Fidelity Youth – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Fidelity Youth

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2023

68%

WISE Score

4.7

App Store

Fidelity's free teen investing and money management app—solid concept, but reviews suggest the execution is still catching up.

Fidelity Youth

app

Everyone, 2023

68%

WISE Score

4.7

App Store

Fidelity's free teen investing and money management app—solid concept, but reviews suggest the execution is still catching up.

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Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

Fidelity Youth is the kind of app that looks great on paper—free teen investing account, robust parent controls, educational resources, no fees. And honestly, the concept is solid. Teaching teens to invest early, organize savings, and manage real money is genuinely valuable.

But here's the thing: recent user reviews suggest the app itself is buggy and frustrating to use. Reddit parents in late 2024 are calling it 'horrible' and 'half-baked' compared to competitors. That's a problem when you're trying to teach teens good habits—if the tool is clunky, the lesson gets lost.

If you're already deep in the Fidelity ecosystem and want everything under one roof, it might be worth the hassle. But if you're shopping around for the best teen money app, you'll probably want to compare this against Greenlight, Step, or other options that have more polish and better reviews. The educational value is there, but the execution needs work.

Age Fit

Designed for teens 13-17 who are ready to learn real money management and investing. Best for families who want to teach financial literacy hands-on, with parent oversight. Requires the teen to have some income or receive allowances to be meaningful.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Promotes responsible money habits, goal-setting, and delayed gratification. Parent oversight features model healthy guidance rather than control. The app encourages productive conversations about earning, saving, and investing—all emotionally healthy concepts for teens developing financial independence.

Imaginative

Financial literacy apps are inherently practical rather than creative. While teens can customize savings 'buckets' and set their own goals, the app is primarily transactional—tracking spending, organizing money, executing trades. It teaches valuable real-world skills but doesn't invite exploration, building, or creative expression in meaningful ways.

Safe

No ads, gambling mechanics, or predatory features. Parent controls are robust—guardians can monitor all activity, close cards, and oversee trades. However, Reddit reviews from Dec 2024 describe it as 'half-baked' and 'unusable' compared to competitors like Greenlight, with bugs and missing features. The app itself is safe, but execution quality raises concerns about reliability and user experience.

Enriching

Genuinely enriching for teens ready to learn investing and money management. The learning center provides investing education, and the ability to own an actual investment account (not just a simulation) offers real-world skill-building. Direct deposit setup, gift card exchange, and automatic savings rules teach practical financial literacy. These are life skills with lasting value.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Teaches real investing with actual money, not just gamified simulations—teens can own their own brokerage account
Zero account fees, no minimums, and no subscription costs make it accessible for families starting small
Parent oversight is comprehensive without being overbearing—you can monitor trades, send allowances, and close cards if needed
Learning center provides investing education alongside practical features like direct deposit and automatic savings rules
Good option if your family already banks with Fidelity and wants everything in one ecosystem

⚠

What to Watch For

December 2024 Reddit reviews are brutal—users call it 'half-baked' and 'unusable' compared to competitors like Greenlight
App reportedly had issues supporting multiple children for a while, and functionality may still be limited
Only useful if your teen actually has money to manage—whether from a job, allowance, or parent transfers
Investing involves real risk; teens need guidance to understand that their money can go down as well as up

Conversation Starters

"If you could invest in any company right now, which one would you pick and why?"
"Let's talk about your first savings goal—what are you working toward?"
"What do you think is a reasonable amount to save versus spend from your paycheck?"
"Should we set up an automatic savings rule, or do you want to decide each time?"
"What's one thing you learned from the app's investing tips that surprised you?"

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