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Public.com vs Ally Invest 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025
  Fact Checked

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

Public.com
3/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00 info
  • Stock Trades: $0.00 info
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info
Ally Invest
3/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.50

Range of investments

Public.com and Ally Invest both give investors access to stock trading, margin trading, options trading, traditional IRA accounts, and Roth IRA accounts. If you want a simple online broker with fractional shares and crypto, Public.com may stand out more because it offers both, including access to 66 coins. Ally Invest, on the other hand, may appeal to investors who want OTC stocks, mutual funds, and advisor services in addition to common account types.

When it comes to investment choices, the two brokers are similar in some key areas but differ in a few important ways. Neither platform offers forex trading or futures trading, and both support stock trading and options trading. Public.com does not offer mutual funds or OTC stocks, while Ally Invest does not offer fractional shares or crypto trading.

In terms of range of investments, Ally Invest has a slight edge with a 4-star rating and a #11 ranking out of 14 brokers, compared with Public.com’s 3.5-star rating and #12 ranking. For investors comparing online broker accounts, the better fit may come down to whether you value fractional shares and crypto at Public.com or mutual funds, OTC stocks, and advisor support at Ally Invest.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes No
OTC Stocks No Yes
Mutual Funds No Yes
Options Trading Yes Yes
Futures Trading No No
Crypto Trading Yes No
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 66 0
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms & Brokers for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026

Trading platforms and tools

Overall, Ally Invest comes out ahead of Public.com for trading platforms and tools, mainly because it offers far more charting features, more watch list columns, and extras like chart notes and automated technical analysis. That said, both brokers keep things simple in some areas: neither offers downloadable desktop software for Windows or Mac, and both provide a browser-based trading platform instead. For traders who want a basic web platform, Public.com can work, but Ally Invest gives users a lot more built-in tools to study stocks and manage a watch list.

Public.com’s platform is streamlined, with 15 technical indicators, no drawing tools, and a watch list that only supports three columns. It also does not include paper trading, a trading journal, chart notes, custom chart date ranges, or the ability to save multiple chart profiles. Ally Invest is more feature-rich in comparison, with 120 technical indicators, 36 drawing tools, 10 watch list columns, chart notes, automated technical analysis, and the option to save multiple chart profiles, though it still does not support paper trading or a trading journal.

In StockBrokers.com’s review, Public.com earned 1 out of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools and ranked #14 out of 14 brokers. Ally Invest scored 1.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #10 out of 14. Neither broker stands out as a top choice for platform features, but Ally Invest is the stronger pick if you want more charting and research tools in a browser-based setup.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) No No
Paper Trading No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 3 10
Charting - Indicators / Studies 15 120
Charting - Drawing Tools 0 36
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts and Online Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps and Simulators for 2026

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Beginners and education

Public.com and Ally Invest both give beginners a useful starting point for learning about stocks, ETFs, and options, but Public.com has a slight edge in overall investor education. Public.com also covers bonds, while Ally Invest does not, and it stands out by offering educational videos and webinars that can help new investors learn in a more guided way. Neither broker offers mutual fund education, paper trading, educational quizzes, or a way to track learning progress, so their education tools are helpful but still somewhat limited.

Looking at ratings and rankings, Public.com is the stronger choice for education support. Public.com earns 3.5 out of 5 stars for education and ranks #8 out of 14 brokers from StockBrokers.com, while Ally Invest earns 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 out of 14. For investors who want a broker with more learning content and a better overall education score, Public.com comes out ahead, though both brokers can work for beginners who want basic market education.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) No No
Education (Fixed Income) Yes No
Videos Yes No
Webinars Yes No
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Trading Platforms for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

Public.com and Ally Invest are both usable stock trading apps for iPhone and Android users, and each supports mobile options trading plus custom watch lists. Neither broker offers an Apple Watch app, streaming live TV, or video on demand, and both are rated 3 out of 5 stars for stock trading apps. Public.com edges ahead overall thanks to mobile after-hours trading, stock alerts, after-hours charting, customizable watch list columns, and stock comparison charts, while Ally Invest stands out mainly for streaming quotes.

When it comes to day-to-day app features, Public.com gives active mobile traders a few extra tools that can make a difference. It offers stock alerts, after-hours charting, and the ability to compare stocks on charts inside the app, while also letting users customize watch list columns. Ally Invest includes some useful basics, such as streaming quotes and support for multiple chart time frames, but it does not offer stock alerts or after-hours charting.

