Investing comparison
Ally Invest vs Vanguard
Updated
Before you compare: This compares features and fees from each company's own pages. It isn't investment advice, and investing involves risk, including loss of money.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Short answer
Ally Invest and Vanguard are both investing apps. Ally Invest Robo Portfolios: the Cash-Enhanced Portfolio has a 0% advisory fee (it keeps 30% as a cash buffer), and the Market-Focused Portfolio has a 0.30% annual advisory fee, while Vanguard Digital Advisor charges an annual gross advisory fee of 0.20% for index portfolio options or 0.25% for an active portfolio option. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Ally Invest vs Vanguard at a glance
Ally Invest and Vanguard are both investing apps. This page puts what each company's official pages and app store listings say side by side, with the date we checked every fact. The sources differ on 8 of the 10 rows in the table below.
Management or subscription fee
Ally Invest Robo Portfolios: the Cash-Enhanced Portfolio has a 0% advisory fee (it keeps 30% as a cash buffer), and the Market-Focused Portfolio has a 0.30% annual advisory fee. Vanguard Digital Advisor charges an annual gross advisory fee of 0.20% for index portfolio options or 0.25% for an active portfolio option. That fee is reduced by a credit for revenue Vanguard keeps from the investments in your account. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Account minimum
Ally says there's no minimum deposit to open a Self-Directed brokerage cash account. Margin accounts require $2,000, and Robo Portfolios require a $100 initial minimum deposit. Vanguard says there's no fee or minimum investment amount to open an account. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Stock and ETF commissions
Ally Invest lists $0 commissions on eligible U.S. stocks and ETFs priced $2 and higher. Securities under $2 have a $4.95 base commission plus one cent per share. Vanguard lists $0 for online ETF and stock trades, and a $25 broker-assisted commission per trade placed with a representative. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Account types
Ally Invest lists these account types: Individual, Joint, Custodial, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA and Rollover IRA. Vanguard lists these account types: Brokerage accounts, Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs, Spousal IRAs, Custodial IRAs, UGMA/UTMA, 529 accounts, Trust accounts, Organization accounts, 403(b) services and Cash Plus Account. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Fractional shares
Vanguard says dollar-based trading lets you buy a Vanguard ETF for as little as $1, regardless of the ETF's share price. We haven't verified this for Ally Invest yet, so check the official site for Ally Invest before you decide. We checked Vanguard on Oct 24, 2026.
Automatic investing
Ally says it reviews Robo Portfolios daily and rebalances them automatically, with fee-free rebalancing. Vanguard says its robo-advisor uses an algorithm to automatically build and rebalance a portfolio. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Managed portfolios (robo)
Ally Invest Robo Portfolios, with a $100 minimum. Vanguard Digital Advisor is Vanguard's all-digital robo-advisor. Enrolling requires at least $100 in each Vanguard Brokerage Account. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Protection
Ally Invest Securities and Apex Clearing are members of SIPC (up to $500,000, including $250,000 for cash). An additional policy through London Underwriters covers securities and cash up to an aggregate of $150 million, limited to $37.5 million per customer, including cash of up to $900,000. Vanguard says its accounts are protected by SIPC, which covers up to $500,000 in securities and up to $250,000 in cash if the firm fails. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
App store rating
Ally Invest has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 114,169 ratings. Vanguard has 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store from 177,560 ratings. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026. Store ratings are a dated snapshot from each listing, not our score.
What it costs
Ally InvestAlly Invest Robo Portfolios: the Cash-Enhanced Portfolio has a 0% advisory fee (it keeps 30% as a cash buffer), and the Market-Focused Portfolio has a 0.30% annual advisory fee.
- Vanguard
Vanguard Digital Advisor charges an annual gross advisory fee of 0.20% for index portfolio options or 0.25% for an active portfolio option. That fee is reduced by a credit for revenue Vanguard keeps from the investments in your account.
Bars show only when every app here lists a yearly price, so these prices sit side by side without them. Prices are list prices from each app's own page, before tax and any offer. Investing fees appear as each company states them. A yearly advisory fee is a percent of your balance, not a monthly price, so it never gets a bar or a price tag.
At a glance
App Store rating
- Ally Invest
- 4.7114,169 ratings
- Vanguard
- 4.6177,560 ratings
Source
- Ally Invest has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 114,169 ratings. App Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Vanguard has 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store from 177,560 ratings. App Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Platforms
- Ally Invest
- Not verified yet
- Vanguard
- Not verified yet
Source
- Ally Invest: Not verified yet.
- Vanguard: Not verified yet.
Account minimum
- Ally Invest
- Ally says there's no minimum deposit to open a Self-Directed brokerage cash account. Margin accounts require $2,000, and Robo Portfolios require a $100 initial minimum deposit.
- Vanguard
- Vanguard says there's no fee or minimum investment amount to open an account.
