Head-to-head: which wins on each dimension

How to choose

The decision tree for these three is geography-first.

If you live in the US, Greenlight wins by default — Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry US) is functional but Greenlight has dramatically more US users, more US bank integrations, and US-priced features. Revolut <18 is operationally available in the US but with weaker local payment rails than its EU markets.

If you live in the UK or Ireland, the contest is GoHenry vs Revolut <18 (with HyperJar Kids as a free-tier alternative not covered in this head-to-head). GoHenry wins on education content and parental control granularity. Revolut <18 wins on cost and multi-currency for EU travel post-Brexit.

If you live in France, Spain, or Italy, GoHenry vs Revolut <18 is again the contest, with Pixpay as a strong local alternative in France. GoHenry leads on education, Revolut on cost and FX.

If you live in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, the Nordics, Poland, or other EEA states not covered by GoHenry/Pixpay, Revolut <18 versus a junior account at a local bank becomes the practical comparison (neither bunq nor Vivid currently offers a kids' card). Greenlight and GoHenry are not realistic options.

If your family has three or more children, note that GoHenry's tiers now cover up to 4 children on one price (£3.99+) and Greenlight Core ($5.99) covers up to 5 — so both scale fine; Revolut <18 remains the cheapest at zero.

A common approach data suggests is: in continental EU, start with Revolut <18 at ages 6-8 (free, low friction); if education becomes a priority around age 9-11 and you live in a GoHenry country, layer GoHenry as a second card or switch over for that period; revert to Revolut <18 at age 13+ when multi-currency and travel matter more than gamified lessons.

Common mistakes and pitfalls

The biggest mistake is selecting on price without checking country fit. Greenlight is cheap per family, but if you live outside the US it is impractical. GoHenry is reasonable per child, but if you live in Germany or Poland it is not available. Always confirm geographic operational support before subscribing.

A second issue is doubling up unnecessarily. Some parents subscribe to both GoHenry (for education) and Revolut <18 (for everyday spending), then never actually have the child use both — one becomes the daily card and the other goes unused. If education is the priority, consolidate to GoHenry; if spending flexibility is the priority, consolidate to Revolut <18.

A third pitfall is ignoring the savings-interest fine print. Greenlight's 5% APY (Infinity tier) only applies to the savings sub-balance, not the spending balance, and only above a $1 minimum. Revolut <18's 2.25% requires the parent to hold Metal or Ultra. GoHenry's interest is similarly tier-dependent. Set up automatic transfers to actually capture the rates.

A fourth mistake is not adjusting parental controls as the child grows. The defaults appropriate for a 7-year-old (€10 daily spend limit, parent approval per online purchase) become infantilizing for a 14-year-old. All three apps allow easy adjustment — review every 6-12 months.

Finally, forgetting cancellation timing. GoHenry is per-month and can be cancelled anytime. Greenlight's higher tiers are billed monthly but feature unlocks can lag — cancel before billing date to avoid the next month's charge.

For tracking allowance and spending across kids' cards alongside the parent's accounts in one place, Freenance aggregates European banks and neobanks (and supports US Plaid integrations for cross-border families) in a single dashboard.

FAQ

Can I use Greenlight in Europe?

Technically yes — the app is available on EU app stores — but practically the funding requires a US bank, making it impractical unless your family has US banking ties. Most EU-domiciled families choose Revolut <18, GoHenry, or a local alternative.

Does GoHenry work in Germany?

Not as of September 2026. The group's European footprint is the UK (GoHenry) plus France, Spain and Italy (Pixpay). German-resident families typically use Revolut <18 or a junior account at a local bank.

Is Revolut <18 truly free?

Yes for the basic card and account, with any Revolut parent plan including the free Standard. Custom card designs cost a one-off fee, and higher savings-vault rates require the parent to upgrade tiers — check current rates in the app.

Which app teaches kids about investing?

Greenlight (Max and Infinity tiers) offers in-app investing for kids with parent approval per trade — the most developed of the three. GoHenry teaches investing concepts via Money Missions but does not offer actual investing. Revolut <18 has no investing for under-18s.

Can grandparents top up the card?

Yes for all three. Revolut and GoHenry have specific gift features (Revolut group accounts, GoHenry Giftlinks). Greenlight accepts external bank transfers from any US bank.

What happens at age 18?

Greenlight transitions to a regular Greenlight account or the user moves to a normal US bank. GoHenry closes the account at 18 and the teen opens a regular adult bank account elsewhere. Revolut <18 auto-converts to Revolut Standard adult on the 18th birthday with no balance loss.

Do these apps share data with parents?

All three give the parent full transaction visibility in real time. Privacy considerations are different from adult banking — the value proposition is parental oversight, not privacy from parents.

Are these apps regulated banks?

None of the three holds a full banking license in the conventional sense. Greenlight partners with Community Federal Savings Bank (US-FDIC-insured). GoHenry uses IDT Financial Services (e-money licensed). Revolut Bank UAB is a full European banking license holder, and Revolut <18 funds are held under that license, with €100,000 EU DGS coverage.

Can I switch from one app to another mid-year?

Yes, all three allow cancellation any time without long-term contracts. Most parents who switch do so at a natural transition (start of school year, after a free trial expires, when a child reaches a milestone age). Always export historical transaction data before cancelling — none of the three guarantees indefinite post-cancellation data retention.

Do these apps support children with special needs or guardianship arrangements?

All three accept legal guardian as parent. Greenlight and GoHenry have specific provisions for shared custody where two parents can both have administrative access. Revolut <18 currently allows only one primary parent, with a workaround of granting the second parent in-app visibility but not control.

Is biometric login available for the child?

Yes on all three from age 13 (Apple Face ID, Touch ID, Android biometric). Younger children typically use a 6-digit PIN. The parent can override and reset child credentials from the parent app.

What happens if the parent dies or becomes incapacitated?

All three have a documented bereavement and incapacity process. Greenlight transfers account control to a designated secondary parent or to the legal guardian via probate. GoHenry similarly transfers via probate documentation. Revolut <18 funds are held under the parent's main Revolut account and follow whatever probate arrangement applies to that account in the relevant jurisdiction. Many family-finance commentators recommend keeping written instructions about all family financial accounts in a will or letter of wishes.

Adoption patterns: who actually picks which

Reliable market-share data for kids' cards is scarce — the providers publish user counts selectively and no independent census exists. The observable pattern from app-store rankings and provider disclosures: GoHenry and HyperJar dominate UK mindshare, Pixpay leads France, Revolut <18 is the default almost everywhere else in the EEA, and Greenlight leads the US by a wide margin. Treat any precise percentage breakdown you encounter with skepticism.

Final word: which approach scales for the long term

The three apps share more than their differences suggest. All three give the parent real-time visibility, instant freeze, daily and monthly limits, and a structured way to introduce a child to money. The choice between them is mostly about geography and pricing model, not radically different philosophies.

For most European families with one or two children in the 6-13 age range, the practical answer is: start with whichever the family can use easily today (Revolut <18 if the parent is on Revolut; GoHenry if not and the family lives in a GoHenry country), use the free trial to test fit, and avoid over-thinking the decision. The cost of switching is low. The cost of not starting is the missed opportunity to teach money habits during the formation years.