Acorns Early
- Best for: Acorns Gold families with kids ages 6 to 18
- What Sets It Apart: Comes with Acorns Gold, beside a kids’ investing account that matches 1% of the first $7,000 a year
- APY: None; parents can pay interest on kids’ savings from their own balance
- Features: Spending alerts, weekly and per-purchase limits, and age-restricted store blocks; FDIC insurance eligibility up to $250,000 through nbkc Bank or Community Federal Savings Bank; no fee to add money; paid chores, allowance, and savings goals; 100+ Money Missions
- Monthly Fee: $8 for Lite, up to four kids; included in Acorns Gold at $12
- Cost: No overdrafts; $0 Acorns ATM fee, though ATM owners may charge; no foreign transaction fee; $5 for a custom card design or $6 for a Collab design
- Eligibility: Kids ages 6 to 18; a parent over 18 who lives in the U.S.
- Pros: Included with Gold; no fee to add money or send gifts; no Acorns ATM or foreign transaction fees; lessons that advance with age
- Cons: $8 a month alone; no interest unless parents pay it; no cash deposits; four kids at most
Get Acorns Early, formerly GoHenry, if your family pays for Acorns Gold, which includes the kids’ card, chore tracking, and lessons at no extra cost. Without Gold, its Lite plan costs $8 a month, so compare cheaper kids’ debit cards before you sign up.
Acorns bought GoHenry in 2023 and renamed its kids’ debit card and app Acorns Early in November 2024. Kids ages 6 to 18 get their own card, while parents load it, pay allowance, and set spending rules from the parent app.
Key Features
- $8 a month for the Lite plan, which covers up to four kids, or included in Acorns Gold at $12 a month
- Real-time spending alerts, weekly and per-purchase limits, and blocks on stores that sell age-restricted items like tobacco
- Paid chores, scheduled allowance, savings goals, and optional parent-paid interest
- 100+ Money Missions, short video and quiz lessons in three levels for ages 6 to 18
- Balances eligible for FDIC insurance up to $250,000 through nbkc Bank or Community Federal Savings Bank
Pros
- No extra charge for Acorns Gold members, whose plan also includes a kids’ investing account with a 1% match on up to $7,000 a year
- No fee to add money by debit card or bank transfer, or for family and friends to send gifts
- No Acorns fee for ATM withdrawals or purchases abroad
- Lessons that advance with age, up to teen topics like taxes, renting, and student loans
Cons
- $8 a month on its own, with no free plan
- No interest on kids’ savings unless you pay it from your own balance
- No way to deposit cash
- Covers four kids at most per plan
Families already on Acorns do best with Gold, which costs $12 a month with the card included, the same as Bronze ($4) plus Lite ($8) and less than Silver ($8) plus Lite. Families who don’t use Acorns pay $8 a month for up to four kids, while Greenlight Core charges $5.99 a month for up to five, chores and allowance included.
Learn more about Acorns Early or see how it compares to the best debit cards for kids.
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