What are pocket money apps or children’s bank accounts?Pocket money apps (and the underlying children’s bank accounts) are digital tools designed to enable children to access and learn how to manage money safely. They usually come with a debit card and app that allow children to spend, save and track their money, while parents can monitor activity and set controls. |
If you’re looking for a quick answer, here’s our list of the best pocket money apps / bank accounts
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Starling Kite: a dedicated space within your Starling app where your child can use their own debit card, while you retain full control.
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NatWest Rooster Money: focuses on helping children understand earning, saving and spending through visual tools and goal setting.
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GoHenry: a popular, feature-rich pocket money app with a parent account, customisable kids’ debit card, and built-in financial education through “Money Missions”. However, it is now set to become part of Barclays, which raises ethical questions for Good With Money readers.
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HyperJar: the free debit card can be used online and in shops, with no ATM withdrawals, and parental controls and notifications built in.
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Revolut -18: aimed at teenagers and digital-native families. It includes budgeting features, instant spending notifications and travel-friendly card features.
Here’s what to check:
- Monthly fees – some apps charge subscriptions, while others are free with certain bank accounts.
- Parental controls – check whether you can set spending limits, block retailers or receive instant alerts.
- Savings tools – look for savings pots, jars or goal tracking to encourage good habits.
- Educational features – quizzes, chores and money lessons can help children learn financial responsibility.
- Age suitability – some apps are better for younger children, while others are designed for teens.
- Bank account or prepaid card – prepaid cards offer more parental oversight; bank accounts can help older teens build independence.
- ATM and travel features – useful if your child needs cash access or spends abroad.
- Additional features – check whether the provider is FCA-regulated and how funds are protected; and of course, Good With Money will always urge you to consider the ethics of the underlying provider.
In an increasingly cashless world, pocket money has gone digital.
For many families, coins and notes have been replaced by apps and prepaid cards that help children learn how to earn, save and spend. With built-in parental controls, these tools can offer a balance between independence and oversight – giving kids real-world money experience in a safe, structured way.
Used well, they can also open up early conversations about habits, choices and the value of money.
Here are our top pocket money and kids’ debit card apps in 2026.
Best children’s money and debit card apps (2026) – at a glance
| Provider | Min. monthly fee | Parental control | Savings tools / pots | Educational features | FSCS protected | Ethical accreditation | Good With Money ethics note | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starling Kite | Free | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Worth checking against your own values | Parent customers |
| NatWest Rooster Money | £1.99 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Owned by a high street bank, not an ethical specialist | Younger children |
| GoHenry | £3.99 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No for core card account | No | Set to be acquired by Barclays, which raises climate concerns | All-in-one features |
| HyperJar | £0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Free and useful, but not an ethical specialist | Visual budgeting |
| Revolut -18 | £0 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Check wider provider ethics and suitability for teens | Older children / teens |
1. Starling Kite
If you already have a Starling Bank account, Starling Kite is a strong option for children aged 6 to 15. It’s a dedicated space within your Starling app where your child can use their own debit card, while you retain full control.
You can set spending limits, block certain types of purchases, and instantly lock the card if lost. Kite also allows family and friends to send money via a unique “KiteLink”.
Children can earn interest on savings balances (rate may vary), helping to encourage regular saving habits.
Cost: Free (must be a Starling customer)
Best for: Starling users looking for a simple, fee-free option
See our full review of Starling Bank
2. GoHenry
GoHenry is one of the best-known pocket money apps in the UK, offering a parent account, customisable kids’ debit card and built-in financial education through “Money Missions”.
Parents can set pocket money payments, assign tasks, monitor spending and add savings goals. The app is suitable for children from age six through to teens preparing for more financial independence.
However, there is now an important ethics update. Barclays has agreed to acquire GoHenry’s UK business from Acorns, with the deal expected to complete in late 2026, subject to approvals. Barclays says the GoHenry brand and standalone app will remain.
For families, that means the product may continue to offer useful money tools. But Good With Money readers should be aware that GoHenry is set to sit within a major high street bank rather than an independent children’s money app. Barclays has also faced long-running criticism over its fossil fuel financing, so this is no longer one we would describe as a stronger ethical option.
It is also worth noting that the GoHenry card is not a bank account. GoHenry says its card is an e-money product, which means money on the card is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, although it should be safeguarded under e-money rules. Other savings or investment features may have separate protections, so check the terms carefully before signing up.
Cost: From £3.99 per month per child, with higher tiers available
Best for: All-in-one features and financial education, with an ethics caveat
See our full review of GoHenry
3. Natwest Rooster Money
NatWest Rooster Money focuses on helping children understand earning, saving and spending through visual tools and goal setting. Parents can assign chores, track progress and set savings targets.
A paid upgrade adds a prepaid debit card with spending controls and real-time alerts.
Cost: Free for basic app; card from £1.99 per month
Best for: Younger children and visual learners
See our full review of Natwest Rooster Money
4. Beanstalk
Looking to focus more on long-term saving and investing, Beanstalk offers a Junior ISA (JISA) with no minimum contribution, making it flexible for families contributing smaller or irregular amounts.
You can link cashback, set savings goals and build a long-term investment pot. Beanstalk also offers adult ISAs, allowing families to manage savings in one place.
Cost: 0.5 per cent annual fee, plus underlying fund fees
Best for: Long-term investing for children
See our full review of Beanstalk
5. iAllowance
iAllowance is a chore tracker and virtual piggy bank that lets you record how much pocket money your child has earned. It doesn’t hold real money or offer a debit card, but works well as a simple tracking tool.
Available on iOS only.
Cost: Free basic version; £2.99 one-off for full version
Best for: Managing pocket money without real-money transfers
6. Hyperjar
HyperJar helps children budget by dividing money into digital “jars” – for spending, saving or specific goals. Each jar can be personalised, making saving more visual and engaging.
A free kids’ debit card can be used online and in shops (no ATM withdrawals), with parental controls and notifications built in.
Cost: Free (inactivity fee may apply after long periods of no use)
Best for: Visual budgeting and goal setting
7. Nimbl
Nimbl offers a straightforward prepaid card and app for children aged 8 to 18. Parents can set regular or one-off payments, track spending in real time, and set limits.
A round-up feature helps children build savings gradually.
Cost: £2.49 per month or £28 per year (fees apply for ATM and overseas use)
Best for: Simple budgeting and spending control
Are children’s accounts and money apps safe?
Some children’s accounts and money apps operate under an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) Licence rather than being an authorised bank with full FSCS protections so this is is worth checking before you sign up on behalf of your child.
What ethical options are there?
At the moment, very few children’s money apps or pocket money cards can be described as genuinely ethical choices.
Some providers have useful features, low fees or strong parental controls, but that is not the same as being an ethical bank. It is worth looking at who owns the app, how the provider makes money, whether it is transparent about where customer money is held and whether the wider group has policies on fossil fuels, arms, human rights and fair treatment of customers.
GoHenry is a good example of why this is important. It may still be a useful app for teaching children about money, but it’s now set to become part of Barclays. For some families, that will be a deal-breaker. For others, the educational features may still make it worth considering, provided they understand the trade-off.
If your priority is values-led banking, you may also want to look at ethical current account providers for your own money, then decide which children’s app or card gives your child the right balance of independence, protection and parental oversight.
Why open a digital money app or account for your child?
A digital money app or children’s bank account can help kids learn real-world money skills like budgeting, saving and responsible spending in a safe environment with parental oversight.
Good With Money occasionally uses affiliate links in articles, which means if you open an account with a provider after using the link, we are paid a small referral fee.
