How do i get my child a debit card

How Old Do You Have to Be to Have a Debit Card?

Do you have kids and are you wondering how old you need to be to get a debit card? Depending on how you set up the account, which banking institution you use and more, the age requirements for having a debit card varies.

This is an article which talks about how old you need to be (whether you can get debit cards for under 18-year old’s) and what requirements there are for getting a debit card for kids.

It also answers some common questions that people ask when it comes to kids debit cards.

Let’s dive in.

Debit Cards to Open for a Minor—Top Picks

Best Free Debit Card for Teens

Best Premium Debit Card for Kids & Teens

Starts at $4.99/mo. (for up to five kids)

Best Debit Card for Young Investors

Open a Fidelity® Youth Account for your teen, and Fidelity will drop $50 into their account. Get $100 for yourself when you open a new Fidelity account and fund with $50¹.

How Old Do You Have to be to Get a Debit Card?

Typically, a child becomes eligible for a debit card when they turn 13 and their parent or legal guardian can open a joint checking account with a teen.

That said, many banks, credit unions and online financial companies allow kids as young as 6 to get debit cards.

You may need to read the fine print of any offer to understand the age requirements completely. Though, if you can’t find the age limits easily, feel free to reach out to the company directly with your question.

They will help you to understand whether your kids need to be teenagers or they can simply be enrolled in a joint account with a parent at any age.

You may also look into other options like a prepaid debit card or adding your child as an authorized user on an existing bank account you have without needing to worry about getting a special teen debit card.

This can get them a debit card without opening a new account at all, though this may not come with the many features found on debit cards for kids and teens that you may want, some of which we describe below.

Do Banks Allow a Debit Card for Under 18 Year Old’s?

Yes, though it depends on the bank. As stated above, some require a parent or legal guardian to open a joint teen checking account for them both to have ownership over the account.

Minors can’t have an account on their own as a result of their legal inability to sign an enforceable contract.

This means any account you find in person or online through a bank, credit union or financial app will require you to open a joint account to ensure you have a legally valid account which passes compliance requirements.

Make sure you understand the rules of your target bank or financial institution and what age restrictions they provide for opening accounts.

Where Can You Get Debit Cards for a Child?

Several banking institutions and online banking apps for minors offer you the ability to get a debit card for minors. Read below for some of the top recommendations on places to open a debit card for teens.

1. Copper Card

• Available: Sign up here
• Price: Free
• App Store Rating: 4. 9

Copper Banking was founded with the mission to help teens gain real world experience by giving them access to their money in a way that traditional banks aren’t able to do.

The Copper app and free debit card for teens teaches teens how to make smart financial decisions by creating a platform for parents and teens to connect.

With the Copper app, you get easy snapshots of your accounts and, with the Copper Debit Card, it’s easy to shop in-store, online or with Apple or Google Pay.

Plus, users get exclusive access to engaging content curated by a team of financial literacy experts who provide advice and tips on how to take control of their financial future.

Copper is founded on the belief that teens should have equal access to financial education and should be empowered to learn by doing. Cause you’re never too young to get your money right.

Copper Banking Features: 

• Send/Request: Teens and parents can easily send and receive money all at the touch of a button
• Spend: Spending using Apple or Google Pay or using the Copper Debit Card. Get a snapshot of all your teen’s spending in an easy-to-read dashboard.
• Save: Gain quick snapshots of your teen’s savings and helpful tips on how to save even more. Set up savings bucks and save for the things that you want.
• Learn: With the help of Copper’s team of financial literacy experts, gain bite sized tips on how you can maximize your money and prepare yourself for your financial future.

Read more in our Copper Banking review.

2. Greenlight

• Available: Sign up here
• Price: Free 1-month trial, $4.99/mo after for up to five kids
• App Store Rating: 4.8

Greenlight provides parents control over where their kids can spend money by limiting the stores where their cards work. Parents can get alerts when money is spent on the Greenlight debit card and for how much.

Further, parents can open an investment account for kids to get them involved with investing in stocks and index funds for the first time.

Greenlight works like a prepaid debit card, allowing you to transfer money onto the card for your child to pay for expenses at approved locations.

