Ally Invest Review
Ally Invest is a practical, no-nonsense brokerage built for investors who want to manage their money in one place. It pairs naturally with Ally’s banking experience and supports core investing needs, including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, options, and a notably strong lineup of fixed income products.
Where Ally Invest fits best is for investors focused on long-term planning rather than constant trading. Ally Invest does a particularly good job with fixed income and retirement-friendly investing, and its options tools are capable enough for investors who already understand the mechanics. It’s a platform that rewards consistency more than speed.
-
Minimum Deposit:
$0.00 -
Stock Trades:
$0.00 -
Options (Per Contract):
$0.50
| Range of Investments | |
| Mobile Trading Apps | |
| Advanced Trading | |
| Research | |
| Education | |
| Ease of Use | |
| Customer Service |
Check out StockBrokers.com's picks for the best stock brokers in 2026.
| 2026 | #13 |
| 2025 | #11 |
| 2024 | #8 |
| 2023 | #9 |
| 2022 | #8 |
| 2021 | #8 |
| 2020 | #8 |
| 2019 | #9 |
| 2018 | #8 |
Led by Jessica Inskip, Director of Investor Research, the StockBrokers.com research team collects thousands of data points across hundreds of variables. We evaluate features important to every kind of investor, including beginners, casual investors, passive investors, and active traders. We carefully track data on margin rates, trading costs, and fees to rate stock brokers across our proprietary testing categories.
Our researchers open personal brokerage accounts and test all available platforms on desktop, web, and mobile for each broker reviewed on StockBrokers.com. Learn more about how we test.
Table of Contents
Pros & cons
Pros
- Seamless banking integration.
- Strong fixed income tools.
- Low-cost options trading.
- Accessible robo portfolios.
Cons
- No fractional shares.
- Limited mobile charting.
- Limited stock and ETF screener tools.
- Manual account maintenance.
My top takeaways for Ally Invest in 2026:
- A strong banking companion: Ally Invest works best as an extension of Ally Bank. Instant cash movement between savings and investing accounts creates a smooth, centralized experience that’s especially appealing for existing Ally customers.
- Whole shares hold it back: The lack of fractional investing creates limitations for smaller accounts. Dollar-cost averaging into higher-priced stocks is harder here than at many competitors that support partial shares.
- Strong fixed income tools: Equity research is limited, but Ally’s fixed income tools stand out. The Bond Finder makes it easier to navigate corporate and municipal bonds, giving income-focused investors more to work with than the platform’s simple reputation might suggest.
Range of investments
Ally Invest works best as an extension of Ally’s banking ecosystem, offering a centralized place to manage investments alongside everyday finances. The platform covers the essentials, including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and a strong selection of fixed income products. While the lineup is practical and well-suited for long-term investing, it lacks certain modern features, most notably fractional shares.
Investment depth, with a notable gap: One of Ally’s strengths is the ability to handle multiple investment needs on a single platform. Beyond equities, investors can access Treasurys, municipal and corporate bonds, brokerage CDs, and mutual funds, making it easy to build a diversified, income-oriented portfolio. The biggest drawback is the absence of fractional shares. Being limited to whole-share investing raises the barrier for smaller accounts and makes dollar-cost averaging into higher-priced stocks more cumbersome than it needs to be.
Automated investing made accessible: For hands-off investors, Ally Invest Robo Portfolios are an option. With a $100 minimum and a 0.30% annual advisory fee, the service is accessible and competitively priced. The four portfolio styles, Core, Income, Tax-Optimized, and Socially Responsible, are clearly defined and easy to align with different goals. Portfolios rebalance daily, making this a true “set it and forget it” solution.
Account types and administration lag behind: Ally supports Traditional, Roth, and Rollover IRAs, as well as Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, which is a welcome option for families saving for education expenses. That said, account maintenance feels dated. Adding a beneficiary still requires downloading and submitting a physical PDF, an unnecessary hurdle for basic tasks on an otherwise digital platform.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No |
| OTC Stocks | Yes |
| Options Trading | Yes |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes |
| Futures Trading | No |
| Forex Trading | No |
| Crypto Trading | No |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes |
| Roth IRAs | Yes |
| Advisor Services | Yes |
Ally Invest fees
Ally Invest meets the modern industry standard with $0 commission trades for online stock and ETF purchases, a baseline I now expect from any serious brokerage. Where pricing gets more nuanced is once you move beyond basic equity investing, with a mix of competitive perks and a few legacy-style fees.
