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Fidelity vs Ally Invest 2023

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

August 29, 2023

Is Fidelity better than Ally Invest? After testing 18 of the best online brokers, our analysis finds that Fidelity (98.7%) is better than Ally Invest (84.6%). Our top pick overall for 2023, Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools and an easy-to-use mobile app.

Select Brokers

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  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAlly Invest
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCharles Schwab
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxE*TRADE
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxeToro
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFidelity
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxFirstrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxInteractive Brokers
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxMerrill Edge
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPublic.com
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxRobinhood
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSoFi Invest
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxtastytrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTD Ameritrade
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTradeStation
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTradier
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVanguard
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxWebull

Compare

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Overall Rating Fidelity Ally Invest
Overall 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Options 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Fidelity Review Ally Invest Review
Broker Screenshots Fidelity Ally Invest
Trading Platform & Tools Gallery (click to expand)
Research Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Fidelity Ally Invest
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $0.00 $4.95 info
Mutual Fund Trade Fee $49.95 $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
Margin Rate Under $25,000 13.575% 13%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 13.075% 12.75%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 12.125% 12%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 12.075% 10.75%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 11.825% 9.75%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 9.5% 9.25%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 9.25% 8.5%
Account Fees Fidelity Ally Invest
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $0.00 $25.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $0.00 $50.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $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 info Yes Yes
Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info Yes No
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 4
Futures Trading info No No
Forex Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading info Yes No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 2 0
Mutual Funds (No Load) info 5843 13000
Mutual Funds (Total) info 10000 14000
Bonds (US Treasury) info Yes Yes
Bonds (Corporate) info Yes Yes
Bonds (Municipal) info Yes Yes
Advisor Services info Yes Yes
International Countries (Stocks) info 25 0
Order Types Fidelity Ally Invest
Order Type - Market info Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit info Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours info Yes Yes
Order Type - Stop info Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop info Yes No
Order Type - OCO info Yes No
Order Type - OTO info Yes No
Order Type - Broker Assisted info Yes Yes
Beginners Fidelity Ally Invest
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes Yes
Education (Bonds) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator info Yes No
Investor Dictionary info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info Yes No
Webinars info Yes No
Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Progress Tracking info Yes No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info Yes No
Stock Trading Apps Fidelity Ally Invest
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes No
Trading - Stocks info Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Trading - Simple Options info Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options info Yes Yes
Order Ticket RT Quotes info Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes info Yes No
Stock App Features Fidelity Ally Invest
Market Movers (Top Gainers) info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info Yes No
Videos on Demand info Yes No
Stock Alerts info Yes No
Option Chains Viewable info Yes Yes
Watch List (Real-time) info Yes Yes
Watch List (Streaming) info Yes No
Watch Lists - Create & Manage info Yes Yes
Watch Lists - Column Customization info Yes No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 92 21
Stock App Charting Fidelity Ally Invest
Charting - After-Hours info Yes No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info Yes Yes
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 129 17
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info Yes Yes
Trading Platforms Fidelity Ally Invest
Active Trading Platform info Active Trader Pro N/A
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes No
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Trade Journal info Yes No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 92 21
Stock Chart Features Fidelity Ally Invest
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 129 117
Charting - Drawing Tools info 38 36
Charting - Notes info Yes Yes
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades info Yes No
Charting - Corporate Events info Yes No
Charting - Custom Date Range info Yes No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info Yes No
Charting - Automated Analysis info Yes Yes
Charting - Save Profiles info Yes Yes
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes Yes
Charting - Study Customizations info 5 5
Charting - Custom Studies info No No
Day Trading Fidelity Ally Invest
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes No
Streaming TV info Yes No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info Yes No
Ladder Trading info No No
Trade Hot Keys info Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info Yes No
Order Liquidity Rebates info No No
Research Overview Fidelity Ally Invest
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Screener - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Bonds info Yes Yes
Misc - Portfolio Allocation info Yes No
Stock Research Fidelity Ally Invest
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 11 2
Stock Research - Earnings info Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders info Yes Yes
Stock Research - Social info Yes Yes
Stock Research - News info Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG info Yes No
Stock Research - SEC Filings info Yes Yes
ETF Research Fidelity Ally Invest
ETFs - Strategy Overview info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Sector Exposure info Yes No
ETFs - Risk Analysis info Yes Yes
ETFs - Ratings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports info Yes Yes
Mutual Fund Research Fidelity Ally Invest
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info Yes No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info Yes No
Options Trading Fidelity Ally Invest
Option Chains - Basic View info Yes Yes
Option Chains - Strategy View info Yes Yes
Option Chains - Streaming info Yes Yes
Option Chains - Total Columns info 26 8
Option Chains - Greeks info 5 1
Option Chains - Quick Analysis info Yes Yes
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes Yes
Option Probability Analysis info Yes Yes
Option Probability Analysis Adv info Yes No
Option Positions - Greeks info Yes Yes
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming info Yes No
Option Positions - Adv Analysis info Yes Yes
Option Positions - Rolling info Yes Yes
Option Positions - Grouping info Yes Yes
Banking Fidelity Ally Invest
Bank (Member FDIC) info No Yes
Checking Accounts info No Yes
Savings Accounts info No Yes
Credit Cards info Yes No
Debit Cards info Yes Yes
Mortgage Loans info No Yes
Customer Service Fidelity Ally Invest
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) info Yes Yes
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
Email Support info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info Yes Yes
Overall Fidelity Ally Invest
Overall 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Investment Options 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Fidelity Review Ally Invest Review
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Fidelity vs Ally Invest Comparison

