What Is Gohenry?
Founded in 2012 by a group of parents, Gohenry was designed to be a simple and practical solution for kids to learn about financial independence.
They believe that in order for kids to learn about money, they need to do it for themselves and make mistakes on their own.
Now I know what you may be thinking, danger!
But don’t worry, this learning takes place in a safe space under the watchful eye of the parent.
That means you can sleep easier at night knowing your child hasn’t just spent £200 on Fortnite or Roblox.
So with that said, just how good is Gohenry in the world of pocket money apps?
Let’s dig deeper into this Gohenry review to find out.
How Does Gohenry Work?
Gohenry works primarily through their app which can be downloaded on both IOS and Android devices.
For those of you that would want to get a feel for the layout, Gohenry provides a demo version for you to look through.
When it comes to creating an account, you’ll be required first to sign up as the parent and then add your child’s details to create their account.
Here is what you can do on a parent account:
- Set boundaries, allowances, tasks & savings goals
- Receive real-time notifications
- Control where the card can and can’t be used (ATMs etc)
- Create and manage chores
- Instantly send money to your child’s account
- Block & unblock your child’s card
- Monitor spending
- Track purchases
Here is what you can do on a child/teenager account:
- Work towards tasks & savings goals
- Complete chores for money
- Budget their pocket money
- Set savings goals
- Receive real-time notifications for spending
- Send money to charity
- Change themes
Features
- Money Missions– Educational content for your kids.
- Separate Child and Parent Account– Different interface and set of features on the app depending on whether you are the child or parent.
- Set Up Regular Allowances- Easily set up deposits that contribute to your child’s pocket money.
- Set Task & Goals- Set up tasks or goals that your child can work towards.
- Instant Money Transfers- Send money to your child’s account instantly (school trips etc).
- Easily Block Or Unblock Cards- Block and unblock cards at the touch of a button.
- Spending Controls- Set controls on where your little one can spend money.
- Gift Money- Send money to those less fortunate.
How Much Does It Cost?
Gohenry is a subscription service that charges a monthly fee of £2.99 per child.
The first load of the parent account each month is free, with subsequent loads costing 50p each.
However, to avoid these small fees racking up, all you need to do is load your account up with your child’s allowance for the whole month.
Aside from that, Gohenry offers customised debit cards for £5.00 but you can just as easily get the standard card for free.
(Note: If you use this link here, you can get a free custom card and 1 month free when you enter the code AFUKFNACC)
Below you can find examples of custom card designs.
Limits
Gohenry has a series of restrictions when it comes to using their card, here is a look at them below.
| Limits | GDP |
|---|---|
| Maximum Parent Account Balance | £6,000 |
| Annual Parent Load Limit | £10,000 |
| Account Load | £2-£500 |
| Child ATM Withdrawals | £5-£120 |
| Maximum Child ATM Withdrawals In A Day | 3 |
| Maximum Child Spends A Day | 10 |
| Maximum Child Account Spend In A Day | £4,000 |
You can find a more granular look at Gohenry’s restrictions here.
Is Gohenry Safe?
Gohenry is not protected by the FSCS as it’s not considered a bank and therefore does not satisfy the criteria for protection.
However, as a partner of Visa, Gohenry must adhere to the regulations they impose.
The funds that you deposit with Gohenry are held in a segregated account which means Gohenry can’t access it.
So if for any reason Gohenry or its partner IDT went bust, your money will be paid back in full.
It’s also worth noting that their app and website use bank-grade encryption courtesy of their payment processing partner.
Gohenry Reviews
To reference Trustpilot, Gohenry has an overall score of 3.8 of 5.
With over 4,500 reviews, the company is rated as ‘great’.
68% of the reviews gave them 5 stars, while 13% rated them at 1 star.
Positive Gohenry reviews include things like:
- My kids enjoy this app
- Fantastic idea
- Works well
- Gives my child more independence
Negative Gohenry reviews touch on things like:
- Issues with customer service response times
- 50p top-up and transfer fees
GoHenry’s Competitors
When it comes to pocket money apps, there is some good competition out there.
