Ally Invest
Ally Invest offers commission-free stock and ETF trading with no account minimums, plus robo portfolios and managed accounts, all integrated with Ally Bank.
Quick Facts
- Starting Price
- Free
- Free Tier
- Yes
- Founded
- 2016
- Company
- Ally Financial Inc.
Ally Invest Overview
Ally Invest is the brokerage arm of Ally Financial, one of the largest digital financial services companies in the US. Originally built on the TradeKing platform acquired in 2016, Ally Invest offers self-directed trading with $0 commissions on stocks and ETFs, making it a competitive choice for cost-conscious investors who also want seamless integration with Ally Bank savings and checking accounts.
The platform offers three distinct services: Self-Directed Trading for active investors, Robo Portfolios for hands-off automated investing (with a cash-enhanced option that charges no advisory fee), and Managed Portfolios with a 0.30% annual advisory fee. This tiered approach lets investors shift between strategies as their needs evolve, all within a single login.
Options traders pay $0.50 per contract with no base commission, which is competitive but not the cheapest in the market. The platform supports stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, bonds, and forex. Notably absent are futures and cryptocurrency trading, which limits appeal for traders who want a single platform for all asset classes.
Ally Invest's biggest strength is its ecosystem integration — instant transfers between Ally Bank and brokerage accounts, no account minimums for self-directed trading, and a clean mobile app. However, the trading platform lacks advanced charting, screening tools, and research depth compared to heavyweights like Fidelity or Schwab, making it better suited to casual investors than active traders.
Ally Invest Pricing
Self-Directed Trading
- ✓ $0 commission on stocks and ETFs
- ✓ $0.50 per options contract, no base fee
- ✓ No account minimum
- ✓ Price alerts and basic screeners
- ✓ Ally Bank instant transfers
Robo Portfolio (Cash-Enhanced)
- ✓ $100 minimum investment
- ✓ No advisory fee
- ✓ Automated rebalancing
- ✓ Diversified ETF portfolios
- ✓ 30% cash allocation
Managed Portfolio
- ✓ 0.30% annual advisory fee
- ✓ $100 minimum investment
- ✓ Professional portfolio management
- ✓ Automated rebalancing
- ✓ Tax-loss harvesting
Features
Pros & Cons
Pros
- + $0 commission on stocks and ETFs with no account minimum
- + Seamless integration with Ally Bank for instant transfers
- + Three investing styles in one account: self-directed, robo, and managed
- + Competitive $0.50/contract options pricing with no base fee
- + Clean, beginner-friendly mobile app
Cons
- - No futures or cryptocurrency trading available
- - Charting and research tools are basic compared to Fidelity or Schwab
- - Robo portfolio cash-enhanced option keeps 30% in cash, limiting growth
- - No paper trading or simulated account for practice
Rating Breakdown
Overall Rating
Key Takeaways
- ✓ $0 commission on stocks and ETFs with no account minimum
- ✓ Seamless integration with Ally Bank for instant transfers
- ✓ Three investing styles in one account: self-directed, robo, and managed
- ✓ Competitive $0.50/contract options pricing with no base fee
- ✓ Clean, beginner-friendly mobile app
- ★ Rated 3.9/5 — best for existing Ally Bank customers, beginner investors, cost-conscious buy-and-hold investors, robo investing
- $ Free tier available
TL;DR
Ally Invest is a us brokers tool rated 3.9/5, best suited for existing Ally Bank customers and beginner investors and cost-conscious buy-and-hold investors and robo investing. It offers a free plan, with paid plans starting at $N/A/month. $0 commission on stocks and ETFs with no account minimum and seamless integration with ally bank for instant transfers.
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