You can choose how much money to load onto the card and your child will be cleared to make approved purchases so long as a money balance backs up the card.

Greenlight charges $4.99 per month for up to five kids. Replacement cards cost $3.50 each but are free the first time. If you need to replace your card quickly, you can get express delivery for $24.99.

This company also offers a personalized card for $9.99/year with your own photo or design. Greenlight doesn’t offer interest but you may set up “parent-paid interest” between you and your child where you foot the bill and pay interest on accounts for up to five kids.

If your child asks for extra money to get added to the card, you can have them take a photo of the purchase they want to make and receive your approval. This gives you control and allows kids to discuss why a purchase either is a good or bad idea.

If your child has a job, they can add their own funds to the card as well.

The Greenlight debit card is a good choice for parents looking to teach their kids the importance of saving money and making prudent financial decisions.

This financial product can be an effective learning tool for helping kids to understand why saving should be a priority and how to simplify paying an allowance or tracking chores.

It’s also a rapidly growing app many parents have come to use for raising financially-smart kids.

The Greenlight Mastercard Debit Card offers the best combination of features among all cards we reviewed, including its simple mobile app. Who says kids can’t have their own debit card? Nowadays, there are plenty of options for parents but our top choice is Greenlight.

Read more in our Greenlight Card review.

Related: 13 Best Allowance and Chore Apps for Kids [Easier Family Life]

3.

• Available: Sign up here
• Price: 1 month free, then $3.99 per child/mo
• App Store Rating: 4.6

GoHenry is a banking app for minors that comes paired with a debit card. You have an online account which comes linked to individual accounts for each of your children.

You can manage all of the money held in each account through the company’s app and online account portal.

Each child will receive their own GoHenry debit card which comes paired with parental controls you can set for your children.

What’s nice about GoHenry is the ability to spend only the money available on the card, meaning you don’t need to worry about costly overdraft fees or accrue debt.

You open a GoHenry account, receive your children’s debit cards in the mail 7-8 business days later, set up an automatic weekly allowance transfer into your children’s accounts and can set up one-off or weekly spending limits.

This will keep your children’s spending in check and you can block/unblock the card as needed as well as choose the stores where your kids can shop.

With time, the controls provided by the app and the guidance you offer can help your kids to earn, save, spend and give with good money habits.

GoHenry is one of the best debit cards for kids for customer service. They offer 24/7 phone availability, email access and social media engagement, ensuring users can solve their problems quickly and with little hassle.

Learn more by reading our GoHenry debit card review.

Related: GoHenry vs. Greenlight

4. Current

• Available: Sign up here
• Price: Free
• App Store Rating: 4.7

Current is a banking app designed for all families. The Current app allows you to track your teen’s spending in real-time, set limits on how much they can spend, and even block specific merchants.

You also get the peace of mind that comes with knowing their money is safe because it’s not cash. Plus, the company doesn’t charge any fees or interest for student accounts so there are no surprises when bills arrive.

Current helps parents teach teens financial responsibility while giving them a way to learn without having cash around the house and all its temptations.

That means less worry for both parents and kids! With Current, your teenager will be able to do everything from paying friends back to buying groceries at the store–all safely with only her phone!

And teens will have the opportunity to learn financial responsibility and budgeting from an early age. This will allow them to grow their savings and move one step closer to financial independence.

Read more in our Current review.

5. FamZoo

• Available: Sign up here
• Price: Free trial, then $5. 99/mo
• App Store Rating: 4.6

FamZoo is another prepaid debit card service parents can use to manage their children’s spending. It works by having parents release money into their child’s account and then having the card work with a loaded balance. Money can be loaded onto the cards at any time.

FamZoo acts like a regular checking account with a linked debit card except FamZoo makes sure the account can’t be charged overdraft fees, saving you money.

Adults are able to monitor the transactions being made. After a free trial, this app costs $5.99 per month, but the price goes down if prepaid in advance.

FamZoo is our top education choice because of its strong financial education library which improves its overall value.

Related: Greenlight vs. FamZoo

6. Acorns

• Available: Sign up here
• Price: Acorns Personal: $3/mo & Acorns Family: $5/mo
• App Store Rating: 4. 7

Acorns has become one of the most popular financial apps for minors and young adults but also offers a robust money management platform extending beyond just investing.

