Compare Greenlight and Stockpile on fees, DRIP, fractional shares and research for dividend investing.
Updated August 26, 2026
Greenlight and Stockpile are the two big family investing apps — both let kids invest in real stocks and ETFs with parental approval on every trade, and both charge a monthly subscription. Greenlight (4.2/5) is a complete money app: debit card, chores, savings, financial education modules, and investing from $1. Stockpile (3.9/5) is investing-first, with stock gift cards and fractional shares from $5 on 3,000+ stocks and ETFs.
The structural difference matters most: Stockpile offers true custodial accounts, where the child legally owns the stocks and control transfers to them at the age of majority. Greenlight’s investments are registered to the parent — kids don’t legally own the shares, and the account never automatically transfers.
The complete money app for families — debit cards, chores, savings rewards, and $1 investing for kids with a parent approving every trade.
The family investing app that lets you gift stock to kids and teens—teach financial literacy with real investments and supervised trading.
| Feature | Greenlight | Stockpile |
|---|---|---|
| Our Rating | 4.2/5 | 3.9/5 |
| Trading Commissions | N/A | N/A |
| Account Minimum | $1 | $5 |
| Fractional Shares | N/A | N/A |
| DRIP | N/A | N/A |
| Research Tools | Basic | Basic |
| Best For | Parents Teaching Kids Money | Parents Teaching Kids Investing |
Want the full breakdown of fees, DRIP, and research tools? Read our Greenlight review and Stockpile review.
Greenlight for teaching kids about money overall — the combination of debit card, chores, savings rewards, and financial literacy modules is unmatched, and investing starts at just $1 with parent approval on every trade. Stockpile wins if legal ownership matters: its custodial accounts actually belong to the child, and stock gift cards are a unique way for relatives to contribute. Either way, mind the monthly fees — $10.98+ for Greenlight with investing, $4.95+ for Stockpile — against what will likely be small balances.
Greenlight is the more complete money-education platform (4.2/5 vs 3.9/5), with debit cards, chore management, and financial literacy modules alongside $1 fractional investing. Stockpile is better when true ownership matters — its custodial accounts are legally the child’s, while Greenlight’s investments are registered to the parent.
Only on Stockpile. Its custodial accounts mean kids own the investments, with parents in control until the age of majority (18–21 depending on state). On Greenlight, securities are registered to the parent, earnings are taxed under the parent’s Social Security number, and the account doesn’t transfer to the child automatically.
Greenlight investing requires the Max plan at $10.98/month or higher (Infinity $15.98, Family Shield $19.98); the $5.99 Core plan has no investing. One subscription covers up to 5 kids. Stockpile charges $4.95/month (Basic) or $9.95/month (Family Plus), plus a $5 quarterly inactivity fee on balances of $20 or less and a 3% surcharge on card-funded stock purchases. Trading commissions are $0 on both.
Both are supervised: kids research and request trades, and parents approve or deny — in the app on Greenlight, via email notification on Stockpile. Greenlight trades start at $1 and have no trading fees. Stockpile requires a $5 minimum and executes trades in batches at market close rather than in real time.
Not sure these are the right fit? Explore more comparisons.
Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.