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Firstrade vs Ally Invest 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Firstrade vs Ally Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Firstrade
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00
Ally Invest
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.50

Range of investments

When comparing Firstrade and Ally Invest, both platforms offer a strong lineup of investment options suitable for various trading strategies. They both allow stock, margin, and options trading while supporting OTC stocks and mutual funds. However, Firstrade stands out with its unique offering of fractional shares trading, something Ally Invest does not provide. On the other hand, Ally Invest enhances its service with the availability of advisor services, giving it an edge for those in need of financial guidance.

Both Firstrade and Ally Invest provide options for traditional and Roth IRA accounts, catering to investors looking to plan for their retirement. However, neither platform offers opportunities for forex, futures, or cryptocurrency trading, which might be a limitation for those specifically interested in these markets. Despite these constraints, both platforms have earned a commendable 4.5-star rating for their range of investments, offering a comprehensive selection for most traders' needs.

According to StockBrokers.com, Firstrade is ranked slightly higher at #6 compared to Ally Invest's #8 for their range of investment options among 14 brokers. This ranking underscores Firstrade's ability to cater slightly better to a diverse array of investment demands. Nevertheless, both platforms present solid choices with their own unique features and benefits, making them worthwhile considerations for online investors.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes No
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info No No
Crypto Trading info No No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 0
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market

Trading platforms and tools

When comparing Firstrade and Ally Invest, potential traders will find that both platforms offer unique strengths and limitations in terms of trading tools. While neither Firstrade nor Ally Invest provides a desktop downloadable platform for Windows or Mac, users can rely on their convenient browser-based platforms. Both brokers have room for improvement, as they do not feature paper trading or trading journals. Overall, Firstrade and Ally Invest each received a rating of three stars from StockBrokers.com for their trading platforms and tools, ranking 11th and 10th respectively out of 14 brokers tested.

Firstrade stands out with its detailed watch lists, offering 50 columns for tracking stocks, compared to 10 columns from Ally Invest. Charting lovers might prefer Ally Invest, as it offers 120 technical indicators and 36 drawing tools, surpassing Firstrade, which provides 102 indicators and 8 drawing tools. Additionally, Ally Invest allows users to add notes and save multiple chart profiles, features that are not available with Firstrade. Both brokers offer automated technical analysis for chart patterns, providing traders insights into potential market movements.

While neither Firstrade nor Ally Invest offers options to display corporate events like earnings or dividends directly on charts, each allows traders to perform technical analysis to an extent. However, only Ally Invest allows for eight customizable fields in editing an SMA study, compared to Firstrade's six. While neither platform offers the possibility of creating custom studies, traders who prioritize note-taking and saving chart profiles might gravitate toward Ally Invest, given its additional flexibility in these areas.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No No
Paper Trading info No No
Watchlists - Total Fields info 50 10
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 102 120
Charting - Drawing Tools info 8 36
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025

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Beginners and education

When it comes to educating new investors, Firstrade and Ally Invest both offer valuable resources, but they diverge in several key areas. Firstrade provides educational content on stocks and options, complemented by engaging tools like videos and webinars. However, it falls short in covering other investment types like ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. On the other hand, Ally Invest offers a more comprehensive educational suite, covering stocks, options, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, but does not include educational videos or webinars, which might appeal to those who prefer interactive learning formats.

Additionally, neither Firstrade nor Ally Invest provide paper trading or progress tracking features, and educational quizzes are absent from both platforms as well. While Firstrade is rated 3.5 stars for its educational offerings, Ally Invest edges ahead with a 4-star rating. According to StockBrokers.com rankings, Firstrade is positioned at #12 out of 14 brokers for education, whereas Ally Invest holds the #7 spot, making Ally Invest a slightly more favorable choice for individuals seeking a broader range of beginner and investor education resources.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info No Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info No Yes
Education (Fixed Income) info No Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info Yes No
Webinars info Yes No
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025

Stock trading apps

When comparing the stock trading apps offered by Firstrade and Ally Invest, Firstrade stands out for its comprehensive features and higher customer satisfaction. Firstrade is rated at 4.5 out of 5 stars for its app capabilities, whereas Ally Invest receives a slightly lower 4-star rating. Additionally, Firstrade is ranked 9th out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, compared to Ally Invest's 13th place ranking. Both brokers provide iPhone and Android apps, enabling users to trade conveniently on the go. However, the edge seems to favor Firstrade if you're prioritizing options like customized watch lists and more advanced charting capabilities.

Both Firstrade and Ally Invest offer apps for both iPhone and Android, ensuring broad accessibility. However, neither broker provides an app for the Apple Watch, positioning mobile phones as the primary technology for users. Both apps offer mobile options trading, streaming quotes, and custom watch list creation. Where they begin to diverge is in their offering of stock alerts; Firstrade provides them while Ally Invest does not. Charting functionalities also differ; Firstrade allows charts in landscape mode and offers 81 technical studies, compared to none from Ally Invest. Additionally, Firstrade enables stock comparisons on charts, a feature missing from Ally Invest’s offering.

