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Ally Invest vs Public.com 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

February 20, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Ally Invest vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Ally Invest
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.50
Public.com
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $20.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00 info
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info

Range of investments

When comparing online brokers Ally Invest and Public.com, it's evident that each platform shines in distinct areas. Ally Invest has the edge with a more comprehensive range of investment options, offering both traditional and Roth IRA accounts, mutual funds, and advisory services. This makes it an attractive choice for investors seeking a diversified investment strategy and professional guidance. On the other hand, Public.com provides modern investing tools like fractional shares and cryptocurrency trading, making it suitable for tech-savvy investors interested in exploring alternative asset classes.

Both Ally Invest and Public.com facilitate traditional stock and margin trading, as well as options trading and OTC stocks. However, Public.com distinguishes itself by offering fractional shares and a selection of 22 cryptocurrencies, accommodating investors who want to start small or diversify into digital currencies. In contrast, Ally Invest focuses on more conventional investment vehicles such as mutual funds and IRAs.

As for investment breadth, Ally Invest is rated 4.5 stars and ranks #8 among 16 brokers, indicating a slightly higher satisfaction with its investment range. Public.com, with a rating of 3.5 stars and a #15 ranking in the same comparison, targets a different audience through unique offerings like cryptocurrency, even though it doesn't provide mutual funds or IRA accounts. Ultimately, the choice between Ally Invest and Public.com hinges on the individual's investment goals and preference for either traditional or innovative financial products.

Feature Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Public.com logoPublic.com
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info No Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info No No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 22
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025

Trading platforms and tools

When evaluating the trading platforms and tools offered by Ally Invest and Public.com, it's clear that Ally Invest has an edge. With a higher overall rating and ranking according to StockBrokers.com, Ally Invest provides a more comprehensive selection of technical indicators and drawing tools. This gives traders greater capabilities in analyzing market trends and crafting strategies. In contrast, Public.com's platform, while straightforward and user-friendly, lacks many advanced features which might be essential for those who rely heavily on technical analysis.

Both Ally Invest and Public.com offer browser-based trading platforms, but neither provides downloadable options for Windows or Mac users. While neither offers paper trading or a trading journal, Ally Invest excels with its 120 technical indicators and 36 drawing tools, enhancing the charting experience. On the other hand, Public.com does not support any technical indicators or drawing tools, which might limit traders looking for in-depth analysis capabilities. Additionally, Ally Invest allows notes and index overlays on charts, offering further customization compared to Public.com.

For those focused on watch lists, Ally Invest stands out, offering ten fields, which is more than triple the offerings of Public.com's watch list capabilities. While both platforms lack certain advanced features like custom date ranges and historical trades on charts, Ally Invest does support automated technical analysis and the ability to save multiple chart profiles, which Public.com does not. This detailed comparison underscores Ally Invest’s richer feature set, positioning it as a more appealing choice for traders in need of extensive technical analysis tools.

Feature Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Public.com logoPublic.com
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No No
Paper Trading info No No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 10 3
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 120 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 36 0
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Dive deeper: 7 Best Brokerage Accounts for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025

Featured Offers


5/5 Stars

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Beginners and education

When looking at beginner-friendly education for investors, Ally Invest and Public.com each have their strengths. Both platforms provide educational resources on stocks, ETFs, and options, ensuring that newcomers have access to essential knowledge in these key investment areas. However, Ally Invest stands out by offering education on mutual funds and bonds, which Public.com does not. On the other hand, Public.com caters to auditory and visual learners by offering educational videos and webinars, formats not available on Ally Invest.

For those seeking interactive learning experiences, it's worth noting that neither Ally Invest nor Public.com offer paper trading or educational quizzes. Additionally, neither platform allows users to track their learning progress over time. Despite these similarities, Ally Invest slightly edges out Public.com in educational quality, with a 4-star rating compared to Public.com's 3.5 stars, as reflected in StockBrokers.com's rankings where Ally Invest places 8th out of 16 brokers, while Public.com holds the 12th spot.

