Part of our Allowance hub.
Greenlight vs GoHenry: A Neutral Side-by-Side Comparison
Both Greenlight and GoHenry are prepaid debit cards built for kids and teens, with a parent app that controls spending, sets chores, and automates allowance. We do not sell either card and earn nothing if you sign up, so this comparison sticks to the part most reviews gloss over: what each one actually costs and which family setup it fits.
The single biggest difference is how they bill you. Greenlight charges one flat monthly fee that covers up to five children on the same plan. GoHenry historically billed per child, then added a discounted family plan. If you have one kid, GoHenry can be cheaper. If you have three or more, Greenlight's flat fee usually wins. Everything else (chores, savings goals, parent alerts) is broadly similar.
Price comparison at a glance
Prices change often, so confirm current rates on each provider's site before signing up. As of early 2026, the structure looks like this:
| Feature | Greenlight | GoHenry (US) |
|---|---|---|
| Billing model | One flat fee, up to 5 kids | Per child, or a family plan |
| Entry plan | Core, about $5.99/mo | Everyday, about $4.99/mo per child |
| Mid tier | Max, about $9.98/mo | Plus, about $9.98/mo per child |
| Top tier | Infinity, about $14.98/mo | Family plan, about $9.98/mo for up to 4 kids |
| Age range | Any age through teen | Ages 6 to 18 |
| Free trial | One month | One month |
The math example most families care about: two kids on Greenlight Core is still one $5.99 charge. Two kids on GoHenry's per-child Everyday plan is roughly $9.98, which is where the family plan starts to make sense. Run your own numbers for the number of kids you actually have rather than trusting a headline price.
Features both cards share
The core toolkit overlaps heavily. Both let you:
- Send allowance automatically on a schedule, weekly or biweekly
- Attach payouts to chores, so a kid earns by completing tasks
- Set savings goals with progress tracking
- Get a real-time notification every time the card is used
- Block specific stores or set spending limits per category
- Freeze the card instantly from the parent app if it goes missing
If your goal is simply to hand a kid a card they cannot overdraft while you watch the spending, either product covers that. The decision comes down to cost and a few extras.
Where they differ beyond price
Investing and savings rewards
Greenlight's higher tiers (Max and Infinity) add a parent-directed investing feature and a savings reward that functions like interest, plus identity-theft monitoring on Infinity. GoHenry, now owned by Acorns, leans on Acorns' investing ecosystem and runs in-app money lessons through its Money Missions feature. If teaching investing basics matters to you, look closely at which tier unlocks it, because the entry plans on both usually do not include it.
Financial education content
GoHenry's Money Missions are short interactive lessons with quizzes, aimed squarely at younger kids learning core concepts. Greenlight bundles its own in-app education and an audio money program. Both are fine starting points, though neither replaces hands-on conversations at home.
Age fit
Greenlight has no hard lower age limit, so parents of very young children sometimes open an account early to build habits. GoHenry targets ages 6 to 18 and then transitions teens toward the Acorns adult product. For a teen close to 18, ask where the account goes after they age out.
Which fits your family
A quick decision guide:
- One child, tight budget: GoHenry Everyday at about $4.99 is the cheaper monthly line item.
- Three or more kids: Greenlight's flat fee covering up to five children almost always costs less per child.
- You want parent-led investing built in: Compare Greenlight Max or Infinity against GoHenry's Acorns connection, and check which tier you actually need.
- Younger kids who need lessons: GoHenry's Money Missions are purpose-built for that age.
- You just want allowance plus chores: Pick whichever is cheaper for your kid count; the basic features match.
You may not need a paid card at all
Before paying a monthly fee, it helps to know what you are trying to teach. A card automates the mechanics, but the lessons can start for free. Our allowance calculator gives you an age-appropriate weekly amount to fund either card, and our wants vs needs activity covers the spending-decision skill that no app teaches on its own. If your child just got a cash gift, the birthday money calculator helps split it into save, spend, and give before any card enters the picture. For ongoing tasks, our free chore chart does the earning side without a subscription, and the budget planner turns allowance into a simple plan a kid can follow.
Plenty of families run a cash allowance and a chore chart for a year or two, then add a card once the basics stick. Both Greenlight and GoHenry are solid tools, but the card is the easy part. The habit it reinforces is what actually pays off, and you can build that today for nothing.
Frequently Asked Questions
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For a single child, GoHenry's Everyday plan at around $4.99 per month is typically cheaper than Greenlight's $5.99 Core plan. Once you add a second child, GoHenry's per-child billing usually pushes the total above Greenlight's flat family fee. Always confirm current pricing on each provider's site, since both adjust rates.
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No. Greenlight charges one flat monthly fee that covers up to five children on the same plan. GoHenry historically bills per child, though it now offers a family plan covering up to four kids. This is the main reason larger families tend to find Greenlight cheaper per child.
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GoHenry is designed for ages 6 to 18 and includes Money Missions lessons aimed at younger kids. Greenlight has no firm lower age limit, so some parents start very young. For teens near 18, check where the account transitions, since GoHenry moves users toward Acorns' adult product.
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Both offer parent-directed investing, but usually only on higher tiers, not the entry plans. Greenlight adds investing on its Max and Infinity tiers, while GoHenry connects to the Acorns investing ecosystem after its acquisition. Check exactly which plan unlocks the feature before subscribing.
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No. A card automates allowance and chores, but the underlying lessons can start for free. A cash allowance, a chore chart, and a simple save-spend-give split teach the same decision-making skills. Many families add a card later once the basic habits are in place.
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