task tracking. But adults must have a personal Revolut account to get started.

Why we didn’t choose it: Revolut Junior offers a lot of the same features you’ll find with other prepaid cards, like parent-paid bonuses, chores and allowances. But to open an account, parents need to open a Revolut account and the amount of cards you need for your family depends on which Revolut plan you choose and how much you’ll pay every month. For instance, if you have two kids, you’ll pay $9.99 a month, which is equivalent to $119.88 a year. This would make it one of the most expensive cards if you have multiple kids. Meanwhile, competitor Greenlight offers up to five cards starting at $4.99 a month or $59.88 a year.

4. 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.

Why we didn’t choose it: Looking beyond the stylish band, there are no standout features like chores, allowance or other educational tools for kids. And while it’s marketed as a contactless payment option for teens, our writers tested this product and found that it isn’t 100% contactless. While making a purchase, the checkout keypad is used twice: once to enter the PIN and again to decline cash back.

5. RoosterMoney

An 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 to the US.

Why we didn’t choose it: While it’s a popular debit card in the UK, it’s only available as an app in the US. You have the option of a free plan or a paid plan at $2.99 a month or $18.99 a year, but neither option comes with a debit card for US families. If you’re after a free app that teaches kids how to manage their money without using a card or actual cash, this is a good option especially since Busykid’s free option was recently discontinued.

6. Wingocard

A card for teens that lets them create savings goals, earn money on chores and allowances and complete financial quizzes.

Why we didn’t choose it: While there’s no monthly fee to use the card, it didn’t make our best list due to its its return policy, lack of savings categories and user limitations. Wingocard has a return policy that disallows you from transferring money out of the account once you fund it. And unlike other debit cards for kids that have different categories to spend, save and give, this one only has a category for spending. And lastly, only iOS users can use this card as it’s not yet available on Android.

7. Akimbo Prepaid Mastercard

You can use this card to help you budget or set allowances for your kids, but it’s currently not available.

Why we didn’t choose it: While you might see Akimbo mentioned on other review websites, we contacted Akimbo’s customer service department and were explicitly told that “Akimbo cards are not open to the public.” Current cardholders can still use the account, but the company is no longer issuing cards to new customers.

8. Mango Prepaid Mastercard

This simple debit card has a pesky monthly fee, but it comes with an optional high-yield savings account that earns a whopping 6.0% APY.

Why we didn’t choose it: Although you may see this card listed in other roundups of debit cards for kids, we didn’t choose it because the only way to avoid the $5 monthly service charge is for your kid to receive at least $800 in direct deposits each month. The card also lacks other features such as chores and allowance tracking.

What is a debit card for kids?

Debit cards for kids help parents teach their children how to start managing their money at an early age. Kids can save and spend money online or in store all while learning how money works through financial quizzes, chores and allowances. There are two types of cards to choose from:

1. Prepaid debit cards. These cards allow you to preload your kid’s account, set chores and allowances and apply spending controls. Plus, they offer financial tools to help your child learn how to manage their money. They also typically charge a monthly fee.
2. Debit cards attached to checking accounts. These cards typically don’t require a monthly fee, but you won’t get as many financial tools as you would with prepaid debit cards. However, there are exceptions like Copper Banking, which offers financial quizzes and Chase First Banking, which is powered by Greenlight, a popular prepaid debit card option for kids.

6 ways kids’ debit cards teach financial literacy

Compared to checking accounts, a prepaid debit card can put your kid’s financial literacy on the fast track by teaching them lifelong financial management lessons, such as:

1. Budgeting. When your child only has a fixed amount of funds on their debit card, they’ll need to be more mindful about what they buy and when.
2. Savings. Prepaid debit cards teach your child the value of saving for things they truly want, rather than hastily buying impulse items. And if the card offers parent-paid interest, they’ll develop an understanding of how interest can help their money grow over time.
3. Spending. Using a debit card to pay for purchases teaches your young one how to navigate financial transactions online or in person.
4. Investing. When your kid uses a prepaid card to buy something that will gain value over time, they’ll become aware of their financial future.
5. Giving. Your child can use their card to donate to charitable causes, teaching them the value of helping those in need.
6. Chores and allowances. By adding a set amount of money to your kid’s debit card each week or month, they’ll be more prepared to use their paychecks wisely when they enter the workforce.

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.

