GoHenry Review UK 2026: Is It Worth Paying for a Kids Debit Card?
Last Updated: July 1, 2026
GoHenry costs £3.99/month per child (ages 6-18). You get a prepaid debit card, a parent app with spending controls, chore tracking, savings goals, and built-in money lessons called Money Missions. The first month is free and you get £10 pocket money when you sign up through the referral route.
Worth it if: you want a structured money-teaching tool, not just a spending card.
Skip it if: you just want the cheapest way to give a child a card.
What GoHenry Actually Costs in 2026
The number most parents search for first is the price. GoHenry charges £3.99 per child, per month. There is no annual contract and you can cancel any time through the app or website.
UK purchases and ATM withdrawals are free. There is a 2.75% fee on foreign currency transactions and a 50p charge for one-off card loads. Regular bank transfers and standing orders to top up the account cost nothing extra.
Compared to the rest of the kids' money app market, GoHenry sits at the premium end. HyperJar offers a free prepaid card for kids with basic parental controls. Starling Kite comes included with a Starling current account at no extra cost. Revolut <18 is free for Revolut customers on paid plans. So GoHenry only makes financial sense if you use the teaching tools, not if you just want a card.
The first month is free through the referral route, plus the child gets £10 pocket money loaded onto the card. That gives you four weeks to test whether the features actually get used before the subscription kicks in.
GoHenry Review: Quick Verdict
GoHenry is the most complete kids' money-teaching app on the UK market but you pay for that completeness. The card, app, parental controls, chore tracking, savings pots, and Money Missions lessons are genuinely well integrated. Families who use the full feature set tend to renew. Families who only use the card tend to cancel after a few months and switch to something cheaper.
The question worth asking before signing up is not “does GoHenry work?” but “will my child engage with the learning side enough to justify £3.99/month?”
What GoHenry Is
GoHenry is a prepaid debit card and money-management app designed for children aged 6 to 18. Parents control the account through their own app while children get a personalised card and a child-friendly app with spending visibility, savings goals, and financial education content.
The company reports around 500,000 UK users and more than 2 million customers globally. In 2026, Barclays announced plans to acquire GoHenry's UK business while keeping the GoHenry brand in place, which suggests the product has genuine scale and staying power.
How It Works
The parent sets up an account, pays the monthly subscription, and loads money onto the child's card through bank transfer or standing order. The child gets a PIN-protected prepaid card (not a credit card, no overdraft possible) and can spend anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Parents see every transaction in real time and can block specific merchant categories, set spending limits, and choose where the card can be used online or in shops.
Money Missions is GoHenry's in-app financial education layer. It covers topics like budgeting, saving, earning, and smart spending through bite-sized interactive lessons tailored to different age groups. The idea is that children learn by doing, not by being lectured at.
What GoHenry Does Well
Structured pocket money. Instead of handing over cash and hoping habits form, GoHenry turns pocket money into a visible routine. Parents set the amount and schedule, children see it arrive, and the app tracks where it goes.
Chore tracking that actually works. The parent app lets you assign tasks with payouts attached. Clean the kitchen, £3. Finish homework before dinner, £2. It removes the awkward “can I have my pocket money?” conversation because the system handles it.
Real-time parental oversight. Every transaction triggers a notification. If your child tries to spend somewhere you have blocked or hits a daily limit, the transaction declines and you know about it immediately.
Savings goals built in. Children can set savings targets inside the app, move money into a savings pot, and watch progress towards a goal. It is more engaging than a traditional savings account because the feedback is immediate and visual.
Money Missions are genuinely useful. The financial education content is not an afterthought. Lessons are short, practical, and age-appropriate. A 7-year-old learns different things than a 15-year-old.
Where GoHenry Falls Short
The monthly fee adds up. At £3.99 per child per month, two children cost nearly £96 a year. If you are only using the card for occasional spending, that is hard to justify next to free alternatives.
Younger children may not engage with the learning content. If your child is 6 or 7 and just wants to tap a card in a shop, Money Missions and chore tracking might sit unused while you still pay the full subscription.
