It depends on the app. Venmo offers Teen Accounts for 13 to 17 set up by a parent, and Cash App has sponsored accounts for the same range. Apple Cash covers under 18 through Family Sharing. Zelle and PayPal both require users to be 18 or older with no minor option. Under 13, the realistic answer is cash with a written log.
It depends entirely on which app, and the differences are larger than most parents assume.
Venmo offers Teen Accounts for ages 13 to 17. A parent or guardian creates the account, it is connected to the parent's own Venmo, and the parent keeps visibility over activity and can lock the card.
Cash App has offered sponsored accounts for 13 to 17 year olds since 2021, with a sponsor providing oversight.
Apple Cash covers under 18 through Apple Cash Family, managed by the family organizer in a Family Sharing group.
Zelle and PayPal both require users to be 18 or older, with no minor or family option on either.
Under 13 there is no teen tier anywhere worth using. The realistic answer at that age is cash, or payments arriving in a parent's account with a written log, and the log matters because otherwise the kid has no idea what they made.
One thing worth understanding before setting any of this up. These apps distinguish personal payments from goods and services, and payments flagged as business can generate tax reporting. The thresholds for that have changed repeatedly in recent years, so check the current rule rather than relying on what somebody told you two years ago.
The parent question underneath this one is usually about visibility rather than mechanics. A teen account with oversight built in is a better answer than routing everything through your phone indefinitely, because a kid who never sees money arrive never connects the work to the payment.
App policies change often. Verify on the provider's own site before setting anything up.
Five questions about age, budget, time, and what they actually like doing. Four matched ideas at the end, free, with no email needed to see them.
Take the quizA kid who cuts, edges, and cleans up usually starts between $25 and $40. Professionals charge about $30 to $85 a visit, and a young founder starting below that is being paid less for being unproven, not for being young.
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What age can a kid start a business?A program from Founder's Best Friend. Built for kids 8 to 18 who want something of their own.