Best Debit Card for Kids and Teens: 2022 Reviews and Guide

Overview — Current is another fantastic service that offers the most technologically advanced debit cards for your kids.

The card is quite similar to other teen debit cards. Namely, the parent has access to the main account and can transfer money to their kids. You can use a one-time transfer feature or set an automatic allowance transfer. Moreover, you can reimburse your kids instantly for gas money.

Features and benefits — What sets the Current apart from any other reloadable debit card for teens is a fingerprint scan and a facial recognition feature. Along with EMV chips, these features guarantee ultimate protection and security.

You can even set chores and tasks for your kids to finish to get their allowance or transfer the money as needed.

Kids can also divide their funds into “Spend,” “Save,” and “Give” categories. That way, they can support a charity, build their savings, and have a totally separate sum for spending.

Limits — They have some pretty standard daily limits too:

• $500 for ATM withdrawals
• $2,000 for purchases
• $5,000 max transaction
• $10,000 max balance on all cards combined

Additional fees — Another reason why parents go for Current debit card is that there are practically no additional fees.

There is just a $3 international ATM fee and a 3% international transaction fee. And as far as the domestic fees go, there’s the possibility for out-of-network ATM fees, and that’s it.

Parental alerts — Parents can set limits and block stores and online retailers. They’ll also get real-time alerts on where and how their kid is spending.

Reload method — Direct deposit, cash reload, and person to person transfer.

Overview — GoHenry is another exceptional card that’ll teach your kid to earn and save their money. Moreover, the parent of the child has full control over the account and can add up to five kids. Nevertheless, we believe this is the best option for families with only one kid due to all the fees.

Admittedly, GoHenry offers a one-month free trial, so you can try it and see whether it fits your lifestyle.

Features and benefits — As of the most controlled reloadable debit card for minors, GoHenry gives parents full control over the account. You can load money as a gift, a payment, or a regular allowance. There’s also the option to set up chores and tasks for additional earnings.

Your kid can then spend or save their money at will while you have full insight into all the details.

You can set the limits and ban spending at certain places. The app will also allow you to lock or cancel the card anytime.

Limits — You can load $500 a day to your kid’s account (limited to three reloads per day). Likewise, credit and debit card reloads are free and there’s no possibility for cash reloads.

Additional fees — GoHenry kids debit card comes with a couple of additional fees:

• $4.99 for a personalized card or a card replacement
• $1.50 for ATM withdrawals, plus the potential out-of-network ATMs fee
• Multiple fees for international use

Parental alerts — The parent receives real-time notifications on exactly how much and where the kid spent their money.

Reload method — The debit card reloads from your linked credit or debit card.

Overview — Chime has an outstanding debit card for kids, especially if they are teenagers. Chime debit card is a highly recommendable choice for older teens who are working and have a regular source of income. Plus, it’s perfect for everyone who wants to manage their finances with an app.

The applicant needs to be 18 to apply for their Visa debit card, and the parents have no control over the account or spending; a great option for older teens who have already used cards like FamZoo and Greenlight and can manage their finances to a certain extent.

By the way, Chime is a financial technology company. It’s an online-only platform backed by The Bancorp Bank and FDIC, making it an excellent place to keep your money that charges (almost) no fees.

Features and benefits — Chime Visa debit card is a good debit card for a teenager who’s ready for more financial freedom and responsibility.

There are no monthly fees and the card is accepted wherever Visa cards are allowed. Teens can get their paychecks deposited to their accounts, with the possibility of a two-day early deposit.

Those who have had at least $500 in direct deposits in a month can apply for the SpotMe feature; it’s good practice for transitioning to a real credit card. The SpotMe feature covers a $20–$200 overdraft with no additional fees or penalties.

Next time there’s a deposit on the Chase Visa card for teenagers, the negative balance gets covered. However, if you don’t qualify for the SpotMe feature, you can’t use the overdraft.

Limits — Daily and monthly transfer limits may be a bad idea, though. The maximum a user can initiate from Chime and send from an external bank is $200 a day and $1,000 per month. You could initiate a transfer from an external bank, though, and bypass this issue.

Additional fees — Chime charges $2.50 for withdrawals on out-of-network ATMs. The reload fees can go up to $4.95, depending on the reload service you use.

Parental alerts — This is not a typical prepaid debit card for minors, so there are no parental alerts. Parents have no insight into the account, spending, or savings.

Reload method — Direct deposit, bank transfer, (limited) debit card transfer, mobile check deposit, and retailers.

Overview — FamZoo is a virtual family bank where you’re the banker, and your kid is the client. This company provides private family banking services with the goal of teaching your kids how banking works and reinforcing the notion of hard work and the concept of money.

And all this for a modest price of $5.99 a month or even lower (if you decide to pay in advance).

Namely, if you opt for a six-month subscription, you’ll pay $25.99 (which translates to $4.33 a month). If you pay for 12 months in advance, you’ll pay $39.99 (or $3.33 a month), and if you choose the 24-month subscription, you’ll pay $59.99 (which translates to only $2.50 a month).

