Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Public.com vs Ally Invest, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Choosing between Public.com and Ally Invest comes down to what you want to trade and the kind of help you need. Both support stock, options, margin, OTC stocks, and IRAs, but they split on the rest: Public.com stands out with fractional shares and a wide crypto lineup (40 coins), while Ally Invest is the pick if you want mutual funds and access to advisor services. For overall breadth, Ally holds a slight edge (4/5 stars, ranked #11 for Range of Investments by StockBrokers.com) versus Public.com (3.5/5 stars, ranked #12).
Trading features: Public.com and Ally Invest both offer stock trading, options trading, margin trading, and OTC stocks. Only Public.com offers fractional shares. Mutual funds are available at Ally Invest but not at Public.com. Neither broker supports forex or futures. For crypto, Public.com offers trading in 40 coins; Ally Invest does not offer crypto.
Account types and services: Both Public.com and Ally Invest offer Traditional and Roth IRAs. Public.com does not provide advisor services, whereas Ally Invest does. If you prioritize crypto access and fractional shares, Public.com fits well; if you prefer mutual funds and guidance from an advisor, Ally Invest is the better match.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | No |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 40 | 0 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
Bottom line: For trading platforms and tools, Ally Invest edges out Public.com, but neither is feature-packed. StockBrokers.com rates Ally Invest 1.5 out of 5 stars (10th of 14) and Public.com 1 out of 5 stars (14th of 14). Both lack downloadable desktop software, paper trading, and a trading journal. If you want deeper charting and more flexible watchlists, Ally Invest is the better pick; if you only need a simple web experience, Public.com may suffice.
Platforms: Neither broker offers a downloadable trading platform for Windows or Mac; both run in your browser. Neither lets you adjust open orders directly on a chart. For watchlists, Ally Invest is more customizable with 10 columns versus Public.com’s 3. Both platforms also lack custom date ranges for charts.
Charting: Public.com offers no technical indicators or drawing tools, cannot add notes, show corporate events or past trades, or save chart layouts; even editing an SMA has zero settings. Ally Invest provides 120 indicators, 36 drawing tools, chart notes, automated pattern recognition, and the ability to save multiple chart profiles, including eight SMA settings fields. Still, Ally’s charts also skip some items—no custom date ranges, no order tweaks on the chart, no corporate events or trade history overlays—and neither broker supports creating custom studies.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 3 | 10 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 120 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 36 |
| Advanced Trading |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
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For beginner and investor education, Public.com edges out Ally Invest. Public.com earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and is ranked #8 out of 14 brokers for education by StockBrokers.com, while Ally Invest scores 3 stars and ranks #12. If you prefer learning through educational videos and live or recorded webinars, Public.com is the better fit. If you want coverage on mutual funds, Ally Invest is the one that offers that topic.
Both brokers provide education on stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Public.com adds educational videos and webinars; Ally Invest does not offer either. Neither platform currently offers paper trading, quizzes, or tools to track your learning progress. In short, choose Public.com for multimedia learning and Ally Invest if mutual funds education is important to you.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | Yes |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos | Yes | No |
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
Public.com and Ally Invest both earn 3 stars for their stock trading apps, but Public.com ranks a notch higher (#13 vs. #14 out of 14). Go with Public.com if you want mobile after-hours trading, chart-to-chart stock comparisons, and the ability to tweak watch list columns. Choose Ally Invest if streaming quotes and building your own custom watch lists are priorities. Both offer iPhone and Android apps, mobile options trading, and no Apple Watch app.
On mobile trading basics, each broker covers iPhone and Android. Public.com supports after-hours trading on mobile, while Ally Invest’s status for mobile after-hours trading isn’t specified in the data provided. Both apps support options trading. For market data, Ally Invest includes streaming quotes, while Public.com does not. Neither app includes streaming live TV, videos on demand, or stock alerts.
For watch lists and charts, Ally Invest lets you create custom watch lists, while Public.com does not; however, Public.com lets you customize watch list columns, and Ally Invest does not. Both apps let you view multiple time frames, but neither offers after-hours charting, landscape charting, or any technical studies. Public.com adds the ability to compare symbols directly on charts, which Ally Invest lacks.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | No | No |
| Stock Alerts | No | No |
| Charting - After-Hours | No | No |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026
Bottom line: Public.com is generally cheaper for trading and borrowing, while Ally Invest is easier to start with and cheaper to move or close. Public.com stands out with $0 options contract fees and much lower margin rates, making it appealing for options traders and margin users. Ally Invest shines with a $0 minimum deposit and lower fees for transfers and IRA closures. Both brokers offer $0 stock trades and no fees for options exercises or assignments.
Getting started costs less at Ally Invest ($0 minimum) than at Public.com ($20 minimum). For trading, both charge $0 for regular stock trades. The big split is options: Public.com charges $0 per contract, while Ally Invest charges $0.50 per contract. If you plan to use margin, Public.com’s rates are notably lower across the listed tiers: 5.65% below $25,000, 5.65% for $25,000–$49,999, and 5.50% for $50,000–$99,999, versus Ally Invest at 12%, 11.75%, and 11% respectively.
