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9 Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry) alternatives for families

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Acorns Early (formerly GoHenry) gives families a way to introduce money management to kids, with a debit card, parental controls, and access to investment accounts. For parents who want their kids to get early exposure to financial tools, it checks a lot of boxes.

But for some families, it’s not quite the right fit. Maybe you're looking for stronger educational features, more robust safety tools, or a lower monthly price. Maybe you're already using another app and want a better side-by-side comparison before switching.

The good news is, there are great alternatives out there that make learning about money even more engaging, flexible, and family-friendly. Let’s explore nine Acorns Early alternatives.

Top 9 Acorns Early alternatives

  • Greenlight

  • Current

  • BusyKid

  • Modak

  • Cash App

  • Till

  • Capital One Money

  • FamZoo

  • Venmo Teen

1. Greenlight

Greenlight monthly fee

  • Plans start at $5.99/month

Greenlight features

  • Debit card for kids and teens

  • Chore management and allowance automation

  • Parental controls and instant transfers

  • Investing for Kids in stocks and ETFs (with parent approval and no fees)

  • Educational content with Level Up™

  • Safety features: crash detection, SOS alerts, and location tracking4

  • Identity theft protection5

  • Up to 6% on savings¹ and 1% cash back²

  • All-in-one app across multiple generations with Family Shield, a safety hub for the whole family

  • ATM access

Greenlight at a glance

Greenlight, the #1 family finance and safety app, is built for families. It’s more than just a debit card for kids. It’s a complete money management platform that helps kids build real-life financial skills while keeping parents connected every step of the way.

One of Greenlight’s biggest strengths is how much it grows with your child. Younger kids can start with chore-based earnings, set savings goals, and track spending. As they get older, they can dive into investing, explore advanced budgeting, and earn cash back2 and savings rewards1. Parents can fine-tune controls, lock cards instantly, and even track their teen’s location.4

The built-in financial literacy game, Level Up™, sets Greenlight apart from most other apps on this list, and from Acorns Early, which offers limited educational content. With Level Up™, kids learn money basics through interactive lessons that feel more like play than homework. And for families who want extra peace of mind, Greenlight’s higher-tier plans offer crash detection4, identity theft protection5, and account monitoring, all bundled into one app.

See how Greenlight compares to Acorns Early

Greenlight vs. GoHenry

Plans Star

Greenlight

GoHenry

Pricing

Starts at $5.99 / month for up to 5 children

Starts at $5.00 / month for 1 child

Debit card for kids

Allowance & chores

Data sharing

Your child’s data is safe with Greenlight and not shared with anyone.

May share user data with affiliates and third-party service providers.

Category-specific parental controls

Upload your own custom card photo

Up to 5% on savings¹

Up to 1% cash back²

Family location sharing and SOS alerts³

Driving reports, alerts, and crash detection³

2. Current

Current monthly fee

  • None

Current features

  • Debit card for teens

  • Chore tracking and allowance tools

  • Parental controls and spending notifications

  • Direct deposit and early payday access

  • Budgeting and saving tools

  • ATM access

  • No investing features

  • No financial literacy content

Current at a glance

Current gives teens a debit card, chore tracking, and savings tools in a free account linked to a parent. Teens can manage their own money with direct deposit, budgeting tools, and early paycheck access, while parents monitor spending and set limits behind the scenes.

It’s a solid choice for older kids who want more freedom and already understand the basics. But compared to Acorns Early, Current skips over investing features and doesn’t include guided education. It may work best as a banking tool, instead of a teaching tool.

See how Current compares to Greenlight

3. BusyKid

BusyKid monthly fee

  • $48/year

BusyKid features

  • Debit card for kids

  • Chore-based allowance system

  • Automatic saving, spending, and giving allocations

  • Basic investing in stocks and ETFs

  • Parental controls and spending notifications

  • Educational content and real-life money tips

  • Option to share earnings with family

  • Limited family safety features

BusyKid at a glance

BusyKid connects chores to earning, making it easy for families to automate allowance based on completed tasks. Once kids get paid, the app helps them split money into spend, save, and give buckets, building responsible habits from day one.

There’s also the option to invest in real stocks and ETFs with parent approval, along with bite-sized tips to reinforce smart money decisions. While Acorns Early focuses on passive, parent-led investing, BusyKid gives kids more hands-on experience with everyday money choices.

See how BusyKid compares to Greenlight
Learn to earn, save, and invest together.

With a debit card of their own, kids and teens learn to spend wisely, keep an eye on balances, and track their spending. Big money dreams? Set savings goals and start investing with as little as $1 — with your approval on every trade.

4. Modak Makers

Modak Makers monthly fee

  • Fees for expedited or premium services 

Modak Makers features

  • Debit card for teens

  • Parental controls and real-time notifications

  • Savings goals and spending categories

  • Chore and allowance tracking

  • Built-in money lessons

  • No investing tools

  • No ATM access

Modak Makers at a glance

Modak offers a teen-first experience with interactive money lessons built right into the app. Teens can track chores, earn allowance, set savings goals, and learn how to manage spending categories within an intuitive interface designed to keep things simple and fun.

