Compare bank cards for kids

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It’s never too early to teach your kids about money and there are now loads of options designed to help you do just that and give them some control over their finances. You can choose a prepaid kids’ debit card where they can only spend the money you load onto the card, which can be controlled through an app. Alternatively, there are more traditional current accounts designed especially for children.

Prepaid cards for kids

• Best overall: Starling Under 16s
• Best for learning tools: GoHenry
• Best for older kids: Revolut Kids & Teens
• Best for regular saving: nimbl Account
• Good for parental controls: NatWest Rooster Money Account

Finder Score	Age range	Monthly fee	Savings goals	Set chores
Best overall
9.9Excellent Starling Under 16s Finder Award	9.9Excellent	6-15	£0			View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Starling is our top scorer for kids' debit cards. Much like the parent account, it has all the key features you’d expect from a digital bank. There are no overseas fees for spending, so you can rest easy when your child is spending their holiday money. You also stay in control, with real-time notifications and spending limits. For them, they get their own bank card and app to learn how to manage their money. When they’re a little older (13+), they can also add their card to their mobile wallet. There are no monthly fees or extra charges for top-ups, just easy transfers from your Starling app to theirs. Pros & cons Pros No fees for topping up the card’s prepaid card. Robust parental controls. Easy for parents to manage from their existing mobile banking app. Cons Parents already need to be a Starling account holder to order and use Starling Under 16s.
Best for learning tools
9.5Excellent GoHenry Account - with £20 pocket money and 2 months free	9.5Excellent	6-18	£3.99			Welcome bonus: Get an exclusive 2 months free and £20 pocket money offer when you sign up with CODE: AFFFDR220. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it GoHenry is an obvious choice for the best kids debit card for learning resources. One of the original kids' pocket money apps, it has a range of rich features designed to help your child learn how to manage their money. But what makes it stand out is its Money Missions. These are bite-sized lessons and gamified quizzes for every age range, with more advanced modules for older children. Your child will earn a digital badge for each skill they master, and you can add your own rewards for completing modules. Topics include banking basics, savings, interest, borrowing and much more. Pros & cons Pros Full parental control thanks to instant notifications and spending limits One-month free trial It can be used by children as young as six Reward system for completed tasks Children learn about personal finance in a controlled environment Relatives can also send money to the children You can manage up to four child accounts from the same parent account No fees to spend or withdraw cash abroad - these were scrapped in 2020 Cons Monthly fee Only one free top-up to the child account a month Safe, but not as safe and regulated as a bank It doesn’t pay any interest There are cheaper cards available
Best for older kids
9.6Excellent Revolut for 6-15s Free Trial	9.6Excellent	6-15	£0			New Revolut customer offer: Get a £20 welcome bonus when you spend your first £20 (T&Cs apply).	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Revolut Kids & Teens is perfect for older kids who want a taste of freedom, but you want to have some sensible parental controls in place. Kids can pay friends, link their card to Apple Pay or Google Pay, and enjoy discounts and rewards with top brands. They can even customise their card with their own doodles. Meanwhile, you can set yourselves up as co-parents to top up the account, manage activity and set challenges for them to complete. Pros & cons Pros A parent can digitally top up their child’s account with spending money. Instant parental notifications are generated whenever the child makes a purchase with the prepaid debit card. Parental controls mean rules can be set on where the child’s card can be used. The child gets their own account and payment card, which helps teach them financial skills. The dedicated Revolut children's app lets kids check their account balance and transactions. Cons The parent has to be a Revolut account holder. If you have more than one child and want more than one Revolut 6-15s account, you’ll have to sign up to one of the fee-charging Revolut accounts. There are charges for ATM withdrawals exceeding £40 per month.
Best for regular saving
8.8Great nimbl Account	8.8Great	6-18	£2.67			Welcome bonus: Get 6 months free when you sign up via Finder - that's £1.33 per month for the first child. T&Cs apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Nimbl’s micro-savings feature makes it our top choice for regular saving. This allows children to automatically save between 5p and £5 every time they spend on their card. Like other kids’ cards, your child can also save a set amount each week or make one-off savings, but it’s the micro-savings feature which takes Nimbl’s savings to the next level. Pros & cons Pros Full control on how children spend their money thanks to spending control settings and instant notifications. Children as young as six years old can use it. It helps you to educate your children to manage their finances. You can turn off online payments or cash withdrawals. Safe and secure. The card can be blocked online or via the app. You can manage more than one Child Account from the same Parent Account. No fees for topping up the Parent Account or child’s card, or for “Gifting”. Cons While most mainstream bank accounts for children are for free, nimbl charges a monthly fee. You cannot top up the account using cash. With nimbl, children earn no interest on any savings.
Good for parental controls
9.7Excellent NatWest Rooster Money Account	9.7Excellent	6-17	£0			£20 bonus using code FINDER20. Limited offer. Offer withdrawn anytime. Ages 6-17. Fees, criteria, T&Cs apply. £19.99/yr or £1.99/mo.	Eligibility – Ages 6-17. Criteria & T&Cs apply. Other fees may apply.	Go to site View details Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it NatWest Rooster Money’s parental controls are flexible and can be adjusted to suit how you want your child to manage their money. You can choose where and how much your kids spend. The Rooster Card also has a dynamic CVV to keep their money safe, where a new CVV is generated for each online purchase. The app also has a Contactless Counter, which helps you keep track of whether your child is near their contactless limit. If they hit it and have forgotten their PIN, you’re able to reset contactless via your family dashboard, and they can continue to tap away without any issues. Pros & cons Pros Great educational value; a slick app with lots of features to personalise the way you teach your children about finance. Children as young as 4 years old can use it (6 for the card). Total control over where your children use the card and how much they can spend. Safe and secure. The card can be frozen from the app. No fees for using the card (including abroad). One-month free trial. Cons If not a NatWest customer, monthly/annual fee to access the full range of features. Caps on the maximum number of parent account loads per day and per month. No interest paid on the account balance.

