Ally Bank Review 2024
The Bankrate promise
At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for .
At a glance
CDs
Checking
Savings
MMA
About Bankrate Score
Overview
Ally Bank is ideal for consumers that are comfortable solely banking online, and those interested in consolidating their banking under one roof. The bank offers a full suite of deposit products, along with loans and credit card services.
Highlights
- High APY
- ATM Fee Refunds
- Low Min Deposit
Offers featured here have been sponsored which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.
These are sponsored offers rated highly by us for competitive rates, fees, and minimums.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate Savings rating = 4.9/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate Savings rating = 4.4/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account.
Bankrate CD rating = 4.9/5
Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Our scoring formula weighs several factors consumers should consider when choosing financial products and services.
Offers featured here have been sponsored which impacts how, where, and in what order the products appear. Not all offers are displayed on this page.
Overall
Ally Bank is a one-stop shop for online-only banking customers from coast to coast. It offers a competitive yield on its savings account, money market account and certificates of deposit (CDs). It is a part of a large fee-free ATM network, and its spending (checking) account reimburses up to $10 worth of out-of-network ATM fees each statement period.
Pros
-
Ally is a robust online bank with an array of deposit products, loans and services.
-
The bank offers deposit accounts with no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements.
-
There are higher yields on CDs and savings accounts than traditional brick-and-mortar banks.
-
Ally Bank lets customers access more than 75,000 ATMs through the Allpoint network.
-
Customer service is available 24/7.
Cons
-
Cash deposits aren't accepted.
-
You can’t send an international wire transfer from Ally Bank.
Ally Bank products
Ally Savings Account
Pros
-
Ally’s Savings Account pays the same competitive annual percentage yield (APY) across all balance tiers.
-
The account doesn’t have monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements.
-
The digital account offers a feature that helps you save toward your various goals.
Cons
-
Cash deposits aren't accepted.
-
Other online banks offer higher APYs.
Rate history for Ally Bank's Savings account
See how rates for this account have changed over time. Interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.
CD account
Pros
-
There is no minimum deposit required to open a CD.
-
Multiple types of CDs are available.
-
Early withdrawal penalties are less harsh than at other banks.
-
Rates on all CDs are well-above average.
Cons
-
The No Penalty CD isn’t available as an IRA CD.
Rate history for Ally Bank's CD accounts
See how rates for this account have changed over time. Select the CD term length from the dropdown and interact with the trend lines to view APY by date.
Ally Money Market Account
Pros
-
The Ally Money Market offers a competitive APY.
-
The account includes a debit card and checks.
-
Account holders are reimbursed up to $10 per statement cycle for fees at non-Allpoint ATMs.
-
There’s no minimum deposit required to open the account.
Cons
-
Other online banks are offering a higher yield on a money market account.
Ally Spending Account
Pros
-
Customers can earn a solid interest rate on any daily balance.
-
There is no minimum deposit required with the Spending Account.
-
There are zero monthly fees as well as no cost for standard checks and debit cards.
-
Ally doesn’t charge overdraft fees.
Cons
-
Ally Bank doesn’t have physical branches.
-
Ally doesn’t accept cash deposits.
How Ally Bank compares to other banks
Compare different account types offered by Ally Bank. Annual percentage yields (APYs) shown were updated between Dec. 15, 2024 and Dec. 21, 2024.
Selected bank
Ally Bank savings account
Bankrate score
4.4
Bankrate Savings rating = 4.4/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. |
Most comparable
Capital One savings account
Bankrate score
4.9
Bankrate Savings rating = 4.9/5 Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. |
Search for or select a bank:
Bankrate score
Bankrate Savings rating Bankrate scores are objectively determined by our editorial team. Annual percentage yields (APYs), minimum opening deposit requirements and minimum balances to avoid monthly service fees are some of the things that make up Bankrate’s score. |
---|---|---|
APY
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest. APYs last updated between Dec. 15, 2024 and Dec. 21, 2024.