The full suite of offerings includes the ability to establish custodial accounts for minors to invest, regular and retirement investment accounts for adults and a bank account with linked debit card.

If you sign up for the Acorns Spend product (available under the Acorns Personal and Acorns Family plans), it creates a bank account that carries FDIC Insurance protection for up to $250,000.

Further, it uses the Acorns “Round Ups” feature which rounds up purchases to the nearest dollar, investing the difference between the transaction amount and the whole dollar. The service claims to help users invest an average of $30/month using this feature.

While not a free stock trading app, Acorns does give you the following subscription options:

1. Acorns Personal ($3/mo):
   1. Acorns Invest: Invests spare change through the popular “Round-Ups” feature, earns bonus investments and provides access to financial literacy articles
   2. Acorns Later: Tax-advantaged investment options like IRAs
   3. Acorns Spend: Acts as your bank account, offering free withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs nationwide and no account fees and the ability to earn up to 10% bonus investments
2. Acorns Family ($5/mo):
   1. Everything in Acorns Personal (Acorns Invest, Later and Spend)
   2. Acorns Early: This allows you to take advantage of the best way to invest $1,000 for your child‘s future and can teach you how to invest as a teenager or minor through opening a custodial account.

For a limited time, the service also offers a $10 sign up bonus in money toward free stocks for people who open an account and $75 for establishing direct deposit and meeting certain conditions. Learn how to start investing money and bank.

Learn more in our Acorns review.

Related: Best Acorns Alternatives: Micro-Investing Apps to Use

7. Chase First Banking

• Available: Sign up here
• Price: Free (no fees)
• App Store Rating: 4.8

Ready to teach your little ones about money, but not quite sure if you have the time, patience and expertise?

Chase First Banking^SM offers simple banking for both of you in one location: the Chase Mobile^® App—for free. Manage all accounts with this mobile app and encounter no fees as well as find yourself able to withdraw money on 16,000 Chase ATMs around the country.

At the heart of Chase First Banking^SM sits one of the best free debit cards for kids and teens that works anywhere Visa is accepted.

Need insight and oversight into your child’s spending and saving? You can set spend alerts and limits as well as specific locations all in your Chase Mobile^® app.

Teach your kids to spend, save and earn — all from the Chase Mobile^® app. Chase First Banking^SM helps parents teach teens and kids about money by giving parents the control they want and kids the freedom they need to learn.

To get started, you’ll first need to be a Chase customer with a qualifying Chase checking account.

Consider opening a Chase Total Checking ^SM or Chase Secure Banking^SM account to qualify.

• Chase Total Checking^SM also grants access to 16,000 Chase ATMs and more than 4,700 branches as well as a $200 sign up bonus when you set up direct deposit within 90 days of coupon enrollment. You can pay $0 in monthly fees, subject to meeting certain conditions*.
• Chase Secure Banking^SM offers the same Chase ATMs and branch locations as well as a $100 sign up bonus when you make stated qualifying activities and meet certain conditions.

Once you open a qualifying Chase Checking account, you may apply for a Chase First Banking^SM account for your child.

Read more in our Chase First Banking review.

Best Debit Card for Teens 2022

We recommend the best products through an independent review process, and advertisers do not influence our picks. We may receive compensation if you visit partners we recommend. Read our advertiser disclosure for more info.

Debit cards for teens function like other debit cards and give kids the flexibility of managing their own money, with full account control available to parents or guardians. This allows teens to learn the basic concepts of budgeting and saving their money while parents can monitor and protect them from getting into financial trouble.

The best debit cards typically pair with mobile apps that have built-in financial education as well as the ability to track spending and savings over time. Many also offer account and spending limits, helping safeguard teens from overspending while still allowing them to navigate real-world financial decisions. Additionally, although they don’t have the same name recognition or reputation, smaller banks may have features better suited to teens than larger banks.

