Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Ally Invest vs Robinhood, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Bottom line: Ally Invest vs. Robinhood comes down to what you want to trade. Ally Invest is the better pick for a wider overall selection, earning 4.5/5 stars and ranking #8 of 14 for Range of Investments from StockBrokers.com, while Robinhood scores 3.5/5 and ranks #12. Ally’s edge is access to mutual funds and a full setup for long-term investors, whereas Robinhood stands out for fractional shares, crypto, and futures.
Both platforms offer stock trading, options trading, margin accounts, OTC stocks, advisor services, and both Traditional and Roth IRAs. Neither supports forex. Key differences are where they matter most: Ally Invest offers mutual funds (Robinhood does not), while Robinhood offers fractional shares (Ally does not), crypto trading (22 coins; Ally has none), and futures trading (Ally does not).
Choose Ally Invest if you prioritize mutual funds and a broad toolkit for diversified, long-term portfolios. Choose Robinhood if you want fractional shares for small-dollar buys, plus access to crypto and futures alongside stocks and options. Either way, you can open retirement accounts and tap advisor services on both.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 22 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
Bottom line: In the Ally Invest vs. Robinhood matchup for trading platforms and tools, Robinhood holds a slight lead, earning 3.5 stars and a #9 of 14 ranking from StockBrokers.com versus Ally Invest’s 3 stars and #10 ranking. Both are browser-based with no desktop downloads, and neither offers paper trading or a trading journal. Your decision may hinge on charting style: Robinhood stands out with more watchlist fields, the ability to adjust open orders on charts, custom date ranges, and a huge set of drawing tools, while Ally Invest answers with more built-in indicators and automated chart pattern recognition.
Platform access is similar: no Windows or Mac desktop apps for either, and both run in your browser. Watchlists are deeper on Robinhood (34 columns) than Ally Invest (10). On charts, both brokers let you add notes and save multiple chart profiles, but neither shows historical trades or corporate events, and neither supports creating custom studies.
Diving into charting features, Ally Invest offers 120 technical indicators and eight customization fields for a simple moving average, compared with Robinhood’s 90 indicators and six SMA fields. Drawing tools tilt the other way: Robinhood provides 2,326 tools versus Ally Invest’s 36. Ally Invest includes automated technical analysis to surface chart patterns; Robinhood does not. Robinhood alone lets you modify open orders directly on the chart and set custom date ranges.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 10 | 34 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 120 | 90 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 36 | 2326 |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
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Ally Invest vs Robinhood education: both brokers help beginner investors learn the basics, offering stock, ETF, options, and bonds education. Ally Invest also provides mutual funds education, while Robinhood does not. Each is rated 4 out of 5 stars for education, with Ally Invest ranked #7 of 14 and Robinhood #8 of 14 by StockBrokers.com.
When it comes to how you learn, Robinhood includes educational videos, while Ally Invest does not. Neither platform offers webinars, quizzes, progress tracking, or paper trading. If you want mutual funds guidance, Ally Invest has the edge; if you prefer video-based learning, Robinhood is the better fit.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Videos | No | Yes |
| Webinars | No | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
Bottom line: in an Ally Invest vs Robinhood stock trading app comparison, Robinhood has the edge for most mobile traders thanks to fuller charting tools, alerts, and Apple Watch support. Ally Invest still delivers the essentials—iPhone and Android apps, streaming quotes, options trading, and custom watch lists—but Robinhood’s extras make it more appealing for active users. Reflecting this, StockBrokers.com rates Robinhood’s app 4.5 stars and ranks it #7 of 14 brokers, while Ally Invest earns 4 stars and ranks #13.
Platform coverage is strong on both sides: iPhone and Android apps are available from Ally Invest and Robinhood, and both offer streaming quotes, mobile options trading, custom watch lists, and multiple chart time frames. Neither app offers streaming live TV, videos on demand, or landscape chart views. Ally Invest supports mobile after-hours trading; the provided data does not confirm whether Robinhood’s mobile app does. Only Robinhood offers an Apple Watch app.
Charting and alerts are where Robinhood pulls ahead. Robinhood supports after-hours charting, price alerts, customizable watch list columns, and about 90 technical studies. Ally Invest’s mobile charts have no technical studies, do not show after-hours data, and watch list columns can’t be customized, though you can still create watch lists and switch time frames. Neither app supports stock-to-stock comparisons on charts.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | No | Yes |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
| Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 90 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When it comes to choosing between Ally Invest and Robinhood, understanding their account fees and charges can make a significant difference depending on your investment priorities. Both platforms offer a no-minimum deposit requirement and free regular stock trades, making them accessible options for new and seasoned investors alike. However, there are notable differences: Robinhood is more favorable for options traders as it does not charge a per-contract fee, whereas Ally Invest charges $0.50. On the flip side, while both brokers do not charge IRA annual fees, Ally Invest imposes a $25 closure fee that Robinhood does not. These key differences may help guide investors toward the platform that aligns with their financial goals.
Margin trading costs also vary significantly. Ally Invest's rates are higher across all tiers, starting at 12% for balances below $25,000 and decreasing to 11% for balances between $50,000 and $99,999. In contrast, Robinhood offers lower, more consistent rates: 5.75% for balances up to $49,999, dropping slightly to 5.55% for amounts up to $99,999. This gives Robinhood an edge for traders who frequently use margin. Additionally, for those considering account transfers, it's essential to note Ally Invest charges $50 for both partial and full transfers, whereas Robinhood's fees are double at $100, potentially adding to costs if you plan to move assets between accounts.
