Teen Budgeting & Money Management (13–18): Best Apps, Debit Cards & Systems for UK & US Families (2025)
Introduction: Why Teen Budgeting Matters More Than Ever
In 2025, the way teens handle money looks radically different from just a decade ago. Cash is disappearing: fewer than 15% of UK teens now use notes and coins weekly, while in the US, debit card use among under-18s has surged by more than 60% in the last three years. Instead of saving loose change in a piggy bank, today’s 13–18-year-olds are tapping phones, setting digital savings goals, and even dabbling in investments.
Parents are watching this shift with mixed feelings. On one hand, giving teens a debit card or money app feels safer and more practical than handing out cash. On the other hand, concerns about overspending, scams, and too much screen time are real. Many parents ask the same questions:
Which teen debit card is safest?
Is it worth paying for premium features like chores and investing?
How much independence is too much for a 14-year-old?
At the same time, research is clear: starting financial education early pays off. Studies show that teens who actively manage money in real life—whether through allowances, part-time jobs, or apps—are more likely to avoid debt, save regularly, and invest wisely as adults.
Teen money apps aim to strike the right balance: they give young people a sense of freedom while letting parents stay involved. Features like instant spending alerts, merchant blocks, chore-linked allowances, and built-in saving goals make money management practical, safe, and educational.
And recognition is rolling in. GoHenry was awarded “Best Children’s Financial Provider 2025” by Moneyfacts. Starling Bank continues its streak as “Best British Bank” (2021–2025). In the US, Greenlight was crowned “Best Kids’ Debit Card 2025” by Forbes, while Fidelity Youth won Kiplinger’s Best Teen Investing App 2025.
Families now face an abundance of choice: from free bank accounts to premium apps loaded with features. This guide reviews the best options in the UK and US (updated to September 2025), compares them side by side, shares real family stories, and answers parents’ top questions.
By the end, you’ll know not only which app suits your teen—but also how to turn budgeting into a lifelong habit, not just another download.
Want to start earlier? Check out our guide to Smart Savings Accounts for Kids.
Best Teen Budgeting Apps & Debit Cards – UK Edition (2025)
GoHenry – Prepaid Debit Card & Money App (Ages 6–18)
GoHenry is a long-time leader in kids’ finance and was named “Best Children’s Financial Provider 2025” by Moneyfacts. It offers a prepaid Visa or Mastercard with a highly rated app for both kids and parents.
Pros:
Chore tracking and automatic allowance
Gamified “Money Missions” curriculum with 100+ lessons
Savings goals with promotional interest
Junior ISA option for investing
Relatives can contribute via Giftlinks
Cons:
Monthly fee (£3.99–£9.99)
Funds safeguarded but not FSCS-protected
Case study: Sophie, 14, wanted her own phone. By using GoHenry’s savings goals and tracking progress through the app, she put away £200 in nine months. Her parents said the Money Missions taught her more about interest than school ever had.
NatWest Rooster Money – Pocket Money Tracker + Prepaid Card
Rooster, now owned by NatWest, is a hybrid between a chore app and prepaid debit card. It was awarded “Best Kids’ Banking App 2024” at the British Bank Awards.
Pros:
Free for NatWest, RBS, and Ulster Bank customers
Save/Spend/Give pots for budgeting
Spending alerts and instant freeze controls
Fun card designs for younger users
Cons:
£1.99/month for non-NatWest customers
No investing features
Limited ATM withdrawals
Case study: Oliver, 11, used Rooster’s Save pot to save up for a new bike. Seeing his progress each week gave him a sense of achievement and taught him the value of patience.
Starling Kite – Bank-Linked Child Debit Card
Starling Kite is linked directly to the parent’s Starling account. Starling Bank has been crowned “Best British Bank” five years in a row (2021–2025).
Pros:
Completely free
FSCS protection up to £85,000
Instant spending notifications
Giftlinks for relatives
Ideal for co-parenting setups
Cons:
Parents must have a Starling account
No gamified learning features
Case study: Amira, 13, lives between her divorced parents. Both contribute to and monitor her Starling Kite account, which reduced arguments and gave Amira a stable allowance system.
Monzo <16 – Free Kids Bank Account
Monzo’s under-16 account is a real bank account with parental oversight. It won “Youth Banking Innovation Award 2025” at the FinTech Awards.
Pros:
Free account
3% AER interest on savings pots
Apple Pay/Google Pay from age 13
Smooth transition to adult Monzo account
Cons:
Must already bank with Monzo
No allowance/chore tools
Case study: Josh, 15, had his part-time wages paid into Monzo <16. He created savings pots for a laptop and learned about taxes and payslips along the way.