On account and transfer fees, both Public.com and Ally Invest have $0 IRA annual fees, and both charge $0 for options exercises and assignments. However, Public.com’s IRA closure fee is $150 versus Ally Invest at $25. For ACAT transfers, Public.com charges $100 for both partial and full transfers, while Ally Invest charges $50 for both.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20.00 | $0.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.50 |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Closure Fee | $150.00 | $25.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2026
Public.com vs Ally Invest for day trading: Both platforms lack key tools that active traders often expect. Neither offers streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, direct market routing for stocks, ladder trading, trade-entry hotkeys, or Level 2 quotes. They also don’t include basic or advanced strategy backtesting, a short locator to check real-time borrow availability, or maker-taker rebates.
Bottom line: day traders, scalpers, and momentum traders will likely find both options limiting. Public.com and Ally Invest are better for buy-and-hold investors who don’t need specialized routing or depth-of-book data. If you depend on rapid keyboard execution, detailed tape reading, or testing strategies before going live, consider a broker designed specifically for day trading.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
| Streaming TV | No | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
| Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
Bottom line: For market research, Ally Invest edges out Public.com. Ally covers more asset types and adds more ways to explore ideas, helping it earn a 3 out of 5 rating and a #9 of 14 ranking from StockBrokers.com, versus Public.com’s 2.5 out of 5 and #12. If you just need basic stock and ETF research, either will do; if you want broader coverage and more tools, Ally is the better pick.
Research coverage: Both brokers offer stock and ETF research and include OTC (Pink Sheets/OTCBB) data. Ally Invest goes further with mutual fund and bond research, which Public.com does not provide.
Tools and extras: Ally Invest offers stock, ETF, and bond screeners for trade ideas, plus stock research using social media sentiment. Public.com does not provide screeners or sentiment tools. Neither broker shows portfolio allocation by asset class, and neither offers ESG research or downloadable PDF reports for stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | No | Yes |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | No | Yes |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | Yes |
| Screener - Fixed Income | No | Yes |
| Research |
|
|
Public.com vs. Ally Invest: When it comes to banking features, Public.com is investment-only and does not offer checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, mortgage loans, or CDs. Ally Invest, by comparison, does offer checking and savings accounts, a debit card, a credit card, mortgage loans, and certificates of deposit (CDs). If you want an online broker that also covers everyday banking and lending, Ally Invest is the more complete choice, while Public.com works best if you plan to keep your banking elsewhere.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
Ally Invest
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | No | Yes |
| Savings Accounts | No | Yes |
| Debit Cards | No | Yes |
| Credit Cards | No | Yes |
| Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
| Brokerage CDs | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2026
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Public.com is better than Ally Invest. Public.com finished with an overall score of 56.0%, while Ally Invest finished with a score of 56.0%.
Public.com is a modern investing platform best known for its clean, user-friendly design, thematic investing features, and simple access to stocks, ETFs, and other assets.
In the Public.com vs Ally Invest comparison, Public.com offers crypto trading with access to 40 coins, while Ally Invest does not support crypto trading (0 coins). If crypto is a priority, Public.com provides the broader selection and functionality.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026
Public.com vs. Ally Invest: both brokers offer Traditional and Roth IRAs with $0 annual fees. The key difference is IRA closure fees—Public.com charges $150, while Ally Invest charges $25.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
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| Review | Public.com Review | Ally Invest Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Trading Fees | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20.00 | $0.00 | |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $2.99 | $4.95 | |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | n/a | $0.00 | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.50 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | n/a | $20 |
| Margin Rates | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 5.65% | 12% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 5.65% | 11.75% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 5.50% | 11% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 5.25% | 9.75% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 5.25% | 8.75% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 5.25% | 8.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 5.05% | 7.5% |
| Account Fees | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $150.00 | $25.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $100.00 | $50.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $100.00 | $50.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | No | |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
| Futures Trading | No | No | |
| Forex Trading | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 40 | 0 | |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | Yes | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | Yes | |
| Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | No | Yes | |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | No | Yes | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
| Order Types | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Trailing Stop | No | No | |
| Order Type - OCO | No | No | |
| Order Type - OTO | No | No | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | No | Yes |
| Beginners | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Videos | Yes | No | |
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Progress Tracking | No | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | No | No | |
| Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Complex Options | No | Yes | |
| Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Ticket SRT Quotes | No | No |
| Stock App Features | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Research - Market Movers | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | No | |
| Stock Alerts | No | No | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Streaming) | No | No | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
| Stock App Charting | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | No | No | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | No |
| Trading Platforms | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | n/a | N/A | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Journal | No | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 3 | 10 |
| Stock Chart Features | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 120 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 36 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | No | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | No | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | No | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 0 | 8 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
| Streaming TV | No | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No | |
| Ladder Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Hot Keys | No | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
| Short Locator | No | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | Yes | |
| Screener - Stocks | No | Yes | |
| Screener - ETFs | No | Yes | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | No | Yes | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | No | No |
| Stock Research | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Social | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | No | No | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | No |
| ETF Research | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | No | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
| ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | No | |
| ETFs - Risk Analysis | No | No | |
| ETFs - Ratings | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
| Mutual Fund Research | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | No | Yes | |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | No |
| Options Trading | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No |
| Banking | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | No | Yes | |
| Checking Accounts | No | Yes | |
| Savings Accounts | No | Yes | |
| Credit Cards | No | Yes | |
| Debit Cards | No | Yes | |
| Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
| Customer Service | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | No | Yes | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | No | Yes | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | No | Yes |
| Overall | Public.com | Ally Invest | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall |
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| Research |
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| Education |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Public.com Review | Ally Invest Review |
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