ANNA Money vs GoHenry
Side-by-side comparison — pricing, features, ratings, use cases. Find which Neobanks fits you best.
🔍 Independently researched ·
📊 Data-driven
· ⭐ Ratings from G2 (real user reviews)
73/100
Free tier
UK freelancers, contractors, and small business owners who want a no-nonsense, AI-assisted business account to handle in
★ Best
💰 Pricing
🆓 Free tier available
Free account with monthly fee waived if sufficient usage; otherwise subscription may be required
Fee notes:
- No monthly account fee for standard account
- FX conversion fee: 1% on transactions in non-GBP (or 1.5% if not using card? Please check)
- International payments: no fee for receiving, but FX spread applies
- ATM withdrawals: free in the UK, £1.50 or 2% for international (varies)
- Card replacement: £10 for standard, free for Premium (if applicable)
⚠ Watch for:
- FX markup of 1% on foreign currency transactions can add up
- International ATM withdrawal fees may be charged by ANNA plus any ATM operator fee
- If you need to upgrade for accounting features, costs can increase significantly
- Card replacement fee (if applicable) may not be disclosed upfront
🔧 Features
✓ Free Tier✓ Ai Assistant✓ Invoicing✓ Tax Reminders✓ Uk Business
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- The AI assistant is the undeniable standout. You can simply type 'send invoice to John for £500' in the chat and ANNA drafts, sends, and tracks it. For expense management, photograph a receipt and it categorises it appropriately, extracting key data. This direct, conversational interaction genuinely reduces manual admin, which is the whole point of the product.
- The free plan includes a full business current account, a debit card, and unlimited invoicing with no monthly fees. That's a rare offering in the UK—most comparable neobanks charge £5-£10 per month for similar entry-level features. For a freelancer just starting, this zero-cost entry is a massive draw.
- Setup is frictionless. There's no hard credit check, so even those with poor or unestablished credit can open an account. In practice, this can be done in under an hour, often in minutes if your ID is ready. This accessibility opens the door for many who would be rejected by high-street banks.
- Tax deadline reminders are genuinely useful. ANNA tracks VAT and self-assessment dates, notifying you via the app so you don't miss submissions. This is a small but vital feature that helps avoid penalties, a tangible saving that offsets any perceived limitations.
⚠ Watch out for
- ANNA is not a regulated bank, so deposits are not FSCS protected. Instead, they are safeguarded under e-money regulations, which means if ANNA were to go bust, you might not get your money back as quickly or at all, though safeguarding is designed to protect it. For some, this lack of FSCS cover is a dealbreaker, especially for larger balances.
- There are no native integrations with popular accounting tools like Xero or QuickBooks. You can export statements manually, but you can't sync transactions. For freelancers who already rely on these platforms, this creates extra manual work that other neobanks often solve with seamless integration—a significant gap.
- The free plan feels limited once you have a few employees or contractors. Multi-user access, for instance, is only available on paid tiers, which start at £4.90 per month. Advanced invoice customisation is also locked behind the paywall, so your invoices will look generic until you upgrade.
- Customer support is chat-only, with no phone line. Response times can be slow during peak periods, and while the AI handles routine queries well, complex issues may require multiple back-and-forths. This can be frustrating if you need urgent help with a payment or card issue.
🎯 Best for
UK freelancers, contractors, and small business owners who want a no-nonsense, AI-assisted business account to handle invoicing, expenses, and tax deadlines without extra admin overhead.
🚫 Who should skip
Businesses that need international banking, integrated accounting software, or access to loans and overdrafts should look elsewhere.
📚 Learning curve
Minimal — the AI chatbot and simple setup make it easy to get started, even for beginners.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
ANNA Money is a solid choice for freelancers and new businesses who want a zero-cost business account with built-in invoicing and admin automation, especially if they value quick setup and don't require FSCS protection or deep accounting integrations. It's less suitable for established businesses wi
51/100
7 € starting
GoHenry is best for parents who want an easy-to-manage prepaid card with chore-based allowances and built-in financial e
💰 Pricing
Starting at 7 € (flat_fee)
Fee notes:
- Monthly fee: £5.99 per child (Standard) and £9.98 per child (Premium) in the UK; US pricing differs (approx $5.99/month per child).
- Additional children: discount on multiple children (e.g., second child at 50% off in some markets).
- FX conversion fee: 1.5% above interbank rate for non-GBP transactions.
- International ATM withdrawal fee: £1.50 per withdrawal outside the UK/EU.
- UK ATM withdrawals: free.
⚠ Watch for:
- Inactivity fee: charged if the child's card is not used for 90 days.
- International ATM withdrawal fees: £1.50 per withdrawal outside UK/EU.
- Currency conversion fee: 1.5% above interbank when spending abroad in a different currency.
- Card replacement fee: £3.99.
🔧 Features
✓ Youth Focus✓ Parental Controls✓ Financial Education✓ Chores✓ Uk Us
📋 Assessment
💪 Strengths
- The parental controls are among the most granular in the industry. From a parent’s app, you can set a daily or monthly spending limit (even per-merchant), restrict ATM withdrawals entirely, and block specific merchant categories like 'gambling' or 'unhealthy food'. The instant card freeze is a lifeline—if your teen loses the card or makes a questionable purchase, you can lock it in seconds. This level of control gives parents the confidence to let their kids spend independently without fearing catastrophic mistakes.
- GoHenry’s 'Money Missions' is a standout educational feature. It’s a structured curriculum that turns financial topics into bite-sized lessons and quizzes, covering everything from budgeting and saving to understanding credit and investments. Kids earn points for completing them, which feeds directly into their GoHenry app, making learning feel like a game. Parents can tailor the lessons by age group, and the progress is tracked. This is more than a high-level ‘money tips’ section—it genuinely teaches kids real-world concepts in a format they'll engage with.