Feature Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Public.com logoPublic.com
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes No
Education (Bonds) info Yes No
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info No Yes
Webinars info No Yes
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025

Stock trading apps

When weighing the stock trading app offerings of Ally Invest against Public.com, it's clear each platform presents unique advantages. Ally Invest garners a 4-star rating, slightly outpacing Public.com's 3.5 stars. Ranking 13th among 16 brokers by StockBrokers.com, Ally Invest edges out Public.com, which is positioned 15th. Despite similar rankings, each platform serves distinct user needs and preferences, allowing users to choose according to what aligns best with their trading style.

Both Ally Invest and Public.com provide iPhone and Android apps, catering to a broad user base seeking mobile trading convenience. While neither offers an Apple Watch app nor incorporates features like streaming quotes or live TV, both platforms support mobile options trading. Ally Invest facilitates mobile after-hours trading, further augmenting its flexibility in accommodating traders with varying schedules. Additionally, the capability to create custom watch lists sets Ally Invest apart, catering to users who desire personalized tracking of their investments.

Public.com, on the other hand, enables customization of watch list columns, offering a tailored user experience in organizing stock data. Although both platforms allow viewing multiple time frames for charting, Public.com's capacity to display stock comparisons on charts provides a slight edge to traders interested in relative performance analysis. These subtle differences emphasize how each platform's unique offerings cater to the diverse needs of today’s investors.

Feature Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Public.com logoPublic.com
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info No No
Stock Alerts info No No info
Charting - After-Hours info No No
Charting - Technical Studies info 0 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025

Fees

When considering online brokers for their fees and charges, Ally Invest and Public.com each bring unique strengths to the table. Ally Invest shines with its zero minimum deposit requirement, making it accessible for individuals looking to start investing without an upfront commitment. In contrast, Public.com requires a minimum deposit of $20, which might be less appealing to those who prefer no entry costs. On the other hand, Public.com stands out with its no-cost options trading, a feature that could be particularly attractive to active stock options traders looking to minimize their expenses.

Examining other charges, both Ally Invest and Public.com offer commission-free regular stock trading, ensuring buyers can trade without incurring additional fees. However, when it comes to options contracts, Ally Invest charges $0.50 per contract, whereas Public.com boasts no charge for this service. Additionally, for margin balances below $25,000, Ally Invest imposes a 13% rate, whereas Public.com charges a lower rate of 8.75%. This difference continues across higher margin balance tiers, with Public.com generally offering more competitive rates compared to Ally Invest.

In terms of other account fees, Ally Invest removes barriers with no charges for IRA annual fees, but a $25 fee applies for IRA closure. Both platforms do not charge any fees related to options exercise and assignment. For account transfer services, Ally Invest charges $50 for both partial and full ACAT transfers, whereas Public.com has higher fees of $75 for each. These differentiators can be crucial when deciding which broker aligns best with your investing goals and financial strategies.

Feature Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Public.com logoPublic.com
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $20.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00 info
Options (Per Contract) info $0.50 $0.00 info
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $25.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025

Day Trading

When comparing Ally Invest and Public.com for their day trading capabilities, both platforms offer similar basic features but lack advanced tools that active day traders might seek. Neither Ally Invest nor Public.com offers streaming time and sales data, live TV streaming, or direct market routing for stocks. These platforms also do not provide ladder trading, trading hotkeys for keyboard trade entry, or level 2 quotes. Such features are often desired by those looking to rapidly react to market changes and execute trades efficiently.

In terms of strategy support, both Ally Invest and Public.com fall short, as they do not offer basic or advanced backtesting capabilities. This limitation may hinder traders who want to test their strategies before putting them into action. Additionally, neither platform provides a short locator tool to check real-time share availability for shorting, nor do they offer order liquidity rebates. For traders who prioritize these advanced functionalities, other brokerages might be more suitable options. However, for individuals looking for straightforward trading platforms, Ally Invest and Public.com provide entry-level services without the complexities of some high-frequency trading tools.

