GoHenry Review UK: Is the Kids Debit Card Worth the Monthly Fee?
Teaching kids about money is hard work. Handing over cash teaches them very little, and before you know it, it’s gone with nothing to show for it. That’s where kids’ debit cards and pocket money apps come in.
GoHenry is one of the most well-known kids’ debit cards in the UK — but it also happens to be one of the most expensive.
In this GoHenry review, I’ll explain how it works, what it costs, what it does well, where it falls short, and whether it’s actually worth paying for compared to cheaper alternatives.
GoHenry review
A polished and educational kids’ money app that genuinely helps children understand budgeting, saving and spending. It’s easy to use and packed with features, but the monthly fees add up quickly — especially for families with more than one child.
Pros
- Excellent financial education tools
- Strong parental controls
- Savings goals and interest on balances
- Card works online, in shops and at ATMs
Cons
- Expensive compared to rivals
- Extra fees unless you upgrade
- Better value options now exist
Reviewed by Household Money SavingGoHenry vs cheaper alternatives: quick verdict
This is the key question most parents have.
GoHenry is the most educational option
Rooster Money and Starling Kite are significantly cheaper
If your priority is teaching kids about money, GoHenry does it better than most. If your priority is value, there are cheaper ways to achieve similar results.
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What is GoHenry?
GoHenry is a prepaid Visa debit card and app designed for children aged 6–18. Parents must be 18+ and UK residents.
It works much like an adult debit card:
• Spend online
• Spend in shops
• Withdraw cash from ATMs
The difference is that it’s prepaid. There’s no overdraft, no borrowing, and no risk of debt. Your child can only spend what’s available in their account.
Why I tried GoHenry
Like most parents, I started out handing my kids cash and hoping for the best. It didn’t work. I wanted something that gave them independence, but still let me see what was going on.
GoHenry was one of the first apps I tried. It looked polished, promised financial education, and came highly recommended. We used it, liked it, cancelled it — and that experience tells you a lot.
How does GoHenry work?
You create a parent account, add your child, and order a prepaid debit card in their name. The standard card is free, or you can pay £4.99 for a custom design.
Once the card arrives, everything is managed through the app.
Parents can:
• Set weekly allowances
• Send instant top-ups
• Assign chores and rewards
• Set savings goals
• Control online, in-store and ATM use
• Freeze or block the card instantly
Money can be split automatically between spending and saving, which is one of GoHenry’s strongest features.
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Digital wallets
Once your child reaches 13, the GoHenry card can be added to Apple Pay or Google Pay. This allows them to pay using their phone or compatible device, while all parental controls, spending limits and notifications continue to apply.
The kids’ app
Children get their own version of the app where they can:
• Check balances
• Track savings goals
• Complete Money Missions
• Earn rewards and badges
Can your child overspend?
No. GoHenry is prepaid. Your child can only spend what’s in their account, and you can set additional limits if you want.
There’s:
• No overdraft
• No borrowing
• No risk of debt
Is GoHenry safe?
GoHenry isn’t a bank, so it isn’t covered by the FSCS. However, it’s regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and customer funds are held in segregated accounts.
Security features include:
• Real-time spending notifications
• Instant card freezing
• 256-bit encryption
• 3D Secure for online payments
GoHenry plans and pricing
This is where GoHenry divides opinion.
Everyday – £3.99 per month (per child)
• One free top-up per month
• 50p per top-up after that
Plus – £5.99 per month (per child)
• Unlimited free top-ups
• 1% cashback on in-store spending
• Interest paid on savings
Max – £9.99 per month (up to four children)
• Same benefits as Plus
• Best value for larger families
Foreign fees apply:
• £2 per overseas ATM withdrawal
• 2.75% card spending abroad
Are there any hidden fees?
There aren’t hidden fees as such, but costs can creep up:
• Paid top-ups on lower plans
• Foreign usage fees
• Card design upgrades
This is where cheaper competitors often win.
Side-by-side comparison: GoHenry vs Rooster Money vs Starling Kite
| Feature | GoHenry | NatWest Rooster Money | Starling Kite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | £3.99–£5.99 | £1.99 (or free with NatWest) | Free |
| Annual cost | £49.99–£71.88 | £19.99 | Free |
| Free option | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (NatWest customers) | ✅ Yes |
| Age range | 6–18 | 6–17 | 6–15 |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | ✅ Yes (13+) | ✅ Yes (13+) | ✅ Yes (13+) |
| Savings pots / jars | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Chores & rewards | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Financial education | Strong (Money Missions) | Basic | Very limited |
| Card type | Prepaid debit | Prepaid debit | Junior bank account |
| FSCS protection | ❌ No | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Best for | Learning about money | Best value overall | Older teens, simplicity |
Quick takeaway:
GoHenry is the most educational but also the most expensive. Rooster Money offers the best balance of price and features, especially if you bank with NatWest. Starling Kite is completely free but very basic and best suited to older teens who don’t need guidance.
