TradeStation vs Ally Invest 2025
In this head to head comparison of TradeStation vs Ally Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of TradeStation vs Ally Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When deciding between TradeStation and Ally Invest for your online brokerage needs, it boils down to your individual preferences for specific investment opportunities. Both platforms offer a wide range of options, including stock and mutual fund trading, with identical ratings of 4.5 stars in the Range of Investments category. However, meanwhile they both lack in fractional shares and crypto trading, TradeStation takes the lead with the availability of futures trading, setting it apart for investors interested in this option. On the flip side, Ally Invest uniquely provides advisor services, a beneficial feature for those seeking some guidance in managing their investments.
TradeStation and Ally Invest both support stock and margin trading, as well as options and mutual fund trading, ensuring that fundamental investment types are well-covered. Each platform offers the opportunity to trade over-the-counter (OTC) stocks, catering to investors looking to diversify their portfolios with these specific types of equities. While neither platform offers fractional shares trading or the ability to trade cryptocurrency, their comprehensive coverage of stocks, options, and mutual funds makes them suitable for most investors.
For retirement planning, both TradeStation and Ally Invest provide options for traditional and Roth IRAs, therefore catering to those planning their financial future post-retirement. However, where TradeStation excels in futures trading, Ally Invest compensates with personalized advisor services, a notable perk for hands-off investors who desire professional insights. Accordingly, while StockBrokers.com ranks TradeStation slightly higher at #5 compared to Ally Invest's #8 ranking for the range of investments, the decision ultimately rests with the investor's specific interests and required services.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | No |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | Yes | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 0 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
When weighing TradeStation against Ally Invest for trading platforms and tools, TradeStation emerges as the clear frontrunner. It garners an impressive 4.5-star rating and is ranked third by StockBrokers.com out of 14 brokers for its trading capabilities, while Ally Invest receives a moderate 3-star rating and places tenth. This higher rating is largely due to features such as a downloadable Windows desktop platform, extensive options for charting with 294 technical indicators, and custom study creation. In contrast, Ally Invest lacks a desktop platform and many advanced functionalities that active traders might value.
TradeStation provides both Windows desktop and browser-based platforms, offering users flexibility based on their trading preferences. While both TradeStation and Ally Invest offer browser-based options, TradeStation stands out with its paper trading feature, allowing new investors to practice without financial risk. Meanwhile, Ally Invest lacks paper trading capabilities. TradeStation also supports complex watch lists with 341 fields, dwarfing Ally Invest's 10, providing traders with a more thorough stock monitoring experience.
When it comes to charting abilities, TradeStation significantly outdoes Ally Invest. It includes features like adjusting open orders on stock charts, showing historical trades, and displaying corporate events, options that are not available on Ally Invest. TradeStation has 12 customization fields for editing an SMA study, providing more options than Ally Invest's eight. Furthermore, TradeStation allows for creating custom studies and saving multiple chart profiles, giving traders a more tailored and insightful trading experience. Overall, TradeStation's comprehensive tools make it a preferred choice for traders seeking advanced functionality.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 341 | 10 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 294 | 120 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 23 | 36 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
When comparing the educational resources of TradeStation and Ally Invest, both platforms provide options education for those looking to delve into this investment type. However, they differ significantly in other educational areas. TradeStation offers stock education, educational videos, and paper trading, offering practical ways for beginners to learn and practice trading without financial risk. Meanwhile, Ally Invest not only covers stocks like TradeStation but also offers resources for understanding ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, providing a wider breadth of educational content for diverse investment options. The absence of educational videos at Ally Invest is notable, though it covers more asset classes, which might appeal to investors looking to learn about a broader range of investment vehicles.
Finally, when it comes to overall educational ratings and rankings, Ally Invest emerges as the stronger candidate. It holds a 4-star rating for education and is ranked #7 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com. In contrast, TradeStation receives a 3-star rating and is ranked #13. While neither platform allows users to track their learning progress or offers educational quizzes, Ally Invest’s more comprehensive educational offerings, covering a wider array of investment types, can be particularly advantageous for beginners seeking a richer educational experience.
Feature |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | No | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | Yes |
Education (Fixed Income) | No | Yes |
Paper Trading | Yes | No |
Videos | Yes | No |
Webinars | Yes | |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
TradeStation emerges as the superior choice for stock trading app enthusiasts, offering a comprehensive suite of features that easily outshine Ally Invest. With TradeStation, users enjoy benefits such as after-hours mobile trading, options trading, and streaming quotes—capabilities that are integral to savvy traders looking to stay responsive to market changes. Additionally, the power to create and customize watch lists makes navigating investments seamless. This edge is reinforced by TradeStation's higher rating and ranking, topping Ally Invest with a 4.5-star rating and a commendable 8th place out of 14 brokers evaluated by StockBrokers.com.
