Compare the options
Selected products, in an editorial order. No paid ranking. Costs shown for one child, excluding usage fees.
Monzo Under 16s
No subscription, with daily spending controls
- Age at opening
- 6–15
- Product type
- Parent-owned bank account
- Monthly subscription
- £0.00
- Annual subscription
- £0.00 on monthly billing
- Parent bank requirement
- Parent or guardian needs a Monzo current account.
- Parent controls
- Spending notifications; Card freeze; Daily spending limits
- App
- Child app and parent Monzo app
- Savings
- Pots, goals and a separate Under 16s savings account
- Spending controls
- Switch online payments and cash withdrawals on or off
- Cash withdrawals
- Cash withdrawals available, subject to limits
- Apple Pay
- From 13
- Google Pay
- From 13
- Learning
- Dedicated learning programme not confirmed
- Money protection
- The parent legally owns the balance. Eligible deposits count towards the parent’s personal FSCS allowance across Monzo accounts.
Other costs: Lost or stolen replacement card: £5. Check ATM and overseas limits before travelling.
Who it suits and what to check
May suit: Families happy to use Monzo for the parent account.
Consider: This is a parent-owned account. It is not a current account owned independently by the child.
New accounts open at ages 6–15; existing cards can continue after 16 until expiry, but are cancelled at 18.
GoHenry Everyday
Pocket money, chores and educational activities
- Age at opening
- 6–18
- Product type
- Prepaid card
- Monthly subscription
- £3.99
- Annual subscription
- £47.88 on monthly billing
- Parent bank requirement
- A GoHenry parent profile and funding method are needed; no specific parent bank required.
- Parent controls
- Parent app; Card controls
- App
- Parent and child apps
- Savings
- Savings goals; interest savings belong to higher-priced plans
- Spending controls
- Parental card controls
- Cash withdrawals
- Availability and fees: confirm with provider
- Apple Pay
- From 13
- Google Pay
- Not confirmed
- Learning
- Everyday: introductory Money Missions; Plus and Max include the wider library
- Money protection
- GoHenry is not a bank. Its terms describe different arrangements for card funds, top-up e-money and separate savings products; check the applicable terms rather than assuming bank deposit protection.
Other costs: Everyday includes one free top-up a month; additional top-ups cost 50p. Optional card designs cost extra.
One-month trial, then automatic paid renewal
Who it suits and what to check
May suit: Parents who will regularly use chores and learning activities.
Consider: Consider which learning tools your plan includes, and the top-up fees. Plus costs more; Max has family pricing.
Plus is £5.99/month per child; Max is £9.99/month for up to four children. These are different feature bundles.
No interest rate quoted: the pricing page contains mixed plan labels.
Rooster Card
Annual billing or a conditional free subscription
- Age at opening
- 6–17
- Product type
- Prepaid card
- Monthly subscription
- £1.99
- Annual subscription
- £19.99 billed annually
- Parent bank requirement
- No NatWest account needed for the paid card; eligible NatWest Group customers can claim the free offer.
- Parent controls
- Card freeze; Flexible card controls; Parent oversight
- App
- Parent and child app access
- Savings
- Goal pots and parent-set interest (paid by the parent)
- Spending controls
- Set daily card spending limits
- Cash withdrawals
- UK cash withdrawals available, within published limits. No provider fee for UK ATM use; cash machine operators may charge. Daily withdrawal limit £200.
- Apple Pay
- From 13
- Google Pay
- From 13
- Learning
- Dedicated learning programme not confirmed
- Money protection
- The prepaid card uses NatWest’s e-money permission. E-money safeguarding is different from FSCS deposit protection.
Conditional free option: Eligible NatWest, RBS or Ulster Bank parent (offer claimed). Up to 3 cards; eligibility and claiming required.
Other costs: Check top-up, cash withdrawal and other usage limits; subscription-free does not mean every transaction is free.
One-month trial, then automatic renewal
Who it suits and what to check
May suit: Eligible NatWest Group families, or parents wanting chores and pots at a lower subscription cost.
Consider: The free virtual tracker has no real money or spending card. The free card offer must be claimed and ends if eligibility ends.
Free offer covers up to three cards per household while eligibility continues. Paid annual price is per card.