Feature Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Public.com logoPublic.com
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info No No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025

Market Research

For investors seeking comprehensive market research capabilities, Ally Invest generally presents a more rounded offering compared to Public.com. It provides stock, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds research, supporting investors’ varied interests. Additionally, Ally Invest enables users to analyze portfolio allocations by asset class and employs social media sentiment data in its stock research. While both platforms lack ESG research and downloadable PDF reports for stocks and ETFs, Ally Invest takes the lead with a 3.5-star market research rating, compared to Public.com's 2-star rating. Such features make Ally Invest better suited for investors who need a more expansive toolkit for market research.

While both Ally Invest and Public.com offer stock, ETFs, and Pink Sheets/OTCBB research, their offerings diverge when it comes to mutual funds and bonds. Ally Invest expands its scope to include these options, providing ETF and bond screening tools for generating trade ideas. On the other hand, Public.com does not provide research or screeners for mutual funds and bonds, limiting its research scope. Additionally, Ally Invest's ability to offer social media sentiment data analysis enhances the investor’s ability to gauge market trends, further widening its appeal against Public.com.

When it comes to conveniences like understanding portfolio allocation by asset class, Ally Invest is advantageous. Public.com currently lacks this feature, which can be a significant drawback for investors aiming for a detailed portfolio breakdown. This, along with Ally Invest's higher ranking (#8) by StockBrokers.com compared to Public.com’s #12 ranking, underscores a more fully-featured research environment. As both platforms skip on ESG offerings and downloadable PDFs, your choice hinges on the added depth and tools provided by Ally Invest, which can better serve a diverse set of research needs.

Feature Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Public.com logoPublic.com
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info No No
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Screener - Bonds info Yes No
Research 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing Ally Invest and Public.com in terms of banking capabilities, Ally Invest provides a comprehensive range of financial services that Public.com currently does not offer. Ally Invest allows users to manage their finances more broadly by offering checking and savings accounts, which are not supported by Public.com. Moreover, Ally Invest also provides debit cards and credit cards to their customers, along with options for mortgage loans and certificates of deposit (CDs). In contrast, Public.com focuses solely on brokerage services, lacking these essential banking features. Therefore, if you are looking for an online brokerage that also caters to your banking needs, Ally Invest stands out as the more versatile choice.

Feature Ally Invest logoAlly Invest
Public.com logoPublic.com
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info Yes No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Credit Cards info Yes No
Mortgage Loans info Yes No
CDs info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 16 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Ally Invest is better than Public.com. Ally Invest finished with an overall score of 80.1%, while Public.com finished with a score of 69.6%.

For current Ally customers looking to invest in stocks, Ally's universal-accounts experience and easy-to-use website offer a convenient solution. Its website is far stronger than the mobile app.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Ally Invest or Public.com?

Ally Invest does not offer crypto trading, providing zero coins, while Public.com supports crypto enthusiasts by offering trading options for 22 different coins.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025

Does Ally Invest or Public.com offer IRAs?