On charting, both apps are fairly limited in the mobile technical analysis area, with zero technical studies listed for each broker and no landscape chart view. Public.com does add more flexibility with after-hours charting and comparison tools, which may appeal to investors who want a bit more insight from their phone. That stronger app experience may also help explain why Public.com ranks #13 out of 14 brokers for stock trading apps, just ahead of Ally Invest at #14.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App No No
Stock Alerts Yes No
Charting - After-Hours Yes No
Charting - Technical Studies 0 0
Mobile Trading Apps 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps of 2026

Fees

Public.com and Ally Invest both keep some of the most common investing costs at $0, including minimum deposits, regular stock trades, IRA annual fees, and options exercise or assignment fees. For everyday investors, that means you can open an account and trade stocks without paying a deposit requirement or standard trading commission at either broker. The biggest differences show up in a few extra charges: Public.com has lower margin rates, but Ally Invest charges less for options contracts, IRA closures, and both partial and full account transfers.

When it comes to options trading, Public.com charges $0.00 per contract, while Ally Invest charges $0.50 per contract. On margin, Public.com is also the lower-cost choice across the balances listed here, with rates of 4.90% for balances below $50,000 and 4.75% for balances from $50,000 to $99,999. Ally Invest’s margin rates are higher at 11.75% for balances below $50,000 and 11.50% for balances from $50,000 to $99,999. If you plan to borrow on margin, Public.com is the cheaper option.

For IRA closure fees, Ally Invest is more affordable at $25 versus Public.com’s $150. Transfer fees also favor Ally Invest, which charges $50 for both partial and full ACAT transfers, compared with $100 at Public.com for each. In short, Public.com looks better for margin borrowing and options contracts, while Ally Invest is the better pick if you expect to close an IRA or move your account out later.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.00 $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 $150.00 $25.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Stock Trading Platforms and Commission-Free Apps for 2026

Day Trading

Public.com vs Ally Invest for day trading: Both platforms lack key tools that active traders often expect. Neither offers streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, direct market routing for stocks, ladder trading, trade-entry hotkeys, or Level 2 quotes. They also don’t include basic or advanced strategy backtesting, a short locator to check real-time borrow availability, or maker-taker rebates.

Bottom line: day traders, scalpers, and momentum traders will likely find both options limiting. Public.com and Ally Invest are better for buy-and-hold investors who don’t need specialized routing or depth-of-book data. If you depend on rapid keyboard execution, detailed tape reading, or testing strategies before going live, consider a broker designed specifically for day trading.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Streaming Time & Sales No No
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 and Apps for 2026

Market Research

For market research, Ally Invest has the edge over Public.com overall. Both brokers let you research stocks, ETFs, pink sheets/OTCBB, and bonds, but Ally Invest adds mutual fund research, social media sentiment data for stocks, and screeners for stocks, ETFs, and bonds. Public.com offers one useful advantage of its own: you can view your portfolio allocation by asset class, which can help you see how your investments are spread out. Based on StockBrokers.com, Ally Invest scores 3 out of 5 stars and ranks #9 out of 14 brokers for market research, while Public.com scores 2.5 stars and ranks #12 out of 14.

Looking at stock research, both platforms give users access to basic research tools, but neither offers downloadable PDF stock reports. Public.com and Ally Invest also do not provide PDF research reports for ETFs or mutual funds. If you want deeper research on mutual funds, Ally Invest is the better fit because it supports mutual fund research, while Public.com does not.

When it comes to trade ideas, Ally Invest is again the more complete option. It offers stock, ETF, and bond screeners, which can make it easier to find possible investments based on your goals. Public.com does not offer screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, or bonds, so its research tools are more limited in that area.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks No Yes
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs No Yes
Research - Mutual Funds No Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds No No
Research - Fixed Income Yes Yes
Screener - Fixed Income No Yes
Research 2.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing banking features, Ally Invest offers more options than Public.com. Ally Invest provides checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, and CDs, giving users access to several everyday banking tools in one place. Public.com, on the other hand, does not offer checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, or CDs. Neither Public.com nor Ally Invest offers credit cards or mortgage loans. If you want a broker with added banking services, Ally Invest has the clear advantage over Public.com.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Checking Accounts No Yes
Savings Accounts No Yes
Debit Cards No Yes
Credit Cards No No
Mortgage Loans No No
Brokerage CDs No Yes

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts with Checking: Top Bank Brokers

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Public.com is better than Ally Invest. Public.com finished with an overall score of 56.0%, while Ally Invest finished with a score of 56.0%.

