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GoHenry vs nimbl: Find out which app is better
We compare the features and fees of GoHenry and nimbl to see which could work best for you and your child.
GoHenry is an online app and prepaid card that was founded by a group of parents in 2012. It aims to give financial independence to children but also lets parents maintain an element of control over their kids’ spending.
Similarly, nimbl is an app and prepaid card that gives parents the tools to teach their children about money.
So, how do you know which option is best for you and your child? This review compares both in detail to help you make the right choice.
Vital statistics
| Provider |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Finder score | 4.0 ★★★★★ | 3.7 ★★★★★ |
| Customer satisfaction survey | 4.5 ★★★★★ | 4.0 ★★★★★ |
| Age range | 6-18 | 6-18 |
| App for parents | ||
| App for kids | ||
| Network | VISA | Mastercard |
| FSCS protected | ||
| Go to site More Info | Go to site More Info |
Both GoHenry and nimbl are financial tools designed for kids aged between 6 and 18. Both offer a parent’s account and a child’s account that can be managed via an app, and both come with a prepaid card. With GoHenry, you’ll get a prepaid Visa debit card that can be customised by choosing from more than 45 designs, while nimbl comes with a prepaid Mastercard debit card in the standard colours of black and purple. Because these are prepaid cards, it’s only possible to spend the amount that’s on them. This means your kids can’t get into debt with either provider.
With both GoHenry and nimbl, kids and parents can monitor their spending via the app. GoHenry’s app is tailored to your child’s age. Parents also have a companion app so that they can track their kids’ progress, set spending limits and get real-time spend notifications. Similarly, with nimbl, parents can top up their child’s card through the app and monitor how and where the money is being spent. They’ll also be able to set up daily or monthly spending limits and spending blocks.
Neither GoHenry nor nimbl are banks, which means your money will not be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. This covers up to £85,000 per person if a provider goes bust. Instead, as GoHenry and nimbl are e-money products, your cash will be held in segregated accounts, which means you should still get your money back if either company ceases trading.
In our independent 2023 Customer Satisfaction Awards, GoHenry won the kids’ category, scoring 4.5 out of 5 stars, with 79% of users saying they would recommend the service. In comparison, nimbl scored 3 out of 5 stars, with 63% of users saying they would recommend it.
Round 1: Account features
| Provider | | |
|---|---|---|
| How many child accounts | 4 | 4 |
| Can non-parents gift money to child's account | ||
| Customised card available | ||
| Maximum daily ATM withdrawal limit | £120 | £250 |
| Make regular pocket money payments | ||
| Web portal (desktop access) | ||
| Go to site More Info | Go to site More Info |
GoHenry and nimbl both allow parents to make automatic regular pocket money contributions, and other family members can give money too. With GoHenry, relatives and friends can create their own GoHenry account to send money to the child’s account at any time, or they can send money to the child’s card via Giftlinks. Similarly, with nimbl, relatives and friends can transfer money straight onto a child’s card.
If you want to open more than one child’s account with either provider, both GoHenry and nimbl allow you to open up to 4 accounts per household.
ATM withdrawals are also permitted with both the GoHenry and nimbl cards. However, GoHenry restricts the withdrawal limit to £120 a day, while nimbl has a higher limit of £250 a day.
- Winner: It’s ever so close, but we’ve given it to nimbl as withdrawal limits are higher.
Round 2: App features
| Provider | | |
|---|---|---|
| Spending controls for parents | ||
| Card spend notifications for parents | ||
| Freeze and unfreeze card | ||
| Chore/task manager | ||
| Savings goals | ||
| Learning resources | ||
| Go to site More Info | Go to site More Info |
There are some key similarities between the GoHenry and nimbl apps. Both offer spending controls and card notifications for parents and both enable you to freeze a card if it’s misplaced and unfreeze it again when found.
Both also encourage good savings habits. With GoHenry, parents and kids can set savings goals and the app will calculate the amount your child should save based on the amount of pocket money they get and their end goal date. Meanwhile, nimbl offers “micro-savings” where every time your child spends with their nimbl card, an amount chosen by them will be automatically moved into their savings account.
However, GoHenry’s app is a little more advanced than nimbl’s and offers a variety of features. Kids can take part in “Money Missions”, for instance, a combination of stories, quizzes and videos to help teach your kids about money. There are different levels depending on your child’s age and they’ll be able to earn badges as they conquer each skill. You’ll also be able to set tasks for your kids to carry out, which they then get paid for.
- Winner: GoHenry as its app offers a wider range of features.
Round 3: Fees
| Provider | | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £3.99 | £1.99 |
| Card delivery fee | £0 | £0 |
| Loading fee | 50p (one top-up free per month) | £0 |
| UK card transaction fee | £0 | £0 |
| UK cash withdrawal fee | £0 | £0 |
| Fees abroad | £0 | £1.50 per ATM withdrawal, 2.95% of transaction value on purchases |
| Replacement card fee | Free, or £4.99 if changing design | £5 |
| Any other fees | ||
| Go to site More Info | Go to site More Info |
GoHenry charges a monthly fee of £3.99, although you can sign up for a 1-month free trial first. With nimbl, you’ll need to pay £2.49 a month or £28 a year, but again you’ll get the first month free.
There are no card loading fees with nimbl, but GoHenry charges 50p a time, although you’ll get 1 free load per month. Should you lose your card, you’ll pay £5 for a replacement with nimbl. Standard GoHenry replacement cards are free, but if you want to change the design, you’ll pay £4.99.
There are no fees for using the GoHenry card abroad, whether you’re making purchases or withdrawing cash. However, nimbl charges a 2.95% foreign transaction fee and a £1.50 fee for withdrawals abroad.
- Winner: Tie. This is a tricky one – GoHenry charges a slightly higher monthly fee, but nimbl will be more expensive if you want to use the card overseas.
Overall winner: Is GoHenry better than nimbl?
On the face of it, GoHenry and nimbl look very similar – they both offer a parent’s account, a child’s account and a prepaid card, and they both enable parents to pay regular pocket money, set spending limits and encourage good savings habits.
However, when you delve a little deeper, GoHenry’s app is more advanced and offers a wider range of features, including Money Missions and the ability to set chores for your kids to carry out. It’s also a great choice if you regularly travel abroad as there are no fees for spending or withdrawing cash on the card. It’s for these reasons that we’ve crowned GoHenry the winner in this comparison.
Of course, if you’re not too worried about fancy app features or you don’t tend to travel overseas often, nimbl does come with a slightly cheaper monthly fee, so you might feel this is the better choice for you.
Banking scores
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Finder scores, in blue, are based on our expert analysis. We also show reviews from users, where we've received more than 10, with a score in yellow. We gather more reviews from customers every year in Finder's customer satisfaction survey.
To find out more, read our full methodology.
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