nimbl review

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What is nimbl?

nimbl offers a prepaid debit card for kids coupled with a smartphone app. The app comes with useful features for both parents and children, such as digital pocket money, instant top ups, parental controls, a gifting function and a savings tool.

Essentially, nimbl allows parents to put money on their children’s spending card, either through occasional top ups or by setting up regular payments (the digital pocket money). Children can then use the funds as they wish, be it buying ice creams every week or saving for an expensive video game console.

The idea is to promote good money habits for 6 to 18 year olds, training children to save, budget and be organised with their money. nimbl has been featured in our best debit cards for kids guide.

How does nimbl work?

nimbl comes with two accounts: one for the parents (Parent Account) and one for the children (Child Account).

The spending card is linked to the Child Account, so adults cannot use nimbl to purchase items directly. Through the Parent Account they can top up the Child Account, while through the app they can check how the money is being spent. They will receive real-time notifications every time the child buys something with the card, and they can also set up daily or monthly spending limits, as well as set up spending blocks.

The child’s card can be used to purchase items in physical stores, online and to withdraw cash at ATMs. It also has a contactless feature.

If you have a larger family, nimbl allows up to four Child Accounts (and four cards) for every Parent Account.

What are nimbl’s features?

nimbl is made up of two parts: the card (specifically for children) and the app (designed for both parents and children to use).

The app’s features include:

• Digital pocket money. Parents can set up and automate weekly or monthly pocket money.
• Instant top ups. Parents can transfer money to their children’s cards instantly, whether they are out at the local shops or travelling somewhere overseas.
• Micro-savings. Children can choose to automatically save between 5p and £5 every time they use their nimbl card.
• Statements. Parents can use the app to see where their children are spending money.
• Spending controls. Parents can decide where and when their children’s nimbl cards can be used, with limits available to set on cash machines, online and in-store spending.
• Spending alerts. Parents can be instantly notified every time their children use their cards, including the amount spent and where.
• Gifting. With the “Gifting” function, family and friends can transfer money directly to a child’s nimbl card via a web link, if they’d like to send some pocket money or a birthday gift, for example.

What types of purchase can I block with nimbl?

You can block online purchases and you can also turn off ATM withdrawals if you don’t want your children to hide any purchases by using cash.

nimbl says it automatically blocks transactions from some age-inappropriate retailers, such as gambling websites, casinos, off-licences, pubs and adult content, but it is ultimately your responsibility to ensure that the card is not used for purchases that require the consumer to be at least 18 years old. nimbl will not, for instance, refuse a transaction from a grocery store, even if an age-inappropriate product is being bought.

How do I apply?

Children cannot apply for a nimbl card by themselves, parents have to do it on their behalf. You need to be at least 18, living in the UK and the legal guardian of the minor you’re setting up the account for.

Your child must be living at the same address as you and be at least six years old.

The online application process sometimes requires you to provide proof of identity and proof of address – if you can’t, your application will either be refused or you will be granted a restricted account with lower spending limits.

Once the application has gone through, nimbl will post the child’s card to your home address for free. Once you get the card, you will have to activate it online and download the app. All in all, nimbl says it usually takes 7–10 working days to complete the application process and get the card.

Is nimbl safe?

nimbl is not a bank, so customer funds are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which protects individual deposits of up to £85,000. But nimbl is fully regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and is licensed to issue electronic money.

The prepaid card is a Mastercard and is protected by a PIN. If it gets misplaced, the child or parent can temporarily lock it through the app (and unlock it again if the card turns up). If the card is permanently lost or stolen you’ll have to report it to nimbl’s customer service and order a replacement, priced at £5.

How much does nimbl cost?

nimbl costs £2.49 a month for each card, which includes use of the app. Card purchases, top ups and UK ATM withdrawals are all free.

If your child uses the card abroad, be aware that there is a 2.95% currency exchange fee and that cash withdrawals will cost £1.50 each.

What does the nimbl app look like?

nimbl’s fees and features

	nimbl
Monthly fee	£1.99 (+1 month free trial)
Card delivery fee	£0
UK card transaction fee	£0
UK cash withdrawal fee	£0
Loading fee	£0
Replacement card fee	£5
Network	Mastercard
Account type	debit
How many child accounts	4
Fees abroad	£1.50 per ATM withdrawal, 2.95% of transaction value on purchases
Other fees	£0
Freeze/unfreeze card

nimbl’s customer reviews

In our 2023 customer satisfaction survey, nimbl scored 3 out of 5 stars and 63% of its users said they’d recommend the service.