Firstrade further outperforms Ally Invest with its mobile-stock trading, including after-hours trading, and its ability to customize watch list columns. Despite both lacking after-hours charting and video-on-demand features, these variations in mobile app capabilities may guide users toward Firstrade, especially those keen on advanced chart analysis and immediate stock alerts. Therefore, Firstrade likely appeals more to traders who favor a richer set of features and a highly-rated user experience in mobile trading apps.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info No No
Stock Alerts info Yes No
Charting - After-Hours info No No
Charting - Technical Studies info 81 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025

Fees

When comparing Firstrade and Ally Invest, both offer appealing features for those seeking cost-effective online trading. Both platforms require no minimum deposit, making them accessible for investors of all levels. Regular stock trades are free on both Firstrade and Ally Invest, providing a cost-effective way to invest. However, a notable difference is in the options trading fees; Firstrade charges nothing per options contract, whereas Ally Invest charges $0.50 per contract. In terms of margin trading, Ally Invest offers slightly more competitive rates across different balance tiers. It’s important to weigh these factors based on your trading style and priorities.

Looking at other account fees and charges, Firstrade and Ally Invest both offer advantages. Firstrade and Ally Invest charge nothing for IRA annual and closure fees, appealing to long-term investors planning for retirement. However, if you plan to close your IRA early, it’s worth noting that Ally Invest carries a $25 closure fee, while Firstrade does not impose any such charge. For those who may transfer accounts, Ally Invest offers lower fees for both partial and full account transfers at $50 each, compared to Firstrade, which charges $55 for partial and $75 for full transfers.

Overall, choosing between Firstrade and Ally Invest comes down to individual preferences and trading habits. Firstrade excels in offering zero charges on options contracts and IRA-related fees, while Ally Invest may save you costs in margin interest rates and account transfer fees. By evaluating these costs and how they align with your trading activities, you can make an informed decision about which broker meets your financial goals more effectively.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) info $0.00 $0.50
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $25.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025

Day Trading

When it comes to day trading, both Firstrade and Ally Invest share several similarities in terms of their capabilities and offerings. Neither platform provides streaming time and sales for stocks, streaming live TV, or direct market routing, all of which are essential tools for active traders who rely on real-time information and swift execution of trades. Additionally, both Firstrade and Ally Invest lack other advanced trading features like ladder trading and trading hotkeys, which can enhance the speed and efficiency of entering trades through keyboard shortcuts.

Furthermore, both brokers do not offer level 2 quotes, which provide detailed views of market depth, nor do they provide basic or advanced strategy backtesting, crucial features for traders interested in testing trading strategies before applying them in live markets. The absence of a short locator tool on both platforms could be a significant limitation for those who wish to assess the availability of shares for short selling in real-time. Moreover, neither Firstrade nor Ally Invest offers order liquidity (maker/taker) rebates, which might be a consideration for traders looking to optimize their cost of trading. Overall, for those focused on day trading specifically, both Firstrade and Ally Invest might fall short due to their lack of high-level trading functionalities.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Equities info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info No No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2025 for Beginners and Active Traders

Market Research

When comparing Firstrade and Ally Invest based on their market research capabilities, Firstrade takes the lead as a more comprehensive platform. Firstrade not only offers in-depth research for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, Pink Sheets, bonds, and asset allocation, but it also uniquely integrates social media sentiment analysis and ESG research into its offerings. Meanwhile, Ally Invest provides a solid foundation of stock, ETF, mutual fund, Pink Sheets, and bond research but lacks ESG research and the ability to show portfolio allocations by asset class. Overall, Firstrade receives a higher market research rating of 4.5 stars compared to Ally Invest's 3.5 stars and holds a superior rank according to StockBrokers.com, being at #6 versus Ally Invest's #8.

Both Firstrade and Ally Invest provide valuable research tools such as stock and ETF screeners to aid investors in generating trade ideas. However, Firstrade extends its capabilities by also offering a mutual fund screener, which Ally Invest does not provide. For those interested in detailed reports, Firstrade offers one downloadable PDF research report for stocks and additional reports for ETFs, while Ally Invest does not provide any downloadable reports for these categories.