Best Debit Card for Teens 2022

• Best Overall: Greenlight Kids’ Debit Card
• Best for No Fees: Axos Bank First Checking Account + Debit Card
• Best for Spending Controls: BusyKid Visa Prepaid Spend Card
• Best for Customer Service: GoHenry Debit Card
• Best for Security Features: Jassby Virtual Debit Card
• Best for Financial Education: FamZoo Prepaid Debit Card
• Best for Parental Controls: Kachinga Prepaid Debit Card
• Best for Financial Planning: Current Debit Card for Teens

Best Debit Cards for Teens

Best Debit Cards for Teens

• Our Top Picks
• Greenlight Kids’ Debit Card
• Axos Bank First Checking Account + Debit Card
• BusyKid Visa Prepaid Spend Card
• GoHenry Debit Card
• Jassby Virtual Debit Card
• FamZoo Prepaid Debit Card
• Kachinga Prepaid Debit Card
• Current Debit Card for Teens
• See More (5)

• Final Verdict

• Compare Providers

• How to Choose

• FAQ

• Methodology

Best Overall : Greenlight Kids’ Debit Card

Greenlight

• Cost per Teen: $4. 99 to $9.98/month (up to 5 kids)
• Reload Fee: N/A
• States Available: 50
  

Sign Up Now

Why We Chose It

The Greenlight Kids’ Debit Card is our top overall pick for teens, offering chore management, instant transfers, real-time notifications, spending controls by store, and more. Greenlight also covers up to five debit cards even with the lowest-cost monthly plan, making it a great option for households with multiple teens.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Full parental control and monitoring of teen spending

• Built-in financial education

• Chore management and payments

• Can block spending for specific stores

Overview

Greenlight offers a ton of value for teens and parents both, offering a simple-to-use mobile experience to help teach kids how to manage money responsibly. For a low monthly fee, Greenlight offers up to five debit Mastercards for teens, all linked to a parent-controlled account. Parents can monitor all child spending, can deactivate or activate debit cards, and even block specific store spending within the mobile app.

Greenlight offers several levels of service, the most basic comes with debit cards and access to the mobile app with parental controls for $4.99 per month. For $7.98 per month, kids gain access to Greenlight’s investing platform (which is just a parent brokerage account that the kids can use to invest). In the Greenlight Max account (which costs $9.98 per month), in addition to the debit card, mobile app, and investing platform, kids also get 1% cash back; a special edition card; priority customer service; identity theft monitoring, alerts, and restoration; cell phone protection for damaged or lost phones; and purchase protection.  

Greenlight does come with some limitations, however. Maximum daily spending is currently capped at $1,500 per day. While this may seem high, it is lower than some other teen debit cards. Also, Greenlight does not allow accounts to be funded through PayPal or credit cards, instead requiring users to connect a bank account or debit card to fund the account. To be fair, this also cuts out fees from third-party services, which can save users money. There are no “in-network” ATMs available, and ATM fees are not reimbursed.

Best for No Fees : Axos Bank First Checking Account + Debit Card

Axos Bank

• Cost per Teen: $0
• Reload Fee: N/A
• States Available: 50

Sign Up Now

Why We Chose It

The Axos Bank First Checking account comes with a free debit card and is available to teens with no account fees including no maintenance fees, no overdraft or insufficient funds fees, and up to $12 in ATM fee reimbursements per month.

Pros and Cons

Overview

Axos Bank offers its First Checking account for teens ages 13 to 17, as joint-owners of a checking account with a free debit card included. This account is a standard checking account with online bill pay, peer-to-peer payments, and FDIC insurance. The best part is that it comes with no account maintenance fees, no overdraft fees, and ATM charges are reimbursed for up to $12 each month.

While the Axos Bank mobile app doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of other teen debit cards, it offers an inexpensive way to get your teen used to managing their money on their own. Axos requires a parent or guardian to be a joint account owner with their teen, giving them equal control over the account. Parents can deactivate (or reactivate) their teen’s debit card directly from the banking dashboard, and set up automated alerts for any account activity.

As a standard checking account, teens can direct deposit their paychecks into the account. They can also earn some interest with this checking account, though it’s well below 1%, which doesn’t add up to much, and parents might want to set up a savings account for their teens instead.