Source
- Ally says there's no minimum deposit to open a Self-Directed brokerage cash account. Margin accounts require $2,000, and Robo Portfolios require a $100 initial minimum deposit. ally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Vanguard says there's no fee or minimum investment amount to open an account. investor.vanguard.com/accounts-plans/brokerage-accounts, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Stock and ETF commissions
- Ally Invest
- Ally Invest lists $0 commissions on eligible U.S. stocks and ETFs priced $2 and higher. Securities under $2 have a $4.95 base commission plus one cent per share.
- Vanguard
- Vanguard lists $0 for online ETF and stock trades, and a $25 broker-assisted commission per trade placed with a representative.
Source
- Ally Invest lists $0 commissions on eligible U.S. stocks and ETFs priced $2 and higher. Securities under $2 have a $4.95 base commission plus one cent per share. ally.com/invest/commissions-and-fees, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Vanguard lists $0 for online ETF and stock trades, and a $25 broker-assisted commission per trade placed with a representative. investor.vanguard.com/client-benefits/investment-fees, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Protection
- Ally Invest
- Ally Invest Securities and Apex Clearing are members of SIPC (up to $500,000, including $250,000 for cash). An additional policy through London Underwriters covers securities and cash up to an aggregate of $150 million, limited to $37.5 million per customer, including cash of up to $900,000.
- Vanguard
- Vanguard says its accounts are protected by SIPC, which covers up to $500,000 in securities and up to $250,000 in cash if the firm fails.
Source
- Ally Invest Securities and Apex Clearing are members of SIPC (up to $500,000, including $250,000 for cash). An additional policy through London Underwriters covers securities and cash up to an aggregate of $150 million, limited to $37.5 million per customer, including cash of up to $900,000. ally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Vanguard says its accounts are protected by SIPC, which covers up to $500,000 in securities and up to $250,000 in cash if the firm fails. investor.vanguard.com/accounts-plans/brokerage-accounts, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Features
We haven't verified a feature list for either app yet, so this grid is empty for now.
✓ means the official site lists it. ? means we haven't verified it yet, not that the app lacks it.
Screen by screen
Pick a task to see what each app shows for it. App Store and Google Play images are the apps' own marketing, so they can show sample data and staged layouts. Help center images come from the app's support articles. See every app's screens.
Other screens
Ally Invest
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 1 of 4 from the Ally Invest listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 2 of 4 from the Ally Invest listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 3 of 4 from the Ally Invest listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 4 of 4 from the Ally Invest listing.App Store listing, as of
Vanguard
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 1 of 4 from the Vanguard listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 2 of 4 from the Vanguard listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 3 of 4 from the Vanguard listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 4 of 4 from the Vanguard listing.App Store listing, as of
Ally Invest and Vanguard, side by side
Rows marked “Differs” are where the official sources say different things, and 8 rows do here.
Swipe the table sideways to see both apps.
| Field | Ally InvestInvesting appAlly Invest is Ally's investing service in the Ally app, with self-directed trading and Robo Portfolios. Ally's savings account has its own entry.Visit Ally Invest's site | VanguardInvesting appVanguard is a fund company and brokerage with an investing app, retirement and custodial accounts, and a robo-advisor called Vanguard Digital Advisor.Visit Vanguard's site |
|---|---|---|
| Management or subscription feeDiffers | Ally Invest Robo Portfolios: the Cash-Enhanced Portfolio has a 0% advisory fee (it keeps 30% as a cash buffer), and the Market-Focused Portfolio has a 0.30% annual advisory fee.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ally.com/invest/commissions-and-fees | Vanguard Digital Advisor charges an annual gross advisory fee of 0.20% for index portfolio options or 0.25% for an active portfolio option. That fee is reduced by a credit for revenue Vanguard keeps from the investments in your account.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: investor.vanguard.com/advice/robo-advisor |
| Account minimumDiffers | Ally says there's no minimum deposit to open a Self-Directed brokerage cash account. Margin accounts require $2,000, and Robo Portfolios require a $100 initial minimum deposit.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing | Vanguard says there's no fee or minimum investment amount to open an account.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: investor.vanguard.com/accounts-plans/brokerage-accounts |
| Stock and ETF commissionsDiffers | Ally Invest lists $0 commissions on eligible U.S. stocks and ETFs priced $2 and higher. Securities under $2 have a $4.95 base commission plus one cent per share.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ally.com/invest/commissions-and-fees | Vanguard lists $0 for online ETF and stock trades, and a $25 broker-assisted commission per trade placed with a representative.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: investor.vanguard.com/client-benefits/investment-fees |
| Account typesDiffers | Ally Invest lists these account types: Individual, Joint, Custodial, Traditional IRA, Roth IRA and Rollover IRA.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing | Vanguard lists these account types: Brokerage accounts, Traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs, Spousal IRAs, Custodial IRAs, UGMA/UTMA, 529 accounts, Trust accounts, Organization accounts, 403(b) services and Cash Plus Account.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: investor.vanguard.com/accounts-plans |
| Fractional shares | Not verified yet. | Vanguard says dollar-based trading lets you buy a Vanguard ETF for as little as $1, regardless of the ETF's share price.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: investor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/article/what-is-dollar-based-investing |
| Automatic investingDiffers | Ally says it reviews Robo Portfolios daily and rebalances them automatically, with fee-free rebalancing.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing | Vanguard says its robo-advisor uses an algorithm to automatically build and rebalance a portfolio.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: investor.vanguard.com/advice/robo-advisor |
| Managed portfolios (robo)Differs | Ally Invest Robo Portfolios, with a $100 minimum.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing | Vanguard Digital Advisor is Vanguard's all-digital robo-advisor. Enrolling requires at least $100 in each Vanguard Brokerage Account.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: investor.vanguard.com/advice/robo-advisor |
| ProtectionDiffers | Ally Invest Securities and Apex Clearing are members of SIPC (up to $500,000, including $250,000 for cash). An additional policy through London Underwriters covers securities and cash up to an aggregate of $150 million, limited to $37.5 million per customer, including cash of up to $900,000.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: ally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing | Vanguard says its accounts are protected by SIPC, which covers up to $500,000 in securities and up to $250,000 in cash if the firm fails.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: investor.vanguard.com/accounts-plans/brokerage-accounts |
| Platforms | Not verified yet. | Not verified yet. |
| App store ratingDiffers | Ally Invest has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 114,169 ratings.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: App Store listing | Vanguard has 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store from 177,560 ratings.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: App Store listing |
App store ratings are a dated snapshot from each store listing, not our score. “Not verified yet” means we don't have a current official source for that line. How we source and date this data. Spotted a change? Tell us if something changed.