Both TradeStation and Ally Invest provide traders with accessible trading through apps on iPhone and Android devices. While neither platform offers an Apple Watch app or streaming live TV, they do deliver mobile options trading and allow users to view charts in multiple time frames. Nonetheless, TradeStation leads with a more enriched charting experience, offering 45 technical studies compared to Ally's absence of any such tools, allowing traders to conduct a more detailed analysis of market trends.
For traders who prioritize real-time updates and alerts, TradeStation is the clear favorite. Notably, it provides stock alerts and allows customization of watch list columns—features absent in Ally Invest. Although both platforms lack certain advanced capabilities like on-demand videos and landscape mode chart viewing, TradeStation compensates by offering after-hours charting, which enhances its service for dynamic investing. Overall, TradeStation stands out as the more feature-rich platform for those serious about stock trading on their mobile devices.
Feature |
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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 | 45 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When comparing the account fees and charges of TradeStation and Ally Invest, Ally Invest tends to offer more cost-effective options for the everyday investor. Both brokers have no minimum deposit requirement and charge nothing for regular stock trades, making them accessible to beginners. However, when it comes to other fees, Ally Invest generally has lower costs. This includes options contracts at $0.50 each compared to TradeStation's $0.60, and no charges for IRA annual fees or options-related actions, unlike TradeStation, which has higher fees in these areas.
As for margin balances, both brokers charge 13% for balances below $25,000, but Ally Invest offers a more competitive rate for larger balances, such as 12.75% for accounts between $25,000 and $49,999, and 12% for accounts between $50,000 and $99,999. In comparison, TradeStation rates are slightly higher for these tiers. Additionally, Ally Invest does not have annual IRA fees, while TradeStation charges $35 annually and processes IRA closures at a $50 fee compared to Ally’s $25 fee.
Account transfers and options-related fees also highlight differences between the two brokers. While TradeStation charges a hefty $125 for both full and partial account transfers, Ally Invest makes these transfers more affordable at $50 each. For options exercise and assignment, Ally Invest charges nothing, whereas TradeStation asks for $14.95 for exercises and $5.95 for assignments. Hence, Ally Invest surfaces as a more budget-friendly choice, especially for active traders dealing with options and investors considering IRAs.
Feature |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.60 | $0.50 |
Options Exercise Fee | $14.95 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $5.95 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $35.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $50.00 | $25.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When evaluating day trading platforms tailored for active traders, TradeStation and Ally Invest often find themselves compared. TradeStation shines in features critical for day trading, offering streaming time and sales for stocks, allowing for real-time data crucial for making informed decisions. While Ally Invest lacks this feature, TradeStation also provides direct market routing, ladder trading, and trading hotkeys, enhancing control and speed in executing trades. Furthermore, both platforms do not offer streaming live TV, but TradeStation offers level 2 quotes, a vital tool for day traders seeking in-depth market data to refine their strategies.
TradeStation further distinguishes itself with its comprehensive backtesting capabilities, supporting both basic and advanced strategies, which allow traders to test their ideas against historical data. This is complemented by a short locator tool, providing real-time availability of shares available to short—another feature absent in Ally Invest. Traders on TradeStation can also benefit from order liquidity rebates, adding a financial incentive to their trading activities. In contrast, Ally Invest does not offer these features, making TradeStation a more formidable option for individuals or day traders needing a feature-rich environment.
Feature |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No |
Streaming TV | No | No |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to market research capabilities, Ally Invest slightly edges out TradeStation, making it a better choice for investors seeking diverse research tools and resources. Both platforms offer stock and ETF research, as well as Pink Sheets/OTCBB capabilities, but Ally Invest surpasses TradeStation by offering mutual fund and bond research. Moreover, Ally Invest provides additional insights through unique tools like social media sentiment analysis and ETF screener for trade ideas, resulting in a higher market research rating of 3.5 stars compared to TradeStation’s 2 stars.