Best for Spending Controls : BusyKid Visa Prepaid Spend Card

 BusyKid

• Cost per Teen: $3.99/month (up to five kids)
• Reload Fee: $0
• States Available: 50

Sign Up Now

Why We Chose It

BusyKid offers an easy-to-fund prepaid debit card, as well as full parental control of loading the card, investing, and donating. Parents can even prevent transfers and boost savings by using the money movement controls to lock certain features.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Savings locks and account alerts

• User-friendly mobile app

• Fund cards through debit card, credit card, or checking account

Overview

BusyKid is a kid-friendly prepaid debit card that pairs with the BusyKid mobile app which allows parents to pay kids directly for chores and other work. Kids then have the option to choose whether to save, spend, invest, or donate the earned money within the app.

BusyKid gives parents full control over spending activity with a real-time activity feed and the ability to lock transfers. BusyKid also requires all outside money transfers or withdrawals to be parent-approved. These controls allow parents to give their kids access to spending tools with the safeguards of parent oversight and control. 

BusyKid’s mobile app allows kids to earn money through chores or allowance, with a full chart with a preset amount for each activity. As kids perform the chore and check it off, money will be loaded onto their prepaid debit card. The earnings can be split between three categories, spending, saving, and giving. The amounts that flow into each category can be locked by parents, or adjusted as necessary.

BusyKid keeps costs low with a $3.99 monthly fee for up to five prepaid debit cards for the family. Additional cards are $5 per year, and replacement cards cost $5. ATM withdrawals in the U.S. are $1.50 (plus possible fee assessed by the ATM owner). There may also be a $0.50 fee incurred when the card is used with a PIN or if a transaction is declined (after four failed attempt purchase in a month). There is also a $2,000 balance limit on the card, and transactions are limited to 20 per day.

Best for Customer Service : GoHenry Debit Card

gohenry

• Cost per Teen: $4.99/month
• Reload Fee: $0
• States Available: 50

Sign Up Now

Why We Chose It

The GoHenry debit card comes with a host of features for teens and parents, including chores and allowance tracking, real-time alerts, and parental spending controls. GoHenry also offers customer support via phone, email, or chat, seven days a week.

Use code INVFREE for a free month AND a free personalized card.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Customer service available 7 days a week

• Financial education resources

• Spending controls available

Overview

GoHenry is a U.K.-based company that offers a debit card and mobile app aimed at kids aged 6 to 18 to help them manage allowance and chore money. It also has built-in financial education tools, including “money missions,” which are interactive financial lessons based on the K-12 Personal Finance Education National Standards.

GoHenry is our top choice for customer service with access to phone and email support seven days a week. There is also a comprehensive support section on the website.

GoHenry offers a wide range of features, including chore tracking, savings goals, real-time notifications, parental spending controls, and peer-to-peer payments with friends and family. Direct deposit is available for anyone 14 and older. Accounts are FDIC-insured, and the debit Mastercard offers the latest in chip-and-PIN technology for an extra layer of security.

Cardholders can choose from over 45 card designs, including some designed by artist Lucie Corbasson. While GoHenry is slightly more expensive than other debit card accounts, the full-featured app and excellent support team make it a worthy consideration for parents of kids and teens. 

Best for Security Features : Jassby Virtual Debit Card

 Jassby

• Cost per Teen: $0
• Reload Fee: N/A
• States Available: 50

Sign Up Now

Why We Chose It

Jassby offers a completely online experience with the added security of a virtual debit card that offers PIN and biometric security for every purchase, and full parental controls for each account.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Virtual card is free

• Apple Pay compatible

• PINs and biometric access authentication capabilities

• No fees

Cons

• Physical card is $5

Overview

Jassby is an online bank that offers a virtual debit card that is also compatible with Apple Pay for in-store purchases. Teens don’t have to worry about losing a physical card with Jassby, and each transaction uses a PIN code for an added layer of protection. The debit card is issued by Mastercard, and Jassby accounts are FDIC insured through Sutton Bank of Ohio.

In addition to the debit card, Jassby offers a kid-friendly mobile app that allows parents to assign chores, set up recurring allowance payments, and monitor any transactions on the account. Kids also gain access to Jassby's rewards program, which provides awards for completing tasks that increase their financial literacy.