Revolut <18 – Teen Account with Global Reach
Revolut <18 is part of the wider Revolut ecosystem, named “Best Global Banking App 2025.” It’s free and designed for international use.
Pros:
No monthly fee
Linked to parent’s Revolut app
Works globally with no FX fees
Instant spend notifications and parental controls
Customisable cards
Cons:
Parents must have a Revolut account
No investing tools for under-18s
Case study: Leo, 16, used Revolut <18 on a school trip to Spain. With no foreign exchange fees and instant alerts to his parents’ phones, it felt safer than cash and taught him independence abroad.
HyperJar – Free Jars-Based Budgeting
HyperJar won “Best Budgeting App for Families” at the Tech for Good Awards 2025. It uses a digital jars system to allocate money.
Pros:
Free (only £4.99 one-off card fee)
Unlimited child accounts
Shared jars with parents
Retail partner rewards
Cons:
No ATM withdrawals
Not FSCS-protected
Case study: Ella, 12, divided her allowance into jars for Clothes, Food, and Charity. Watching her Clothes jar drain faster than expected taught her to balance wants and needs.
Snoop – Smart Aggregator for Older Teens
Snoop is a smart money app and was awarded “Best Personal Finance App 2025” at the British Bank Awards. While not child-specific, it’s excellent for older teens.
Pros:
Free
Aggregates accounts into one dashboard
Spending analysis and nudges
Tracks bills and subscriptions
Cons:
No debit card
Best for ages 16+ with jobs
Case study: Luke, 17, connected his current account and teen card to Snoop. Within weeks, it flagged £60 in monthly takeaways—an eye-opener that helped him cut back.
Parent & Teen Add-Ons: Chip, Moneybox, InvestEngine
Chip – automated saving app, award-winning rates.
Moneybox – round-up savings and Junior ISAs.
InvestEngine – FCA-regulated ETF investing, ideal for parents investing for teens.
We cover these in detail in our Investing for Kids Guide
UK Comparison Table
| App / Card | Ages | Fees | Key Features | Investing | Awards / Credibility | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GoHenry | 6–18 | £3.99–£9.99/mo | Chores, allowance, Money Missions, Giftlinks | Junior ISA (parent-managed) | Best Children’s Provider 2025 | Structured learning + controls |
| NatWest Rooster | 6–17 | Free (NatWest) / £1.99 | Save/Spend/Give pots, chores, alerts | No | Best Kids’ Banking App 2024 | NatWest users, younger kids |
| Starling Kite | 6–16 | Free | Bank-backed, FSCS protection, instant alerts | No | Best British Bank 2021–25 | Parents wanting bank security |
| Monzo Under-16 | 6–15 | Free | 3% AER savings, Apple/Google Pay | No | Youth Banking Innovation 2025 | Teens with jobs |
| Revolut <18 | 6–17 | Free (on parent plan) | Travel-friendly, goals, parental controls | No | Best Global Banking App 2025 | Families who travel |
| HyperJar | 6–17 | £0 (+£4.99 card) | Jar budgeting, shared jars, visual goals | No | Best Budgeting App 2025 | Visual budgeting on a budget |
| Snoop | 16+ | Free | Account aggregation, bill alerts, spend insights | No | Best Personal Finance App 2025 | Older teens with wages |
Best Teen Budgeting Apps & Debit Cards – US Edition (2025)
Greenlight – The All-In-One Leader
Greenlight is the US market leader and was named “Best Kids’ Debit Card 2025” by Forbes. It covers up to five kids under one subscription.
Pros:
Chores, allowance, and savings tools
5% APY on premium plans
Stock/ETF investing
Custom debit cards
Extensive parental controls
Cons:
Expensive ($5.99–$24.98/month)
Younger kids may not use all features
Case study: Maya, 15, invested $50 in Disney stock through Greenlight Max. Tracking dividends gave her a practical lesson in long-term investing.
BusyKid – Chore-Linked Budgeting
BusyKid won the Parents’ Choice Award 2024 for linking chores with money.
Pros:
Affordable ($4/month flat)
Chore lists tied to instant pay
Spend/Save/Share buckets
Stock investing options
QR payments for entrepreneurial teens
Cons:
Basic interface
Fewer peer-to-peer features
Case study: Ethan, 12, used BusyKid’s chore system. The instant pay feature made him more motivated to complete tasks without reminders.
Step – Free Banking with Credit Building
Step was highlighted as “Best Free Teen Bank Account 2025” by NerdWallet.