The app ecosystem can feel busy. GoHenry packs a lot into both the parent and child apps. Some parents find the interface overwhelming at first, particularly the chore and task setup screens.
Cancellation requires transferring funds first. You cannot simply close the account with money still on it. The balance needs to be moved out, either by spending it down, transferring it back to your bank, or moving it to another account.
Who GoHenry Is Best For
- Parents who want guided, structured money habits rather than just a spending card
- Families already giving pocket money who want to make it more visible and educational
- Children aged 8 to 14, where the teaching features are most likely to be used
- Parents who want app-based oversight of chores, saving, and spending in one place
Who Might Prefer Another Route
- Families who just want a free spending card for a child (look at HyperJar or Starling Kite)
- Parents of teenagers who already manage their own money reasonably well (Revolut <18 may suit better)
- Households where the child will rarely use the card and the subscription feels wasteful
The first month is free and the child gets £10 pocket money when you sign up through the referral route. Use the four-week trial to check whether the teaching features earn their place in your monthly budget.
Common Questions About GoHenry
Is GoHenry worth the monthly fee?
It depends entirely on whether you use the teaching tools. If you use chore tracking, savings goals, Money Missions, and spending controls regularly, £3.99/month is reasonable for what you get. If you just want a card for occasional spending, free alternatives like HyperJar or Starling Kite will do the same job for nothing.
What age is GoHenry designed for?
GoHenry works for children aged 6 to 18. The sweet spot is roughly 8 to 14, when children are old enough to understand money concepts but young enough that the parental controls and learning tools actively help. Younger children may not engage with the educational content, and older teenagers may find a more independent money app like Revolut <18 suits them better.
Is GoHenry safe for children?
Yes. GoHenry is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and funds are held in segregated accounts separate from GoHenry's own money. The card is prepaid, not credit, so children cannot spend money they do not have. Parents control spending limits, merchant categories, online and contactless permissions, and get real-time notifications for every transaction. The card is PIN-protected and can be frozen instantly from the parent app.
How do I cancel GoHenry?
Cancel through the GoHenry app or website. Before cancelling, transfer any remaining balance off the child's card by spending it, moving it back to your bank account, or transferring it elsewhere. Cancel before your next billing date to avoid being charged for the following month. The account closes immediately once you confirm cancellation.
Does GoHenry affect a child's credit score?
No. GoHenry is a prepaid card, not a credit product. There is no borrowing, no overdraft, and no credit check for the child or the parent. Using GoHenry will not appear on any credit file.
How does GoHenry compare to Starling Kite and HyperJar?
| GoHenry | Starling Kite | HyperJar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £3.99/child | Free (with Starling account) | Free |
| Age range | 6-18 | 6-15 | 6-17 |
| Chore tracking | Yes | No | No |
| Savings goals | Yes | Yes | Yes (Jars) |
| Money lessons | Yes (Money Missions) | No | No |
| Parental controls | Extensive | Basic | Basic |
| Card type | Prepaid Mastercard | Debit card | Prepaid Mastercard |
GoHenry wins on teaching features and parental controls. HyperJar wins on cost (it is free). Starling Kite is a natural choice if you already bank with Starling.
I test money apps, referral programs, and EV tools in real life before I write about them. I have not used GoHenry as a parent personally (no children yet), but I have spent time inside the parent and child apps, read through hundreds of parent reviews, and compared the features against every major UK alternative. The conclusion that keeps coming back is that GoHenry is the best teaching tool in the category but you pay for that position. If the teaching features do not get used, you are overpaying for a card. That is the honest framing I would give a friend.
I drive a 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, use Octopus Intelligent Go for home charging, and keep my reviews grounded in actual numbers and real experience, not just spec sheets.
I’m Steven, founder of MoneyAppReviews. I test money apps, referral programs, and EV tools in real life before I write about them. I drive a 2021 Tesla Model 3 Long Range, use Octopus Intelligent Go for home charging, and regularly track costs, savings, and app performance over time. I focus on practical, evidence-based reviews that help people decide what is actually worth using, not just what pays the highest commission.
