Written by StockBrokers.com
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 the Fidelity vs. Ally Invest comparison, Fidelity stands out for offering more ways to invest and trade, making it the better pick if you want the widest selection. Both brokers cover the basics—stocks, options, mutual funds, OTC stocks, margin, plus traditional and Roth IRAs and advisor services—but Fidelity adds fractional shares, forex, and crypto trading (3 coins). Neither supports futures. That breadth shows in the ratings: StockBrokers.com gives Fidelity 5/5 stars for Range of Investments (ranked #2 of 14) versus Ally Invest’s 4/5 stars (ranked #11).
Trading features at a glance: Both Fidelity and Ally Invest let you trade stocks, options, mutual funds, and OTC stocks, and both support margin trading. Fidelity alone offers fractional share trading, which can help you buy into higher‑priced stocks with small amounts. Fidelity also offers forex and crypto trading (3 coins), while Ally Invest does not offer forex or crypto. Futures trading is not available at either broker.
Account options and guidance are available at both brokers, including traditional and Roth IRAs and advisor services. If your needs are mostly stock and fund trading, Ally Invest can cover that. If you value fractional shares, want access to forex or crypto, or simply prefer a broader menu of investment choices, Fidelity is the stronger choice.
| Feature |
Fidelity
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
If you’re choosing between Fidelity and Ally Invest for trading platforms and tools, Fidelity is the stronger all-around pick. Fidelity earns 4 stars and ranks #4 of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Ally Invest is rated 1.5 stars and ranks #10. Key reasons include Fidelity’s desktop platforms for both Windows and Mac, richer charting features, far more flexible watchlists, and a built-in trading journal. Both brokers lack paper trading and the ability to create custom studies.
Platform access and workflow: Fidelity offers downloadable platforms for Windows and Mac plus a browser-based platform; Ally Invest offers only a browser platform. Fidelity includes a trading journal; Ally does not. On charts, Fidelity lets you adjust open orders directly, show your historical trades, display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends), and set custom date ranges—features Ally lacks. Both brokers support notes on charts, automated technical analysis (pattern recognition), and saving multiple chart profiles.
Charting depth and watchlists: Fidelity provides 129 technical indicators and 38 drawing tools, compared with Ally’s 120 indicators and 36 drawing tools. Watchlists are far more flexible at Fidelity (92 columns/fields) than at Ally Invest (10). When editing an SMA study, Ally offers more adjustable fields (8 vs. Fidelity’s 5), but neither broker supports creating custom studies. For most investors, Fidelity’s wider data, features, and order controls make analysis and day-to-day trading easier.
| Feature |
Fidelity
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 92 | 10 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 129 | 120 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 38 | 36 |
| Advanced Trading |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
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Fidelity and Ally Invest both cover the basics for beginner investors, offering education on stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. Neither broker includes paper trading. Where they differ is in learning support: Fidelity adds educational videos, live and on-demand webinars, quizzes, and the ability to track your progress, which can make it easier to build skills step by step. Ally Invest provides educational content but does not include videos, webinars, quizzes, or progress tracking.
According to StockBrokers.com, Fidelity earns 5 stars for education and ranks #1 out of 14 brokers, while Ally Invest earns 3 stars and ranks #12. If you want a guided learning path with multimedia and checkpoints, Fidelity is the stronger pick. If you only need straightforward reading material, Ally Invest can cover the essentials. This Fidelity vs. Ally Invest comparison helps beginners find the right broker education for trading and investing.
| Feature |
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 |
| Videos | Yes | No |
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
Bottom line: For a mobile stock trading app, Fidelity delivers a stronger overall experience than Ally Invest. Fidelity earns 4.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #3 of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Ally Invest holds 3 stars and ranks #14. If you value deeper charts, alerts, and built-in research and video, Fidelity is the clearer choice; Ally Invest covers basics but lags on advanced tools.
Both Fidelity and Ally Invest offer iPhone and Android apps with streaming quotes and mobile options trading. Fidelity also supports Apple Watch, while Ally Invest does not. Fidelity includes mobile after-hours trading; Ally Invest’s mobile after-hours availability was not specified. Each broker lets you create custom watch lists, but only Fidelity allows you to customize watch list columns and set stock alerts.
Charting is a major separator. Both apps support multiple time frames, yet Fidelity provides 128 technical studies versus none for Ally Invest. Fidelity also enables after-hours charting, landscape chart views, and side-by-side stock comparisons on charts; Ally Invest lacks these. For research and education on the go, Fidelity offers streaming live TV and videos on demand, features not offered by Ally Invest.
| Feature |
Fidelity
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 128 | 0 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026
When choosing between Fidelity and Ally Invest for online brokerage services, it's essential to consider their differing fee structures. Both platforms have zero minimum deposit requirements and offer commission-free trading on regular stocks, making them accessible to all investors. However, they diverge on other fees: Ally Invest offers a slightly lower rate for options contracts at $0.50 compared to Fidelity's $0.65. Yet, Fidelity does not charge any fees for IRA closures and account transfers, where Ally Invest incurs charges.
For investors using margin accounts, Fidelity has higher rates at all levels compared to Ally Invest. While Fidelity charges 12.575% for balances below $25,000, Ally Invest offers a more competitive 12% rate. This pattern continues for larger balances where Ally Invest consistently offers lower rates, making it a more cost-effective option for margin traders.
IRA accounts see no annual fees on either platform, but investors with Ally Invest should note a $25 fee for IRA closure, unlike Fidelity, which charges nothing. Additionally, Fidelity does not impose any fees on partial or full account transfers, whereas Ally Invest has a $50 fee for each. Despite these differences, both brokers waive fees for options exercise and assignment, maintaining some cost-effectiveness in that regard.
| Feature |
Fidelity
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 2026
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 |
Fidelity
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
In the Fidelity vs. Ally Invest market research matchup, Fidelity is the clear winner. Both brokers cover stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, bonds, and OTC/pink sheets, but Fidelity packs in more tools and reports. It earns 5 out of 5 stars and ranks #1 of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Ally Invest earns 3 stars and ranks #9.
Fidelity offers seven downloadable stock research PDFs and also provides downloadable ETF reports; Ally Invest offers no downloadable reports for stocks or ETFs. (Neither broker offers downloadable mutual fund reports.) Fidelity also includes ESG research and lets you view your portfolio allocation by asset class, two features Ally Invest does not provide. Both brokers supply social media sentiment data for stocks.
Idea generation is strong at both, with screeners for stocks, ETFs, and bonds. However, only Fidelity adds a mutual fund screener. If you want fuller data, reports, and a clearer portfolio breakdown, Fidelity will suit you better; Ally Invest covers the basics.
| Feature |
Fidelity
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|
|
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 |
Fidelity
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 2026
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 92.5%, while Ally Invest finished with a score of 56.0%.
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 2026
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 2026
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| Review | Fidelity Review | Ally Invest Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
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| Trading Fees | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 12.575% | 12% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 12.075% | 11.75% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 11.125% | 11% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 11.075% | 9.75% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 10.825% | 8.75% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 8.500% | 8.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 8.250% | 7.5% |
| Account Fees | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | 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 | No | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Research - Market Movers | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
| Videos on Demand | Yes | No | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Streaming) | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - 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 | 128 | 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 | |
| Watchlists - 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 | No | |
| 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 | No |
| Stock Research | Fidelity | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 7 | 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 | No | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Fidelity Review | Ally Invest Review |
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