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Ally Invest vs Firstrade : Fees, Safety & Trading Conditions Compared (2026)
Broker Name
Ally Invest
Firstrade
Broker Overview
Broker Type (e.g., Market Maker, ECN/STP)
None
STP broker
Years of Existence / Established Year
2005
1985
Customer Base / Number of Accounts
No information
1Million
Regulation & Security
Regulations (governing bodies)
SEC, FINRA
FINRA, SEC
Awards Won (count for the last 2 years)
No major awards listed
Best Online Brokers, Best for Options Traders award.
Security Measures
SIPC
SIPC
SSL Encryption / 2FA
Yes
Yes
Segregated Funds
No
Yes
Negative Balance Protection
No
No
Trading Instruments/Products Offered
Assets Types / Trading Instruments (total count and breakdown)
10,800+ assets including, CDs, Treasuries, Crypto available through external parterns
2200+ ETFs including CDs, Treasury bills, Notets and bonds, Primary market CDs, Zeros and strips and more
Currency Pairs
No
No
Commodities
No
No
Indices
Yes
Yes- Through ETFs
Cryptocurrencies
No
Yes- Through ETFs
CFDs
No
No
ETFs
Yes
Yes
Stocks
Yes
Yes
Options
Yes
Yes
Futures
No
No
Bonds
Yes
Yes
Mutual Funds
Yes
Yes
Fractional Shares
Exchange Traded Notes (ETNs)
Yes
Yes
Precious Metals
Yes
No
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)
Yes
Yes
Equities
Yes
No
Trading Platforms & Technology
Trading Platform Availability
Yes
Yes
MT4
No
No
MT5
No
Yes
cTrader
No
No
Social Trading
No
Copy Trading
No
No
Other Trading Platforms (proprietary, etc.)
Web and mobile platform
Firstrade platform
Platform Compatibility (Windows, Mac, iOS, Android)
Yes except Mac
Yes
Account Types & Conditions
Account Types (Retail, Pro, VIP, etc.)
IRA plan, Traditional, Roth IRA, Self-directed trading, Ally Invest Robo portfolios, Personal advice
Brokerage account- Individual, Joint, Custodial, Retirement- Retirement (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP IRA), Corporate, Trust, International, Education Planning, Business Planning
Demo Account (Yes/No)
No
No
Islamic Accounts (Yes/No)
No
No
Minimum Deposit
$100
$0
Leverage Available
No
No
Trade Limit (maximum per trade)
Non-Pattern Day Trader-3-day trades in 5 business days, Pattern Day Trade- Unlimited day trades
Depends on asset class
Commission (per account type)
$0
$0
Best Suited For (e.g., beginners, experienced traders)
Beginners
Both beginners and experienced traders
Deposit & Withdrawal Options
Deposit Methods
ACH, Wire transfer, Check
Wire Fund Transfer, Check deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer
Withdrawal Methods
Wire transfer
Wire Fund Transfer, Check Deposit, Asset transfer, ACH electronic transfer, Withdrawal of sales proceed
Other E-Wallets Supported
No
No
Tools & Educational Resources
Economic Calendar
Yes
Yes
Tools & Educational Resources (tutorials, webinars, market news, etc.)
Trading Education, Market Insights, Webinars, Online Trading Courses, Forex and Options Education
Education Center, Investment Education Videos, Option Guide, Margin Guide, Webinars, Tax center, Blogs, Upcoming IPOs
Fees & Commissions
Trading-Related Fees
Commission-$0
Commission for stocks, ETFs, Options, Mutual funds- $0, Fixed income- Treasury Bills, Notes & Bonds, Municipal Bonds, Agency Bonds, Secondary Market CDs, Zeros & Strips- Net yield basis, Primary Market CDs- $30, Broker-Assisted Stock & Options Trades- $19.95 (+$0.50/Contract)
Spread (typical, fixed, variable)
NA
Typical
Per Lot Fees
NA
NA
Options Contract Fees
$0.50
$0
Futures Contract Fees
NA
NA
Markup Fees on Spread
NA
NA
Guaranteed Stop Loss Fees
NA
NA
Maximum Leverage
No
No
Non-Trading Fees
Dormant Fees
$0
$0
Subscription Fees (for premium features, data feeds)
NA
NA
Advisory Fees
$0.75-$0.85
0.20-0.30%
Swap Fees (Overnight Financing)
NA
NA
Statement or Document Fee
NA
$2-$5
Account Opening Fee
$0
$0
Account Maintenance Fee
$0
$0
Deposit Fee
$0
$0
Currency Conversion Fee
$0
3%
Withdrawal Fee
Wire transfer- $75
$25-$75
Bonuses, Promotions & Benefits
Bonuses, Promotions, and Referrals
Yes- Occasionally
Yes
Customer Benefits (e.g., Retirement Plan)
Yes
Yes
Trading Hours
Trading Hours (for each asset class if applicable)
Pre-market orders between 8:00 am - 9:30 am, ET or post-market orders between 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm ET.
Pre-Market: 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM ET Regular Market: 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM ET After-Hours: 4:05 PM to 8:00 PM ET
Customer Support
Support Hours (e.g., 24/7, weekdays only)
Mon - Fri 7am - 10pm ET, Sat 8am - 8pm ET
Monday - Friday,10am - 4pm ET
Customer Support Methods (phone, email, live chat)
Hard of hearing call: 711, Phone: 1-888-925-2559, +1-316-652-6430, E-mail: Login to send a secure message, Live chat
Phone: U.S. Toll Free: 1-800-869-8800, Outside the US: 1-718-961-6600, E-mail, FAQ, Fax: 1-718-961-3919
Support Languages
2
3
Additional Information
Headquarters Location
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
30-50 Whitestone Expwy. Ste. A301 Flushing, NY 11354
Complaints (for crypto brokers)
No
No
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