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Kids’ bank accounts with debit cards

• Best for interest: Santander 123 Mini Current Account
• Great for no fees: Monzo Under 16s
• Good for parental oversight: Lloyds Bank Smart Start Spending Account
• Best for overseas spending: Nationwide Building Society FlexOne
• Best for teens: Starling Teen Bank Account (16/17)

Finder Score	Interest (AER)	Minimum eligibility age	Maximum eligibility age	Incentive	Representative example
Best all rounder
8.1Great Natwest Adapt	8.1Great	1.6%	11	17		Go to site More info Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it The NatWest Adapt account is a straightforward kids’ bank account, with no monthly fee. It pays interest on balances and currently comes with a £20 gift card. Available to children aged 11 to 17, it offers a good range of features that can help them learn to manage their money as they get older. Adapt offers everything you’d expect from a bank account, including a debit card for spending and cash withdrawals, plus the ability to make regular payments. Children can also use Apple Pay and Google Pay, monitor their spending through the app, and withdraw up to £130 a day from an ATM without their debit card. If they misplace their card, they can freeze it through the app. Pros & cons Pros No monthly fee Interest paid on balances Card-free cash withdrawals £20 gift card for opening account Cons Fees apply for spending abroad Must be at least 11 to apply Parents need to have a NatWest account if their child is under 16
Best for interest
7.8Great Santander 123 Mini Current Account	7.8Great	1%	13	17	Get £50 when you open a 123 Mini Current Account, deposit £50 within 31 days of opening and do not close the account in this period. Offer available to 13 - 17 year olds and may be withdrawn at any time. T&Cs apply.	Go to site More info Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it With no minimum age requirement, Santander’s 123 Mini current account lets your child earn interest from the get go. The monthly interest on the account is tiered, but the maximum they can earn is 3% AER on balances over £1,500, up to £2,000. For children under 13, the account is opened in trust by an adult. When your child reaches 11, you can choose to hand over the account to the child or continue to manage the account until they turn 18. If your child is 13 or older, they can get a contactless debit card or a cash card and manage the account themselves. Pros & cons Pros Can be opened from the age of zero No monthly fee Interest paid on balances Choice of debit card and cash card Cons Interest only paid on set amount No standard savings account for children
Great for no fees
9.3Excellent Monzo Under 16s	9.3Excellent	0%	6	15	Help them save, with 3.00% AER variable interest - it's calculated daily (and paid monthly), so they'll see even small savings add up over time. £10,000 maximum deposit. Ts&Cs apply.	Ages 6-15. Parents / legal guardians require a personal Monzo account to access Monzo for Under 16s. UK residents only. Ts&Cs apply.	Go to site More info Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Monzo for Under 16s has no monthly fees, no transaction fees, no cash withdrawal fees, no fees for paying abroad….you see where we’re going here. It’s also a feature-rich bank account with interest-earning savings pots, easy transfers between the parent and child accounts, and all the parental controls you would want. Kids get their own app, where they can set up savings pots and manage their own money, as well as boost their learning with Monzo’s educational cards. Pros & cons Pros Free for every child Earn interest with Savings Their own neon card Account for kids with controls set by parents Cons Parent needs a Monzo account Lack of educational features
Good for parental oversight
8.8Great Lloyds Bank Smart Start Spending Account	8.8Great	0%	11	15	More info Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it We like that Lloyds’s Smart Start account is a spending and savings account in one. Also that this high street account gives parents complete oversight. So you can keep an eye on your child’s account through your own mobile banking app, and you can rest easy as spending isn’t allowed in over-18 outlets like off-licenses. Just bear in mind that you’ll need a Club Lloyds Current Account in order for your child to have a Smart Start account. As Lloyds is also part of the Lloyds Banking Group, you’ll find that Halifax Smart Start and Bank of Scotland Smart Start accounts have the same features. Pros & cons Pros No monthly fees Spending controls FSCS protected Children can manage the account online or using the mobile app Cons Parent or guardian will need a Club Lloyds Current Account No current account or prepaid card for children under 11
