Common Sense Media Review
By Dana Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Site institutionalizes "the gimmes" but allows veto power.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 10 parent reviews
Parents say that the service is frustratingly complex and riddled with hidden fees and unhelpful customer service. Many expressed dissatisfaction with the inability to manage their accounts effectively, including limits on funding and poor communication from support staff, leading several to recommend avoiding the service entirely in favor of simpler alternatives like cash or low-limit credit cards.
- frustrating service
- hidden fees
- poor customer service
- limited management
- better alternatives
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 2 kid reviews
Privacy Rating Warning
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
Privacy Rating
Our expert evaluators create our privacy ratings. The ratings are designed to help you understand how apps use your data for commercial purposes.
Pass
Meets our minimum requirements for privacy and security practices.
Warning
Does not meet our recommendations for privacy and security practices.
Fail
Does not have a privacy policy and should not be used.
What's It About?
BILLMYPARENTS allows teens to charge Internet purchases on select gaming sites, amazon.com, and other online affiliated retailers without a credit card in hand. Teens and parents (and other adult relatives and friends the teen solicits) sign up for the site, and the parent inserts a credit card number. After the teen shops online and "makes" a purchase, the parent gets the chance to approve or veto it before it's officially charged. The credit card is charged 50 cents extra per shopping card transaction for use of the service.
Is It Any Good?
There might be a good application of this site, because it keeps the actual credit card number out of the hands of the teen, and monitors the purchases before they are officially charged. In practice, however, the mental and emotional hit a teen may get from just going through the process of making the purchase online and the subsequent headache the parent will get from having to say no will likely be more of a hassle than a help. Perhaps for college kids who are away at school, this might prove to be an efficient means for parents to keep tabs on expenditures -- and may be easier to say no from afar.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about smart use of credit cards, budgets, and forethought in purchases. Talk with your teen about your family's policies when it comes to online shopping and credit cards. If your teen registers for this site, discuss what other adults in their life -- grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult friends -- you approve of them approaching about signing up their card, which could be a rude, presumptious, or downright dangerous proposition if not handled properly.
Website Details
- Genre : Creating
- Pricing structure : Free
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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