There are no fees to use the card. To sign up, you’ll need to be 18, be a U.S. citizen or legal resident with a U.S. phone number and an iOS or Android device, and have a U.S. bank account or credit card. 

Best for Financial Education : FamZoo Prepaid Debit Card

FamZoo

• Cost per Teen: $2.50 to $5.99/month (up to four cards)
• Reload Fee: $0 to $4.95 (depending on reload method)
• States Available: 50

Sign Up Now

Why We Chose It

FamZoo has a kid-friendly mobile app, prepaid debit card, and a wide range of educational features, such as chore lists, purpose-driven accounts, savings goals, instant transfers, real-time alerts, and more.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Includes up to four cards (additional cards $3)

• Unique educational features

• Chore lists, savings goals, and loan tracking

• Apple and Google Pay

Cons

• Reload fees up to $4. 95

• Interest on savings account paid by parents

• Lowest pricing requires 24-month payment upfront

Overview

FamZoo was founded in 2006 and focuses on teaching kids good money habits. It has a prepaid debit card and mobile app that helps kids manage their money using spend, save, and give budget categories. The mobile app has payment checklists for kids to track chores and jobs that earn them money. Payment can be split between categories, teaching kids why paying themselves first is a smart choice. Kids can also set and track savings goals, setting aside funds for larger purchases. Parent-paid interest is available as well, allowing parents to encourage saving money by paying interest on saved amounts.

FamZoo offers some unique abilities to help kids learn about real-world finances, including a loan repayment tracker and “chore fail” chart. Parents can loan their kids money (by loading it onto the prepaid card and setting a repayment schedule for kids to repay the loan). The chore fail feature, with the ability to remove funds from a child’s account for failure to do a chore. FamZoo provides weekly financial reports, showing transactions and goal progress for each member of the family.

FamZoo has two options for families: prepaid cards or IOU accounts. While the IOU account only keeps track of the money you owe your child, the prepaid cards offer a lot more hands-on money management experience. Parents can make instant transfers and track purchases while retaining visibility and control over four linked prepaid cards. There are no age restrictions on FamZoo accounts. The card’s funds are stored in an FDIC-insured account, and the company doesn’t keep your sensitive data on its servers.

The pricing for FamZoo ranges from $2.50 to $5.99 per month for up to four cards. You can pay a flat fee of $3 for each additional card. You'll also receive two free card replacements before being charged a $3 replacement card fee. The reload pricing ranges from free (direct deposit, Apple Pay, PayPal, or Square Cash) to $4. 95 (MasterCard rePower, GreenDot @ the Register, GreenDot MoneyPak). FamZoo doesn’t pay interest, but you may set up “parent-paid interest” to encourage saving.

The $2.50 per month pricing requires you to prepay $59.99 in advance for 24 months.

Best for Parental Controls : Kachinga Prepaid Debit Card

Kachinga

• Cost per Teen: $36/year
• Reload Fee: N/A
• States Available: 50

Sign Up Now

Why We Chose It

Kachinga offers a fully controllable prepaid debit card and chore app, with the ability to receive notifications for child transactions, instantly lock/unlock cards through the mobile app, and even restrict access on age-inappropriate spending categories.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Real-time transaction monitoring

• Ability to lock child debit cards remotely

• Free trial available

Overview

Kachinga is a chore app that pairs with a prepaid debit card that helps teens learn how to earn, save, and spend money. Kachinga offers a wide range of parental controls, including spending alerts, blocking spending at certain merchants, and the ability to lock a debit card from the mobile app.

The app helps teens earn money by allowing parents to set up chore charts or recurring allowance. The earned money is loaded to the prepaid debit card, and teens can either spend, save, or give the funds on the card. The app also tracks spending over time and offers simple spending reports to help teens learn about money management.

Kachinga costs $36 per year per child, so it may get expensive for parents with multiple kids. There is a one-month free trial for the service included. There is also no ATM partner network, so ATM withdrawals will incur a $2 fee that is not reimbursed. There are no overdraft fees, inactivity fees, or reload fees on the card.

