Ally Invest vs Vanguard Comparison
Comparing brokers side by side is no easy task. We spend hundreds of hours each year testing the platforms, mobile apps, trading tools and general ease of use among online brokerages, as well as comparing commissions and fees, to find the best online broker.
Though many U.S. brokers offer basic trading features, such as an app, charting tools, stock research and educational content, the depth of those features can vary widely. Let's compare Ally Invest vs Vanguard.
Is Ally Invest or Vanguard better for beginners?
In stock trading, the more you know, the better you’ll do. Taking advantage of resources like articles, webinars, videos and interactive elements is a great way to shorten the learning curve. In our analysis, we examine the availability of several different types of educational materials.
For 2023, our review finds that Ally Invest offers more comprehensive new investor education for beginning investors than Vanguard. Ally Invest offers investors access to Education (Stocks), Education (ETFs), Education (Options), Education (Mutual Funds), Education (Bonds) and Education (Retirement), while Vanguard offers investors access to Videos, Education (Stocks) and Education (Retirement). Neither have Paper Trading.
What about Ally Invest vs Vanguard pricing?
Ally Invest and Vanguard charge the same amount for regular stock trades, $0.00. Option contracts are pricier at Vanguard, costing $1.00 per contract versus $0.50 per contract at Ally Invest. Ally Invest and Vanguard both charge (Not offered) per option contract. For a deeper dive, see our best brokers for free stock trading guide.
Does Ally Invest or Vanguard offer a wider range of investment options?
Looking at a full range of investment options, including order types and international trading, our research has found that Ally Invest offers a more comprehensive offering than Vanguard. Ally Invest ranks #8 out of 18 brokers for our Investment Options category, while Vanguard ranks #9.
Ally Invest offers investors access to Stock Trading, Options Trading, OTC Stocks, Mutual Funds, Forex Trading and Advisor Services, while Vanguard offers investors access to Stock Trading, Options Trading, OTC Stocks, Mutual Funds and Advisor Services. Neither have Fractional Shares and Futures Trading Looking at Mutual Funds, Vanguard trails Ally Invest in its offering of no transaction fee (NTF) mutual funds, with Ally Invest offering 3900 and Vanguard offering .
Do Ally Invest and Vanguard offer cryptocurrency?
In our analysis of top U.S. brokerages, we research whether each broker offers the ability to trade cash cryptocurrency, such as bitcoin and ethereum. Though crypto has risen steadily in popularity, availability still varies from broker to broker. Our review finds that neither Ally Invest and Vanguard offer crypto trading.
Which trading platform is better: Ally Invest or Vanguard?
To compare the day trading platforms of Ally Invest and Vanguard, we focused on trading tools and functionality across both web and desktop-based platforms. Popular day trading platform tools include streaming real-time quotes, stock alerts, trading hotkeys, direct market routing, streaming time and sales, customizable watch lists, backtesting, and fully functional charting packages, among many others. For day trading, Ally Invest offers a better experience.
Does Ally Invest or Vanguard offer a better stock trading app?
After testing 25 features across the stock trading apps of Ally Invest and Vanguard, we found Ally Invest to be better overall. The best stock market apps are easy to use, have excellent design, and deliver a fully featured online trading experience. Ally Invest ranks #13 out of 18 brokers, while Vanguard ranks #17.
Ally Invest Trading App Gallery
Vanguard Trading App Gallery
Which broker is better for researching stocks?
For research, Ally Invest offers superior market research than Vanguard. Ally Invest ranks #7 and Vanguard ranks #9.
Over the years, we've found that the best brokers provide rich market commentary, a variety of third-party research reports, and thorough quote screens that are not just easy to navigate, but that also include a comprehensive selection of fundamental data. Robust stock, ETFs, and mutual fund screeners are also must-haves for trade idea generation.
How do Ally Invest and Vanguard compare in terms of minimum deposit required?
Ally Invest requires a minimum deposit of $0.00, while Vanguard requires a minimum deposit of $0.00. From our testing, we found that SoFi is the only broker that requires a minimum deposit.
Which broker offers better margin rates for accounts under $25,000?
Ally Invest charges 13% for accounts under $25,000 while Vanguard charges a margin rate of 13.75%. The industry average of the 18 brokers we track is 9%.
Does Ally Invest offer fractional shares? Does Vanguard?
Fractional shares are not offered by either broker. Our research has found that 41% of brokers offer fractional shares investing. Fractional shares allow traders to buy a part of a whole share of stock. For example, if Amazon is trading at $1,000, you could buy half a share for $500.
Can you trade penny stocks with Ally Invest or Vanguard?
Both Ally Invest and Vanguard allow you to trade penny stocks. Ally Invest charges $4.95 per trade while Vanguard charges $0.00. Penny stocks are companies whose shares trade for under $5 and are listed over the counter (OTC). For brokers that do offer penny stock trades, the average commission is $3.
Does either broker offer banking?
Online banking can be a benefit for investors, and some brokerages do provide banking services to customers. Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts, Debit Cards and Mortgage Loans are offered by Ally Invest while Vanguard offers neither of these. Neither have Credit Cards.
Which broker offers stronger customer service?
StockBrokers.com partners with customer experience research group Confero to conduct phone tests from locations across the United States to thoroughly evaluate the quality and speed of brokerage customer service. (Read more about How We Test.) Here are the results of our current testing.
Ally Invest was rated 5th out of 14 brokers, with an overall score of 8.3 out of 10.
Vanguard was rated 12th out of 14 brokers, with an overall score of 6.4 out of 10.
Is Ally Invest good?
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.
In the 2023 StockBrokers.com Annual Review, Ally Invest ranked among Best in Class for Banking Services and Customer Service.
Is Vanguard good?
Vanguard is aimed squarely at buy-and-hold investors, and its platform reflects that focus. Vanguard is known for its low-cost funds, and the investment platform is really built for those looking to invest solely in mutual funds and ETFs.
Ally Invest vs Vanguard Winner
Overall winner: Ally Invest
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