Weighing a third option? Add up to two more apps to this table and compare up to four side by side.
Which fits your Money Type?
There are four Money Types: Strategist, Spender, Saver and Scrambler. Each card matches one type to what the sources say about these two apps.
StrategistNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Save the Raise.
SpenderNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Sleep on It.
SaverNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Put It to Work.
ScramblerNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Bills First.
Not sure which one you are? Take the free Money Types quiz. It takes about two minutes.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Another option: Fifecta
If neither Ally Invest nor Vanguard feels right, here is one more option to look at. Fifecta gives every paycheck a plan with FUNDS, and it starts from your Money Type, so the plan matches how you already handle money.
FAQ
How much does Ally Invest charge?
Ally Invest Robo Portfolios: the Cash-Enhanced Portfolio has a 0% advisory fee (it keeps 30% as a cash buffer), and the Market-Focused Portfolio has a 0.30% annual advisory fee. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.
How much does Vanguard charge?
Vanguard Digital Advisor charges an annual gross advisory fee of 0.20% for index portfolio options or 0.25% for an active portfolio option. That fee is reduced by a credit for revenue Vanguard keeps from the investments in your account. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.
What is Ally Invest's app store rating?
Ally Invest has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 114,169 ratings. That's a snapshot from the store listing on Oct 24, 2026, not our score.
What is Vanguard's app store rating?
Vanguard has 4.6 out of 5 on the App Store from 177,560 ratings. That's a snapshot from the store listing on Oct 24, 2026, not our score.
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Keep comparing
- See Ally Invest alternatives, closest category first.
- See Vanguard alternatives, closest category first.
- Browse our guide to the low-cost brokerage accounts.
- Want the bigger picture? Compare more money apps.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Want a plan built on your Money Type?
Fifecta gives every paycheck a plan with FUNDS, so you know where each dollar goes.
Sources and confidence
- Last checked
- Not verified yet
- 3 of 20 facts
Ally Invest8 of 10 verified, 2 not verified yet, last checked Oct 24, 2026
- Management or subscription feeally.com/invest/commissions-and-fees, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account minimumally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Stock and ETF commissionsally.com/invest/commissions-and-fees, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account typesally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Fractional sharesNot verified yet
- Automatic investingally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Managed portfolios (robo)ally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Protectionally.com/invest/robo-automated-investing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- PlatformsNot verified yet
- App store ratingApp Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026
Vanguard9 of 10 verified, 1 not verified yet, last checked Oct 24, 2026
- Management or subscription feeinvestor.vanguard.com/advice/robo-advisor, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account minimuminvestor.vanguard.com/accounts-plans/brokerage-accounts, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Stock and ETF commissionsinvestor.vanguard.com/client-benefits/investment-fees, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account typesinvestor.vanguard.com/accounts-plans, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Fractional sharesinvestor.vanguard.com/investor-resources-education/article/what-is-dollar-based-investing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Automatic investinginvestor.vanguard.com/advice/robo-advisor, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Managed portfolios (robo)investor.vanguard.com/advice/robo-advisor, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Protectioninvestor.vanguard.com/accounts-plans/brokerage-accounts, as of Oct 24, 2026
- PlatformsNot verified yet
- App store ratingApp Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Reference: sipc.org/for-investors/what-sipc-protects, checked Oct 24, 2026.
Each fact links to the official page it came from, with the date we checked it. Once a fact is older than its app's window (8 days for apps whose rates change often, 35 days for the rest), it reads “Not verified yet” until we check it again. How we source, date and index this data.
This is education, not financial advice.