Pros:
100% free
Builds credit history safely
Peer-to-peer payments
Optional crypto investing
Cons:
No chore/allowance features
Limited parental controls
Case study: Chloe, 17, built a 720 credit score through Step before leaving for college. It made her rental applications much smoother.
Fidelity Youth Account – Invest Early, Free Forever
Fidelity Youth was awarded “Best Teen Investing App 2025” by Kiplinger.
Pros:
Free brokerage + debit card
ATM rebates
Access to Fidelity research
Comprehensive resources
Cons:
Teens can trade without parental sign-off
Best for older teens
Case study: Marcus, 16, invested in an S&P 500 ETF. His parents now use quarterly statements to teach him about compounding and dividends.
👉 Open a Fidelity Youth Account
If your teen is older, our Investing for Teens Guide explores how to build wealth step by step.
Acorns Early – GoHenry’s US Evolution
Acorns Early, winner of FinTech Breakthrough 2025, combines spending and custodial investing.
Pros:
UTMA accounts for college savings
Allowance + chores
Money Missions education
Bundles with parent Acorns plans
Cons:
$5–$10/month
Parent-led investing
Case study: Harper, 14, budgeted her pocket money in Acorns Early, while her parents invested monthly for her college fund.
FamZoo – Customisable Family Bank
FamZoo was named “Best Family Finance App 2025” by The Balance.
Pros:
Low cost ($2.50–$5.99/month)
Prepaid cards or IOU tracking
Parent-set interest and loans
Good for large families
Cons:
Dated interface
Complex setup
Case study: The Johnsons used FamZoo’s custom interest rules. Their kids watched balances grow, learning compound growth hands-on.
Copper – Teen Banking + Quizzes
Copper won the EdTech Award 2025 “Best Youth Financial Education App.”
Pros:
Free account and debit card
Gamified quizzes with rewards
Peer-to-peer transfers
Teen ambassador program
Cons:
No investing yet
Limited parental controls
Case study: Isabella, 13, earned $10 through Copper’s money quizzes. She used it for art supplies, linking fun with financial literacy.
US Comparison Table
| App / Card | Ages | Fees | Key Features | Investing | Awards / Credibility | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenlight | Any | $5.99–$24.98/mo | Chores, allowance, savings, custom cards | Stocks/ETFs (premium tiers) | Forbes Best Kids’ Card 2025 | Premium all-in-one |
| BusyKid | 5–17 | ~$4/mo | Chores → pay; Spend/Save/Share buckets | Stocks (with parent approval) | Parents’ Choice Award 2024 | Chore-focused families |
| Step | 13–18 | Free | Credit building, P2P payments, optional crypto | Limited | NerdWallet Best Teen Account 2025 | Teens starting credit |
| Fidelity Youth | 13–17 | Free | Teen-owned brokerage + debit, ATM rebates | Full (stocks/ETFs) | Kiplinger Best Teen Investing App 2025 | Investing teens |
| Acorns Early | 6–18 | $5–$10/mo | UTMA investing, chores, Money Missions | Parent-managed | FinTech Breakthrough 2025 | College/long-term focus |
| FamZoo | All ages | $2.50–$5.99/mo | Prepaid or IOU system, parent-paid interest | No | The Balance Best Family App 2025 | Large/multi-child families |
| Copper | 13–18 | Free | Debit + quizzes, rewards, peer transfers | No | EdTech Award 2025 | Gamified learners |
Step-by-Step Guide for Parents
1) Clarify your priorities (5 minutes)
Safety first: Do you prefer a bank-backed youth account (e.g., Monzo U16, Starling Kite, Fidelity Youth) or an e-money prepaid app with rich controls (e.g., GoHenry, Greenlight)?
Free vs paid: Free is great for everyday banking; paid adds chores, education, and sometimes investing.
Travel & FX: If your teen travels (exchanges, tournaments, school trips), Revolut <18 is strong — just learn the fair-usage FX rules.
Number of kids: For 3–5 children, value plans like BusyKid or FamZoo scale well.
(Use our tables above to shortlist two options per country.)
2) Match the tool to the age/stage
Ages 13–14: Start with structure. Use chores → pay, Save/Spend/Give pots, and visible goals. GoHenry/Rooster (UK) or BusyKid (US) shine here.
Ages 15–16: Add independence. A free bank account (Monzo U16, Starling Kite, Step) paired with a budgeting app (Snoop) works beautifully.
Ages 17–18: Bridge to adulthood. Introduce credit (Step’s secured card), set up direct deposits from jobs, and — if mature — consider Fidelity Youth for small, supervised investing.
