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Getting your child a debit card is a great way to teach them about money management at a young age, but choosing the best debit card for kids can be an arduous task. There are several key features you may want to consider. Making sure you get low fees and access to parental controls for reloading funds and monitoring spending activity is crucial.
When shopping for a card, you have two options: a prepaid debit card or a traditional debit card linked to a checking account. It is essential to understand the difference before getting a debit card for your kid.
Best Debit Cards for Kids and Teens
There are plenty of cards to choose from when considering options for kids or teens. Keep reading to learn more about the best debit cards you can get for your child.
1. Greenlight Debit Card
The Greenlight debit card is one of the most popular debit cards for kids, and it can help teach them how to spend money, save and invest. The card offers parental controls and sends you notifications every time your kid uses the card. Plus, it doesn't have any minimum or maximum age requirements.
Greenlight lets you create chore lists that your child can work on to earn money. You can also set weekly or monthly allowance deposits if you prefer to give your children a set amount.
There are three different plans you can choose from — subscriptions start at $4.99 per month, and all three options include debit cards for up to five kids.
2. FamZoo Prepaid Card
The FamZoo prepaid card gives your children the opportunity to learn how to manage money. You can load the cards anytime and track all the activity on the cards digitally. You can also set up payment for chores, create automatic allowances and pay interest on savings.
With FamZoo, both the kids and parents can monitor spending through a shared dashboard. It's open for kids of all ages and it offers a free one-month trial. Once the trial expires, the subscription starts at $5.99 per month, but you can save on a subscription by paying in advance.
3. Gohenry Debit Card
The Gohenry debit card is designed for kids ages 6 to 18, but it's best for parents who want to teach their children smart money management skills. The Gohenry app lets you take control by loading your child's card and setting spending rules.
You can also set tasks for your child to complete to earn money and other perks. Whenever your kid spends, you get real-time notifications. Additionally, you can decide where they get to use the card. Furthermore, kids can spend and withdraw money overseas for free.
Gohenry has a free one-month trial. After that, an account costs $3.99 per month per child.
4. Copper Debit Card
Copper debit cards are perfect for helping teens to learn financial literacy. The app offers interactive quizzes on money management, spending habits and saving. With Copper, your child can access financial tools and other resources they need to make intelligent financial decisions.
As their parent, you can set up automatic money transfers and track their spending in real time. Teens can use the Copper debit card online and in person anywhere that accepts Mastercard.
Copper doesn't charge monthly fees, overdraft fees or ATM fees and has no minimum balance requirement.
5. BusyKid Visa Prepaid Spend Card
BusyKid Visa Prepaid Spend debit card is the best choice for parents looking for an app that goes beyond good money habits. The BusyKid app uses a chore-based system where your kids can earn real money for completing chores. They can also learn to save, spend, donate and invest any earned allowances.
BusyKid costs $19.99 per year, which includes one card. You can get an additional card at $7.99 per year.
6. Jassby Virtual Debit Card
The Jassby Virtual Debit Card for kids stands apart since it has no monthly fee and a very user-friendly app. This card is best for families with multiple kids since parents take complete control in managing spending. You can also assign your children chores and activities that can earn them money.
With Jassby, your child can also make contactless payments and earn rewards.
7. Mango Prepaid Mastercard
The Mango Prepaid Mastercard is a unique debit card for kids because it comes with an optional high-yield savings account that earns an annual percentage yield of up to 6.00%.
You can add funds to your child's card using your checking account. Teens can use it everywhere Mastercard debit cards are accepted. The Mango card has no activation fee, but there's a $5 monthly service charge.
8. Mazoola Virtual Debit Card
The Mazoola virtual debit card is a free debit card for kids since it has no fees. It offers basic features such as automatic allowances and the ability to set savings goals, make peer-to-peer payments and even set chores. The Mazoola app makes it easy for you to track your kids' spending.
9. Till Debit Card
Till Financial offers a family banking platform specifically designed to help kids become savvy spenders. It offers parents several ways to contribute to the account and even share access with other family members. Till does not charge any fees.
10. Step Visa Card
Step offers a bank account for teens that comes with a Visa card that incorporates features of both debit and credit cards. Parental controls provided by Step help you track your child's spending and load funds on the go. Additionally, Step card transactions are protected by Visa's zero-liability protection. Step doesn't charge monthly fees, overdraft fees or ATM fees or require a minimum balance.
11. Visa Buxx Card
The Visa Buxx card from Navy Federal Credit Union or TD Bank allows your kid to enjoy the independence of spending without having to borrow a parent's card. This card includes parental controls so you can monitor your child's spending habits. While it doesn't allow you to set chores and allowances, there are no fees to open an account.
12. Chase First Banking
Chase First Banking is a debit card for kids powered by Greenlight and intended for ages 6 to 17. To open an account, you need to be a Chase customer. With Chase First Banking, your kids can learn how to spend, save and earn.
As a parent, you can monitor and control your child's spending and help them build good money habits. You can also assign chores, manage allowances and set up multiple saving goals. Chase First Banking has no monthly service fee.
13. Alliant Credit Union Teen Checking
Alliant's free checking account for teens is geared to members ages 13 to 17. The checking account offers one of the best debit cards for helping kids to learn responsible financial habits without overspending.
With this checking account, teens can earn up to 0.25% APY, and there are no monthly fees or account minimums. There are over 80,000 fee-free ATMs and up to $20 per month in ATM rebates.
14. Capital One Money Teen Checking
Money Teen Checking is Capital One's free account for kids ages 8 and older. It comes with a debit card and a mobile app to help your children learn about money management.
Kids can earn a 0.10% interest rate on checking account balances. They can also access their money at any of more than 70,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide. There are no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements with this account.
15. Current Visa Debit Card
Current offers a banking option designed for families. The app offers total parental control while still giving your teen the freedom to spend, save and manage money. With Current, your teen can make purchases, set savings goals, transfer money and even donate to charity.
Takeaway
Choosing the best debit card for kids can be overwhelming, but the above list is a great place to start your search. Depending on your needs and those of your kid, your choice may vary from another person's. When shopping for a debit card for your child, decide on the features you want — such as no monthly fees or minimum balance for the associated checking account — to help you find the best option for you and your family.
Information on accounts is accurate as of Aug. 18, 2021.
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About the Author
Lydia Kibet has been writing professionally since 2017. Her passion for helping brands in all aspects of content marketing flows through in the expert industry coverage she provides — personal finance, investing and healthcare. Her work has been featured in The Motley Fool, Investor Junkie, Green Market Report, and Medical News Today. When she's not writing, she's either reading, playing guitar or catching up with nature. Follow her on Twitter.
15 Best Debit Cards for Kids 2021 (Free Options) - GOBankingRates
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