Comparing brokers side by side is no easy task. We spend hundreds of hours each year testing the platforms, mobile apps, trading tools and general ease of use among online brokerages, as well as comparing commissions and fees, to find the best online broker.

Though many U.S. brokers offer basic trading features, such as an app, charting tools, stock research and educational content, the depth of those features can vary widely. Let's compare Fidelity vs Ally Invest.

Is Fidelity or Ally Invest better for beginners?

In stock trading, the more you know, the better you’ll do. Taking advantage of resources like articles, webinars, videos and interactive elements is a great way to shorten the learning curve. In our analysis, we examine the availability of several different types of educational materials.

For 2023, our review finds that Fidelity offers more comprehensive new investor education for beginning investors than Ally Invest. Fidelity offers investors access to Videos, Education (Stocks), Education (ETFs), Education (Options), Education (Mutual Funds), Education (Bonds) and Education (Retirement), while Ally Invest offers investors access to Education (Stocks), Education (ETFs), Education (Options), Education (Mutual Funds), Education (Bonds) and Education (Retirement). Neither have Paper Trading.

What about Fidelity vs Ally Invest pricing?

Fidelity and Ally Invest charge the same amount for regular stock trades, $0.00. Option contracts are pricier at Fidelity, costing $0.65 per contract versus $0.50 per contract at Ally Invest. Fidelity and Ally Invest both charge (Not offered) per option contract. For a deeper dive, see our best brokers for free stock trading guide.

Does Fidelity or Ally Invest offer a wider range of investment options?

Looking at a full range of investment options, including order types and international trading, our research has found that Fidelity offers a more comprehensive offering than Ally Invest. Fidelity ranks #3 out of 18 brokers for our Investment Options category, while Ally Invest ranks #8.

Fidelity offers investors access to Stock Trading, Fractional Shares, Options Trading, OTC Stocks, Mutual Funds and Advisor Services, while Ally Invest offers investors access to Stock Trading, Options Trading, OTC Stocks, Mutual Funds, Forex Trading and Advisor Services. Neither have Futures Trading Looking at Mutual Funds, Fidelity trails Ally Invest in its offering of no transaction fee (NTF) mutual funds, with Ally Invest offering 3900 and Fidelity offering 3401.

Do Fidelity and Ally Invest offer cryptocurrency?

In our analysis of top U.S. brokerages, we research whether each broker offers the ability to trade cash cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin and ethereum. Though crypto has risen steadily in popularity, availability still varies from broker to broker. Our review finds that neither Fidelity and Ally Invest offer crypto trading.

Which trading platform is better: Fidelity or Ally Invest?

