Greenlight review
Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Greenlight is a US prepaid account for kids and students, where a parent controls the card and the savings balance together. Deposits carry protection of FDIC up to USD 250,000, which settles the money question, but the recurring monthly fee and a capped savings reward keep the cost picture mixed.
Key facts
- Best for
- A US prepaid card for a child or student, with saving and spending in the same account.
- Monthly fee
- $5.99 to $19.98↗
- Currency conversion fee
- 0%↗
- Card type
- Prepaid↗
- Top-up fee
- Free↗
- Card network
- Mastercard↗
- Legal entity
- GREENLIGHT FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.↗
- Headquarters
- United States↗
- Founded
- 2014↗
- Support channels
- Email, Chat, Phone, Help-centre↗
- Features
- Multi-currency, Virtual card
- Audience
- Kids, Students
- Official website
- greenlight.com
Savings
- Headline rate
- 2%↗
- Rate type
- Variable↗
- Deposit protection
- FDIC up to USD 250,000↗
- Access terms
- Reward paid on average daily savings balance up to $5,000 per family; account must be in good standing with a verified ACH funding account↗
- Account kind
- Easy access↗
Facts checked September 26, 2026, 7 sources
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App StoreGoogle Play
- Elsewhere
- TrustpilotLinkedInXinstagram.com
Pros and cons
Pros
- Top-ups cost free, so loading the card adds nothing to the bill.
- A reward is paid on the average daily savings balance per family while the account stays in good standing.
- Multi-currency and virtual cards are listed among the features (multi currency and virtual card).
- Support runs on email, chat and phone, so help is not limited to email.
Cons
- A monthly fee of $5.99 to $19.98 applies whatever the balance, and Wise charges a monthly fee of £0.
- The savings reward is capped per family and is paid only while the account is in good standing with a verified ACH funding account.
- The variable rate of 2% sits under the 3% typical of savings products on the site.
Who it suits
- Parents opening a first account for a child or a student, the audience listed as kids and student.
- US households wanting a prepaid card that spends straight from the balance.
- Families who want multi-currency spending with a conversion fee of 0%.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise: a monthly fee of £0 suits an adult who wants a low cost multi-currency account.
- bunq: a monthly fee of €0 suits a European account rather than a card for kids.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card: a secured card with a monthly fee of $0 suits anyone focused on building a credit record.
Rates and terms
Greenlight pays a headline rate of 2% and the rate type is variable. Because the rate is variable, the figure tracks the market rather than staying fixed for a set period, so the return on a balance can rise or fall over time. Anyone planning around a specific return should treat the headline figure as a starting point rather than a promise.
How Greenlight compares
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9.0 vs 8.0- 9.0 vs 8.0
Where Greenlight is available
- Available
- United States
- Licence in United States
- FDIC, checked September 26, 2026
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does Greenlight cost each month?+
There is a monthly fee of $5.99 to $19.98, set by the plan you choose, and it runs whatever you spend. The balance earns a variable rate of 2%, and a separate reward is paid per family while the account stays in good standing. Set the fee against the interest before opening.
What does it cost to load money onto the card?+
Top-ups cost free, so loading the card from a linked bank account adds nothing to the bill. The funding account must be verified and the account in good standing for the savings reward to be paid. The monthly fee is therefore the main recurring cost to plan for.
What does it cost to spend in another currency?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%, and multi-currency is listed among the features (multi currency and virtual card), so holding several currencies is part of the design. A virtual card is also listed for online shopping where card details are shared. Abroad, the conversion fee is the charge to budget for.
Is the money in my account protected?+
Deposit protection is listed as FDIC up to USD 250,000, with FDIC named as the regulator for the US. The company behind the account is based in the United States, so the provider and the protection scheme sit in the same market. Balances above the stated cover would sit outside that protection.
What interest do I earn on the balance?+
The headline rate is 2% and the rate type is variable, so the return can move rather than staying fixed. A separate reward is paid on the average daily savings balance per family while the account is in good standing with a verified ACH funding account, and that reward is capped.
Who is Greenlight built for?+
The audience listed is kids and student and the card type is prepaid, so this is an account for younger users rather than general adult banking. Money arrives from a verified ACH funding account, and the account kind is easy access, so the balance is available to spend straight away.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support runs on email, chat and phone, so phone and chat are available alongside email and a help centre. Phone or chat suits anything urgent, such as a blocked card or a payment that looks wrong, while the help centre covers routine questions about fees and the card.
Sources
- greenlight.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Audience, Features, Support channels
“Debit card and financial management app for kids and teens”
- greenlight.com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Deposit protection
- greenlight.com/fee-disclosures checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Currency conversion fee, Top-up fee, Monthly fee, Card network, Licences
“Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard Fees & Plans”
- greenlight.com/plans checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Access terms, Headline rate, Rate type
“Greenlight Core families can earn 2% per annum ... on an average daily savings balance of up to $5,000 per family. To qualify, the Primary Account must be in Good Standing and have a verified ACH...”
- greenlight.com/terms-of-service checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Account kind
“Greenlight Savings Reward at two [2.00]% percent Annual Savings Reward Rate”
- research.contrary.com/company/greenlight checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Headquarters
“headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia”
- crunchbase.com/organization/greenlight-com checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Legal entity
“Founded in 2014”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
Greenlight
A US prepaid card for a child or student, with saving and spending in the same account.