Ally Invest offers both traditional and Roth IRA accounts without an annual fee, but charges a $25 closure fee, while Public.com does not offer traditional or Roth IRA accounts or related fees.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Ally Invest Public.com
Overall 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Customer Service 4/5 Stars N/A
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Ally Invest Review Public.com Review
Broker Screenshots Ally Invest Public.com
Trading Platform & Tools Gallery (click to expand)
Research Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Ally Invest Public.com
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $20.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00 info
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $4.95 $2.99
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info $0.00 n/a
Options (Per Contract) info $0.50 $0.00 info
Futures (Per Contract) info (Not offered) (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info $20 n/a
Margin Rates Ally Invest Public.com
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 13% 8.75%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 12.75% 8.75%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 12% 6.75%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 10.75% 6.75%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 9.75% 5.75%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info 9.25% 5.75%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info 8.5% 5.75%
Account Fees Ally Invest Public.com
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $25.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $50.00 $75.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $50.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Ally Invest Public.com
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info No Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 0
Futures Trading info No No
Forex Trading info No No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 22
Mutual Funds (No Load) info 13000 0
Mutual Funds (Total) info 14000 0
Bonds (US Treasury) info Yes Yes
Bonds (Corporate) info Yes Yes
Bonds (Municipal) info Yes No
Traditional IRAs info Yes No
Roth IRAs info Yes No
Advisor Services info Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) info 0 0
Order Types Ally Invest Public.com
Order Type - Market info Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit info Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours info Yes Yes info
Order Type - Stop info Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop info No No
Order Type - OCO info No No
Order Type - OTO info No No
Order Type - Broker Assisted info Yes No
Beginners Ally Invest Public.com
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes No
Education (Bonds) info Yes No
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator info No No
Investor Dictionary info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info No Yes
Webinars info No Yes
Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Progress Tracking info No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info No No
Stock Trading Apps Ally Invest Public.com
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info No No
Trading - Stocks info Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Trading - Simple Options info Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options info Yes No
Order Ticket RT Quotes info Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes info No No
Stock App Features Ally Invest Public.com
Market Movers (Top Gainers) info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info No No
Videos on Demand info No No
Stock Alerts info No No info
Option Chains Viewable info Yes Yes
Watch List (Real-time) info Yes Yes
Watch List (Streaming) info No No
Watch Lists - Create & Manage info Yes No
Watch Lists - Column Customization info No Yes
Stock App Charting Ally Invest Public.com
Charting - After-Hours info No No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info No No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 0 0
Charting - Study Customizations info No No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info No Yes
Trading Platforms Ally Invest Public.com
Active Trading Platform info N/A n/a
Desktop Trading Platform info No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No No
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Trade Journal info No No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 10 3
Stock Chart Features Ally Invest Public.com
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 120 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 36 0
Charting - Notes info Yes No
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades info No No
Charting - Corporate Events info No No
Charting - Custom Date Range info No No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info No No
Charting - Automated Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Save Profiles info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations info 8 0
Charting - Custom Studies info No No
Day Trading Ally Invest Public.com
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info No No
Ladder Trading info No No
Trade Hotkeys info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info No No
Order Liquidity Rebates info No No
Research Overview Ally Invest Public.com
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info No No
Screener - Bonds info Yes No
Misc - Portfolio Allocation info Yes No info
Stock Research Ally Invest Public.com
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 0 0 info
Stock Research - Earnings info No Yes
Stock Research - Insiders info Yes No
Stock Research - Social info Yes No
Stock Research - News info Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG info No No
Stock Research - SEC Filings info No No
ETF Research Ally Invest Public.com
ETFs - Strategy Overview info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info No Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info No No
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
ETFs - Sector Exposure info No No
ETFs - Risk Analysis info No No
ETFs - Ratings info Yes No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info No No
ETFs - PDF Reports info No No
Mutual Fund Research Ally Invest Public.com
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info No No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info No No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info No No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info No No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info No No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info No No
Options Trading Ally Invest Public.com
Option Chains - Basic View info Yes No
Option Chains - Strategy View info Yes No
Option Chains - Streaming info Yes No
Option Chains - Total Columns info 8 4
Option Chains - Greeks info 5 5
Option Chains - Quick Analysis info Yes Yes
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info No Yes
Option Probability Analysis info Yes No
Option Probability Analysis Adv info No No
Option Positions - Greeks info Yes Yes
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming info No No
Option Positions - Adv Analysis info No No
Option Positions - Rolling info No No
Option Positions - Grouping info Yes No
Banking Ally Invest Public.com
Bank (Member FDIC) info Yes No
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info Yes No
Credit Cards info Yes No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Mortgage Loans info Yes No
Customer Service Ally Invest Public.com
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) info Yes No
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes No
Email Support info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) info No Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info Yes No
Overall Ally Invest Public.com
Overall 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Ally Invest Review Public.com Review
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