So next up in this Gohenry review is a comparison of them and their current competitors.
Gohenry Vs Roostermoney
Rooster is similar to Gohenry in that it offers educational content and a bunch of features to help your child develop good money habits.
Both apps allow parents to set chores, tasks and goals as well as implement blocking features for their child’s card.
The main difference is Roostermoney has developed 3 plans, that cater to those as young as 3.
By comparison, Gohenry only has 1 standard child/teenage account for those who are 6+.
Here is a brief look at the 3 plans:
| Virtual Planner | Roosterplus | Roostercard | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | £14.99/year or £1.99/monthly (1 Month Free Trial) | * £24.99/year (1 Month Free Trial) |
| Ages | 3+ | 5+ | 6+ |
| Set Goals | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Chore management System | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Prepaid Card | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
*Can only be paid annually
As you can see from the chart above, Roostermoney can also technically be used for free if you stick to the virtual tracker plan.
Just note that this plan uses virtual currency or stars, not real money.
Gohenry Vs Hyperjar
Hyperjar, recommended by Martin Lewis of MoneySavingExpert, is a prepaid debit card that utilises pots to help kids manage money.
Its main appeal is the fact that it’s completely free to use, unlike other pocket money apps on the market.
Just like its competitors, Hyperjar has a dedicated child’s app (6+) that can be accessed after you create an account as a parent.
On the kid’s app, they have a range of features available to them like savings jars and educational content.
While parents can implement spending and blocking controls on their version of the app.
The only major downfall of Hyperjar is you can’t use the card to withdraw money from ATMs or currency exchange services.
Gohenry Vs Nimbl
Nimbl, much like Gohenry, is targeted at parents with kids who range from the ages of 6 to 18.
Both parents and kids have their own version of the app which includes interesting features like:
- Instant top-ups
- Micro savings
- Spending alerts
- Spending controls
Nimbl is marginally cheaper than Gohenry at £2.49/month but still offers a 1-month free trial.
It does have to be said, however, that Gohenry is much better when taken abroad as it’s free, whereas Nimbl charges a 2.95% exchange rate fee on all foreign transactions.
FAQS
Can Gohenry Be Used Abroad?
Yes, Gohenry can be used anywhere that except Visa at no extra cost.
However, be wary of foreign ATMs that charge small fees.
How Much Is Gohenry a Month?
£2.99/month per child.
Is Gohenry Worth It?
Gohenry is certainly an option worth considering when it comes to an app that helps your child develop good money habits.
What Companies Are Similar To Gohenry?
- Roostermoney
- Nimbl
- Hyperjar
Is There A Free Version Of Gohenry?
Unfortunately not, However, Gohenry does offer a 1 month free trial period that you can use to establish whether or not you think it’s worth it.
What Does Gohenry Do?
Gohenry offers children a chance to learn about finances by giving them a card which they can use for themselves- all under the watchful eye of the parent.
Conclusion Of This Gohenry Review
Now this Gohenry review is drawing to a close, I hope you have a better idea about whether or not Gohenry is a good fit for you and your child.
Gohenry undoubtedly has great educational material and tools for both parents and kids.
It’s also the best card of the bunch when taken abroad, so it’s appealing for those of us that like to go on holiday frequently with our families.
However, after looking at Gohenry against its competitors, they don’t fare as well as you’d expect for arguably the biggest pocket money app in the Uk.
The monthly fee is higher than all other similar apps we looked at and that’s not taking into account the 50p top-up fee you can incur for additional loading each month.
As we saw from the Gohenry reviews on Trustpilot earlier, this also happened to be one of the main reasons for 1-star reviews.
Ultimately it’s you who decides whether this cost is worth paying but I would at least consider trying out Gohenry’s competitors first- especially considering they all offer 1 month-free trials.
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