While Modak covers key basics, it doesn’t include investing capabilities or some of the more advanced safety features like crash detection, location tracking, or identity protection that other apps offer. Still, it’s a solid starter option for families who want a free, educational money app that’s easy to use.

See how Modak Makers compares to Greenlight

5. Cash App

Cash App monthly fee

  • None

Cash App features

  • Debit card for teens

  • Peer-to-peer payments

  • Direct deposit and early payday access

  • ATM access

  • Bitcoin and stock investing

  • Parental visibility on teen accounts

  • No chore or allowance tools

  • No savings goals or built-in education

  • No family safety features

Cash App at a glance

Cash App gives teens a fast, flexible way to send and spend money. For families with older kids, it can feel like a step into the adult financial world. Teens 13 and up can get their own Cash Card, receive direct deposit, and even invest in stocks or Bitcoin (with adult supervision).

That said, it’s light on parental controls and lacks structured tools like chore tracking, savings goals, educational content, and family safety features. Alternative apps are more focused on teaching kids about long-term investing, while Cash App is more about quick transactions and real-time spending, making it better for teens who already have some money know-how.

See how Cash App compares to Greenlight

6. Till

Till monthly fee

  • Free plan available

Till features

  • Debit card for kids and teens

  • Chore and allowance tracking

  • Savings goals and budgeting tools

  • Spending limits and parental controls

  • No investing tools

  • No built-in financial education

  • Limited safety features

Till at a glance

Till focuses on building early money habits through everyday tasks. Kids can earn allowance for chores, set savings goals, and see how their spending adds up over time within a clean, kid-friendly app. Parents can stay involved with controls and shared goals that reinforce accountability.

It’s best for families who want to practice budgeting and saving in real time, without extra complexity. While it doesn’t offer long-term tools like investing or structured lessons, Till’s simplicity makes it approachable for beginners.

See how Till compares to Greenlight
Olivia walking the dog as a paid chore
The chore app that checks all the boxes.

Chores. Allowance. They’re different for every family. That’s why we let you call the shots. Want to tie allowance to chores? Pay a percentage based on chore progress — or only if they’re all done. Prefer not to? Your house. Your rules.

7. Capital One Teen Checking

Capital One Teen Checking monthly fee

  • None

Capital One Teen Checking features

  • Teen checking account with debit card

  • Parental alerts and card controls

  • Direct deposit and ATM access

  • Real-time spending notifications

  • No chore or allowance tracking

  • No investing tools

  • No in-app financial education

Capital One Teen Checking at a glance

Capital One Teen Checking is designed for older kids and teens who are ready for a more traditional banking experience. It offers a no-fee checking account, direct deposit, and real-time alerts within the familiar Capital One ecosystem.

Unlike more education-focused apps, Capital One doesn’t guide teens through saving or budgeting. But for teens with part-time jobs or basic money skills, it’s a solid stepping stone to financial independence.

See how Capital One compares to Greenlight

8. FamZoo

FamZoo monthly fee

  • $5.99/month or $59.90/year 

FamZoo features

  • Debit cards for kids

  • Chore tracking and allowance management

  • Parent-paid interest on savings

  • Loan tracking and family IOUs

  • No investing tools

  • No built-in financial education

  • No family safety features

FamZoo at a glance

FamZoo takes a DIY approach to family banking, giving parents full control over how money is earned, saved, and spent. You can set up chores, pay interest on savings, and even simulate loans, turning everyday money tasks into real-life learning.

Unlike Acorns Early, which focuses more on passive investing and less on everyday money behavior, FamZoo puts the power in parents’ hands. It’s highly customizable but a bit more hands-on, making it best for families who want to create their own financial system from scratch.

See how FamZoo compares to Greenlight

9. Venmo

Venmo monthly fee

  • None

Venmo features

  • Teen debit card with parent-managed account

  • Peer-to-peer payments

  • Spending alerts and activity tracking

  • Direct deposit and ATM access

  • No chore or allowance tools

  • No savings goals or investing

  • No in-app education

  • No family safety features

Venmo at a glance

With Venmo, teens can send and receive money, get paid through direct deposit, and use their card in stores or online, while parents can monitor spending from their own Venmo account.

It’s a good fit for teens who just want flexible, no-frills access to their money. But compared to other apps on this list, which focus on long-term financial habits and investing, Venmo skips features like savings goals, education, or parental guidance tools, making it better suited for teens who are already pretty independent.

See how Venmo compares to Greenlight

Which Acorns Early alternative app is right for my family?

Acorns Early is an app that introduces kids to money management, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Whether you're looking for more robust parental controls, stronger financial education, or tools that match your child’s age and experience, there are plenty of Acorns Early alternatives to explore.

Among them, Greenlight stands out for its balance of structure and independence. It combines hands-on features like chores, saving goals, and instant transfers with in-app financial lessons, safety alerts, and the flexibility to grow with your child, all in one platform. That makes it one of the most comprehensive and family-focused options out there.

Built for them. And for you.

Both you and your kids download the Greenlight app — with tailored experiences. They check off chores, you automate allowance. They spend wisely, you set flexible controls. They build healthy financial habits, and you cheer them on.

FAQs

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