Considering these factors, your choice between Ally Invest and Robinhood may depend on your trading strategy and anticipated account activities. For options traders and those frequently involved in margin trading, Robinhood provides a cost-efficient solution. Conversely, Ally Invest might better suit investors seeking lower transfer fees and who are less focused on options trading. By taking a closer look at these cost structures, you can find a brokerage that meets your investment needs without incurring unnecessary charges.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 | $0.00 |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Closure Fee | $25.00 | $0.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
For day trading, Ally Invest and Robinhood share many limits. Neither platform offers streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, direct market routing for stocks, trading hotkeys, basic or advanced strategy backtesting, a short locator tool, or maker/taker rebates. Those gaps matter if you want precise fills, fast keyboard entries, or research tools for testing ideas.
The key differences favor Robinhood: it provides ladder trading and Level 2 quotes, while Ally Invest offers neither. If you need depth-of-book data and a ladder for quick order placement, Robinhood is the only one of the two with those features. Still, both lack hotkeys and direct routing, so control and speed remain limited. Casual traders who place simple orders may find either workable, but dedicated day traders may want a platform with direct routing, hotkeys, streaming time and sales, and more advanced tools.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
| Streaming TV | No | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | Yes |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
| Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2025 for Beginners and Active Traders
Bottom line: for market research, Ally Invest outshines Robinhood. Ally covers more asset types and offers more ways to find ideas, while Robinhood leans simpler with fewer research extras but does include a handy portfolio allocation view. Reflecting this, Ally Invest earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 of 14 brokers for research on StockBrokers.com; Robinhood scores 2 out of 5 stars and ranks #10.
On coverage, both Ally Invest and Robinhood provide stock and ETF research, plus pink sheets/OTC information. Ally extends further with mutual fund research and bond research, which Robinhood does not offer. ESG research is not available on either platform. If you want downloadable PDF reports, note that both brokers provide zero for stocks and do not offer PDFs for ETFs or mutual funds.
On tools, both brokers include a stock screener. Ally adds ETF and bond screeners, while Robinhood lacks screeners for those asset types; neither offers a mutual fund screener. Ally also weaves in social media sentiment for stock research, which Robinhood does not. For portfolio tracking, Robinhood lets you see allocation by asset class, whereas Ally does not. In short, Ally Invest suits traders and investors who want more research depth and idea generation across asset classes, while Robinhood fits users who prefer a basic research setup with an easy view of their asset mix.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Research |
|
|
When comparing the banking capabilities of online brokers Ally Invest and Robinhood, Ally Invest stands out with a range of banking services that Robinhood doesn't provide. Ally Invest offers checking and savings accounts, giving users more traditional banking options. In contrast, Robinhood does not offer these account types. Both platforms provide debit and credit cards, giving users access to some essential financial tools. Additionally, Ally Invest extends its services to include mortgage loans and certificates of deposit (CDs), both of which are not available with Robinhood. For individuals seeking a more comprehensive banking experience alongside investment services, Ally Invest offers more options compared to Robinhood's limited banking features.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
Robinhood
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | Yes | No |
| Savings Accounts | Yes | No |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes |
| Credit Cards | Yes | Yes |
| Mortgage Loans | Yes | No |
| Brokerage CDs | Yes | No |
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 Ally Invest is better than Robinhood. Ally Invest finished with an overall score of 80.1%, while Robinhood finished with a score of 77.3%.
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.
When comparing Ally Invest and Robinhood for trading options, Ally Invest does not offer crypto trading, while Robinhood supports crypto trading and provides access to 22 different coins.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both Ally Invest and Robinhood offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with zero annual fees, though Ally Invest charges a $25 closure fee for IRA accounts while Robinhood does not impose a closure fee.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
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| Review | Ally Invest Review | Robinhood Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
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| Trading Fees | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $4.95 | N/A | |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $0.00 | N/A | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | $0.75 | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $20 | N/A |
| Margin Rates | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 12% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 11.75% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 11% | 5.55% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 9.75% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 8.75% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 8.25% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 7.5% | 5% |
| Account Fees | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $25.00 | $0.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $50.00 | $100.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $50.00 | $100.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | Yes | |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
| Futures Trading | No | Yes | |
| Forex Trading | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 22 | |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | Yes | Yes | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 1 |
| Order Types | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Order Type - OCO | No | No | |
| Order Type - OTO | No | No | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
| Beginners | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Videos | No | Yes | |
| Webinars | No | No | |
| Progress Tracking | No | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | No | Yes | |
| 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 | Yes |
| Stock App Features | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | No | |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch List (Streaming) | No | Yes | |
| Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch Lists - Column Customization | No | Yes |
| Stock App Charting | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 90 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | No |
| Trading Platforms | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | N/A | Robinhood Legend | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Journal | No | No | |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 10 | 34 |
| Stock Chart Features | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 120 | 90 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 36 | 2326 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | No | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 8 | 6 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
| Streaming TV | No | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No | |
| Ladder Trading | No | Yes | |
| Trade Hot Keys | No | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
| Short Locator | No | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | No | Yes |
| Stock Research | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Social | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | No | No | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | No |
| ETF Research | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Investment Objective | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - Risk Analysis | No | No | |
| ETFs - Ratings | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
| Mutual Fund Research | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | No |
| Options Trading | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | No | Yes |
| Banking | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | Yes | No | |
| Checking Accounts | Yes | No | |
| Savings Accounts | Yes | No | |
| Credit Cards | Yes | Yes | |
| Debit Cards | Yes | Yes | |
| Mortgage Loans | Yes | No |
| Customer Service | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | No | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | Yes | Yes |
| Overall | Ally Invest | Robinhood | |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Ally Invest Review | Robinhood Review |
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