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Name	Product	Annual or monthly fee	Age requirements	Features
Gohenry Finder Rating: 4.3 / 5: ★★★★★		$3.99 per month	6 to 18 years old	Free trial Custom tasks Spending limits	Teach your kids to save with a reloadable card you control, but you pay $3.99 a month.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Greenlight Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5: ★★★★★		$4.99 per month	Any age	Parental controls Real-time transfers Parent-paid interest	Greenlight is the prepaid debit card for kids that parents manage from their phones with flexible parental controls.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
BusyKid Finder Rating: 4.8 / 5: ★★★★★		$1.67 per month ($19.99 annually) includes free card; $0.67 per month ($7.99 annually) for additional cards	Any age	Low fee Investing Parent-paid interest Donation options	The BusyKid Visa® Prepaid Spend Card gives your kids the freedom to spend anywhere Visa® is accepted, and parents see every transaction made.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Jassby Finder Rating: 4.2 / 5: ★★★★★		$0 per month	7 to 17 years old	Parental controls In-app mall	Jassby is a virtual debit card for kids, complete with chores and allowance tracking.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Copper Finder Rating: 4 / 5: ★★★★★		$0 per month	13+	Financial quizzes Automated savings Instant transfers	Copper is a digital checking account that teaches your teen healthy money habits through interactive quizzes and an intuitive mobile app.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
FamZoo Finder Rating: 4 / 5: ★★★★★		$5.99 per month	Any age	Parent-paid interest No foreign fees Real-time cash requests	Teach your children good money habits with this comprehensive prepaid card and account.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Greenlight Max		$9.98 per month	Any age	Investing Priority customer service Identity, cell phone and purchase protection	Greenlight Max is a premium prepaid kids debit card, featuring investing options and advanced card security.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Revolut Junior		$0 per month	12 to 17 years old	Built-in safety Parental controls Parents-paid bonuses	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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WATCH: The best debit cards for kids

4 free debit cards for kids

If you’re looking for a free debit card for kids, consider these options:

1. Goalsetter Cashola. This prepaid card offers financial literacy quizzes for kids and has savings round-up options.
2. Jassby. This kids checking account is free to use and comes with chores and allowances. But it’s a virtual debit card so your kid can’t use it at an ATM or at stores that don’t have a contactless payment option.
3. Mazoola. Just like Jassby, this is a virtual debit card, so your kid is limited to stores that allow contactless payments. This is a good option if you don’t want to worry about your kid losing a physical card.
4. Chase First Banking. This is a good option if you like Greenlight but want a free alternative. The account is powered by Greenlight, so it has all the same features. But it’s only available to parents with existing Chase accounts.

How old do you have to be to get a debit card for kids?

Kids under 18 can’t open a bank account without their parent or legal guardian. Although there are exceptions, this table shows how old they’d generally need to be.

Checking accounts for kids typically convert to a standard checking account once your child turns 18. However, prepaid debit cards for kids allow them to continue using it even after turning 18. Although 13 to 17 is the typical age range for debit cards attached to kids’ checking accounts, there are exceptions like Chase First Banking, that allow kids as young as six to use the account.

It’s also important to note that mobile payment apps have a restriction on age as well. You can’t use Apple Pay unless you’re at least 13 and you can’t use Google Pay unless you’re 16 and older.

Can an 11- and 12-year-old get a kids’ debit card?

Yes. Although many banks and credit unions only offer debit cards for kids age 13 and up, some financial institutions offer debit cards for kids who are much younger. For instance, Chase First Banking is available to kids as young as 6 years old. But if you’re not a current Chase customer and don’t plan to become one, you’ll want to consider prepaid debit cards, which are a bit more flexible when it comes to age requirements.

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.

“Age 12 is a good benchmark to start getting them used to tracking their spending and paying by card — not to mention keeping hold of the plastic without losing it,” according to Nate Tsang, Founder and CEO at WallStreetZen. “At the end of the day it depends on the child. You’ll see parents giving their kids prepaid debit cards before they even turn 10, but you have to decide for yourself when they’re ready, and how much they can feasibly carry without misunderstanding the way these cards work,” he adds.

But if your child isn’t ready to handle real money just yet, consider a simulated bank account like Bankaroo or RoosterMoney. These apps 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. You can also teach your kids about money by using everyday things like Halloween candy, a board game or app. Kids can start forming early money concepts as young as three to seven years old, according to a study by the University of Cambridge.

Is an allowance a good idea?

It depends on how you and your child view allowance and the role it plays in your home. For instance, allowance should be earned, not simply given. It should be considered a motivating factor that encourages your child to help out around the house or do well in school. It shouldn’t be viewed as an automatic payment your kid receives regardless of their behavior. For more tips, check out our complete guide to incorporating allowance into your household.

4 options beyond debit cards for kids