This site cuts down on the cost of investing so you can make more money

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Many apps and online services help interested investors trade stocks, bonds, and options, and save up for the future.
At $ 4.95/trade and $ 3.95/trade for active investors, Ally Invest makes investing more accessible by cutting down on potentially prohibitive costs.
Hands-on investors can take control of their own trading, while investors who’d like a little more guidance can opt for automated, managed portfolios.

Investing for a future large purchase, your retirement, or to simply build your wealth is a smart financial decision, but factors such as lack of general knowledge and high costs of investing often deter people from jumping in the investment world.

The whole system can seem intimidating or confusing, especially when conducted through traditional banks. For those looking for better-designed, low-cost alternatives to begin investing with, one service we recommend is Ally Invest.

Formerly TradeKing, which was acquired by Ally Bank in 2016, Ally Invest offers two types of approaches, Self-Directed Trading and Managed Portfolios. Very active and less involved investors alike will benefit from Ally Invest’s low fees, streamlined web-based platform, and dedicated customer service.

Below, we take a closer look at Ally Invest’s services, including how they work, how much they cost, and the tools and resources available to you.

Open an account and start investing with Ally Invest here.

The Self-Directed Trading account lets you be hands-on with a variety of investment products for a low fee.

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There’s no minimum to open this account. You can invest in the following products for a low price:

Stocks: $ 4.95/trade
Options: $ 4.95/trade + $ 0.65/contract
ETFs: $ 4.95/trade
Bonds: $ 1/bond
Mutual funds: $ 9.95/trade
Forex: Pay based on buy/sell spread, no commission
Futures: Depends on volume and other factors

Learn more about Ally Invest’s Self-Directed Trading accounts here.

The $ 4.95 commission rate is already among the lowest in the industry, and Ally Invest further incentivizes particularly active users with its Volume/Balance pricing.

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Schwab also offers $ 4.95 per trade while Wells Trade, TD Ameritrade, and E*Trade all offer commissions of at least $ 5.95 per trade.

You get a $ 1 discount if you make more than 30 trades or maintain an average daily balance of at least $ 100,000 in the prior calendar quarter. Stocks and ETFs are now $ 3.95/trade and options are $ 3.95/trade + $ 0.50/contract.

Learn more about Ally Invest’s Self-Directed Trading accounts here.

Features like charts, tools, and calculators help you stay on top of your performance and make the most of your trades.

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Available tools include:

Streaming charts: Six chart types with over 90 chart studies and drawing tools to analyze stocks, ETFs, and indices.
Market and company snapshots: Market stats, news, and insights into the companies you care about.
Watchlists: Customize watchlists to view market data on groups of securities.
Options chains: Make it easy to place trades and multi-leg spreads.
Profit/loss calculator: Understand your option trade’s profit and loss potential before you place it. See how outcomes change based on fluctuations in volatility and time.
Probability calculator: Determine the probability of hitting your target before you place your trade.
Market data: View quotes, charts, high/low prices, dividend dates, overall options summary, peer performance comparisons, and more.