Kids & Teens — Standard
One child account on the free Standard parent plan
- Age at opening
- 6–15
- Product type
- Parent-linked account (e-money terms)
- Monthly subscription
- £0.00
- Annual subscription
- £0.00 on monthly billing
- Parent bank requirement
- Parent needs a Revolut personal account; Standard supports one child account.
- Parent controls
- Spending visibility; Card freeze; Spending limits
- App
- Separate child and parent apps
- Savings
- Pockets; optional separate Kids & Teens savings product
- Spending controls
- Switch card payment and withdrawal features on or off
- Cash withdrawals
- Cash withdrawals available. Standard: £100 per rolling month free, then 2%; cash machine operators may charge.
- Apple Pay
- Available subject to UK age eligibility
- Google Pay
- Available subject to UK age eligibility
- Learning
- Dedicated learning programme not confirmed
- Money protection
- Kids & Teens is a sub-account of the parent’s account under Revolut Ltd terms. Check the legal entity and protection in your app; separate savings have separate terms.
Other costs: Card delivery and customisation may cost extra. Delivery exception applies to a first standard-delivery card ordered within seven days of the parent opening their account.
Who it suits and what to check
May suit: Existing Revolut parents comparing a single child account.
Consider: More child accounts require a paid parent plan. A separate independent Teens account exists for new applicants aged 16–17.
New UK Kids & Teens accounts are for 6–15s; existing use can continue subject to card expiry and terms.
A spending card does not have to be an independent bank account
At 10, the aim may simply be buying a snack or handling pocket money on a day out. Monzo is a parent-owned bank account; prepaid and e-money products have different terms and protection. All can offer a way to practise spending with a small balance.
The high-street current accounts included in our catalogue start at 11. That is a limit of these products, not a claim that every UK bank starts at 11.
Start with a small, repeatable routine
Load a modest amount, show them the balance and practise one purchase together. Agree where the card can be used and explain what happens if there is not enough money.
Prioritise a quick card freeze and parent visibility. A chores feature may help your family, but it is only worth a subscription if you use it. A physical card can be enough without mobile wallet access.
Think ahead to the 11th birthday
If you want a current account in the child’s name soon, check the age-11 guide before paying for a long subscription. There is no need to switch automatically at 11: readiness and the controls you need matter too.
At 10, do not choose based on a promise of phone payments. Monzo and Rooster’s published wallet support starts at 13.
Questions parents ask
Which option has the lowest subscription?
Monzo has no monthly subscription, provided the parent has a Monzo account. Revolut Standard also has no monthly fee for one child, with possible delivery charges. Rooster’s free card offer depends on eligibility and claiming it.
Can I get a card without changing my bank?
GoHenry and the paid Rooster Card do not require a current account at a particular parent bank. Both require their own parent profile and a funding method.
Keep comparing
Back to the cards and accounts parent guide · Try the Money Finder · Explore FamilySave Money
Sources for this comparison
14 links
- monzo.com/current-account/under-16s (opens in a new tab)
- monzo.com/help/monzo-for-under-16s/under-16s-understanding-account-web (opens in a new tab)
- monzo.com/help/monzo-for-under-16s/under-16s-fscs (opens in a new tab)
- www.gohenry.com/uk/pricing (opens in a new tab)
- www.gohenry.com/uk/terms-and-conditions/ (opens in a new tab)
- roostermoney.com/pricing/ (opens in a new tab)
- roostermoney.com/natwest-offer/ (opens in a new tab)
- roostermoney.com/pricing-fees-and-limits/ (opens in a new tab)
- www.natwest.com/support-centre/help-with-your-product/rooster-money/can-i-set-up-my-natwest-rooster-card-on-apple-or-google-pay.html (opens in a new tab)
- www.fca.org.uk/consumers/using-payment-service-providers (opens in a new tab)
- www.revolut.com/u18-activation/ (opens in a new tab)
- www.revolut.com/legal/revolut-under18/ (opens in a new tab)
- www.revolut.com/kids-and-teens/kids-savings-account/ (opens in a new tab)
- www.revolut.com/kids-and-teens/teens-account/ (opens in a new tab)
Official product, pricing and help pages checked for this guide. Unconfirmed details are labelled in the comparison.
FCA: payment providers and safeguarding · Tell us about a correction