Customers praised the products quality and the ability kids have “to save and be more independent using there own bank account” whilst using nimbl.

The app has a rating of 4.7 out of 5 from around 2,300 reviews on the App Store. On Google Play, the app has a score of 4.6 from over 890 Android app users (January 2023).

Pros and cons of nimbl

Our verdict

nimbl looks like a good choice for young children. While mainstream children’s bank accounts often require the holder to be at least 11, with nimbl you can start at six, meaning that your children can be taught how to use a budgeting app from a very young age. They will feel like grown-ups with a fancy card and a certain degree of autonomy, but at the same time you won’t actually be handing over any of the control and you’ll always know what they are using the money for.

It can also work fine for teenagers – parents can turn off the spending notifications they get on their phone to allow them some privacy. However, at that point it may not be so worth the monthly fee – you’ll save money with a regular children’s account from a traditional bank. But if you’d rather keep a very close eye on their finances instead, nimbl is probably one of the best solutions available.

Get started by visiting nimbl's website and ordering a card. If you have read this review and decided that nimbl’s card is not for you, you can also discover other prepaid cards for kids on the market.

Frequently asked questions

• How do I top up the Child Account?

  You can do it from the app by setting up a payment from the Parent Account (regular payments can also be arranged). You can load funds into the Parent Account online using a debit card registered in your name. You cannot load cash into the account.

• Can relatives and friends put money on the Child Account?

  Yes they can, through nimbl’s “Gifting” function. This involves the parent (or child) sharing a “Gift Link” with family or friends, which they can then use to deposit funds in the Child Account.

• What are the limits of nimbl?

  A full Child Account can hold a maximum balance of £10,000, and there is a single purchase or cash withdrawal limit of £250. You can load a maximum of £15,000 a year from your Parent Account to the Child Accounts you’re managing (this limit applies across all the Child Accounts you’re managing in total, it’s not £15,000 for each one).

• How does it work if I have more than one child?

  You can manage up to four Child Accounts from your Parent Account. Each Child Account comes with its own card. However, the monthly fee is to be paid for every Child Account. For example, if you have two children who are both using nimbl, you can have one Parent Account that manages two Child Accounts and you will be paying £4.98 a month.

• Can children use nimbl on the London Underground?

  The nimbl card’s contactless feature isn’t going to work if you try to use it on the London Underground. However, your children can use the nimbl card to top up their Oyster cards.

• How secure is the nimbl card?

  nimbl’s prepaid debit card is provided by Mastercard, so it’s got the same security measures as any other Mastercard product. nimbl say it uses industry leading security to protect your data.

• How do I activate the nimbl card?

  Once you’ve received your card in the post, you’ll have to activate it. This can only be done via the website, and not using the app. To do this:

  1. Log in to your account at nimbl.com/login.
  2. Select “Activate card”, which will be beside your child’s profile.
  3. Enter the last four digits of the card number.
  4. Then fill in your child’s date of birth and gender.
  5. Now you’ll have the option to set up the pocket money feature and create a nimbl login for your child. If you do so, they’ll be able to fully experience the benefits of the app, nimbl says.
  6. Click “Activate” to complete the process and activate your card.
  7. You can view the nimbl card’s PIN by selecting “Show PIN number” from the pop-up window.

• How do I set up regular pocket money or allowances?

  One of the app’s flagship features, nimbl recommends setting this feature up as it can benefit your child’s budgeting ability. To do this:

  1. Log in at nimbl.com/login.
  2. Go into your child’s profile page by selecting their name.
  3. Then simply choose “Set up pocket money” and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

• How do I lock/unlock my child's nimbl card?

  In the event that your child misplaces their nimbl card, don’t panic. The best thing to do in this scenario is to lock the card. To do this:

  1. Log in at nimbl.com/login.
  2. Select “nimbl card”, which is besides your child’s profile.
  3. Now select “lock card” and confirm the lock by clicking “yes”.

  If you want to unlock the card, just select “unlock card” rather than “lock card” once you reach step 3.

• How do I transfer money between accounts?

  Transferring money is an essential functionality of nimbl – and it can be done relatively quickly. To do this:

  1. Log in at nimbl.com/login.
  2. Select “Quick transfer”.
  3. Tap “From where…” to specify the account you’re transferring the money from.
  4. Conversely, tap “To where…” to select the account you’re transferring money to.
  5. Enter the amount you want to transfer in the “How much” section.
  6. To complete the transfer, click “transfer money”.