Best for Financial Planning : Current Debit Card for Teens

Current

• Cost per Teen: $0
• Reload Fee: N/A
• States Available: 50

Sign Up Now

Why We Chose It

Current is an innovative banking app with helpful financial planning features for teens such as setting savings goals, the ability to round-up purchases toward savings, and earning money by completing chores within the app. Current also gives teens the ability to request or send money to friends as well as give to charity.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Intuitive mobile app

• Savings Pods help teens learn to save for future expenses

• Round-up feature to save spare change

• Spending tracker to monitor spending

• Fee-free ATMs available

Overview

Current offers a prepaid debit card and mobile app that focuses on teaching teens financial planning through unique in-app features. Teens can manage their money through the Current mobile app, and set aside funds on the debit card for spending, saving, and giving. Current also has a built-in chore tracker and recurring allowance options.

Current allows you to track spending which helps teens learn to manage their money, with the ability to set budget spending limits. Current also allows teens to “round-up” purchases to the nearest dollar and transfer the difference into savings pods, which allow you to split your balance into named savings goals. The Current mobile app also allows teens to set up recurring savings into the savings pods, effectively automating their savings for future financial goals. Current has a Personal Finance 101 section of its website, helping teens learn to plan, budget, and save more effectively.

Current comes with all the essential parental controls, including real-time spending notifications, the ability to lock debit cards, and also the ability to block spending for specific merchants, or even specific stores. Current does not charge a subscription fee for teen accounts, however you will need to have a parent account to sign up. There are no transaction fees, transfer fees, or overdraft fees, and Current partnered with Allpoint to give access to over 40,000 fee-free ATMs across the U.S.

Final Verdict

There is a wide range of teen debit cards available, with many of them offering mobile apps for seamless digital money management. Most cards offer parental controls, but some offer more features than others. Companies like Current, Kachinga, and Greenlight allow parents to monitor and control spending options, lock cards, and set up real-time parental notifications, so they are a great option for parents of younger teens who are just getting started with money management.

Other teen debit cards, such as the Axos Bank First Checking account and Jassby virtual debit card, keep costs low with no monthly or annual fees. This allows teens to get started without locking themselves (or their parents) into recurring fees. Our choice for best overall, Greenlight is a well-designed debit card for teens, with a mobile app created to help make teens smarter with money. With the parental controls built into the mobile app, parents can monitor and control spending, as well as incentives chores by adding money to their kids’ accounts directly. Greenlight is a great option for families of any size, but especially useful for families with multiple teens.

Compare the Best Debit Card for Teens

Company	Cost	Reload Fee	States Available	Parental Control via Mobile App
Greenlight Kids’ Debit Card Best Overall	$4. 99 to $9.98/month (supports up to 5 kids)	N/A	50	Y
Axos Bank First Checking Account + Debit Card Best for No Fees	$0	N/A	50	Y
BusyKid Visa Prepaid Spend Card Best for Spending Controls	$3.99/month (up to 5 cards)	$0	50	Y
GoHenry Debit Card Best for Customer Service	$4.99/month, per child	$0	50	Y
Jassby Virtual Debit Card Best for Security Features	$0	N/A	50	Y
FamZoo Prepaid Debit Card Best for Financial Education	$2.50 to $5.99/month (up to 4 cards; $3 per additional card)	$0 to $4.95 (depending on reload method)	50	Y
Kachinga Prepaid Debit Card Best for Parental Controls	$3/month, per child	N/A	50	Y
Current Debit Card for Teens Best for Financial Planning	$0 per child, with linked parent account	N/A	50	Y

Guide for Choosing the Best Debit Card for Teens

Should Your Teen Use a Debit Card? 

If you are interested in teaching your teen financial literacy and the ability to manage their own money, a teen debit card is a great onramp to get them started. Many of these debit cards are prepaid cards, and most come with some form of parental controls, including spending alerts, and the ability to block inappropriate merchants. 

You can think of these teen debit cards as giving your teen a real checking account with bumper lanes. Teens get the responsibility of handling their own finances without the risk of unfiltered access to a standard debit or credit card.

