Fidelity vs Ally Invest 2025
In this head to head comparison of Fidelity vs Ally Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of Fidelity vs Ally Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When comparing the investment options available at Fidelity and Ally Invest, Fidelity stands out with a slight edge due to its comprehensive range of offerings. Both platforms provide solid choices for trading stocks, margin accounts, mutual funds, options, and over-the-counter (OTC) stocks. They are equally matched with IRA account choices, offering both traditional and Roth options, and providing advisor services. However, Fidelity takes the lead with its inclusion of fractional shares trading and cryptocurrency options, offering trades in three different cryptocurrencies, which Ally Invest does not provide. Fidelity's broader range of investments earns it a higher rating of five stars compared to Ally Invest's 4.5 stars, reflecting its higher rank of third place among 14 brokers for the Range of Investments according to StockBrokers.com.
Fidelity and Ally Invest both offer a variety of standard investment options like stock trading and mutual funds, ensuring investors have a broad toolkit for portfolio diversification. Their margin and options trading services cater to those looking to leverage their trading strategies. Additionally, their support for OTC stocks provides opportunities for trading lesser-known stocks that may not be listed on major exchanges. Nevertheless, when it comes to investing in the latest trends like cryptocurrency, Fidelity leads by allowing transactions in three distinct coins, whereas Ally Invest currently does not participate in the crypto market.
Fidelity and Ally Invest deliver strong investment services, but Fidelity's inclusion of fractional share trading and cryptocurrency options gives it an innovative edge. Both platforms cater to traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts, making them suitable for retirement planning. Furthermore, both brokers provide advisor services, ensuring investors can access professional financial guidance. These comprehensive offerings contribute to their respected standings in the investment brokerage community, but Fidelity’s slightly broader investment options and higher third-place ranking underscore its attractiveness for a wide range of investors.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | No |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 3 | 0 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
When evaluating online broker platforms and tools, Fidelity and Ally Invest both present distinct advantages and limitations for investors. Fidelity shines as a standout option, offering wide-ranging features and superior customization options, while Ally Invest provides a solid, albeit more basic, trading experience. Fidelity's desktop platforms for both Windows and Mac are a significant advantage over Ally's browser-only option. Additionally, its charting features are more comprehensive, making it ideal for investors seeking in-depth analysis and customization. While both platforms allow investors to track important metrics, Fidelity's ability to display corporate events and show historical trades directly on charts gives it an edge in offering a richer, data-driven trading environment.
Delving into the specifics, Fidelity triumphs in versatility with 92 watch list columns compared to Ally’s 10. In terms of charting, although Ally Invest provides a respectable 120 technical indicators and 36 drawing tools, Fidelity slightly edges ahead with 129 indicators and 38 drawing tools. Additionally, features such as a trading journal, customizable date ranges, and the ability to display corporate events on charts are exclusive to Fidelity, providing a more detailed trading analysis and tracking experience. Moreover, Fidelity’s platform allows traders to adjust open orders directly on charts, which is not possible on Ally’s platform.
For traders who prioritize customization and advanced charting features, Fidelity is undoubtedly the superior choice, earning 4.5 out of 5 stars and securing the #4 ranking by StockBrokers.com. Ally Invest, while more basic in its offerings with a 3-star rating and a #10 ranking, may appeal to beginners or those seeking a straightforward trading experience. Ultimately, Fidelity's extensive toolset and intricate customization capabilities make it a go-to for seasoned traders, while Ally’s simpler, browser-based approach might better suit those just starting their investment journey.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 92 | 10 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 129 | 120 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 38 | 36 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
When it comes to educating beginner investors, both Fidelity and Ally Invest provide solid educational resources covering stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds to help users understand the essentials of trading and investing. However, Fidelity stands out with its additional educational tools, including engaging videos, interactive quizzes, and the ability to track your learning progress, which can greatly benefit those new to investing and looking to monitor their educational journey over time.
In terms of webinars, Fidelity offers these live learning sessions, providing further opportunities to understand market trends and investment strategies, whereas Ally Invest does not offer these or educational videos. Consequently, Fidelity earns a higher educational rating of 5 stars, compared to Ally Invest's 4 stars, reflecting its comprehensive approach to investor education. This focus on in-depth learning resources has positioned Fidelity at the number 2 spot for education out of 14 brokers ranked by StockBrokers.com, while Ally Invest holds the 7th position.