- The chores and allowance system is frictionless. You can create a recurring allowance (set a weekly amount and payment day) and a separate chores list with custom amounts per task. When your child marks a chore as done, you get a notification; you can approve or deny it, and upon approval, the amount is transferred instantly to their balance. This merges household responsibilities with financial education, teaching kids the value of work. It’s the kind of automation that saves parents time and reinforces good habits.
- The app is polished and intuitive for both kids and parents. The kid-facing app shows their balance, payment history, spending insights (categorized automatically), and a simulation of what they can afford. It's colorful and motivating without being childish. The parent app provides a clear dashboard to switch between children, view recent transactions, and manage all settings. Even if you're overwhelmed by the number of features, the UX design keeps things accessible.
- Instant payments and push notifications keep everyone informed. Every time your child uses the card, you receive a real-time notification (if enabled), including the merchant and amount. This transparency is crucial for building trust and having conversations about spending. You can also pay your child instantly from the parent app for odd jobs or birthday money, which is a welcomed convenience.
⚠ Watch out for
- The monthly fee per child is a significant drawback. In the US, it’s $4.99 per child per month; in the UK, it’s £4.99. For a family with two kids, that’s $119.76 per year—and with three kids, it reaches $179.64. Many competitors, like the free tier of Greenlight (though with less advanced control), or traditional custodial accounts, offer basic functionality at a lower cost. Parents should calculate whether the features justify the recurring expense.
- GoHenry is a prepaid card, not a bank account. That means you cannot set up direct deposits, write checks, or build credit history. The card has no billing address, so kids can’t use it for online purchases that require a verification (like some subscription services). There’s also no interest paid on balances, so any saved money is idle. For teens needing a 'real' bank account for a job, this is a limitation.
- The card declines when funds run out, which can be embarrassing for a teen in a checkout line. Unlike a credit card, there's no grace or protection—the balance is the limit. While this enforces budgeting, some teens may feel it's 'not cool' compared to a standard debit card. Additionally, there's no way to enable overdraft protection from a parent’s account, which could be a safeguard option.
- Customer support is decent but not stellar. GoHenry offers email support and an extensive help center (with FAQs and guides), but there is no live chat or phone line during business hours in the US (UK has phone support). Email responses can take up to 24 hours, which is frustrating if you need a quick resolution on a card declined abroad or a technical issue. In-app help is limited to articles, so live assistance is lacking.
🎯 Best for
GoHenry is best for parents who want an easy-to-manage prepaid card with chore-based allowances and built-in financial education to teach kids (ages 6-18) smart money habits.
🚫 Who should skip
Parents looking for a free or low-cost money management tool, or those who only need a simple minor savings account with no subscription, should skip GoHenry.
📚 Learning curve
Minimal — the setup is straightforward for both parents and kids; most users can start using the card and app within 10 minutes of activation.
🧑⚖️ Verdict
GoHenry is an excellent choice for parents who want to actively teach kids about money through hands-on controls and structured lessons. It's ideal for families with one or two kids, given the per-child fees. If you have three or more children or need a more robust bank-like account with direct depo
📊 Use Case Suitability
Higher score = better fit. Scores from editorial review.
Use CaseANNA MoneyGoHenry
Freelancer Invoicing92—
ANNA's AI assistant creates professional invoices from simple commands and sends
Tax Deadline Tracking90—
Built-in reminders for deadlines and automatic expense categorisation help self-
Expense Management85—
The AI categorises spending automatically and snapshots receipts, giving small b
Everyday Business Banking78—
It provides a functional UK business current account with a debit card, but lack
International Payments35—
International transfers carry higher fees and are not a core strength; you're be
Teaching Kids Financial Responsibility—95
GoHenry combines a prepaid card, chores-based earnings, and structured financial
Managing Family Allowances and Chores—90
Parents can automate allowance, assign paid chores, and track task completion—al
Parental Oversight of Teen Spending—88
Real-time alerts, spending controls, and the ability to freeze the card give par
🧭 Which One Should You Pick?
Choose ANNA Money if...
- You are: UK freelancers, contractors, and small business owners who want a no-nonsense, AI-assisted business account to handle in
- 👍 AI assistant genuinely reduces admin by creating invoices and categorising expenses from simple chat
- 👍 Free tier includes a business account, debit card, and invoicing without ongoing monthly costs.
- 👍 Fast setup with no credit checks, making it accessible to new businesses and those with poor credit.
- 💰 Free tier available
- ⚠ Trade-off: Not a regulated bank, so funds are not FSCS protected; you're relying on e-money
Choose GoHenry if...
- You are: GoHenry is best for parents who want an easy-to-manage prepaid card with chore-based allowances and built-in financial e
- 👍 Very strong parental controls: instant card freeze, custom spending limits, ATM restrictions, and me
- 👍 Built-in financial education with bite-sized lessons, quizzes, and 'Money Missions' that actually re
- 👍 Chores and allowance features are well-integrated—parents can assign tasks, approve them, and pay au
- 💰 From $7.6/mo
- ⚠ Trade-off: Monthly subscription fee per child adds up fast—a family with three kids pays ne
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is ANNA Money really free?
Yes, ANNA Money offers a free business account with no monthly fee, including a UK sort code and account number, debit card, and basic invoicing. However, some features like international payments and cash deposits cost extra, and paid plans add advanced functionality.
What are ANNA Money's limits on the free plan?
The free plan includes a full UK business account with no monthly fee, but has limits on invoicing, card usage, and access to support. For example, you may pay per transaction or for cash deposits, and some advanced tools are only available on paid plans.
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