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Greenlight plans start at $5.99/month ($71.88/year) for the entry tier and go up to $19.98/month ($239.76/year) for the top tier. There are four plans, plus a handful of one-off fees for things like custom cards and expedited shipping. Here’s the full breakdown.
Greenlight Plans and Monthly Pricing
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Cash back* | Savings rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | $5.99 | $71.88 | – | 2% |
| Max | $10.98 | $131.76 | 1% | 3% |
| Infinity | $15.98 | $191.76 | 1% | 5% |
| Family Shield | $19.98 | $239.76 | 1% | 6% |
All four plans cover up to 5 kids on a single account, and Family Shield can include up to 2 older adults. All prices are plus applicable taxes depending on your state. There’s no per-child charge and no trial period.
*Cash back available on Max and above, on eligible purchases. Pricing verified against Greenlight’s official plans page in May 2026.
Other Greenlight Fees Beyond the Subscription
Greenlight is generally transparent about fees, but the subscription doesn’t cover everything:
Custom Card – $9.99 (one-time)
A personalized debit card with an image of your choosing. Optional. Standard non-custom cards are included free with every plan.
Replacement card – first one free, then $5.99 each
Greenlight gives you one free replacement card per family per calendar year. Any additional replacements within the same year cost $5.99 each.
Expedited shipping – $24.99 (one-time)
Standard shipping is free and takes 7-10 business days. If you need a card faster, expedited shipping delivers in 2-3 business days for $24.99 plus tax.
ATM withdrawals – no fee from Greenlight, but ATM operators may charge
Greenlight doesn’t charge for ATM withdrawals, but the ATM operator typically does ($2-$5 for out-of-network ATMs). Greenlight doesn’t reimburse these.
Is the Greenlight Card $20 a Month?
Only at the highest tier. The top plan (Family Shield) is $19.98/month, which rounds up to $20 in many references. The entry plan (Core) is $5.99/month, closer to $6.
How to Avoid Greenlight Fees
There’s no way around the monthly subscription, but you can avoid most of the extras:
- Stay on the Core plan if you only need chore tracking, the card, and basic education – that’s the $5.99 tier
- Skip the Custom Card ($9.99) – the included standard card works identically
- Use free standard shipping – saves the $24.99 expedited fee
- Use in-network ATMs via the Greenlight app’s locator
- Keep cards safe – the first replacement each year is free, but the second is $5.99
- Check partner banks – Digital Federal Credit Union, North Shore Bank, and others offer Greenlight free as a member benefit. If you already bank with one, ask about the partnership
- Watch for promo codes – Greenlight runs periodic offers through affiliate banks and refer-a-friend credits
Is There a Free Version of Greenlight?
No, Greenlight has no free tier on its own. The only way to use Greenlight at no cost is through a partner bank, Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU), North Shore Bank, and similar institutions offer the subscription free if you bank with them. Without a partnership, your minimum cost is $71.88/year on the Core plan.
Can I Pause Greenlight to Stop the Monthly Fee?
No. Greenlight doesn’t have a pause feature. To stop the monthly fee, you have to close your account entirely. You can reactivate it later (Greenlight will resume billing at that point), but there’s no way to temporarily suspend a subscription while keeping account data active.
What’s the Difference Between Core and Max?
Core ($5.99/month) includes the debit card, chores and allowance, savings goals at a 2% rate, and the Level Up financial literacy game.
Max ($10.98/month) adds investing for kids (with parental approval), 1% cash back on eligible purchases, a 3% savings rate, priority customer support, and purchase/phone protection.
For chore tracking alone, Core is sufficient. Max only becomes worth the extra $5/month once kids are old enough to actually use the investing feature, typically age 12 and up.
Is Greenlight Worth the Cost?
It depends on what you’re using.
If you want a real debit card, savings goals, investing for older kids, and financial literacy education, Greenlight is competitively priced compared to assembling those services separately. The product is well-rated (4.8★ on the App Store, 4.7★ on Google Play).
If your only goal is chore tracking and motivating kids with rewards, you’re paying $71.88+/year for a banking platform when a focused chore app would solve the same problem for free. That’s the most common reason parents end up looking for a Greenlight alternative, they wanted a chore app and got a banking product instead.
For a complete verdict with pros, cons, ratings, and a feature-by-feature look at each plan, read our full Greenlight Debit Card Review (2026).
A Free Alternative for Just Chore Tracking
Kikaroo is a free chore-and-reward app for families with kids aged 4 to 18. No debit card, no monthly fee on the core features, and you choose any reward, screen time, outings, money, a later bedtime, anything. Setup takes about 5 minutes.
For families who want financial education with a real card, Greenlight remains the right choice. For families who just want chore tracking, Kikaroo covers that use case at no cost.
