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Greenlight vs GoHenry vs Modak: Which Kids' Money App Is Worth It in 2026?

One update to know before you compare: GoHenry's US service has been rebranded to Acorns Early, so a US parent shopping for "GoHenry" today is really looking at Acorns Early. The pricing below reflects that. Most comparisons of these cards skip the question that actually changes the math for families: do you need to pay a monthly fee at all? In 2026 a third option, Modak Makers, ranks alongside the two incumbents and charges no monthly subscription. That reframes the whole decision from "which paid card is best" to "is a paid card worth it for my kid." Here is a neutral breakdown with no referral links, so you can decide based on your family instead of someone's commission.

The short answer

If cost is your main filter, Modak Makers is the only one of the three with no monthly fee, which makes it the natural starting point for a first card. If you want the deepest investing and chore features and do not mind paying, Greenlight has the widest tool set. Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry US) sits in the middle: a clean card with parental controls at a flat $8 per month for up to 4 kids. None of the three is "best" for everyone; the right pick depends on how many kids you have, whether you want investing, and how much you will pay for polish.

Pricing in 2026

Prices shift, so confirm current rates on each provider's site before signing up. As of early 2026 the published structure looks like this:

The gap matters most for one-child households. Greenlight Core at $5.99 a month is about $72 a year, while Acorns Early's $8 flat plan runs about $96 a year. Greenlight's mid tier lands closer to $132 a year. Modak's $0 means you can test whether your kid even uses a card before committing to a subscription. Because Acorns Early's $8 fee is flat for up to 4 kids, it closes the gap with Greenlight as your family grows, so do the per-head math for your own house.

Features that separate them

Investing for kids

Greenlight is the strongest here. Its higher tiers let kids buy fractional shares of stocks and ETFs with parent approval, which is useful if you want a teen to learn investing with real (small) money. Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry US) leans on the Acorns investing ecosystem on its Gold plan but keeps the kid card focused on saving and spending. Modak's focus is the free card and money basics rather than a full brokerage. If teaching a 13-year-old to buy a fraction of an index fund is your goal, that points toward Greenlight.

Chores and earning

All three connect chores to money in some form, with parents assigning tasks and releasing payment. Greenlight and Acorns Early both have built-in chore lists tied to allowance. If you would rather keep the chore tracking separate from a bank app, you can run a free system at home first with our printable chore chart and only move to an app once the habit sticks.

Allowance automation

Automated weekly allowance transfers are standard across all three. The real decision is the amount, not the app. Parents commonly anchor on roughly $1 per year of age per week, but that is a starting point, not a rule. Run the numbers for your kid's age with our allowance calculator before you set a recurring transfer.

Parental controls and safety

Each app gives parents real-time spend notifications, the ability to lock a card, and store-level or category-level controls. This is table stakes in 2026, so it should not be the deciding factor between them. Read each provider's current fee schedule for ATM withdrawals and card replacement instead, since those small charges vary.

Modak vs Greenlight: head-to-head

These two get compared against each other more than any other pairing here, so it is worth a direct look. One thing to know first: both companies publish their own "Modak vs Greenlight" page, and each is written to make its own card win. Here is the neutral version. The core trade-off is simple. Modak is the free card; Greenlight is the paid card with more built in.

• Cost: Modak has no monthly fee. Greenlight runs about $5.99 to $19.98 a month depending on the tier. Over a year that is roughly $0 versus $72 to $240, so if price is your deciding factor this one is not close.
• Investing: Greenlight wins. Its higher tiers let a teen buy fractional shares of stocks and ETFs with your approval. Modak keeps the focus on spending and saving, so pick Greenlight if a real brokerage feature is the point.
• Chores and controls: Both let parents assign chores, release payment, get real-time spend alerts, and lock the card. They are close enough here that this should not be the tiebreaker.
• Best for: Choose Modak if you want to test whether your kid will even use a card before you pay for one. Choose Greenlight if you want the deepest tool set plus investing and do not mind the subscription.

Weighing the rebranded GoHenry too? Acorns Early sits between these two at a flat $8 a month for up to 4 kids; see the pricing table above for how it lines up. If you were hoping Greenlight had a free tier hiding somewhere, our Greenlight pricing breakdown spells out what the free trial does and does not include.

Modak vs Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry): head-to-head

This is the other pairing families ask about, especially anyone who used GoHenry before it became Acorns Early in the US back in 2024. Nobody publishes a neutral version of this one, so here it is. The trade-off mirrors the Modak vs Greenlight matchup above: Modak is the free, stripped-down card, and Acorns Early is the paid app with lessons and kid investing built in.

Choose Modak if you have a teen, want zero monthly cost, and mainly need a simple spend-and-save card. Choose Acorns Early if you have younger kids or want the Money Missions lessons and a kid investing account in one paid app. For the wider set of switch options after the GoHenry rebrand, see our Acorns Early review and GoHenry alternatives.

Why affiliate roundups push the paid options

Many "Greenlight vs GoHenry" articles earn a commission when you sign up through their link. A free product like Modak pays little or no referral fee, so it often gets left out of those comparisons. That is not a knock on the paid apps; it is just a reason to be skeptical of any roundup that never mentions a no-fee option. We do not use affiliate links, which is why all three are on equal footing here.

How to actually decide

1. Start with the fee question. If you are unsure your kid will use a card, begin with the free option (Modak) and upgrade later if you hit a wall.
2. Count your kids. One kid favors Greenlight's $5.99 Core plan or Modak's $0. With several kids, Acorns Early's flat $8 for up to 4 and Greenlight's flat plan for up to 5 both spread the cost.
3. Decide if investing matters. If you want real fractional-share investing for a teen, Greenlight's higher tiers are the clearest fit.
4. Separate the teaching from the tool. A debit card teaches spending, but the money conversation is the real lesson. Pair any app with a wants vs needs talk and a simple budget plan.

A note on age

For kids under about 8, a physical card is often more friction than it is worth; cash and a clear jar still teach the basics. Most families see real value once a kid is roughly 10 to 13 and starts spending outside the house. If your child just got a cash windfall and you want to turn it into a saving lesson, our birthday money calculator is a free way to start before any card is involved.

The honest takeaway: there is no single winner. Modak removes the cost barrier, Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry US) keeps a card simple at a flat $8 for up to 4 kids, and Greenlight goes deepest for families who want investing and are willing to pay. Pick the one whose trade-off fits your kid this year, and remember you can switch as they grow.

Give your child their own Penny Time

Penny Time turns allowance into playful Quests your child plays on their own phone or tablet. They make real money decisions and see how each one turns out, while you set it up and stay in charge of every cash-out.

Set the allowance and growth budget, invite your child, and they play on their own device. No device for them yet? Penny Time still works as your allowance tracker.

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Put this into practice this week

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