GoHenry vs. Greenlight: Which One Kids Debit Card Is Better and Why?

Updated: Jul 4, 2024

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Comparing Greenlight Versus GoHenry Prepaid Teen Debit Cards

Kids’ debit cards have become an excellent way of teaching children about finances1 from an early age. Some providers offer many “learning” options, and you can choose the most suitable for your child’s needs. However, since kids’ debit cards have become very popular among parents, there has been an increase in their providers – Famzoo, Current, BusyKid, etc. That has made it a bit overwhelming for parents, leaving them wondering which card they should choose. Although we can’t tell you which card is the very best for your child, we have compared on MarketProSecure some of the best teen debit cards currently in demand. Which card is the most suitable for your child ultimately depends on their needs, lifestyle, and personal choice. Read below the detailed GoHenry vs Greenlight comparison article.

  • GoHenry App – a debit card and online application geared toward teaching children the basics of finances, savings, investing, and budgeting.
  • Greenlight App – kids’ and teens’ banking application with investing allows you to learn to earn a profit, save, and invest together.
comparing gohenry vs greenlight

GoHenry vs Greenlight Comparison Table

We have created a side-by-side comparison of two kids’ debit cards: GoHenry and Greenlight. If you are interested in both of these and don’t know which card to pick, this comparison table and article will help you determine which one is more suitable for you and your child.

GoHenryGreenlight
Company BehindGoHenry Inc.Greenlight Financial Technology, Inc.
Foundedby Louise Hill, 2012by Johnson Cook, Timothy Sheehan, 2014
Banks WithCommunity Federal Savings BankCommunity Federal Savings Bank
Business CategoryPrepaid Debit Cards
Banking Services
FinTech
Financial Services
FinTech
Active CountriesUnited States
United Kingdom
United States
VIP CardNoYes, Bold. Black. Modern. For Max Kids.
Virtual CardNoYes
Physical CardYes, GoHenry MastercardYes, Greenlight Mastercard
Custom CardYes, $4.99
45 designs to choose from
Yes, $9.99
Upload Anything
Credit Card for ParentsNoYes, Greenlight Credit Card
Deposit Options– Direct Deposit
– Bank Transfer
– Direct Deposit
– Bank Transfer
– Debit card
Best SuitableKids (Up to 13)Kids and Teens (No age restriction)
Parental ControlYesYes
Co-ParentingYesNo
Free TrialYes, 30 DaysYes, 30 Days
Plans23
InvestingYesYes (Plan upgrade needed)
SavingsYesYes (up to 2% plus Parents Set/Paid)
Checking AccountYesYes
RewardsYesYes, 1% Cash back
Parents Set APYsNoYes, Unlimited %
Spending GoalsYesYes
AllowancesYesYes
ChoresYesYes
Financial EducationYesYes
Money MissionsYesNo
Referral RewardsYes, $30Yes, $30+
ID Theft ProtectionNoYes (Needs plan upgrade)
Cell Phone ProtectionNoYes, Limit to 5 kids (Needs plan upgrade)
AppsApp Store, Google PlayApp Store, Google Play
Contact Emailhelp@gohenrycard.comsupport@greenlightcard.com
Customer Service(877) 372-6466(888) 483-2645
Support Availability24/724/7
Opening MinimumNoNo
Foreign Transaction FeeNoNo
Mobile Payment OptionsApple PayApple Pay
Samsung Pay
Google Pay
ATMsNo information provided55,000+ Fee-Free Allpoint ATMs
ATM FeesIn-network: $1.50
Out-network:$1.50
International: $1.50
In-network: $0.00
Out-network:$0.00
FDIC InsuredYesYes
Years in business108
Number of Employees210+250+
Address54 W 40th St
New York, NY 10018, USA
303 Peachtree St NE STE 4300
Atlanta, GA 30308, USA
ReviewGoHenry ReviewGreenlight Review
MoreGoHenry Kids Debit MastercardGreenlight Debit Card for Kids
ComparisonsCurrent vs Greenlight
Greenlight vs Famzoo
Claim this offerClaim this offer

Greenlight and GoHenry Kids Debit Card Features

These two apps have many features in common; those that every debit card for kids needs. However, there are some differences between the features these two have to offer, and we will present them below.

Parental Control

To begin with, both apps allow parents to have complete control over their children’s finances. That means they can track their spending, get notifications about where and how much money their children have spent, etc. However, the GoHenry app offers a feature that Greenlight doesn’t: adding a co-parent to your child’s account. That way, they can also track your child’s progress and spending. This feature makes it easy to track your children’s progress and helps them whenever they have trouble understanding a certain topic.

Cashback

On the other hand, the Greenlight app offers a cashback2 feature for parents – if a parent spends more than $4,000 in a billing cycle, they will get a 3% cashback. The more you spend, the more you gain back.

Instant Transfer

Another essential feature these two apps have in common is instant transfer. If there is an emergency and you need to transfer money to your child’s account as soon as possible, these apps will take care of that in seconds.

Other Family Members

We need to mention that both apps allow other family members to transfer money directly into the child’s account. They won’t have to send the money to the parents first – they can transfer it directly.

Real-life Experiences

Using both the GoHenry and Greenlight, parents can teach their children about real-life situations, such as splitting the bills or giving to charity. They can split the bill with their children (for example, grocery bills, and electricity bills), so they can get a sense of house expenses. Parents can also teach their children how important it is to help others by teaching them about charity. Children will develop empathy and will learn that they need to help those in need.