Feature |
|
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Videos | Yes | No |
Webinars | Yes | |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
When it comes to choosing between Fidelity and Ally Invest for stock trading app capabilities, Fidelity emerges as the stronger option. With a top-tier 5-star rating for their app and a #3 ranking among 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, Fidelity edges out Ally, which holds a 4-star rating and a #13 ranking. Fidelity’s mobile app offers a more comprehensive array of features, making it better suited for traders seeking in-depth and customizable trading tools.
Both Fidelity and Ally Invest provide iPhone and Android apps, allowing traders to manage their investments on the go. While both apps support mobile options trading, Fidelity offers more advanced features like streaming quotes and live TV, videos on demand, and customizable watchlists, which Ally Invest does not. Furthermore, Fidelity enhances the mobile trading experience with an Apple Watch app, mobile after-hours stock trading, and stock alerts, all of which Ally Invest lacks.
Charting capabilities further distinguish the two apps. Fidelity impresses with features such as after-hours charting, landscape mode viewing, and the ability to evaluate multiple time frames. With 119 technical studies and the ability to display stock comparisons on charts, Fidelity offers tools that are attractive to seasoned traders. Conversely, Ally Invest's app does not provide any technical studies or allow for chart customization, making Fidelity the preferred choice for traders keen on technical analysis and customization.
Feature |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No |
Charting - Technical Studies | 119 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
Both Fidelity and Ally Invest offer competitive options for investors seeking to minimize costs, yet they present different advantages depending on specific trading needs. Fidelity emerges as a favorable choice with its no-fee IRA closures and account transfers, appealing to those who may anticipate these actions. Conversely, Ally Invest excels with its lower per-contract options fee and marginally reduced margin rates for balances below $25,000, making it more attractive for active options traders.
When it comes to stock trading, both brokers stand on equal ground by offering commission-free trades, with no minimum deposit required to open an account. This makes the platforms quite appealing for beginners who wish to start trading without any initial financial barrier.
However, the differences arise in other account fees and charges. While Fidelity offers cost-free account transfers and IRA closures, Ally Invest imposes a $25 fee for closing IRAs and a $50 charge for both partial and full account transfers. On the other hand, Ally Invest offers a more cost-effective option with a lower per-option contract fee of $0.50 compared to Fidelity's $0.65. Additionally, their margin rates slightly differ, reflecting Ally's marginal edge in rates for balances under $25,000, whereas balances between $50,000 and $99,999 see better rates with Ally than with Fidelity.
Feature |
|
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.50 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $25.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When evaluating day trading capabilities, Fidelity stands out compared to Ally Invest as it provides a broad range of features catering to active traders. Fidelity offers streaming time and sales for stocks, coupled with streaming live TV, enhancing the trading experience with real-time updates and analysis. Additionally, Fidelity supports direct market routing and trading hotkeys, allowing traders to execute trades swiftly and efficiently. The platform also includes level 2 quotes for better insight into market depth and basic strategy backtesting to fine-tune trading strategies. Last but not least, Fidelity provides a short locator tool for real-time information on share availability for short selling.
In contrast, Ally Invest does not support some of these critical features for day traders. It lacks streaming time and sales, direct market routing, and trading hotkeys. Additionally, Ally Invest offers no level 2 quotes and does not support any form of backtesting. While both platforms do not provide ladder trading, advanced strategy backtesting, or order liquidity rebates, Fidelity’s offerings cater more effectively to the needs of active traders. Consequently, for traders seeking comprehensive tools and features, Fidelity appears to be the more compelling choice over Ally Invest.
Feature |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No |
Streaming TV | Yes | No |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
Fidelity stands out as a strong contender for investors seeking comprehensive market research capabilities. It surpasses Ally Invest by offering a wider array of downloadable PDF research reports, including those for stocks and ETFs. Additionally, Fidelity integrates ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) research, which Ally Invest does not. With a market research rating of five stars and a rank of third among 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, Fidelity clearly provides a more extensive suite of resources, making it a top choice for investors focused on in-depth analysis and data-driven decision-making.