3) Set “guardrails” not handcuffs
Agree spend caps, merchant blocks, and simple ground rules together. If they blow the month’s clothes budget in week one, let the natural consequences teach the lesson. Review alerts as conversation starters, not “gotchas”. Greenlight’s granular controls or Starling/Monzo instant notifications keep it teachable, not tense.
4) Make goals visible (and fun)
Create one near-term goal (e.g., concert tickets) and one long-term goal (e.g., first car). Use in-app goals/pots and celebrate milestones. Consider parent-paid interest (FamZoo) to reward consistency.
5) Level up over time
Plan a “graduation” path: structured app at 13 → bank account at 15/16 → real credit + investing fundamentals at 17/18. The tool should evolve with your teen — not the other way around.
Real-Life Case Studies
UK Case Study 1 — “Training Wheels” with GoHenry (Age 14)
Sophie, 14, couldn’t make savings stick. Her parents set a £15/week allowance in GoHenry with chores for bonuses. They helped her create a phone fund goal and enabled Money Missions on interest and wants vs needs. Notifications replaced nagging — an alert about a late-night takeout prompted a calm chat the next morning. Nine months later Sophie hit £200 saved, chose a mid-range phone (not the flashy one), and kept her emergency buffer. The subscription cost felt worth it during this “skills-building” window because the app made good behaviour the default and mistakes small enough to learn from.
UK Case Study 2 — Co-Parenting with Starling Kite (Age 13)
Amira divides time between two homes. Kite sits under Mum’s Starling account, but both parents see spend activity and can top-up. Gift links from family made birthdays simpler, and Spaces helped Amira separate school lunches from pocket money. Arguments about who paid what vanished because everything was visible. After six months they added Snoop for monthly reviews: a pizza-spend spike led to a friendly “two slices, not three” rule and a shared plan to save for a summer robotics camp.
US Case Study 1 — Greenlight to Fidelity Youth (Age 15–16)
Jake (US) started with Greenlight at 12: chores → allowance, soft blocks at gaming stores, and small “parent-approved” stock buys. At 15, curiosity grew past quizzes — he wanted a broader investing toolkit. The family kept Greenlight for allowance but opened Fidelity Youth for free, teen-owned investing. Jake learned to compare fees, read ETF fact sheets, and set a 60/40 rule (60% long-term ETF; 40% for “fun experiments” under $20). By 16, Greenlight’s main value was chores + alerts; the investing itch was scratched the right way — slowly, in a real brokerage with parental oversight.
US Case Study 2 — Step for Credit, BusyKid for Habits (Age 17)
Chloe (17) is organised but anxious about credit. Her parents set her up with Step (secured card that builds credit) for everyday spends and BusyKid for the family chore framework (younger siblings use it too). Weekly, Chloe moves 20% to savings before she spends — and checks her Step credit progress monthly. Senior year, she rented with roommates; having a score on file helped with the application and saved on car insurance later. Two tools, one principle: simple systems that reward consistency.
FAQs
1) What’s the safest type of account for teens?
Safety is about regulation + controls. Bank-backed youth accounts (e.g., Monzo Under-16, Starling Kite, Fidelity Youth) sit on regulated rails (FSCS/FDIC frameworks) and send instant alerts. Prepaid apps (e.g., GoHenry, Greenlight, BusyKid) add powerful spend controls, but funds are safeguarded rather than insured like deposits at a bank. The best setup is the one you’ll actively monitor — enable alerts, learn how to freeze the card, and spend five minutes monthly reviewing transactions together.
2) Free vs paid: what do you actually get for the subscription?
Free options (Starling Kite, Monzo U16, Revolut <18, Step, Fidelity Youth, Copper) cover core spending/saving and alerts. Paid options (GoHenry, Greenlight, BusyKid, FamZoo, Acorns Early, Rooster for non-NatWest) layer on chores/allowances, education, and sometimes investing or premium savings rewards. If your teen responds to structure, paid apps can accelerate learning; if they’re already responsible, a free bank account plus a budgeting app (Snoop) may be perfect. Reassess annually so you don’t pay for features you no longer use.
3) Which UK card is best for families who travel?
Revolut <18 is hard to beat for travel. Teens get instant alerts and multi-currency support within fair-usage allowances, and you can freeze the card from your phone. Learn the weekday vs weekend FX rules and plan ahead (exchange on weekdays, bring a backup card). For bank-based travel, Starling is excellent for adults; pairing your account with Kite keeps things simple for your teen at home.
4) Which US option is best for investing?
For teen-owned investing, Fidelity Youth is unique and free — ideal for mature teens who can handle responsibility with coaching. If you want parent-approved investing inside a kids’ app, Greenlight (premium tiers) or BusyKid (basic stock access) work well. Start tiny amounts and talk risk, diversification, and time horizon.
