E*TRADE vs Ally Invest : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)

Broker Name

E*TRADE

Ally Invest

Broker Overview

Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)

Both ECN and STP broker

None

Years of Existence / Established Year

1982

2005

Customer Base / Number of Accounts

5.2 million client accounts

No information

Regulation & Security

Regulations (governing bodies)

FRS, FINRA, SIPC, SEC, NFA, FDIC

SEC, FINRA

Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)

Investor App and #1 Web Trading Platform for 2024, Benzinga's 2023 Global Fintech Awards

No major awards listed

Security Measures

SIPC

SSL Encryption / 2FA

Yes

Segregated Funds

Yes

Negative Balance Protection

Yes

Trading Instruments/Products Offered

Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)

Over 50,000 offerings, including US Treasury trades

10,800+ assets including, CDs, Treasuries, Crypto available through external parterns

Currency Pairs

Commodities

Indices

Yes

Cryptocurrencies

CFDs

ETFs

Yes

Stocks

Yes

Options

Yes

Futures

Yes

Bonds

Yes

Mutual Funds

Yes

Fractional Shares

Yes

Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)

Yes

Precious Metals

Yes

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)

Yes

Equities

Yes

Trading Platforms & Technology

Trading Platform Availability

Yes

MT4

MT5

cTrader

Social Trading

Copy Trading

Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)

Power Etrade web, Power Etrade app

Web and mobile platform

Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)

Yes

Yes except Mac

Account Types & Conditions

Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)

Brokerage, Retirement, Core portfolio, Managed portfolio, Small business retirement , bank

IRA plan, Traditional, Roth IRA, Self-directed trading, Ally Invest Robo portfolios, Personal advice

Demo Account (Yes/No)

Yes

Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)

Minimum Deposit

$100

Leverage Available

Trade Limit (maximum per trade)

Depends on assets class

Non-Pattern Day Trader-3-day trades in 5 business days, Pattern Day Trade- Unlimited day trades

Commission (per account type)

Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)

Beginners to experienced traders

Beginners

Deposit & Withdrawal Options

Deposit Methods

Transfer money, Wire transfer, Transfer an account, Deposit a check ,Direct Deposit

ACH, Wire transfer, Check

Withdrawal Methods

E-wallets, check, Wire transfer

Wire transfer

Other E-Wallets Supported

Electronic transfer

Tools & Educational Resources

Economic Calendar

Yes

Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)

Educational Resources, Tools, Market News and Insights, Tutorials and Webinars

Trading Education, Market Insights, Webinars, Online Trading Courses, Forex and Options Education

Fees & Commissions

Trading-Related Fees

Stocks, options, mutual funds, ETFs- $0, Bonds- $1, FINRA trading activity fee- $0.000166

Commission-$0

Spread (typical, fixed, variable)

Per Lot Fees

Options Contract Fees

$0.65

$0.50

Futures Contract Fees

$1.50

Markup Fees on Spread

Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees

Maximum Leverage

Non-Trading Fees

Dormant Fees

Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)

Advisory Fees

0.30%

$0.75-$0.85

Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)

Statement or Document Fee

Account Opening Fee

Account Maintenance Fee

$15/ month

Deposit Fee

Currency Conversion Fee

Direct trade-$0.005 per share, Broker assisted trader- $25

Withdrawal Fee

Check return - $25, Electronic return -$25

Wire transfer- $75

Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits

Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals

Yes

Yes- Occasionally

Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)

Yes

Trading Hours

Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)

Sunday 5 p.m. CT to Friday 4 p.m. CT

Pre-market orders between 8:00 am - 9:30 am, ET or post-market orders between 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET.

Customer Support

Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)

8 AM - 8 PM ET on weekdays

Mon - Fri 7am - 10pm ET, Sat 8am - 8pm ET

Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)

Live chat, FAQ, Phone- 800-387-2331, 800-838-0908, Beneficiary Services: [email protected] General inquiries: [email protected]

Hard of hearing call: 711, Phone: 1-888-925-2559, +1-316-652-6430, E-mail: Login to send a secure message, Live chat

Support Languages

Additional Information

Headquarters Location

Arlington, Virginia, United States Buyenlarge, Getty

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Complaints (for crypto brokers)

At TradingCritique, we don't just list brokers. We test, compare, and simplify your decision-making. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, our data-driven comparisons are built to match your trading style and region. Learn how we Evaluate a broker.

If minimizing trading costs is your top priority, E*TRADE might be more attractive due to its lower commissions. Meanwhile, Ally Invest justifies its moderate fees with more robust tools and professional-grade features.

Creating an account with E*TRADE is generally faster and more user-friendly, often taking just a few minutes, while Ally Invest requires more detailed steps and identity verification, which may suit more cautious investors.

If you're looking for platform speed and ease of execution, E*TRADE delivers a smooth experience. Ally Invest, however, is tailored toward traders who want deeper analysis tools and portfolio insights.

For market veterans, E*TRADE brings the tools they need. New investors might find Ally Invest more approachable and cost-effective.

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