To compare the day trading platforms of Fidelity and Ally Invest, we focused on trading tools and functionality across both web and desktop-based platforms. Popular day trading platform tools include streaming real-time quotes, stock alerts, trading hotkeys, direct market routing, streaming time and sales, customizable watch lists, backtesting, and fully functional charting packages, among many others. For day trading, Fidelity offers a better experience.

Does Fidelity or Ally Invest offer a better stock trading app?

After testing 25 features across the stock trading apps of Fidelity and Ally Invest, we found Fidelity to be better overall. The best stock market apps are easy to use, have excellent design, and deliver a fully featured online trading experience. Fidelity ranks #3 out of 18 brokers, while Ally Invest ranks #13.

Fidelity Trading App Gallery

Ally Invest Trading App Gallery

Which broker is better for researching stocks?

For research, Fidelity offers superior market research than Ally Invest. Fidelity ranks #5 and Ally Invest ranks #7.

Over the years, we've found that the best brokers provide rich market commentary, a variety of third-party research reports, and thorough quote screens that are not just easy to navigate, but that also include a comprehensive selection of fundamental data. Robust stock, ETFs, and mutual fund screeners are also must-haves for trade idea generation.

How do Fidelity and Ally Invest compare in terms of minimum deposit required?

Fidelity requires a minimum deposit of $0.00, while Ally Invest requires a minimum deposit of $0.00. From our testing, we found that SoFi is the only broker that requires a minimum deposit.

Which broker offers better margin rates for accounts under $25,000?

Fidelity charges 13.575% for accounts under $25,000 while Ally Invest charges a margin rate of 13%. The industry average of the 18 brokers we track is 9%.

Does Fidelity offer fractional shares? Does Ally Invest?

Fractional shares are not offered by either broker. Our research has found that 41% of brokers offer fractional shares investing. Fractional shares allow traders to buy a part of a whole share of stock. For example, if Amazon is trading at $1,000, you could buy half a share for $500.

Can you trade penny stocks with Fidelity or Ally Invest?

Both Fidelity and Ally Invest allow you to trade penny stocks. Fidelity charges $0.00 per trade while Ally Invest charges $4.95. Penny stocks are companies whose shares trade for under $5 and are listed over the counter (OTC). For brokers that do offer penny stock trades, the average commission is $3.

Does either broker offer banking?

Online banking can be a benefit for investors, and some brokerages do provide banking services to customers. Debit Cards and Credit Cards are offered by Fidelity while Ally Invest offers Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards and Mortgage Loans.

Which broker offers stronger customer service?

StockBrokers.com partners with customer experience research group Confero to conduct phone tests from locations across the United States to thoroughly evaluate the quality and speed of brokerage customer service. (Read more about How We Test.) Here are the results of our current testing.

Fidelity was rated 3rd out of 14 brokers, with an overall score of 8.6 out of 10.

Ally Invest was rated 5th out of 14 brokers, with an overall score of 8.3 out of 10.

Is Fidelity good?

Our top pick overall for 2023, Fidelity is a value-driven online broker offering $0 trades, industry-leading research, excellent trading tools and an easy-to-use mobile app.

In the 2023 StockBrokers.com Annual Review, Fidelity was rated No. 1 Overall Broker and No. 1 for Commissions & Fees, Education, IRA Accounts and Penny Stocks. It also ranked among Best in Class for Platforms & Tools, Mobile Trading Apps, Ease of Use, Active Trading, Beginners, Customers Service, and Penny Stocks. Fidelity also won four StockBrokers.com Industry Awards: No. 1 for Fractional Shares, Innovation, New Tool and Order Execution.

Is Ally Invest good?

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.

In the 2023 StockBrokers.com Annual Review, Ally Invest ranked among Best in Class for Banking Services and Customer Service.

Fidelity vs Ally Invest Winner

Overall winner: Fidelity

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1 Fidelity Sell orders are subject to an activity assessment fee from $0.01 to $0.03 per $1,000 of principal. Options trading entails significant risk and is not appropriate for all investors. Certain complex options strategies carry additional risk. Before trading options, please read Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options. Supporting documentation for any claims, if applicable, will be furnished upon request.

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