Do kids need a phone to use Greenlight?

Do kids need a phone for Greenlight?

If you’re considering setting up Greenlight for your child, the next natural question is whether they need their own phone. The short answer is no! A phone can definitely help, but it’s not required.

We built Greenlight to be flexible for families. Whether your child has their own device, shares a tablet with a sibling, or has no app access, there’s a way to make it work. 

How kids can use Greenlight (with or without a phone)

Your child doesn’t need their own phone to use Greenlight. In fact, they don’t need any device at all to use their Greenlight debit card. They can still make purchases in stores or online like any other cardholder (with your pre-set parent controls, of course!).

They can access the Greenlight app on a shared phone or tablet to see how much allowance they earned, check their balance, mark chores complete, set savings goals, or request money. You can even log them in on your device. 

If your child does have access to a device, they’ll log into a kid-friendly version of the app designed just for them with a simpler dashboard, age-appropriate features, and no access to parent-only settings.

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.

Learn more

Why having a phone can enhance the experience

While not required, a personal phone makes the Greenlight experience smoother for kids. With their own device, they’ll get:

• Real-time alerts when they spend, complete chores, or receive an allowance

• Chore reminders and balance updates

• On-the-go access to track their saving goals, request money, or move money between Save, Spend, and Give

• A stronger sense of independence and ownership over their money

For kids learning how to manage their finances, that day-to-day access can be a big help.

Parental controls are always in place, no matter what

Whether your child uses the app on their phone or logs in through a shared device, you stay in full control. With your Greenlight app, you can:

• Set category-level spending limits

• Lock or unlock their card

• Get real-time notifications about purchases

• Approve or deny money requests

• Review chores, savings goals, and more

Your child will only see their dashboard. They can’t view the Parent Wallet or funding source or move money without your permission. 

Parents will need a smartphone to get started

While kids don’t need a phone, parents do. You’ll need a smartphone to set up and manage your Greenlight account through the parent app.

That’s where you’ll fund your child’s card, create chores, set savings goals, and monitor all activity. You can also add parent or guardian profiles if more than one adult helps manage finances in your household.

What devices work with the Greenlight app?

The Greenlight app works on any app-enabled device, including smartphones, iPads, and tablets, whether iOS or Android. If your child has access to:

• A phone

• A tablet like an iPad or Kindle

• A shared family device

They can use the Greenlight app just like they would on their phone. If your child doesn’t have a phone number (or their device doesn’t support texting), you can still create a login with a username and password so they can sign in from any app-enabled device. Read more on how that works here.

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.

Get started

So, do kids need a phone for Greenlight?

Not at all. Kids can use their Greenlight debit card without app access and log into the app from any supported device. That said, if they do have a phone, it gives them more independence. And gives you more opportunities to teach real-world money habits in real time.

Whether your child is app-savvy or just getting started, Greenlight makes it easy to meet them where they are.

Make family finances fun. With Greenlight’s award-winning debit card and app for kids and teens, financial literacy is one step away. Try Greenlight, one month, risk-free.† 

†Valid for new customers only. Subject to identity verification and minimum load requirements. Your first monthly fee will be billed to your parent wallet seven days after successful registration. To receive a refund of your first monthly fee, you must request to close your account on or before the day immediately preceding your first Monthly Billing Date. See the ‘Account’ tab of Settings by tapping the gear icon on the Greenlight app home page to confirm when your risk-free trial ends. See Terms for details.