Features and benefits — FamZoo is a prepaid debit MasterCard that works wherever MasterCard is accepted. Each child can have their own debit card for kids and separate accounts.

You can load the primary card through a variety of loading options (e.g., bank transfer, direct deposit, Apple Pay, PayPal, etc.) and then distribute the funds to your children’s cards. 

Additionally, you can set up allowance and chore payments and compensate your kids for helping around the house. Likewise, you can also impose a ban if they’re using the card irresponsibly.

Finally, you can split payments, and your kids can even send you money requests.

Limits — The card balance can’t exceed $5,000. You’re allowed 99 reloads per day, provided they don’t exceed $2,500.

Moreover, kids can’t spend more than $5,000 per day on purchases or withdraw more than $510 a day from ATMs.

Finally, you can get a debit card for a 12–year–old in their own name, though kids under the age of 13 can only hold cards whose legal owner is their parent.

Additional fees — When it comes to fees, FamZoo is remarkably generous. Besides paying the small monthly fee, there are practically no additional costs. 

However, you will be charged additionally for:

• Reloading your card through certain banks, retailers (if you use cash), and digital wallet instant transfer
• Requesting a new card after the initial four free cards
• Card replacement after two free replacements
• Express card delivery, which is optional

Parental alerts — FamZoo is an excellent debit card for kids under 13, as you can set alerts for any activity. Namely, you’ll get real-time alerts for all purchases, donations, transactions, declines, etc., your child makes.

Reload method — Direct deposit, bank transfer, Apple Pay, PayPal transfer, add cash at retailers, MasterCard rePower, and Green Dot.

Overview — Greenlight was developed specifically with families in mind. Parents can manage their kids’ spending in real-time. Conversely, kids get financial independence and real-life lessons in earning, saving, and banking.

There’s no minimum age limit and you can get up to five free debit cards for kids and the rest of the family. The parent has the main card and acts as the banker, similarly to the FamZoo card.

Features and benefits — Greenlight allows up to five debit cards with no minimum balance. You can create in-app chore lists and create automatic allowance transfers. The kids can divide their balance into “Spend,” “Save,” and “Give” accounts.

The card also offers instant transfers and the option to lock the card in the case of theft or loss. Moreover, parents can even set and pay interest to the kid’s savings account and teach them about compound growth.

Limits — According to numerous Greenlight debit card reviews, parents simply love the fact that they can set all the limits to their personal preferences.

You can set just how much your kid can withdraw from ATMs, and you can even set store-specific spending. The card will work wherever MasterCard is accepted unless you’ve set a limit.

Additional fees — There are no hidden fees or charges. However, pay attention to ATMs, as operators may apply their fees. There are no ATM fees from Greenlight. Other additional fees include:

• $9.99 for the Custom Greenlight card that will allow you to put your kid’s selfie on it
• $24.99 for expedited shipping (2–3 day service). Conversely, regular shipping, which takes 7–10 days to arrive, is completely free

Parental alerts — Another thing that makes Greenlight a great choice for teens are real-time alerts. You’ll get transaction notifications and see exactly when, where, and how much your kid spends.

Reload method — Direct deposit, debit card transfer, and bank transfer.

Overview — Credit cards have far superior fraud protection than debit cards — hence why Movo has created a virtual debit card.

It provides extra security features so you don’t have to worry if your teen shops online or pays for different streaming services, online magazines, video games, etc.

The user has to be 18, though, and a US resident to open an account.

Features and benefits — This is one of the most well-regarded prepaid cards for teens. It allows you to create multiple disposable virtual cards that are linked to your main account. Better yet, these cards can be used wherever Visa cards are accepted.

You can add as many disposable virtual cards as you like and even request a physical card to use in-stores.

Limits — The card has relatively decent daily limits:

• $10,000 maximum balance
• $500 ATM withdrawals
• $1,000 in cash withdrawals
• $4,000 in purchases
• $5,000 in deposits (no more than five)

Additional fees — Movo is one of the most transparent reloadable debit cards for teens with no hidden fees. Still, there are a couple of additional fees:

• $5.95 for the physical card purchase
• $1.00 + 1% of the amount transferred (max $11) to Venmo, PayPal, Apple, etc.
• $1.00 + 1% of the amount transferred (max $11) for card-to-bank transfers
• $4.95 fee if your card is inactive for 90 or more days
• $15 ACH return or decline fee

Parental alerts — Movo doesn’t offer any parental alerts. That’s why we recommend it for older teens who already have basic knowledge on how to manage their finances.

Reload method — Direct deposit, PayPal, ATM, Visa ReadyLink, GreenDot, and Bank Transfer.

Overview — BusyKid teaches kids about working hard and earning their allowance. According to the company representatives, the majority of BusyKid card owners are teenagers.

Besides cards for children, they also have accounts for multiple family members. However, what impressed us the most was the brand’s “BusyPay” feature. Namely, parents can use this app to add money to their kid’s account using a QR code for a $1 fee. 