GoHenry features overview
From the parent app, you can:
• View balances and transactions
• Set allowances and chores
• Create savings goals
• Retrieve or change PINs
• Control where the card can be used
• Block or replace cards
Children can:
• Complete Money Missions
• Earn rewards and badges
• Track savings progress
Does GoHenry actually teach kids about money?
Yes — this is GoHenry’s biggest strength.
Money Missions, savings goals, interest payments and clear spending breakdowns help kids understand how money works in a way cash never does. It’s far more educational than a basic kids’ bank account.
Downsides to be aware of
The biggest downside is cost. For one child, it might be manageable. For two or three, it adds up quickly.
Cancelling isn’t difficult, but getting remaining balances refunded can take longer than it should.
And while the features are excellent, cheaper alternatives now offer “good enough” tools for a lot less money.
My experience using GoHenry
As a father who’s slightly obsessed with money, I trialled GoHenry with my oldest daughter for several months.
Overall, we both liked it. The card made her feel grown-up and independent, while I could see exactly where her money was going. Paying pocket money and rewards instantly was far easier than dealing with cash or endless “I’ll pay you later” promises.
The parental controls worked well too. When she misplaced her card while we were out shopping, I froze it instantly from the app. No stress, no panic — exactly what you want as a parent.
Where GoHenry fell down for me was cost. With more than one child, the monthly fees add up quickly. By the time I factored in all three kids, it was becoming a noticeable annual expense just to manage pocket money.
Cancelling wasn’t difficult, but getting the remaining balance back took longer than it should have and required a few follow-ups. It wasn’t a deal-breaker, but it did leave a sour taste.
That experience sums up GoHenry for me: excellent features, genuinely useful — but expensive for what it is.
Who GoHenry is best for
GoHenry is ideal if:
• You want strong financial education tools
• You’re happy paying for extra features
• You have one child or use the Max plan
It’s less suitable if:
• You want the cheapest option
• You have multiple children
• You don’t need structured lessons
Final verdict: Is GoHenry worth it?
GoHenry is polished, educational and genuinely useful. It teaches kids about money better than most apps on the market.
But it’s no longer the obvious choice it once was. Cheaper alternatives, like Rooster Money now offer much of the same functionality for far less — and in some cases, for free.
If you’re willing to pay for the best educational experience, GoHenry delivers. If value matters more, it’s worth looking elsewhere.
GoHenry alternatives
If you like the idea of a child account or a pocket money app, but you’re not sure that GoHenry is right (or it’s a little too expensive), there are plenty of other options to look at. From NatWest Rooster Money to HyperJar, there should be a solution for you. Why not take a look at some of the best GoHenry alternatives?
Or, take a look at my HyperJar vs GoHenry comparison.
FAQs
Can GoHenry be added to Apple Pay or Google Pay?
Yes. Once your child reaches 13, the GoHenry card can be added to Apple Pay or Google Pay. All parental controls, spending limits and notifications continue to apply.
Is GoHenry free?
No. GoHenry charges a monthly fee, starting at £3.99 per child. Higher plans cost more but include extra features such as unlimited top-ups and interest on savings.
What age is GoHenry for?
GoHenry is designed for children aged 6 to 18. Parents must be 18+ and UK residents.
Can my child go overdrawn with GoHenry?
No. GoHenry is a prepaid debit card. Your child can only spend the money available in their account, with no overdraft or borrowing.
Is the GoHenry card contactless?
Yes, it is. But limits on spending can be controlled from the main account.
Is GoHenry safe?
GoHenry is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Funds are held in segregated accounts, but it is not FSCS-protected as it is not a bank.
This is obviously your opinion but in all honesty and from having experience
of running these accounts I do not agree and STRONGLY believe that GO Henry
is unsuitable for both children and parents alike.
I would not recommend them and would advise parents to keep away there are
far superior options.
Read the reviews for the full picture.
Go Henry has to be one of the worst companies to actually get your money back from …. regularly saved with them, but their fees (for nothing !!) are now at £4 per month…. so its simply not worth it when trying to encourage saving yet somehow justify this monthly payment…use a building society or others as there is no monthly charge. Its now been over a month to try to close and withdraw money… all I seem to receive are emails saying they have delayed my account closing – in case I change my mind !! Now they want a fully copy of my bank statement, despite not having changed my account for years and despite Go Henry taking money from my account each month…. yet more delay tactics…. do not use them, they are a terrible company to deal with !!