Both Fidelity and Ally Invest offer essential research features such as stock, ETF, mutual funds, pink sheets, and OTCBB research, along with bond research capabilities. Additionally, users of both platforms can visualize their portfolio allocation by asset class and access research using social media sentiment data. For trade ideas, both brokers offer screeners for stocks, ETFs, and bonds. However, while Fidelity also provides a mutual fund screener, Ally Invest falls short by not including this feature.
When it comes to downloadable content, Fidelity offers 11 PDF research reports for stocks, while Ally Invest does not provide any. Furthermore, Fidelity extends its advantage with downloadable PDF reports for ETFs, adding another edge over Ally Invest, which lacks this provision. While neither broker offers downloadable mutual fund reports, Fidelity's additional tools and recognition as a top-three research provider solidify its position as the preferred platform for investors who prioritize research and analysis.
Feature |
|
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | Yes |
Research |
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When comparing the banking features of online brokers, Fidelity and Ally Invest offer different capabilities that are important for users looking for comprehensive financial services. Fidelity does not provide checking or savings accounts, whereas Ally Invest covers both, offering users flexible options for daily spending and saving. Both brokers supply debit and credit cards, facilitating straightforward transactions and credit use. In the realm of mortgage loans, both Fidelity and Ally Invest are viable choices, serving clients with their home financing needs. Each also provides access to Certificates of Deposit (CDs), allowing customers to grow their savings with fixed-interest investment opportunities. Overall, Ally Invest presents a more rounded selection of banking services, including essential checking and savings accounts, compared to Fidelity’s more investment-focused offerings.
Feature |
|
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Checking Accounts | No | Yes |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes |
Debit Cards | Yes | Yes |
Credit Cards | Yes | Yes |
Mortgage Loans | Yes | Yes |
Brokerage CDs | Yes | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Fidelity is better than Ally Invest. Fidelity finished with an overall score of 96.2%, while Ally Invest finished with a score of 80.1%.
Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools and an easy-to-use mobile app.
When comparing online brokers, Fidelity now offers crypto trading with access to 3 different coins, while Ally Invest does not provide any crypto trading options, offering 0 coins.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both Fidelity and Ally Invest offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual fees, but while Fidelity does not charge a fee for closing IRA accounts, Ally Invest imposes a $25 closure fee.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service |
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Education |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Fidelity Review | Ally Invest Review |
Broker Screenshots | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.00 | $4.95 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | Varies | $0.00 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.50 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $32.95 | $20 |
Margin Rates | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
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Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 13.075% | 13% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 12.575% | 12.75% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 12.125% | 12% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 11.575% | 10.75% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 11.325% | 9.75% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 9.00% | 9.25% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 8.75% | 8.5% |
Account Fees | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
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IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $25.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $50.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $0.00 | $50.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | No | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | No | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 3 | 0 | |
Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | Yes | |
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | Yes | |
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | Yes | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Advisor Services | Yes | Yes | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 25 | 0 |
Order Types | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | Yes |
Beginners | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Videos | Yes | No | |
Webinars | Yes | ||
Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Complex Options | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | No |
Stock App Features | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
Videos on Demand | Yes | No | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
Stock App Charting | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 119 | 0 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | No | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | No |
Trading Platforms | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | Active Trader Pro | N/A | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 92 | 10 |
Stock Chart Features | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 129 | 120 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 38 | 36 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 5 | 8 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No | |
Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No | |
Ladder Trading | No | No | |
Trade Hot Keys | Yes | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
Short Locator | Yes | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
Research Overview | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | Yes | |
Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | Yes |
Stock Research | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 11 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Social | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | No |
ETF Research | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | No |
Mutual Fund Research | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No |
Banking | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
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Bank (Member FDIC) | No | Yes | |
Checking Accounts | No | Yes | |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes | |
Credit Cards | Yes | Yes | |
Debit Cards | Yes | Yes | |
Mortgage Loans | Yes | Yes |
Customer Service | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | Yes | Yes |
Overall | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Fidelity Review | Ally Invest Review |