5) Can my teen build credit before 18?
In the US, Step builds credit via a secured structure linked to your teen’s spending — without classic credit-card pitfalls. They can’t carry a revolving balance; usage simply builds history. It’s a smart way to show a score at 18–19 for rentals or phone plans. (In the UK, credit building starts later; focus on budgeting and safe card habits first.)
6) We have multiple kids — what gives best value?
BusyKid covers up to five cards on one family subscription; FamZoo prices per family and drops to about $2.50/month when prepaid; Greenlight covers up to five kids per plan, though cost rises on premium tiers. In the UK, Rooster is excellent value if you bank with NatWest Group (up to three free cards), while HyperJar charges only a one-off £4.99 per kids’ card.
7) Do these cards work with Apple Pay/Google Pay?
Yes — generally from age 13. Monzo Under-16, Starling Kite, Revolut <18, GoHenry and most US teen cards support mobile wallets. It’s handy for lost-card moments (you can still pay while waiting for a replacement). Always set device passcodes and enable transaction alerts.
8) Are there hidden fees I should watch for?
Scan for ATM fees, replacement-card fees, and foreign usage rules. Example: Revolut charges weekend/over-limit FX fees on Standard/Plus; Rooster offers a small monthly free FX allowance then charges a fee; HyperJar cards cost £4.99 one-off. Read “fees & limits” pages before you travel or start frequent ATM use.
9) What if my teen loses the card?
Most apps let you freeze instantly and order a replacement in-app. Encourage teens to lock their phones, hide their PIN, and contact you quickly. With bank accounts (Monzo/Starling/Fidelity), fraud processes resemble adult banking; with prepaid apps (GoHenry/Greenlight), transactions are capped by balance and strong card controls.
10) Do any UK options pay interest to kids?
Monzo Under-16 pays 3.00% AER (variable) on savings pots. Some apps show goal progress rather than paying interest; if you want a return plus safety, pair a bank youth account with parental guidance. Parents saving long-term might also consider a Junior ISA (via providers like GoHenry partners, Moneybox, or mainstream brokers).
11) What’s best for co-parenting?
Look for clear visibility + simple top-ups. Starling Kite and GoHenry both send instant alerts, allow multiple adults to contribute, and make gifting easy. For older teens, add Snoop so both parents (and the teen) can see spend trends without micromanaging every transaction.
12) How do I teach budgeting (not just give a card)?
Use a weekly mini-meeting: open the app together, glance at the pie chart, praise a win, pick one tweak for next week. Build a habit of “pay yourself first” (goal transfer on allowance day). Try a challenge (save an extra £/$10 this month and we’ll match it). Make the system predictable, not punitive — the goal is practice. (Tools like BusyKid/FamZoo automate buckets; Snoop surfaces the lessons.)
13) We’re a travel family — should we just use my card for them?
You can, but a teen card trains independence safely. Revolut <18 is great for trips (within plan FX rules). Teens learn to pay in local currency, check rates, and manage a per-day budget. Pro tip: keep your card as backup; set the teen’s daily allowance to auto-top-up to avoid panic calls.
14) When should we “graduate” from a kids’ app?
If your teen rarely uses chore prompts, resists “missions,” and wants wages/direct deposit, it’s time to graduate. Many families move from GoHenry/Greenlight at 15–16 to Monzo/Starling/Step, then add Fidelity Youth for investing. Don’t overpay for features they’ve outgrown — the best outcome is you no longer need training wheels.
Conclusion: A Calm, Confident Path to Money-Smart Teens
There’s no single “best” app — there’s the best fit for your teen right now. UK families who want free, bank-backed safety often choose Starling Kite or Monzo Under-16; those who want hand-holding and education lean toward GoHenry. US families who want a tightly integrated system pick Greenlight; families with older, independent teens lean to Step for credit building or Fidelity Youth for real investing.
The logo on the card matters far less than the habits you’re building: setting goals, paying yourself first, reviewing spend calmly, and letting kids make small mistakes while the stakes are low. Start with a tool that makes those behaviours easy; then evolve as your teen grows. If you’re reading this, you’re already the kind of parent who turns money from a stress into a skill — and that’s the real win.
Ready to start?
UK: 👉 GoHenry | 👉 Starling Kite | 👉 Monzo Under-16 | 👉 Revolut <18
US: 👉 Greenlight | 👉 Step | 👉 Fidelity Youth
P.S. If you’d like a printable Teen Budget Sheet to use alongside the app you choose, find one in our resources
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