Cash App Families: Our New Favorite Banking App for Teens (and Their Parents)
Sponsored by Cash App
Ever wish your teen could start learning how to manage money without handing over your debit card and just hoping for the best?
That’s exactly what Cash App Families is for. It gives people ages 13 to 17 a way to build real-world money skills like investing, saving, spending, and sending money with a built-in safety net. Parents and guardians stay in the loop the whole time.
And don’t worry, this isn’t some watered-down, pretend version of banking*. It’s the real deal. Teens get their own debit card and access to Cash App, with the freedom to use it like an adult. Parents? You get full visibility into how they’re using it, and control over key settings.
What Is Cash App Families?
If you already know about Cash App, you know it’s popular for sending money fast, splitting lunch, or paying for side gigs. Cash App Families is a new feature that brings those same tools to people under 18 with a little help from a parent or guardian.
Think of it as a starter pack for financial independence.
With a sponsored account, teens can:
- Get their own Cash App Card (and yes, they can customize it)
- Send and receive money with friends and family
- Set up savings goals
- Get direct deposit if they’re working a part-time job
And here’s the best part: parents and guardians stay in control. You can set permissions, get real-time alerts, block specific contacts, and monitor money movement all from your own Cash App account.
Why It’s Actually Kind of a Big Deal
A lot of teen banking tools come with clunky apps, monthly fees, or zero parental oversight. Cash App Families keeps it simple, safe, and actually useful for real-world money management:
- Bank* with fewer barriers. No hidden fees, no monthly fees, no minimum balance, no surprise charges.
- It gives teens access to real financial tools. Not cutesy budgeting games or training wheels, but actual features like direct deposit, savings goals, and the ability to spend their own money (within responsible limits).
- It’s secure. With real-time fraud monitoring, automatic blocking for risky transactions, and built-in privacy (like hiding accounts for people under 18 from being searched), it’s designed to keep everyone protected.
Your teen gets independence and the chance to learn how to manage their money in a safe, supervised environment. You get peace of mind knowing the tools in place help them build smart habits without giving them free rein. It’s the kind of balance that builds trust and confidence on both sides.
How It Works (Spoiler: It’s Easy)
Whether you’re the parent or the person under 18, getting set up only takes a few minutes.
If you’re 13–17 (with parent or guardian approval):
- Sign up for Cash App
- Go to Profile > Family > I’m a teen
- Add your info and send a sponsor request to a parent or guardian
If you’re the parent or guardian:
- Open Cash App
- Tap Profile > Family > Invite a teen
- Enter their name, $Cashtag, phone, or email
- Approve the request when it comes through
Once you’re linked, the sponsored account gets full access to the tools, and parents stay connected every step of the way.
How Cash App Keeps Teens Safe While Giving Parents Control
Let’s be real. Teens want freedom. Parents want to make sure that freedom doesn’t come with a side of financial chaos. Cash App Families does a good job balancing both.
If a payment looks suspicious, it gets flagged and blocked automatically. Parents get real-time transaction alerts, can block sketchy contacts, and even freeze the Cash Card if needed. Features like Bitcoin and stock investing** are turned off by default unless a parent decides otherwise. So, teens can’t dive into those areas without a green light.
And if you’re wondering how well all this works: less than 0.01% of peer-to-peer payments on Cash App are confirmed scams.
Final Take
If there’s someone under 18 in your life who’s asking for an allowance, earning their own money, or just ready to start learning how to manage it, Cash App Families checks all the boxes.
It’s free to use, fast to set up, and packed with tools that actually help build smart money habits. Teens get freedom and real financial tools. Parents get oversight and peace of mind.
No “where did that $20 go?” conversations. Just a better way to manage money together, and set your kids up for future financial success as they prepare to manage it on their own.