Best for overseas spending
9.3Excellent Nationwide Building Society FlexOne	9.3Excellent	2%	11	17	More info Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Nationwide FlexOne is our top pick for a kids account with no fees for making a payment or withdrawing cash from an ATM while overseas. As your child grows they’ll want to explore more of the world. Be it on a school trip or a post-GCSE holiday, you’ll want to make sure that they can spend their money abroad without any issues. This account also offers interest on balances and your child can keep it until they’re 23, when they’ll be moved across to a FlexAccount or FlexDirect account. Pros & cons Pros Account is free to open and manage Fee-free transactions abroad Interest paid on credit balances Choice of cash card or Visa debit card FSCS protection Cons Interest only paid on balances up to £1,000 Must be at least 11 to apply Accounts for 11 and 12 year olds can only be opened over the phone or at certain branches with a tablet No specific app for children
Best for teens
9.8Excellent Starling Teen Bank Account (16/17 yrs)	9.8Excellent	0%	16	17	More info Compare product selection Compare	loading	Why we like it Starling’s Teen account is specifically designed for 16 and 17 year olds. It does nearly everything Starling’s main current account does, but doesn’t have an overdraft option. It can be set up in minutes through the app and has all the money management tools Starling is known for, including instant notifications, spending insights and dedicated Savings Spaces. Alongside this, your teen can settle payments with friends by sending a payment link directly from their phone, or by using Starling’s “Settle up with Nearby Payments” feature. Pros & cons Pros Account is free to open and operate App is packed with features to help young people better manage their money 24/7 customer support Cons Account can only be operated via the app Your teen will need to have a mobile phone Only available to 16- and 17-year-olds

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Features of a kids’ prepaid debit card

• Spending controls. Many children’s debit cards come with spending control limits that parents can set within the linked mobile app.
• Card lock. Parents can also lock the debit card via the app so it can’t be used.
• Choose how your child can spend. Parents can choose if the debit card can be used at ATMs, online or for in-store purchases.
• Spending tracking tools. Many of the apps offer spending tracking tools and features to help your child learn how to manage their money.

How to choose the best prepaid debit cards for kids

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

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

Our expert says: More options for children to manage their money than ever

"There’s been a whole new breed of children’s account launched in recent years – prepaid cards for kids let you load their pocket money onto the card and set spending controls. Kids can also learn to budget and set goals through innovative apps that effectively gamify money management.

Some cards have monthly fees. These include NatWest’s Rooster Money, GoHenry, Starling Under 16s and Nimbl. GoHenry is famous for its tools to help children learn about money, with quizzes, rewards, badges and the ability for them to earn money by doing chores. The personalised cards are also fun for children to have.

Starling and Revolut, which are well known as digital-only banking apps for adults, require you to have your own account with them if you’re setting an account up for your child. While Revolut’s Kids & Teens account has no monthly fee, you’ll get an extra level of control over your child’s account if you have one of Revolut’s paid-for accounts yourself.

HyperJar Kids is another option with no monthly fee. Its digital jars let children save money for specific things and set goals, and they can choose names and colours for each. It means they can learn to save and budget without even realising it."

