Written by StockBrokers.com
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.
TradeStation and Ally Invest both cover the core investing needs and each is rated 4 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments. If you want more markets to trade, TradeStation ranks higher for range (#6 of 14 versus Ally Invest’s #11, per StockBrokers.com) and is the only one of the two that offers futures. If you prefer guidance, Ally Invest sets itself apart by offering advisor services. Neither broker supports fractional shares, forex, or crypto (0 coins), so expect a traditional lineup focused on mainstream securities.
Side by side, both brokers offer stock trading, options trading, mutual funds, OTC stocks, and margin, along with Traditional and Roth IRAs. What you won’t find at either is fractional share trading, forex, or cryptocurrency. The biggest product difference is futures: TradeStation offers it; Ally Invest does not.
Choose TradeStation if futures trading matters to you or if a higher Range of Investments ranking is a priority. Pick Ally Invest if access to advisor services is important while still having the basics—stocks, options, mutual funds, OTC stocks, margin, and IRA account types.
| Feature |
TradeStation
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
In the TradeStation vs. Ally Invest matchup for trading platforms and tools, TradeStation is the clear winner for most traders. It earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #3 of 14 at StockBrokers.com, while Ally Invest earns 1.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #10. Pick TradeStation if you want desktop software, deeper charting, and paper trading; choose Ally Invest if you only need a simple web platform with basic features.
Platforms and workflow: TradeStation offers downloadable desktop platforms for both Windows and Mac, plus a browser-based platform. Ally Invest offers a browser-based platform only. TradeStation includes paper trading; Ally Invest does not. Neither broker has a trading journal. On TradeStation you can adjust open orders directly on a stock chart; Ally Invest cannot. Both let you add notes to charts, save multiple chart profiles, and show automated chart patterns. Only TradeStation lets you create custom studies.
Charting and watchlists: TradeStation provides 294 technical indicators, 45 drawing tools, and 12 customization fields when editing an SMA study, while Ally Invest offers 120 indicators, 36 drawing tools, and 8 SMA fields. TradeStation can show historical trades on charts, display corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends), and set custom date ranges; Ally Invest lacks these options. For tracking, TradeStation watchlists support up to 341 columns (fields) versus 10 on Ally Invest.
| Feature |
TradeStation
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 341 | 10 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 294 | 120 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 45 | 36 |
| Advanced Trading |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
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TradeStation vs Ally Invest for beginner investor education: Both online brokers teach stocks and options. Ally Invest goes wider with ETF, mutual fund, and bond education, while TradeStation does not cover those topics. In third-party reviews, TradeStation earns 2 out of 5 stars for education and ranks 14th out of 14 brokers at StockBrokers.com; Ally Invest scores 3 out of 5 stars and ranks 12th out of 14.
Learning tools differ, too. TradeStation includes paper trading, educational videos, and webinars to help you practice and learn in real time. Ally Invest does not offer paper trading, videos, or webinars. Neither broker has quizzes or a way to track your learning progress. Choose TradeStation if hands-on practice and live sessions matter most; choose Ally Invest if you want broader topic coverage across ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds.
| Feature |
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 |
| Videos | Yes | No |
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
Bottom line: TradeStation’s mobile app offers more trading power than Ally Invest’s. Both provide iPhone and Android apps with streaming quotes and mobile options trading, but TradeStation adds mobile after-hours trading, stock alerts, after-hours charting, and customizable watchlist columns. That advantage is reflected in the ratings: TradeStation earns 4 stars and ranks 6th out of 14 at StockBrokers.com, while Ally Invest earns 3 stars and ranks 14th.
Availability and core tools: Both brokers have iPhone and Android apps; neither supports Apple Watch. Each app delivers streaming quotes and options trading. Mobile after-hours trading is available with TradeStation, while Ally Invest’s mobile after-hours availability wasn’t provided. Neither app offers streaming live TV or on-demand videos. For alerts and personalization, TradeStation supports stock alerts and lets you customize watchlist columns; Ally Invest does not offer alerts and does not allow column customization, though both let you create custom watchlists.
