Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Ally Invest vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Bottom line: Ally Invest is the stronger all-around pick for traditional investing and retirement planning, while eToro stands out for crypto and fractional shares. Ally Invest covers stocks, options, mutual funds, OTC stocks, and margin, and it also offers Traditional and Roth IRAs plus advisor services. eToro pairs stock and options trading with crypto access across 104 coins and fractional shares. For range of investments, StockBrokers.com rates Ally Invest 4 stars (11th of 14) and eToro 2.5 stars (14th of 14).
Ally Invest vs eToro on trading choices: both brokers offer stock and options trading. Ally Invest supports margin trading, mutual funds, and OTC stocks, while eToro does not. eToro offers fractional shares and crypto trading (104 coins), which Ally Invest does not. Neither broker offers forex or futures.
Account types and guidance: Ally Invest offers Traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts and access to advisor services; eToro does not provide IRAs or advisor services. Choose Ally Invest if you want margin, mutual funds, OTC stocks, and retirement accounts under one roof. Choose eToro if crypto trading and fractional shares are your priority alongside stocks and options.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | No |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | No |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 104 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
Bottom line: For trading platforms and tools, Ally Invest and eToro both earn 1.5 out of 5 stars from StockBrokers.com, with Ally ranked #10 of 14 and eToro #11. Both are web-only—no Windows or Mac downloads. eToro is the better pick if you want paper trading to practice; Ally is the better pick if you value more built-in indicators and automated chart-pattern recognition. For most casual traders choosing between the two, choose eToro to rehearse trades, or Ally if indicator depth matters more.
Platform access and essentials: Each broker offers a browser-based platform and no desktop apps. Neither provides a trading journal. Watchlists are roomier at Ally (10 fields) than eToro (7). You can save multiple chart profiles and add notes to charts with both. However, neither lets you adjust open orders on a chart, show past trades on charts, display corporate events, set custom date ranges, or create custom studies.
Charting tools compared: Ally supplies 120 technical indicators versus eToro’s 46, while eToro offers more drawing tools (48 vs 36). When editing a simple moving average, Ally has 8 settings fields compared with eToro’s 5. Only Ally includes automated technical analysis that flags chart patterns; eToro does not.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 120 | 46 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 36 | 48 |
| Advanced Trading |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
A full-featured account for investing
Get up to $1K on new brokerage account*
Comparing online brokers Ally Invest and eToro for beginner and investor education: both cover the core topics—stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Ally Invest is the only one of the two with mutual fund education. eToro stands out for hands-on learning with free paper trading and a library of educational videos, while Ally Invest offers neither. Neither broker currently provides webinars, quizzes, or tools to track your learning progress.
Both earn 3 out of 5 stars for education. In StockBrokers.com’s 14-broker lineup, eToro ranks #9 and Ally Invest ranks #12. Pick eToro if you want to practice with virtual trading or prefer video lessons; pick Ally Invest if mutual fund education is important to you, while still getting coverage on stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos | No | Yes |
| Webinars | No | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
If you’re comparing the Ally Invest app vs the eToro app for stock trading, eToro is the better overall pick for most users. StockBrokers.com rates eToro 4 out of 5 stars (11th of 14 brokers) versus Ally Invest at 3 stars (14th of 14). Ally covers the basics, but eToro delivers more advanced tools and conveniences that many traders will value day to day.
Both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps, and neither supports Apple Watch. Ally Invest supports mobile after-hours stock trading; eToro’s mobile after-hours availability isn’t specified here. Each app provides streaming quotes and mobile options trading. eToro adds stock alerts and videos on demand, while Ally lacks both; neither app streams live TV. Both let you create custom watch lists, though neither allows customizing watch list columns.
Charting is where eToro pulls ahead. Both apps let you view multiple time frames, but only eToro includes after-hours charting, stock-to-stock comparisons on charts, and 103 technical studies. Ally Invest does not offer after-hours charting, stock comparisons on charts, or any technical studies. Neither app supports viewing charts in landscape mode.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | No | No |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
| Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 103 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026
When comparing Ally Invest and eToro for account fees and charges, Ally Invest stands out with a $0 minimum deposit requirement, making it accessible for new investors. In contrast, eToro requires a minimum deposit of $50. Both platforms offer commission-free trades for regular stocks, making them attractive choices for stock investors. However, differences appear in options trading fees, where Ally Invest charges $0.50 per contract, while eToro offers options contracts for free.
For traders interested in margin trading, Ally Invest provides varying interest rates based on account balance tiers, starting at 12% for balances below $25,000 and decreasing to 11% for balances between $50,000 and $99,999. On the other hand, eToro does not currently offer margin trading, making this feature a deciding factor for any potential investor considering leverage in their trades. IRA account holders will appreciate that Ally Invest charges no annual fees, although an IRA closure incurs a cost of $25. For account transfers, Ally Invest charges $50 for both partial and full Account Transfers (ACAT), while eToro charges a slightly higher fee of $75 for the same services.
Both Ally Invest and eToro offer free options exercise and assignment fees, which enhances their appeal for options traders. Despite the similarities in some areas, subtle differences like margin trading options and minimum deposit requirements highlight the contrasts between these two platforms, catering to distinct preferences among investors.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $50.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 | $0.00 |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $25.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2026
When comparing the day trading capabilities of Ally Invest and eToro, both platforms show similarities, yet they fall short in several advanced trading features. For stock traders interested in real-time data analysis, eToro provides an edge by offering streaming time and sales for stocks, while Ally Invest does not offer this feature. However, neither platform supports streaming live TV or direct market routing for stocks, which might be a downside for some active traders looking for enhanced market interaction and real-time information. Additionally, neither Ally Invest nor eToro provides ladder trading or trading hotkeys, both of which are tools that could speed up trade execution for day traders.