Compare Debit Card for Teens

When looking for the right debit card for your teen, there are a few factors you may want to consider:

• Parental controls. While many teen-specific debit cards have spending controls, some offer more than others. Specifically, look for spending alerts, merchant blocking, and the ability to lock/unlock cards remotely.
• Cost. Many of the kid-focused debit cards come with a monthly or annual fee. These cards tend to offer more features, but also may cost more, depending on your needs. Also, be sure to research any associated fees, such as overdraft, reload, or ATM fees.
• Mobile app. Great teen debit cards will have a mobile app that pairs with the card, which is essential for monitoring and managing their money. Look for apps that offer a simple user experience and control over debit card funds.
• Limits. Be aware of spending and transaction limits on debit cards. Some offer lower limits than others, so make sure to understand what type of spending you expect your teen to do before signing up.

Teaching Your Teen to Use a Debit Card

Most teen debit cards are designed as mobile-first applications, with the ability to sign up online. If the teen is under 18 years of age, there typically needs to be a joint account holder (parent or guardian) that is at least 18 years old to sign up for an account. Once an account is created (typically via the company website or mobile app), a parent will need to link a checking account or debit card to fund the card.

Many apps offer chore tracking and recurring allowance payments as well as the ability to split earned money into categories, such as spending, saving, and giving. Teens can monitor their finances through the mobile app, which helps them learn financial literacy and responsibility as they are exposed to rewards, fees, expenses, and more. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a Debit Card for Teens?

Debit cards for kids are accounts that allow parents to supervise their children as they learn to manage money. These debit cards may be linked to your bank account or another funding source. There are various companies in the debit cards for teens space, including big banks, neo banks, and fintech startups.

The biggest difference between a debit card for teens and a prepaid debit card is the education and financial literacy features. Debit cards for teens allow children to practice the basics of money management without the risk of high overdraft fees or getting into credit card debt. You may set up payments for chores, monitor spending, set spending limits, transfer money, and more from the convenience of a mobile app.

What Costs Are Associated With a Debit Card for Teens?

There are several costs for most teen debit cards, including:

• Monthly or annual fees
• Reload fees (for prepaid cards)
• ATM fees
• Declined card fees
• Replacement card fees
• Custom card fees

While some companies charge more than others, understanding the total costs associated with any teen debit card is important before signing up.

Does a Debit Card for Teens Help Teach Financial Responsibility?

Yes, a debit card with the proper parental controls in place can be one of the best ways to expose your teen to financial management without the risks or worries of a credit card. Teens gain exposure to earning an income through chores and other work, budgeting that money for immediate and future needs, learning to prioritize savings, and making real-life money decisions.

Teens gain the responsibility of being able to spend funds they earned, but with the parental oversight to keep them out of financial trouble.

Who Should Get a Debit Card for Teens?

If your teen wants the ability to manage their own money but is feeling stuck because most financial transactions are happening digitally, a teen debit card is the perfect stepping stone. It allows for the independence of making their own money decisions, but with the security of parental controls and monitoring. It can open up conversations about earning money, budgeting, and the importance of saving. If you want to teach your teen about money management with real-world applications, a teen debit card may be a good option.

What Is the Minimum Age to Receive a Debit Card for Teens?

While many debit cards are only available for teens 13 or older, many kid-focused debit cards are available to kids as young as six years old. No matter what the age limit is for the child debit card, in the U. S., a child under age 18 must have a parent or guardian on the account who is (at least) 18 years old. 

How We Chose the Best Debit Cards for Teens 

Although debit cards for teens are a newer concept, there are already several competing companies on the market. This can make it difficult for busy parents to decide, particularly when so many products offer a similar set of features. Some products also offer less pricing transparency, especially when it comes to extra fees, making it difficult to make a true apples-to-apples comparison.

To make the selections for the best debit cards for teens list, we started with 25 of the top companies. We compared each company’s history, reputation, features, and how the product works. We also looked at pricing and fees, including any that can be waived. We reviewed parental controls, education, security, and any other stand-out features to select the best options. 

Although we did consider some larger, national banks, our research indicated that the smaller, niche banks provided better services tailored to the specific needs of teens and their parents.

Article Sources

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy.

1. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. "Guidance to Encourage Financial Institutions’ Youth Savings Programs and Address Related Frequently Asked Questions," Page 2.

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