Charting on mobile: Both apps support multiple time frames, but neither offers landscape chart viewing or stock-to-stock comparisons on charts. TradeStation stands out with after-hours charting and 45 built-in technical studies, whereas Ally Invest lists no technical studies and lacks after-hours charting.
| Feature |
TradeStation
|
Ally 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 | 45 | 0 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026
TradeStation vs. Ally Invest: both have a $0 minimum deposit and $0 commissions for online stock trades, but Ally Invest generally wins on fees. Ally charges less per options contract, has lower margin rates across the listed balance tiers, eliminates the IRA annual fee, and sets lower IRA closure and ACAT transfer fees. It also charges $0 for options exercise and assignment, while TradeStation adds costs there. If keeping overall fees down is your priority, Ally Invest tends to be the more budget-friendly choice.
For trading costs, options contracts are $0.60 each at TradeStation and $0.50 each at Ally Invest. Margin interest is also lower at Ally: for balances under $25,000 it’s 12% vs. TradeStation’s 12.5%; from $25,000 to $49,999 it’s 11.75% vs. 12.5%; and from $50,000 to $99,999 it’s 11% vs. 11.5%.
On account and event fees, Ally Invest again comes in lower: IRA annual fee is $0 vs. $35 at TradeStation, and IRA closure is $25 vs. $50. ACAT transfers—both partial and full—cost $50 at Ally vs. $125 at TradeStation. For options events, Ally charges $0 for both exercise and assignment, while TradeStation lists $14.95 for exercise and $5.95 for assignment.
| Feature |
TradeStation
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 2026
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 |
TradeStation
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
Ally Invest edges out TradeStation for market research, earning 3 stars and a #9 ranking from StockBrokers.com versus TradeStation’s 2.5 stars and #11 ranking. Ally’s lead comes from broader coverage—adding mutual fund and bond research, a bond screener, and social media sentiment for stocks. TradeStation answers with a useful portfolio allocation view by asset class, but its overall research menu is slimmer.
Both brokers cover the essentials: stock and ETF research, stock and ETF screeners, and access to Pink Sheets/OTCBB research. Neither offers ESG research or downloadable PDF reports for stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds (each provides zero stock reports and none for ETFs or mutual funds). Where they differ is depth: Ally Invest includes mutual fund research, bond research, and a bond screener; TradeStation lacks those categories but lets you see how your portfolio breaks down across asset classes—something Ally does not provide.
If you want the widest research coverage with sentiment tools and fixed-income support, Ally Invest is the better fit. If your priority is analyzing your portfolio’s asset mix and you don’t need bond or mutual fund research, TradeStation can still meet the basics for stocks, ETFs, and OTC names.
| Feature |
TradeStation
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | Yes |
| Screener - Fixed Income | No | Yes |
| Research |
|
|
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 |
TradeStation
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 2026
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 68.4%, while Ally Invest finished with a score of 56.0%.
TradeStation is a brokerage best known for its highly customizable trading platforms, advanced options and futures capabilities, and powerful tools designed for active and experienced traders.
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 2026
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 2026
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| Review | TradeStation Review | Ally Invest Review |
| Broker Screenshots | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
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| Trading Fees | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 12.5% | 12% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 12.5% | 11.75% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 11.5% | 11% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 11.5% | 9.75% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 12.0% | 8.75% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 7.5% | 8.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Account Fees | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | No | Yes | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | No | 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 | 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 | No | |
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | Yes | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - 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) | Yes | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
| Trade Journal | No | No | |
| Watchlists - 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 | 45 | 36 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 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 | Yes | Yes | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | No |
| Stock Research | TradeStation | 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 | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Investment Objective | No | No | |
| 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 (Prospective Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | No | Yes |
| Overall | TradeStation | Ally Invest | |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | TradeStation Review | Ally Invest Review |
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