Cathy Hudson

Money expert

Kids’ prepaid cards customer satisfaction league table 2026

• Customer satisfaction scores methodology

  We asked people who’d used a kids’ prepaid card within the previous 12 months to rate their satisfaction with the service they received and whether they’d recommend the provider to a friend. Our independent survey of 572 kids’ prepaid card customers was carried out in February 2026.

  We have shown the percentage recommended score in the table above and used these ratings to decide the winners of our awards. Where there was a draw on the “would recommend percentage”, we used the overall rating out of 5 as a tie-breaker.

Which factors are most important in a kids’ prepaid card?

As part of our customer satisfaction survey, we received feedback from customers on the elements they value most in a card for children. Below, you can see the results of this analysis, highlighting the most important factors when you’re looking for the best kids’ prepaid card or debit card.

Bottom line

Prepaid kids’ debit cards with apps to control them are a great way for kids to learn how to manage their money and make it fun and accessible. GoHenry is probably the best known but there are a range of alternatives you can consider. Read our guide to GoHenry and similar alternatives to find out more.

If you would prefer your child to have an account with a fuller range of banking features or one just for savings visit our guides to current accounts for children and savings accounts for children.

Financial education: Are parents equipped to fill the gap?

Finder published a paper in August 2023 exploring financial education in the UK and how parents are stepping in to teach their children about money. The report includes the findings of our survey of 1,007 of UK adults with children either at primary or secondary school, and insights from teachers, an academic and experts at GoHenry, HyperJar and All Things Money.

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Frequently asked questions

• When should I give my child a debit card?

  This is completely up to you and your individual experience. You might consider giving your child a debit card when:

  • They start going out with their friends without adults around.
  • They start secondary school, or if they take public transport to get to school.
  • They start wanting or needing to buy things when you’re not with them.

• Can I reverse a transaction?

  Fraudulent transactions, including those where a thief stole and used the card or where the seller didn’t deliver what they promised, can often be reversed by contacting the card company.

• What if my child makes a transaction I'm not happy with?

  You can’t request that the card company reverses a transaction unless you can prove the transaction was fraudulent. But you can keep an eye on your child’s spending via the card’s accompanying mobile app. And in many cases, cards can be frozen from the app so that your child can’t continue to spend if you aren’t happy with their purchases.

• What happens if the debit card is lost or stolen?

  If your child’s debit card is definitely lost or stolen you need to contact the account provider to cancel the existing card and order a replacement. Some of the app-based accounts will also let you freeze the card via the app if it’s lost, and then you can unfreeze it if you find it again.

• What happens when my child turns 18?

  If the kids’ account and debit card you’ve signed up to has an age limit of 18, then your child will no longer qualify to use it when they reach adulthood. But rather than a blunt cut-off point on their birthday, they’ll usually be able to use the debit card until it reaches its expiry date (and then it won’t be renewed). At that point you’ll also need to contact the provider to cancel the account, especially if you’re paying a subscription fee for it.

• Is a credit check needed?

  You won’t need a credit check for most of these app-based kids’ accounts and prepaid debit cards. However, providers are likely to do an ID check to verify your identity and address, in order to issue and send you the payment card.

• Are these accounts safe?

  These types of app-based kids’ accounts and prepaid debit cards are often operated by financial providers that are not licensed banks, so they are not specifically covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

  However, in order to offer these types of financial products the providers will need to be registered and regulated in the UK, which means they are obligated to ring-fence and safeguard customer funds (usually by holding them on trust at a licensed bank).

• Do children pay tax on savings interest?

  No, although if they earn more than £100 in interest from money given to them by a parent, the parent will need to pay tax on it if it’s above their personal savings allowance.

• Which are the best options for paying pocket money into?

  As prepaid kids’ debit cards can be taken out for children from the age of six, these are the only options for children this young. They need to be at least 11 to get a child’s current account. Santander’s 123 Mini current account can be taken out for children younger than this but they can only get a cash or debit card once they’re 13.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Jason Loewenthal and reviewed by Rachel Wait, a member of Finder's Editorial Review Board.

Written by

Kate Steere

Editor

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Kate Steere is an editor and money expert at Finder, specialising in banking, savings and fintech. She has previously written for The Motley Fool UK and Fitch Solutions, where she covered a wide range of personal finance topics and kept a close eye on market trends. Kate has a Bachelor of Arts in Modern History from the University of East Anglia. When not working, she can usually be found curled up with a good book or heading out for a run. See full bio

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