The nuanced features and higher ratings of Firstrade for market research make it a preferred choice for investors seeking detailed insights and a wider array of tools. Its capability to present portfolio allocation and social media sentiment data provides a more rounded analysis. On the other hand, Ally Invest serves as a competent alternative for investors who require standard market research without the added features that Firstrade offers.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking capabilities of Firstrade and Ally Invest, several differences and similarities emerge. Both online brokers provide checking accounts, debit cards, and Certificates of Deposit (CDs). However, for those seeking a more comprehensive suite of banking services, Ally Invest may be a better fit. Ally Invest offers savings accounts, credit cards, and mortgage loans, while Firstrade does not provide these options. This distinction makes Ally Invest potentially more appealing for customers looking for a one-stop-shop for both investment and wider banking needs. On the other hand, Firstrade can meet basic banking requirements with its checking account, debit card, and CD offerings.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Checking Accounts info Yes Yes
Savings Accounts info No Yes
Debit Cards info Yes Yes
Credit Cards info No Yes
Mortgage Loans info No Yes
Brokerage CDs info Yes Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Firstrade is better than Ally Invest. Firstrade finished with an overall score of 81.8%, while Ally Invest finished with a score of 80.1%.

With steady innovation and a growing feature set, Firstrade is quickly climbing the ranks to earn its place among the best online brokers. Firstrade’s $0 contract fee, no exercise/assignment fees, and top-tier options trade ticket make it one of the most cost-effective and well-designed platforms for options trading.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Firstrade or Ally Invest?

Neither Firstrade nor Ally Invest offers crypto trading options, with both platforms providing zero coins for cryptocurrency transactions.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025

Does Firstrade or Ally Invest offer IRAs?

Both Firstrade and Ally Invest offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts without any annual fees, making them cost-effective options for retirement saving. While Firstrade does not charge a fee for closing IRA accounts, Ally Invest imposes a $25 closure fee, giving Firstrade an edge for cost-sensitive investors.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Firstrade Ally Invest
Overall 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Firstrade Review Ally Invest Review
Broker Screenshots Firstrade Ally Invest
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Firstrade Ally Invest
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $0.00 $4.95 info
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info $0 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) info $0.00 $0.50
Futures (Per Contract) info (Not offered) (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info $19.95 $20
Margin Rates Firstrade Ally Invest
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 12.75% 12%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 12.50% 11.75%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 12.00% 11%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 11.50% 9.75%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 11.25% 8.75%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info 9.35% 8.25%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info 8.75% 7.5%
Account Fees Firstrade Ally Invest
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $25.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $55.00 $50.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $75.00 $50.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Firstrade Ally Invest
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) 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 No
Crypto Trading info No No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 0
Fixed Income (Treasurys) info Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) info Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) info Yes Yes
Traditional IRAs info Yes Yes
Roth IRAs info Yes Yes
Advisor Services info No Yes
International Countries (Stocks) info 0 0
Order Types Firstrade 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 Firstrade Ally Invest
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info No Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info No Yes
Education (Fixed Income) info No 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
Progress Tracking info No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info No No
Stock Trading Apps Firstrade Ally Invest
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info No 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 Firstrade Ally Invest
Mobile Research - Market Movers info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info No No
Videos on Demand info No No
Stock Alerts info Yes No
Option Chains Viewable info Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) info Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) info Yes No
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage info Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization info Yes No
Stock App Charting Firstrade Ally Invest
Charting - After-Hours info No No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info Yes No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 81 0
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info Yes No
Trading Platforms Firstrade Ally Invest
Active Trading Platform info N/A N/A
Desktop Trading Platform info No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No No
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Trade Journal info No No
Watchlists - Total Fields info 50 10
Stock Chart Features Firstrade Ally Invest
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 102 120
Charting - Drawing Tools info 8 36
Charting - Notes info No Yes
Charting - Historical Trades info No No
Charting - Corporate Events info No No
Charting - Custom Date Range info No No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info No No
Charting - Automated Analysis info Yes Yes
Charting - Save Profiles info No Yes
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations info 6 8
Charting - Custom Studies info No No
Day Trading Firstrade Ally Invest
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Equities info No No
Ladder Trading info No No
Trade Hot Keys info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info No No
Order Liquidity Rebates info No No
Research Overview Firstrade 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 - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes Yes
Portfolio Asset Allocation info Yes No
Stock Research Firstrade Ally Invest
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 1 0
Stock Research - Earnings info Yes No
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 No
ETF Research Firstrade Ally Invest
ETFs - Investment Objective info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info Yes No
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info Yes No
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Sector Exposure info Yes No
ETFs - Risk Analysis info Yes No
ETFs - Ratings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports info Yes No
Mutual Fund Research Firstrade Ally Invest
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info Yes No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info Yes No
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 Firstrade Ally Invest
Option Chains - Total Greeks info 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes No
Banking Firstrade Ally Invest
Bank (Member FDIC) info No Yes
Checking Accounts info Yes Yes
Savings Accounts info No Yes
Credit Cards info No Yes
Debit Cards info Yes Yes
Mortgage Loans info No Yes
Customer Service Firstrade Ally Invest
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) info Yes Yes
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
Email Support info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) info Yes No
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info No Yes
Overall Firstrade Ally Invest
Overall 4/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Firstrade Review Ally Invest Review
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