{"id":536829,"date":"2024-07-19T13:44:10","date_gmt":"2024-07-19T12:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/?p=536829"},"modified":"2026-05-12T12:56:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T11:56:13","slug":"gohenry-vs-starling-under-16s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/uk\/banking\/childrens-banking\/gohenry-vs-starling-under-16s","title":{"rendered":"GoHenry vs Starling Under 16s (with a \u00a320 pocket money bonus!)"},"content":{"rendered":"

GoHenry<\/a> has been around since 2012 and is on a mission to get kids to really understand how money works. Starling Under 16s<\/a> is less concerned with full-on education, and more about providing a free option for kids to get their own card.<\/p>

GoHenry's \u00a320 pocket money bonus for new accounts<\/h3>\nGoHenry is currently offering a \u00a320 pocket money bonus when you open a new children's account, making it a strong sign-up incentive compared with any other provider. Use the code AFFFDR220<\/strong> to get a \u00a320 pocket money bonus when opening a new account. \n
\n
\nClaim offer<\/a>

Vital statistics<\/h3>
\n \n
Provider<\/th><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
Finder score<\/th>9.5<\/span><\/span>Excellent<\/span><\/span><\/td>9.9<\/span><\/span>Excellent<\/span><\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Customer satisfaction survey<\/th>4.1 <\/span>
\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/div><\/td>
4.4 <\/span>
\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/div><\/td><\/tr>
Age range<\/th>6-18<\/td>6-15<\/td><\/tr>
App for parents<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
App for kids<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Network<\/th>VISA<\/td>Mastercard<\/td><\/tr>
FSCS protected<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Find out more<\/th>
Go to site<\/a>
Read review<\/a><\/div><\/td>
Read review<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table><\/div>

GoHenry is a prepaid debit card and educational app that helps your little ones get to grips with their money and spending. It\u2019s aimed at those aged 6\u201318, while Starling Under 16s is a bit more restrictive with an age range of 6\u201315.<\/p>

Your kid can customise their GoHenry prepaid Visa debit card, choosing from over 45 designs, but the Starling Under 16s card only comes in a plain yellow design. <\/p>

Both apps let parents manage the money in their kids\u2019 accounts, which is a fundamental aspect of most children\u2019s banking apps. With GoHenry, parents can track their kids\u2019 progress, set flexible boundaries and goals and get notifications in real time \u2013 so you\u2019ll instantly know if the little rascals are using their version of the app to buy sweets after school, for instance. <\/p>

Starling Under 16s is built into the parent\u2019s app (while kids get their own version), allowing you to set limits and transfer money over. Again, you\u2019ll be notified when they spend money.<\/p>

Starling Under 16s is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), which means your funds are covered up to \u00a3120,000 if the bank runs into trouble. GoHenry isn\u2019t protected by the FSCS, but it keeps funds in ring-fenced account.<\/p>

In our independent 2026 Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards, 87% of GoHenry customer said they\u2019d recommend it, compared to 89% of Starling Under 16s users. <\/p>

Round 1: Account features<\/h3>
\n \n
Provider<\/th><\/td><\/td><\/tr>
How many child accounts<\/th>4<\/span><\/td>6<\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Can non-parents gift money to child's account<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Customised card available<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Maximum daily ATM withdrawal limit<\/th>\u00a3120<\/td>\u00a3100<\/td><\/tr>
Make regular pocket money payments<\/th><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Web portal (desktop access)<\/th><\/td><\/use><\/svg><\/td><\/tr>
Find out more<\/th>
Go to site<\/a>
Read review<\/a><\/div><\/td>
Read review<\/a><\/div><\/td><\/tr>\n <\/tbody>\n <\/table><\/div>

Starling Under 16s is more pragmatic in that it allows up to 6 cards per household, but they\u2019re not customisable. GoHenry has a slightly stricter cap of 4 cards, but with over 45 funky designs \u2013 though you do have to pay extra if you want a custom one. On the face of it, this isn\u2019t at all important to parents. But if the aim of the game is to get kids interested, it\u2019s worth thinking about going down the custom card route.<\/p>

The maximum daily ATM withdrawal is \u00a320 higher at GoHenry than Starling Under 16s. And finally, you can\u2019t access Starling Under 16s through your desktop computer \u2013 but you can with GoHenry.<\/p>