Public.com is a modern investing platform best known for its clean, user-friendly design, thematic investing features, and simple access to stocks, ETFs, and other assets.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Public.com or Ally Invest?

Public.com offers crypto trading with access to 66 coins, while Ally Invest does not offer crypto trading and has 0 available coins. For investors seeking cryptocurrency exposure, Public.com provides the clear advantage over Ally Invest.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does Public.com or Ally Invest offer IRAs?

Public.com vs. Ally Invest: both brokers offer Traditional and Roth IRAs with $0 annual fees. The key difference is IRA closure fees—Public.com charges $150, while Ally Invest charges $25.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

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Overall Rating Public.com Ally Invest
Overall 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Research 2.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Customer Service N/A 4/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Public.com Review Ally Invest Review
Broker Screenshots Public.com Ally Invest
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Public.com Ally Invest
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $2.990 $4.950
Mutual Fund Trade Fee n/a $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.00 $0.50
Futures (Per Contract) (Not offered) (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee n/a $20
Margin Rates Public.com Ally Invest
Margin Rate Under $25,000 4.90% 11.75%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 4.90% 11.75%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 4.75% 11.50%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 4.50% 10.75%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 4.50% 8.50%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 4.50% 8.00%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 4.25% 7.25%
Account Fees Public.com Ally Invest
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $150.00 $25.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) $100.00 $50.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) $100.00 $50.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Public.com Ally Invest
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes No
OTC Stocks No 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 66 0
Fixed Income (Treasurys) Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) No Yes
Traditional IRAs Yes Yes
Roth IRAs Yes Yes
Advisor Services No Yes
International Countries (Stocks) 0 0
Order Types Public.com 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 No No
Order Type - OCO No No
Order Type - OTO No No
Order Type - Broker Assisted No Yes
Beginners Public.com Ally Invest
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) No No
Education (Fixed Income) Yes No
Education (Retirement) Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator No No
Investor Dictionary Yes No
Paper Trading No No
Videos Yes No
Webinars Yes No
Progress Tracking No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes No No
Stock Trading Apps Public.com Ally Invest
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App No 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 No No
Stock App Features Public.com Ally Invest
Mobile Research - Market Movers Yes Yes
Stream Live TV No No
Videos on Demand No No
Stock Alerts Yes No
Option Chains Viewable Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) No No
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization Yes No
Stock App Charting Public.com Ally Invest
Charting - After-Hours Yes No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally No No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 0 0
Charting - Study Customizations No No
Charting - Stock Comparisons Yes No
Trading Platforms Public.com Ally Invest
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 No
Trade Journal No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 3 10
Stock Chart Features Public.com Ally Invest
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies 15 120
Charting - Drawing Tools 0 36
Charting - Notes No 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 No Yes
Charting - Save Profiles No Yes
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis No No
Charting - Study Customizations 0 8
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day Trading Public.com Ally Invest
Streaming Time & Sales No No
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 Public.com Ally Invest
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds No Yes
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks No Yes
Screener - ETFs No Yes
Screener - Mutual Funds No No
Screener - Fixed Income No Yes
Portfolio Asset Allocation Yes No
Stock Research Public.com Ally Invest
Stock Research - PDF Reports 0 0
Stock Research - Earnings Yes No
Stock Research - Insiders No Yes
Stock Research - Social No Yes
Stock Research - News Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG No No
Stock Research - SEC Filings No No
ETF Research Public.com 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 No Yes
ETFs - Risk Analysis No No
ETFs - Ratings No Yes
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap No No
ETFs - PDF Reports No No
Mutual Fund Research Public.com Ally Invest
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective No Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart No Yes
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis No No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus No No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings No Yes
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown No No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings No Yes
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation No No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation No Yes
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation No No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap No No
Options Trading Public.com Ally Invest
Option Chains - Total Greeks 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes No
Banking Public.com Ally Invest
Bank (Member FDIC) No Yes
Checking Accounts No Yes
Savings Accounts No Yes
Credit Cards No No
Debit Cards No Yes
Mortgage Loans No No
Customer Service Public.com Ally Invest
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) No Yes
Phone Support (Current Customers) No Yes
Email Support Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) Yes No
Live Chat (Current Customers) Yes Yes
24/7 Support No Yes
Overall Public.com Ally Invest
Overall 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Research 2.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Public.com Review Ally Invest Review
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