Options and penny stocks: Options trading pricing is one of Ally’s brighter spots. Contracts cost $0.50 each, undercutting the $0.65 fee still charged by many larger brokers. Ally also offers a dime-close program, allowing short options priced at $0.10 or less to be closed without an additional contract fee, which is a practical benefit for investors managing existing positions. On the flip side, trading penny stocks (OTC securities) comes with a $4.95 commission, adding a fee that commission-free competitors have largely eliminated.
Fixed income and margin: Bond pricing is straightforward but favors larger trades. Ally charges $1 per bond with a $10 minimum per transaction, which can make small purchases less cost-effective. Fees are capped at $250, offering protection for larger orders. Margin, however, is where costs climb quickly. Rates start at 12% for balances under $25,000, which is in line with bank-affiliated brokers but high compared to platforms geared toward active trading. Investors should also note administrative fees, including a $50 ACAT transfer fee and a $25 IRA closure fee.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $4.95 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $0.00 |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $20 |
Mobile trading apps
The Ally Invest mobile app feels more like a companion to the broader Ally experience than a standalone trading platform. It’s clean, uncluttered, and easy to navigate, which makes it well suited for checking balances or placing straightforward trades. That simplicity, however, comes at the cost of richer analysis.
Market data and charting: Mobile charting is extremely limited. I was surprised to find that there are no technical indicators available at all, which is increasingly rare, even among simplified investing apps. Quote pages are also sparse, showing only basic price movement by default. Key data points like volume, average volume, and bid-ask spreads aren’t immediately visible on the primary quote view, making the app feel more observational than analytical.
Trading and options: Despite the lack of data density, trading functionality is fairly capable. The app supports multi-leg options trades, which is not something every simplified platform offers. The options chain itself is usable and visually clear, with helpful color cues when selecting bids and asks. That said, viewing only one expiration at a time slows down analysis, and the absence of implied volatility limits its usefulness for more informed options decisions.
Research and watchlists: Research on mobile leans heavily on third-party integration. TipRanks is well embedded and easy to access, allowing you to review analyst ratings and commentary without leaving the app. Broader market context is thin, though. You can view major indices and the VIX, but there’s no visibility into sectors, commodities, Treasury yields, or economic data. Watchlists sync from the web platform, but customization is minimal, reinforcing the sense that the app is best used for monitoring rather than deep research.

Ally’s mobile app features a simple, easy-to-read watchlist showing just the stock symbol, last price, and daily change. While basic compared to more advanced platforms, it serves the needs of passive investors who simply want to check in on their holdings at a glance.
Overall, Ally’s mobile app is dependable and easy to use, but it’s not designed for investors who rely on real-time data or technical analysis. It works best as a lightweight tool for account management and occasional trades, not as a primary research or trading interface.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes |
| Android App | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | No |
| Stock Alerts | No |
| Charting - After-Hours | No |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 |
| Charting - Study Customizations | No |
| Watchlist (Streaming) | No |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | Yes |
| Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization | No |
Research
Ally Invest’s research experience reflects a clear prioritization of favoring income-focused investors and long-term strategies over deep stock analysis. There are areas where the platform is genuinely strong, particularly in fixed income, but investors who rely on robust screeners or macro-level context will find the offering limited.
Jessica's take:
"Ally’s fixed income offering is certainly where they shine. The Bond Finder tool is extremely helpful, and the amount of detail available when researching individual bonds makes it one of the strongest fixed-income experiences I tested."
Stocks and screeners: Equity research is serviceable but thin. Rather than offering in-house analyst reports or downloadable research from major providers, Ally leans heavily on third-party integration. TipRanks plays a central role here, and its Smart Score provides a quick snapshot that blends analyst ratings, sentiment, and insider activity into a single, easy-to-read metric. It’s useful for getting a sense of market consensus, but it stops short of supporting deeper analysis.
Idea generation is where the experience breaks down. Stock screeners allow filtering by only a small handful of criteria, which makes it difficult to run anything more than a basic scan. The ETF screener is similarly constrained, offering limited filters and little transparency into how results match selected inputs. Investors who prefer to define precise entry criteria will likely find these tools restrictive.
Fixed income stands apart: Fixed income research is where Ally clearly excels. The Bond Finder tool is one of the more thoughtful features on the platform, guiding investors through questions around tax status, time horizon, and location to surface appropriate bond options. Once inside a bond’s detail page, the data is thorough and well presented, including yield-to-worst, call schedules, maturity details, and payment frequency. It’s a notably strong experience that reflects Ally’s banking heritage and commitment to income-oriented investing.

