Greenlight Max: What Your Kid Actually Gets at the Top Tier

Greenlight is a family banking app built around a parent-controlled debit card for kids. It runs on three subscription tiers — Core, Max, and Infinity. Max sits in the middle: more than the basics that Core offers, less than the full protection and rewards bundle that Infinity adds.

Greenlight Financial is not a bank. The accounts behind the product are held at and FDIC-insured through Community Federal Savings Bank, up to $250,000. The debit card itself is a Mastercard, accepted anywhere Mastercard is.

The app splits into two views: a parent dashboard where adults set spending limits, approve investing requests, and move money between accounts — and a kid-facing view where children track their spending, set savings goals, and browse stocks they can request to buy.

Max is the tier where Greenlight starts to feel like a full family finance tool rather than a glorified allowance tracker. The savings reward, investing access, and protection features are all exclusive to Max and Infinity — none of them are available on Core.

Greenlight Max is designed for parents managing money for kids roughly ages 6 through 18 who want structured spending and saving — and who want to handle all of it from an app rather than a branch.

It works especially well for households with more than one child, since up to five kids can be added under a single family subscription. For larger families, the per-child cost compared to standalone prepaid card alternatives is worth running.

Max goes beyond a basic prepaid card. Parents who want a savings incentive their kids can actually see and track, or who want investing conversations to start early with real (small) stakes, will find Core too limited. Max fills that gap.

Families already comfortable banking digitally and who want education tools built directly into the same app — not downloaded separately — are the core audience. This is not a product for families who want branch access, paper checks, or a credit card component.

Families already comfortable banking digitally and who want education tools built directly into the same app — not downloaded separately — are the core audience.

Debit card with parent-set controls

Each child on the plan gets a physical Mastercard debit card. Parents set spending limits by store, category, or dollar amount, and receive real-time notifications every time the card is used. Money can be moved to a child's account instantly from the parent dashboard.

Cash-back rewards

The whole family earns 1% cash back on Greenlight debit card purchases. Cash back goes directly into the Greenlight account. It is not tied to specific merchants — it applies to everyday spending across the board.

The 5% savings reward

Greenlight pays a 5% savings reward on balances kids set aside in the savings section of the app. This is paid monthly by Greenlight Financial — it is not a bank interest rate and does not work exactly like a traditional annual percentage yield. But for a child watching a savings balance grow, it is a concrete and meaningful incentive. Greenlight is transparent about the distinction.

For families comparing this to a high-yield savings account: the mechanics are different, but the behavioral goal is the same — give kids a visible reason to save.

Stock investing with parental approval

Kids can browse stocks and request trades from within the app. Parents approve every transaction before it goes through — kids cannot invest independently. Fractional shares are supported, so children can start with small amounts. This feature is not available on Core.

Identity and device protection

Max includes family identity theft monitoring and alerts, cell phone protection for the whole family against damage and theft, and purchase protection on eligible card purchases. These features are exclusive to Max and Infinity.

Priority customer support

Max subscribers get faster access to Greenlight's support team compared to Core subscribers.

The 5% figure is one of the highest savings incentives available on any family debit platform. It is worth understanding exactly what it is before comparing it to a high-yield savings account or a money market account.

A bank's annual percentage yield is a federally regulated rate, governed by rules on how interest compounds and how it must be disclosed. Greenlight's savings reward is paid directly by Greenlight Financial as a platform incentive — it does not compound in the same way, and it is not a deposit interest rate.

That distinction matters most when families are deciding whether Greenlight replaces or supplements a traditional savings account. It does not replace one. But for a child's savings goals tracked inside the app, the reward functions as a strong, visible motivator — which is the point.

Parents should also note that the savings reward applies to balances held in the savings portion of the Greenlight app, not to all funds on the card.

Core vs. Max

Core is Greenlight stripped to the debit card and basic parental controls. There is no savings reward, no cash back, no investing, and no identity or device protection at Core. Families who want those features have to step up to Max.

Max vs. Infinity

Infinity adds a higher savings reward and a more comprehensive protection bundle. Max and Infinity share the same 1% cash-back rate on purchases. Max is the middle ground — a strong feature set at a lower price than Infinity, suited for families who want the investing and protection features but do not need the highest-tier bundle.

Pricing structure

Greenlight Max is priced as a monthly subscription per family, not per child. Up to five children are included under one plan. For families with two or more kids, the per-child cost of a single family subscription is usually lower than paying separately for each child on a standalone prepaid card.

Greenlight Max is a debit product built for kids and teens. It is not a full-service bank account for adults. There are no paper checks, no wire transfers, no branch access, and no ATM network beyond what any Mastercard debit card can access.

It does not include any credit-building feature. The card does not report to credit bureaus. Families focused on helping a teenager establish a credit history should look at separate credit-builder products alongside Greenlight — Max does not cover that ground.

The investing feature, while a meaningful differentiator, is designed as a learning tool. Kids cannot invest independently, and the feature is not a standalone brokerage account — it is a parent-supervised introduction to how stock investing works.