Gohenry vs Greenlight: Plans and Pricing

GoHenryGreenlight
Plan 1Child Plan
$3.99 per month
per child
30 days trial
Greenlight
$4.99 per month
per family (up to 5 kids)
30 days trial
Plan 2Family Plan
$6.99 per month
per family (up to 4 kids)
30 days trial
Greenlight + Invest
$7.98 per month
per family (up to 5 kids)
30 days trial
Plan 3Greenlight Max
$9.98 per month
per family (up to 5 kids)
30 days trial

Games and Rewards

Inclusivity

Both apps use interactive ways of teaching children about the finance world. However, the GoHenry app is more inclusive and resembles a game – your child can pass levels and get rewards.

Greenlight and GoHenry have a few more things in common, such as teaching children about saving, investing, and giving to charity. Parents can set goals for their children through both apps, but children can set goals for themselves with the Greenlight app. That way, they can become more independent and learn more about saving.

Interactive content

Both apps also allow your children to watch tutorials on a certain subject. This way, they will be able to learn in an interactive environment. Additionally, they get rewards for every cycle of tutorials they finish, so they can feel more motivated to learn about finances.

When it comes to these apps, they both offer quizzes for your children, so they can see how much they have learned. Parents can also track their children’s progress, and help them with a certain subject if necessary.

Independence

Another vital thing to mention is that both apps can teach children how to earn their own money. For example, a parent can assign chores, and when their children complete them, they get an allowance through the app. That way, they will learn how to earn and manage money.

Greenlight vs GoHenry: Pros & Cons

Both apps have their good and bad sides, so check out the list of pros and cons of both.

GoHenryGreenlight
AdvantagesInteractive content
User-friendly interface
Fun and exciting for kids
Parental control
Instant transfers
Easy to use
Relaxing learning environment
Parental control
Variety of features
Clean design
DisadvantagesA bit overwhelming to use
Monthly fee ($3.99) – 2 Plans
Difficult to cancel
Monthly fee (from $4.99) – 3 Plans

Layout, Colors, and Designs

When we look at these two apps that teach children all about finances, they differ a lot in their design. That is far from a determining factor, but you can choose whichever layout you think your children will like the most. We need to mention it again that both providers offer a free trial, so you can let your children choose the one they like most. That is an excellent way of teaching your children independence and decision-making skills.

GoHenry App Design

As soon as you launch the GoHenry app, you will see how colorful and children-oriented it is. The user-friendly interface will surely get your attention. The layout and the design of this app are clean, with cartoon-like characters and pictures that can get the user’s attention. This app gives the impression that learning about finances can be fun and exciting. However, the layout of this app may not be suitable for older children (14 and over) because they may consider it too childish. Children start to mature at 14 and become more serious; they might not want to use the app with many cartoonish features.

Greenlight App Design

We can see that the designers of the GoHenry app focused on children’s experiences and wanted to create an app that would grab and keep their attention. Overall, the layout is clean, colorful, and fun. On the other hand, the Greenlight app has a cleaner and less overwhelming design. There are not as many colors as in GoHenry, which can be ideal if you want a calmer learning environment. This app uses pastel colors3 that are, ultimately, more calming and relaxing variants. If you want your children to connect their finance learning experience to something soothing, this app might be your ideal choice. Additionally, Greenlight’s layout is nicely organized and user-friendly. Its developers also designed a children-oriented app and focused on their experience. However, this experience is much more relaxing than the previously mentioned one.

Ratings and Reviews – Gohenry vs Greenlight

GoHenryGreenlight
Trustpilot*4.2 stars (2,274 reviews)4.2 stars (4,030 reviews)
Apple Store*4.6 stars (7.6K ratings)4.8 stars (226K ratings)
Google Play*3.8 stars (22.3K ratings)4.1 stars (18.8K ratings)
BBB RatingsA+A+
BBB AccreditationNot BBB accreditedNot BBB accredited
BBB Reviews*
MarketProSecure4.8 stars (25 reviews)4.3 stars (143 reviews)
Review itReview GoHenry MastercardReview Greenlight Mastercard
Try itTry it
* – ratings and reviews as of evaluation time. Subject to change daily.

Bottom Line

When it comes to your children’s education, you must prepare them for real-life situations. One of these situations is, of course, related to finances. You can teach them everything there is to know about the finance world through a kids’ debit card. We have compared two cards in high demand at the moment, so you can choose the one that best suits your child’s needs. The choice depends on your preference and your child’s lifestyle. If you are still unsure which one to choose, you can always start your free trial and see which one is more suitable for your child. You can’t go wrong with any of them, so we recommend trying both for free to explore the features and make an informed decision.

Remember, your children should connect the notion of finances to something positive, so make sure that their way of learning about it is interactive and suitable for their age.

Greenlight and GoHenry Competition and Alternatives

OfferPlansMonthly FeeFree TrialReviewApplication
Famzoo Mastercard4 Plansfrom $2.5 / month30-daysFamzoo ReviewTry this offer
Busykid Visa1 Plan$3.99 / month30-days Full RefundTry this offer
Till Visa1 Plan$0UnlimitedTry this offer
Current Visa3 Plans1 Free Plan
2 Paid: from $4.99 / month
See ApplicationTry this offer
Axos First Checking1 Plan$0UnlimitedAxos Bank ReviewTry this offer
Jassby2 PlansBasic Plan – Free
Essential Plan – $3.95 / month
Try this offer

Other Kids Debit Card Comparison Articles

Frequently Asked Questions

Reference Index

  1. How to teach kids the real value of money. The Guardian
  2. What is cash back and how does it work? Discover
  3. Why do we love the pastel color palette? Vectornator


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