Ally’s Bond Finder tool helps investors navigate the fixed income market by matching them with bonds that fit their personal needs. This guided questionnaire takes tax considerations and investment goals into account, recommending products like municipal bonds, corporate bonds, CDs, and U.S. Treasurys. It’s a user-friendly way to build a fixed income portfolio with confidence.
Options and macro context: The Options Strategy Workbench adds useful structure for investors who already understand options trading. Visual cues make order construction clearer, and the ability to view net Greeks is an important risk-management feature. However, the default options chain omits some commonly expected data points, such as implied volatility, which limits its usefulness without additional context.
Macro-level research is minimal. There is no economic calendar, no meaningful sector performance breakdown, and little guidance on broader market conditions. For investors who want to understand how economic trends or policy decisions are shaping markets, Ally provides only a surface-level view.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes |
| Stock Research - ESG | No |
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes |
| Research - Mutual Funds | Yes |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes |
| Research - Fixed Income | Yes |
Education
Ally Invest’s educational content feels more like a personal finance resource than a dedicated investing curriculum. The hub, branded as Ally Community, is not well integrated into the investing platform and can be difficult to find, living behind disclosures rather than alongside trading tools. Once there, the experience blends budgeting advice, lifestyle content, and investing articles into a single stream.

Ally Bank’s Conversation-ally education hub focuses on personal finance topics that go beyond investing. From budgeting and debt management to saving strategies and automated investing, the platform offers a wide range of easy-to-understand articles designed to help users take control of their financial wellness. While it’s separate from the investing platform, it’s a valuable resource for building a strong financial foundation.
Built for passive learners: For long-term, hands-off investors, much of the content works well. Retirement education is a clear strength. Articles like 10 IRA Mistakes to Avoid are practical and thoughtfully structured, covering topics such as beneficiary designations, rollovers, and even backdoor Roth strategies. Portfolio-focused pieces, particularly around ETFs, are approachable and engaging, and interactive elements like risk tolerance quizzes help keep the material accessible. For investors focused on buying funds and holding them over time, Ally provides a low-pressure way to learn the basics.
Thin support for active learning: Education around individual stocks and trading is far less developed. Introductory stock content is minimal, often glossing over foundational concepts before jumping into complex rules or constraints. This makes the learning curve feel steeper than it needs to be. Options education is similarly lacking, introducing advanced strategies without first building a clear understanding of risks and mechanics.
The format limitations are also notable. Ally doesn’t offer webinars, structured investing courses, or paper trading, which makes it harder for investors to practice or progress beyond reading articles. Most calculators and tools focus on personal finance topics like budgeting, saving, or mortgages, rather than portfolio analysis or investment strategy. As a result, Ally’s education works best as a reference for passive investing concepts, but it falls short as a primary resource for learning how to trade or actively manage a portfolio.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes |
| Videos | No |
| Webinars | No |
| Progress Tracking | No |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No |
Customer service
To score Customer Service, StockBrokers.com partners with customer experience research firm Confero to conduct phone tests from locations throughout the United States. For this year's testing, 132 customer service tests were conducted over six weeks, with wait times logged for each call.
Customer service representatives were asked for assistance or details for prospective customers in several areas of broker services, including account opening, trading tools, apps, crypto offerings, active trading, and more. Here are the results for Ally Invest.
- Average Connection Time: 1.8 minutes
- Average Net Promoter Score: 8.3 / 10
- Average Professionalism Score: 8.3 / 10
- Overall Score: 8.43 / 10
- Ranking: 3rd of 11
Banking services
Ally Invest sits inside a full-featured digital bank, and for many investors, that integration is its biggest advantage. Ally offers a unified experience where savings, checking, credit cards, loans, and investments all live under a single login. That cohesion is something most standalone brokers simply can’t replicate.
From saver to investor: The connection between Ally’s banking and investing tools is seamless. Funds can be moved instantly from Ally checking or high-yield savings into an investment account, avoiding the delays that come with external ACH transfers. This setup makes it easier to keep idle cash earning interest until you’re ready to invest, reducing cash drag without sacrificing flexibility.
A complete financial ecosystem: Beyond investing, Ally’s banking platform supports the broader financial picture. Customers have access to mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, and a range of certificates of deposit, including no-penalty options. For investors who want to manage spending, borrowing, saving, and investing in one place, Ally’s banking infrastructure adds meaningful convenience and cohesion.
