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Revolut <18 review (Junior): A prepaid card for kids

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Our verdict

We have a look at Revolut's take on a child’s account, which comes with a prepaid debit card and its own app.

Teaching children how to manage their finances at an early age is a useful life skill. Revolut <18 pairs this with a convenient digital way for parents to pay children their pocket money, and an easy way to keep on eye on what and where they are spending.

One drawback here is that as a parent you have to be Revolut account holder; but if you already are one then Revolut <18 is a great option, as some other kids' card and app combos come with a separate monthly charge.

If you really like the sound of Revolut <18 but are not already a Revolut customer, then you can always set up a free Standard Revolut account to qualify for one free child account.

Get started by visiting Revolut's website and ordering a card. If you have read this review and decided that Revolut <18's card is not for you, you can also discover other prepaid cards for kids on the market.

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 <18 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 <18 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.

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Revolut is not a bank in the UK, which means money is not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, but customers’ funds are kept in a segregated account and the company is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

What controls do parents have with Revolut <18?

Parents top up the money in the Revolut <18 account from their own account. So they get to decide how much is available for their offspring to spend, and it’s a handy way to pay pocket money digitally.

Parents can control where that money is spent by setting rules on how the accompanying debit card is used by their child either online or in-store. (Revolut already automatically blocks the card from being used at most age-restricted merchants.)

Instant alerts are also generated whenever the child uses their debit card, giving parents information on where their child has made a purchase and for how much. There’s also the option for parents to freeze the card in the app.

The payment card is now a bright yellow colour and the details are on the back rather that the front of the card. Revolut says this adds an extra security layer in case your child is keen to show off their new card (and new-found financial independence!) on social media.

How can I get Revolut <18?

A child can only have a Revolut <18 if a parent or legal guardian already has a Revolut e-money account. For under 13s, parents can create a Revolut <18 for their child and order the prepaid debit card from their own Revolut mobile banking app. If a child is aged 13 or older, then they can download the new Revolut <18 app and create a kid’s account, which will then need to be linked to and approved by the parent’s account.

They can then use the card to spend the money parents make available to them, and if they have downloaded the dedicated Revolut <18 app they can check their account balance and see the transactions they’ve made.

You don’t have to download and use the Junior app in order for the payment card to work – which is useful to know if your child doesn’t have a smartphone.

How much does Revolut <18 cost?

You need to have an adult Revolut account to create a Revolut <18 account. As there are four tiers of Revolut e-money account (Standard, Plus, Premium and Metal) there are also four levels of access to Revolut <18, which will be a factor if you’d like a Revolut <18 account for more than one child.

Here’s what the four tiers of Revolut account cost, and how many Revolut <18 accounts you get with each of them:

  • Standard: Free, and you can have 1 Revolut <18 account.
  • Plus: £3.99 per month, and you can have 2 Revolut <18 accounts.
  • Premium: £7.99 per month, and you can have 2 Revolut <18 accounts.
  • Metal: £14.99 per month, and you can have 5 Revolut <18 accounts.
  • Ultra: £55 per month, and you can have 5 Revolut <18 accounts.

(For the full breakdown on what else you get with these different types of account, check out our Revolut review.)

Although Revolut <18 is free to set up, other transaction fees apply, which will mirror those of whatever type of Revolut account the parent has (Standard, Plus, Premium or Metal).

The exception to this policy is around the Revolut <18 debit card. While spending online or in-store is always free, ATM withdrawals are only free for the first £40 taken out each month. After that, a 2% fee applies across the board.

The Revolut <18 “Co-Parent” feature

Revolut has added a “Co-Parent” feature to Revolut <18, which means that two adults can now have full visibility and control over the account. The free feature is only available to Premium and Metal customers, who can use a link within the app to invite another adult to jointly manage their child’s Revolut <18 account.

The Co-Parent doesn’t have to be a parent – it can be a grandparent, carer or another person financially involved in the child’s life. The Co-Parent will be able to set tasks and goals for the child, as well as top up money in the Revolut <18 account.

Revolut <18 fees and features

Revolut <18
Revolut <18
Monthly fee£0 (parent needs Revolut account)
Card delivery fee£4.99 delivery charge
UK card transaction fee£0
UK cash withdrawal fee£0
Loading fee£0
Replacement card fee£5
NetworkMastercard
Account typedebit
How many child accounts1
Fees abroadTransaction fee after £250/month
Other fees2% ATM withdrawal fee after £40 month
Freeze/unfreeze card

Revolut <18 customer reviews

In our 2024 customer satisfaction survey 91% of Revolut <18 customers said they’d recommend the service.

They praised how easy the app is to use, alongside the “great fast and reliable service”.

One commented: “We’ve been using Revolut for the children since 2017 (I think) and it;s been a really good way to reward thrm for chores, send them money while they’re out and about and to keep track of their spending (and location!).”

The app has a score of 4.8 out of 5 from just 690 ratings on the App Store. On Google Play, the app has a score of 4.2 from around 11,000 votes (February 2024).

What proportion of Revolut users would recommend this card and app to friends/family?

ResponseRevolut customersAverage for all brands in our survey
This year90.70%90.95%
Last year75.68%71.11%
Source: Finder survey by OnePoll of 500 Brits, December 2023

Kids' cards 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.

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you.
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