BusyKid offers a 30-day refund policy. In case you’re not satisfied with the service, you’ll get your subscription money back. No questions asked. Therefore, you have a month to explore all options and see if this card is the right fit for your family. 

Features and benefits — The creators of the BusyKid prepaid debit card for kids describe the card as “Your kid’s first job — with direct deposit.” Namely, parents can assign chores to their kids via the app, and upon finishing their assignments, the money is then transferred to their account.

The app is also set to transfer the funds on Fridays — the kid’s payday.

What’s more, the money is divided into three sections:

• A portion for spending
• A portion that goes to charity
• A portion that goes into savings

That way, kids learn that they’re supposed to work hard for their money, give back to society, and invest in their future. Simply put — the BusyKid debit card mirrors the adult reality.

Limits — BusyKid offers average limits similar to other kids’ cards. The maximum daily card balance, direct deposit, and debit card transfer limit are $2,000. Google and Apple pay options are expected to be available in a couple of weeks, as well as ATM services.

Additional fees — There are no hidden costs, which is a real releaf. As a matter of fact, yearly subscription ensures you get 20% off the regular fee. The only potential extra cost is a card replacement cost of  $5.00. 

Parental alerts — The app has limited parental control. The parent has to approve the money transfer but has no control over how the kid then spends, shares, or invests the funds in question.

Reload method — You can reload the card easily via the app.

Overview — Chase has created the First Banking Account in collaboration with Greenlight. It’s designed specifically for kids aged 6–12 whose parents already have a Chase checking account.

Similar to Greenlight, Chase allows kids to divide their money into “Earn,” “Spend,” and “Save.”

The Chase kids’ card is one of the rare prepaid debit cards with no fees for kids. The card carries no fees, but it comes with a couple of limitations.

Features and benefits — Since it’s powered by Greenlight, the Chase app allows you to set up chores for your kid. You can opt for a one-time transfer or schedule recurring allowances.

The parent has full control over the card and can limit purchase locations and lock or cancel the card via the app. The only downside is that just one parent can manage the account. Still, parents could be interested in the fact that Chase offers a great credit card for gas as well.

Limits — The card comes with pretty low daily limits; there’s a $400 limit for purchases and a $100 limit for ATM withdrawals.

Additional fees — Another reason Chase prepaid Visa debit cards for minors are a parent’s favorite is that there are no hidden fees.

There’s a $2.50 fee for out-of-network ATM withdrawals and fees for international ATM withdrawals, and that’s it.

Parental alerts — The parent gets alerts on how much and where their kid is spending money.

Reload method — The only way to reload the card is to transfer money from your Chase checking account.

Overview — Mango prepaid card is an excellent option for older teens who want to gain some experience with money-saving and interest rates.

However, your kid must be 18 to apply for the card and you have no control over the account. That is why we recommend this card only to those who trust their teen’s money management and decision-making skills.

Features and benefits — Mango debit card is recommended for kids who have a part-time job or receive considerable sums of money each month.

The card provides standard options, such as free cash reloads and ATM use. Nevertheless, the card’s ultimate feature is the savings account. Your kid can activate it and earn a 6% annual percentage yield.

Limits — There are a couple of limits for using the card:

• $10,000 max balance on the card
• $500 daily withdrawals, including ATMs, bank tellers, and POS
• $950 cash deposit per day

Additional fees — Mango is a free debit card for kids, but it comes with lots of additional fees:

• $3 ATM withdrawals
• $2.50 bank teller withdrawal
• $1 ATM balance inquiry
• $8 inactivity fee

Your teen can avoid the monthly fee if they have at least $800 in direct deposits.

Parental alerts — The parents receive no alerts and have no control over the account and spending.

Reload method — Direct deposit, bank transfer, PayPal, and GreenDot.

Overview — Akimbo allows you to create up to five subaccounts that are linked to the main one. Better yet, you can assign each one a name — an excellent feature for parents with more than one kid.

Akimbo is a debit card for a 17-year-old; all subcard holders must be at least 13. You can do one-time transfers or set automatic reloads and not worry about their allowance.

Features and benefits — This isn’t a typical card for kids, thus there are no assignments and chores to earn money from. Akimbo is best suited for kids who have already proven to be financially literate.

You can monitor the balance and spending on each subcard and cancel or lock a card from the app.

Limits — The card comes with some standard daily limits:

• $705 for ATM withdrawals
• $1,000 for cash reload
• $2,500 spending limit

Additional fees — Another reason Akimbo is the perfect debit card for a 16-year-old is that there’s no monthly fee with this card. However, there are multiple fees, including:

• $4.95 per subcard — a one-time purchase
• $1.98 ATM fee, plus potential out-of-network ATMs fees
• Possible reload fees from third-party providers
• $5.95 inactivity fee for cards that haven’t been active for more than 12 months

Parental alerts — You can get real-time money requests and see all subcards’ activity.

Reload method — Direct deposit, PayPal, ACH transfer, Ingo, GreenDot, MasterCard rePower, and transfers from other Akimbo cards.