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | Yes |
| Checking Accounts | Yes |
| Savings Accounts | Yes |
| Credit Cards | Yes |
| Debit Cards | Yes |
| Mortgage Loans | Yes |
Ally Invest IRA review
For most retirement savers, Ally Invest offers a straightforward IRA experience that benefits from its close ties to Ally Bank. Opening a Traditional, Roth, or Rollover IRA is simple, and the ability to fund contributions instantly from an Ally High Yield Savings account is a real advantage, especially for last-minute contributions before a tax deadline.
Education and small business gaps: One welcome inclusion is the Coverdell Education Savings Account (ESA), a less common option that supports K–12 and college expenses and has largely disappeared from many brokerage platforms. Since Ally doesn’t offer 529 plans, the Coverdell serves as a useful alternative for parents. That said, retirement support for self-employed investors is notably absent. Ally doesn’t offer self-directed SEP or SIMPLE IRAs, which limits its appeal for freelancers and small business owners managing their own retirement plans.
Fees and minimums: Ally keeps costs simple, with no annual IRA maintenance fee and no minimum opening deposit. That makes it easy to get started, even with smaller balances. Investors should be aware of a $25 IRA closure fee if they decide to move their account elsewhere. It’s not excessive, but it’s worth factoring in for those who value portability.
Final thoughts
Ally Invest isn’t trying to compete with professional trading platforms, and that restraint is intentional. It’s built to serve as a natural extension of Ally’s digital banking experience, and for existing customers, that integration is compelling. The ability to move money instantly from savings or checking into an investment account makes it easier to stay invested. For investors focused on ETFs, long-term portfolios, or automated strategies, Ally delivers a clean, dependable experience that fits neatly into everyday financial life.
The limitations emerge as your needs become more specific. The lack of fractional shares makes it harder to invest incrementally, and the research and screening tools don’t offer the analytical support required for more active decision-making. Ally Invest works best as a strong investing layer within a broader digital banking ecosystem. If a unified financial dashboard and ease of use matter more than advanced trading tools, Ally is a solid choice. If your strategy leans toward frequent trading or detailed market analysis, you may need a different broker.
Ally Invest Star Ratings
| Feature |
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|
| Overall |
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| Range of Investments |
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| Mobile Trading Apps |
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| Advanced Trading |
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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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StockBrokers.com Review Methodology
Why you should trust us
Jessica Inskip is Director of Investor Research at StockBrokers.com, bringing 15 years of experience in brokerage and trading strategy. A former FINRA-licensed rep, she held Series 7, 63, 66, and 4 licenses. Jessica focuses on investor education and brokerage industry research, appears regularly on CNBC, Bloomberg, The Schwab Network, Fox Business, and Yahoo! Finance, and hosts the Market MakeHer podcast.
Blain Reinkensmeyer, co-founder of StockBrokers.com, has been investing and trading for over 25 years. After having placed over 2,000 trades in his late teens and early 20s, he became one of the first in digital media to review online brokerages. Today, Blain is widely respected as a leading expert on finance and investing, specifically the U.S. online brokerage industry. Blain has been quoted in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Fast Company, among others. Blain created the original scoring rubrics for StockBrokers.com and oversees all testing and rating methodologies.
How we tested
- We used our own brokerage accounts for testing.
- We collected thousands of data points across the brokers we review.
- We tested each online broker's website, desktop platforms, and mobile app, where applicable.
- We maintained strict editorial independence; brokers cannot pay for inclusion or a higher rating.
Our research team meticulously collected data on every feature of importance to a wide range of customer profiles, including beginners, casual investors, passive investors, and active traders. We carefully track variables like margin rates, trading costs, fees, and platform features and use them to help rate brokers across a range of categories measuring ease of use, range of investments, research, education, and more.
At StockBrokers.com, our reviewers use a variety of computing devices to evaluate platforms and tools. Our reviews and data collection were conducted using the following devices: iPhone SE running iOS 17.5.1, MacBook Pro M1 with 8 GB RAM running the current MacOS, and a Dell Vostro 5402 laptop i5 with 8 GB RAM running Windows 11 Pro.
Each broker was evaluated and scored on over 200 different variables across seven key categories: Range of Investments, Platforms & Tools, Research, Mobile Trading, Education, Ease of Use, and Overall. Learn more about how we test.
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About Ally Invest
Ally Invest is the online brokerage arm of Ally Financial (NYSE: ALLY), which also operates Ally Bank. Originally founded in 1919 by General Motors as GMAC to finance auto purchases, it renamed to Ally Financial in 2010, expanded into digital banking, and acquired brokerage firm TradeKing in 2016, rebranding it as Ally Invest. Today, Ally Financial is best known for FDIC-insured online banking, auto loans, home loans, and brokerage services under Ally Invest.
Ally Invest