Delving into their specific offerings, TradeStation and Ally Invest both allow users to view portfolio allocation by asset class, making it easy for investors to keep track of their investments. However, Ally Invest takes a further step by incorporating social media sentiment data in its stock research. This feature can be immensely beneficial for investors looking to gauge market mood, a tool that TradeStation lacks entirely. Also notable is Ally Invest's inclusion of a bond screener and ETF screener for trade ideas, while TradeStation only offers a stock screener. Neither platform currently provides downloadable PDF research reports for stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds, keeping users reliant on digital interfaces for most research needs.
In industry rankings, Ally Invest stands at the 8th position for market research out of 14 brokers, marking a superior performance compared to TradeStation's 11th place. While ESG research is not yet provided by either platform, the comprehensive research tools and capabilities Ally Invest offers make it a more appealing choice for investors who prioritize detailed market analysis. Whether it’s utilizing social media sentiment or having access to a broader spectrum of securities research, Ally Invest shows a distinct advantage in the realm of market research.
Feature |
|
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | No | Yes |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
Research - Fixed Income | No | Yes |
Screener - Fixed Income | No | Yes |
Research |
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When comparing the banking capabilities of TradeStation and Ally Invest, there are clear differences. Ally Invest shines in this area, offering a wide range of banking services that TradeStation does not. If you're looking for a company that supports checking and savings accounts, Ally Invest is your go-to as it provides both. Additionally, Ally Invest also offers debit and credit cards, which are not available through TradeStation. For those interested in mortgage loans, Ally Invest again has the upper hand, providing options that TradeStation lacks. Lastly, if you're considering certificates of deposit (CDs) as a savings option, you'll find them at Ally Invest, but not at TradeStation. Overall, Ally Invest proves to be the stronger choice for anyone seeking a comprehensive suite of banking services alongside their investment platform.
Feature |
|
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Checking Accounts | No | Yes |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes |
Debit Cards | No | Yes |
Credit Cards | No | Yes |
Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
Brokerage CDs | No | Yes |
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 TradeStation is better than Ally Invest. TradeStation finished with an overall score of 80.2%, while Ally Invest finished with a score of 80.1%.
TradeStation supports casual traders through its web-based platform and active traders through its desktop platform. We like the web-based platform and mobile app, but the flagship desktop platform could use a refresh.
Both TradeStation and Ally Invest do not offer crypto trading, providing zero coins for investors interested in digital currencies.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Both TradeStation and Ally Invest offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts, making them viable options for retirement planning. However, potential investors should note that TradeStation charges a $35 annual fee and a $50 closure fee for IRA accounts, whereas Ally Invest offers free management with no annual fees and a lower closure fee of $25, providing a more cost-effective solution for users.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | TradeStation Review | Ally Invest Review |
Broker Screenshots | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.01 | $4.95 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $14.95 | $0.00 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.60 | $0.50 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $1.50 | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $25 | $20 |
Margin Rates | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 13.0% | 13% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 13.0% | 12.75% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 12.5% | 12% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 12.0% | 10.75% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 12.0% | 9.75% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 7.5% | 9.25% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 7.5% | 8.5% |
Account Fees | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
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IRA Annual Fee | $35.00 | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $50.00 | $25.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $125.00 | $50.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $125.00 | $50.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $14.95 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $5.95 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | No | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 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 | No | Yes | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | TradeStation | 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 | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | No | Yes | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | Yes | |
Education (Fixed Income) | No | Yes | |
Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
Investor Dictionary | No | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
Videos | Yes | No | |
Webinars | Yes | ||
Progress Tracking | No | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | TradeStation | 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 | Yes | No |
Stock App Features | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | No | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
Stock App Charting | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 45 | 0 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | No | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | No |
Trading Platforms | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | TradeStation 10 | N/A | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Journal | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 341 | 10 |
Stock Chart Features | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 294 | 120 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 23 | 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 | Yes | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 12 | 8 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | Yes | No |
Day Trading | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No | |
Streaming TV | No | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Hot Keys | Yes | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
Short Locator | Yes | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | Yes | No |
Research Overview | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Fixed Income | No | Yes | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Screener - ETFs | No | Yes | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
Screener - Fixed Income | No | Yes | |
Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | Yes |
Stock Research | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | No | 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 | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Investment Objective | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | No | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | Yes | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | No | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | No | Yes | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
Mutual Fund Research | TradeStation | 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 | Yes | 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 | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No |
Banking | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank (Member FDIC) | No | Yes | |
Checking Accounts | No | Yes | |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes | |
Credit Cards | No | Yes | |
Debit Cards | No | Yes | |
Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
Customer Service | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | No | Yes |
Overall | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | TradeStation Review | Ally Invest Review |