← All guides · Updated 19 October 2026

Which platforms to use to invest for your kid (2026, by country)

Free brokers, family apps and government accounts compared in plain words, for the US, the UK and Europe, with real fees and what your child can actually buy.

Edmund is an education and analysis site. We are not a broker or an adviser, we hold no positions, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell. Fees and rules change: check the provider's own page. Tax rules depend on your country and situation; ask a qualified adviser if you are unsure.

The good news first: in 2026, holding an account for a child costs nothing or almost nothing in most countries. The real choice is no longer about price. It is about three questions: who owns the money, what your child can buy, and whether anyone helps your child understand it.

Start with the account type, not the app

Who owns the money?

• Custodial accounts (for example a UTMA or UGMA in the US): the money belongs to the child. A grown-up manages it. A gift into it cannot be taken back.
• Junior accounts with a tax wrapper (for example a Junior ISA in the UK): the child owns it; the money is locked until 18.
• Accounts in a parent's name, "for" the child: the parent owns it and keeps full control.
• Government accounts (for example the new US Trump Accounts): the state can add money, but the choice of investments is limited.

When does the child take control?

It depends on the account: between 18 and 21 for a US UTMA/UGMA (it differs by state), at 18 for a UK Junior ISA, and at 18 for a US Trump Account, which then becomes a traditional IRA. Check this before you open anything, because it decides when your child can spend the money.

The three kinds of platforms

1. Free brokers. The account costs $0 / £0 / €0 a year, and you choose the investments. Examples: Fidelity and Schwab in the US, Hargreaves Lansdown in the UK, Scalable Capital and Trade Republic in Germany.

2. Family finance apps with investing. You pay a monthly fee for a kids' debit card, chores, pocket money and lessons. Investing is often only in the higher plans. Examples (fees seen 19 Oct 2026): Greenlight Max $10.98 a month, Acorns Gold $12 a month.

Simple maths: $12 a month is $144 a year. On a $1,000 balance, that is 14.4% a year. These apps can still be worth it for the card and the chores, but count the fee in money, not in percent.

3. Government accounts. The state seeds or tops up the account, but the investments are usually index funds only. Examples: US Trump Accounts ($1,000 seed for children born 2025–2028), the UK Junior ISA (tax-free, £9,000 a year), Canada's RESP (a 20% government grant), and Germany's planned "Frühstart-Rente" (not yet law in October 2026).

United States

What closed: EarlyBird (closed June 2025 after Acorns bought it) and Stockpile (closed 17 April 2026; custodial accounts moved to Stash). Before you choose a small app, ask: what happens to my child's account if this app closes?

United Kingdom

A Junior ISA is tax-free, allows up to £9,000 a year, and the child takes over at 18. Only a parent or guardian can open it, but anyone can add money.

If you want your child to own single companies in a Junior ISA, you need a platform that holds shares, such as Hargreaves Lansdown or AJ Bell. Fund-only platforms do not.

Europe

Germany and Austria: the "Kinderdepot". The child is the owner, and each child has their own tax allowance. Scalable Capital offers a free plan with €0 savings plans from €1. Trade Republic's Kinderdepot (since May 2025) offers free savings plans in stocks and ETFs. Many providers need both parents to sign up.

Nordics. Nordnet and Avanza offer accounts in a child's name that guardians manage until 18.

Estonia. LHV offers investment accounts for children with no minimum age. One important rule: gift money from other people (for example grandparents) cannot be used to buy securities without prior court consent.

Canada, Australia, Japan in short

• Canada: an RESP gets a 20% government grant on the first CA$2,500 a year (up to CA$500 a year, CA$7,200 in total).
• Australia: Sharesies Kids ($2 a month plan) allows single shares and ETFs. Pearler Headstart holds one managed fund.
• Japan: a children's NISA ("Kodomo NISA") is planned from January 2027.

Five questions to choose (a checklist, not a ranking)

1. Do I want my child to own single companies, or only funds?
2. Is there free government money I would miss (a Trump Account seed, an RESP grant)?
3. What will I pay per year in money, not in percent?
4. What happens to the account if the app closes?
5. Does it come with learning, or will I add that myself?

Where Edmund fits

Edmund is not a platform, and you will not find it in these tables. Use any account you like. Then use Edmund to learn about the companies with your child: what they do, how they share their profits, and how safe that payment looks. Open Edmund or read how to get started.

Questions parents ask

Is a custodial account the same as a Junior ISA? No. They are different countries, tax rules and limits. A US custodial account has no yearly limit but is taxed; a UK Junior ISA is tax-free up to £9,000 a year.

Can grandparents add money? In most accounts, yes. In a Junior ISA, their money counts toward the £9,000 limit. In Estonia, note the court-consent rule above.

Does a custodial account affect US college aid? Yes. A UTMA/UGMA counts as the child's asset, which can reduce financial aid more than a parent-owned 529 plan. Check studentaid.gov for the current rules.

I got the Trump Account letter. Do I need another account? Not necessarily. A Trump Account holds index funds only. If you also want your child to own single companies, you need a separate account, such as a custodial account at a broker.

This guide is general education, not personal financial, tax or legal advice. Rules and fees change; check the provider's own site before you open an account.