Looking further into the technical capabilities, both Ally Invest and eToro lack level 2 quotes and basic or advanced strategy backtesting features, which are crucial for those interested in deeper market analysis and strategy refinement. Furthermore, neither platform offers a short locator tool to determine real-time share availability for short selling, nor do they provide order liquidity (maker/taker) rebates. Day traders who prioritize these features might need to consider other online brokerage options to meet their trading needs effectively.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | Yes |
| Streaming TV | No | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
| Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
If you're choosing between Ally Invest and eToro for market research, Ally covers more markets and gives you more ways to find ideas. It's rated 3 stars and ranked #9 of 14 for research, while eToro is 2 stars and ranked #14. Pick Ally if you want research on mutual funds, bonds, and OTC stocks plus screeners; pick eToro if ESG research matters to you alongside social sentiment.
Research coverage: Both brokers offer stock and ETF research. Only Ally adds mutual fund research, bond research, and Pink Sheets/OTCBB research; eToro does not. Each broker shows social media sentiment for stocks, but only eToro includes ESG data. Neither broker provides downloadable PDF reports for stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds, and neither shows portfolio allocation by asset class.
Idea tools: Ally includes screeners for stocks, ETFs, and bonds; there is no mutual fund screener. eToro does not provide screeners for stocks, ETFs, bonds, or mutual funds. This tool gap helps explain why Ally scores higher for market research.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Research |
|
|
When it comes to banking capabilities, Ally Invest outshines eToro by providing a comprehensive range of financial services. Ally Invest supports a full suite of banking options, including checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, as well as mortgage loans. Additionally, Ally Invest offers certificates of deposit (CDs), giving customers more opportunities to grow their savings. In stark contrast, eToro lacks these banking offerings entirely, as it does not provide checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, mortgage loans, or CDs. For those seeking an online broker with extensive banking features, Ally Invest clearly holds a significant advantage over eToro.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | Yes | |
| Savings Accounts | Yes | |
| Debit Cards | Yes | |
| Credit Cards | Yes | |
| Mortgage Loans | Yes | |
| Brokerage CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2026
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Ally Invest is better than eToro. Ally Invest finished with an overall score of 56.0%, while eToro finished with a score of 51.4%.
For current Ally customers looking to invest in stocks, Ally's universal-accounts experience and easy-to-use website offer a convenient solution. Its website is far stronger than the mobile app.
Compared to online broker Ally Invest, which does not offer crypto trading and provides access to 0 cryptocurrencies, eToro supports crypto trading with 104 coins available. For investors seeking a platform for buying and selling digital assets, eToro offers significantly broader cryptocurrency access than Ally Invest.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026
Ally Invest offers both traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fee, but imposes a $25 closure fee, whereas eToro does not provide IRA accounts, making Ally Invest the favorable choice for IRA services.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026
Select Brokers
↓×Compare
0 of 5| Overall Rating | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Advanced Trading |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Customer Service |
| N/A | |
| Education |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Ally Invest Review | eToro Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
|
|
| Trading Fees | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $50.00 | |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $4.95 | N/A | |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $0.00 | N/A | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $20 | $0 |
| Margin Rates | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 12% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 11.75% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 11% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 9.75% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 8.75% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 8.25% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 7.5% | Not offered |
| Account Fees | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | ||
| IRA Closure Fee | $25.00 | ||
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $50.00 | $75.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $50.00 | $75.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | No | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | Yes | |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | No | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 0 | |
| Futures Trading | No | No | |
| Forex Trading | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 104 | |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes | No | |
| Roth IRAs | Yes | No | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | No | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
| Order Types | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Limit | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - After Hours | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Trailing Stop | No | Yes | |
| Order Type - OCO | No | No | |
| Order Type - OTO | No | No | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
| Beginners | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | No | |
| Paper Trading | No | Yes | |
| Videos | No | Yes | |
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Progress Tracking | No | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | No | No | |
| Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
| Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Complex Options | Yes | No | |
| Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Ticket SRT Quotes | No | Yes |
| Stock App Features | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Research - Market Movers | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Streaming) | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization | No | No |
| Stock App Charting | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 103 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | N/A | N/A | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | Yes | |
| Trade Journal | No | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 10 | 7 |
| Stock Chart Features | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 120 | 46 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 36 | 48 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | No | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 8 | 5 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | Yes | |
| Streaming TV | No | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No | |
| Ladder Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Hot Keys | No | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
| Short Locator | No | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | No | |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | No | No |
| Stock Research | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Social | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | Yes |
| ETF Research | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Investment Objective | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | No | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | No | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | No | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | No | |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | No | |
| ETFs - Risk Analysis | No | No | |
| ETFs - Ratings | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
| Mutual Fund Research | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | No |
| Options Trading | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 4 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | No | No |
| Banking | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | Yes | ||
| Checking Accounts | Yes | ||
| Savings Accounts | Yes | ||
| Credit Cards | Yes | ||
| Debit Cards | Yes | ||
| Mortgage Loans | Yes |
| Customer Service | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | Yes | No |
| Overall | Ally Invest | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall |
|
| |
| Range of Investments |
|
| |
| Advanced Trading |
|
| |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
| |
| Research |
|
| |
| Education |
|
| |
| Ease of Use |
|
| |
| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Ally Invest Review | eToro Review |
Charles Schwab
Interactive Brokers
Fidelity
E*TRADE
Merrill Edge
TradeStation
tastytrade
Finviz
Stock Rover
Seeking Alpha
TipRanks
TrendSpider
Trade Ideas
TraderSync
TradingView
Tradervue
TradeZella