|
||
3.80% | 5.00% | |
Minimum balance for APY
|
||
$0.00 | $5.00 | |
Estimated earnings
Interest earned calculation based on a $50,000 deposit amount for a period of 1 year and is rounded to the nearest dollar. Exact earnings are dependent on calendar year, balance, and compounding frequency. Minimum deposit rules may apply.
|
||
$1,900 | $2,500 | |
Ally Bank consistently offers a competitive yield on its Online Savings Account. The online bank doesn’t have the absolute highest yield, but it offers a competitive one and doesn’t have a minimum balance requirement or a monthly service fee. The bank offers mobile deposit, but you’ll need to transfer money to the Ally checking account or money market account if you want to access money in your savings from an ATM. | Capital One’s 360 Performance Savings Account earns a competitive yield. It doesn’t require a minimum opening deposit and you won’t pay a monthly service fee with this account. Capital One is one of the few online banks that you can visit at a branch location to withdraw cash. | |
|
|
N/A
|
|
|
N/A
|
APY offering:
3.80%
4/5
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest.
Minimum balance for APY:
$0.00
5/5
The lowest deposit amount an account must have before it can earn interest.
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account if certain requirements are not met.
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
The lowest balance an account must maintain in order to avoid a fee.
Access to funds:
Good
4/5
A procedure that allows an individual or organization to access and manage the funds of another account holder.
|
APY offering:
5.00%
5/5
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest.
Minimum balance for APY:
$0.00
5/5
The lowest deposit amount an account must have before it can earn interest.
Monthly service fee:
$0.00
5/5
A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account if certain requirements are not met.
Minimum balance to avoid fee:
$0.00
5/5
The lowest balance an account must maintain in order to avoid a fee.
Access to funds:
Good
4/5
A procedure that allows an individual or organization to access and manage the funds of another account holder.
|
APY, or annual percentage yield, is the yearly return on a bank or investment account. APY includes the effects of compounding interest.
The lowest deposit amount an account must have before it can earn interest.
A monthly charge a financial institution deducts from an account if certain requirements are not met.
The lowest balance an account must maintain in order to avoid a fee.
A procedure that allows an individual or organization to access and manage the funds of another account holder.
Bankrate does not currently track additional product details for this bank.
|
Bank fees
Fee | Charged? | |
---|---|---|
Overdraft fee | None | |
Non-sufficient funds fee | None | |
Account maintenance fees | None | |
Out-of-network ATM fee | None | |
Excessive transaction fee | None |
Customer experience
Customer support
24/7 support is available. Ally Bank has no branches, but retail bank customers can speak with a representative through live chat or over the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The website even lists the current wait time to get connected with a representative before you make a call.
High overall customer satisfaction. Ally Bank ranked highly in overall satisfaction among online-only banks for both its checking and savings products, according to J.D. Power’s 2024 Direct Banking Satisfaction Study. The bank ranked third among checking providers and second among savings providers. Ally was named the overall best bank as part of the 2024 Bankrate Awards.
Digital experience
Highly rated mobile app. The Ally Bank mobile app has a high rating on iOS and a low rating on Google Play. Both apps have been reviewed by more than 27,000 users. One feature helps users to get into the habit of saving by analyzing customers’ checking accounts and automatically moving money into their savings when its algorithms determine it’s safe to do so.
Robust help center. Ally’s website maintains an extensive help center, which can assist current and prospective customers in getting answers to their questions without having to connect with a representative.
The FAQ menu system is easy to navigate and prominently displays important forms you may need during the application process. There’s also an FAQ section at the bottom of each product page. Moreover, the search function does a great job of finding relevant information based on the keywords you enter, including information on fees and helpful articles breaking down banking basics.
Short helpful how-to videos. Ally features how-to videos on its website and mobile app, which break down Ally’s banking tools. For example, these videos will show up next to Ally’s buckets, recurring transfers and round-up tools, which are all features to help grow your savings.
The above images were last updated on May 21, 2024.
Bankrate staff insight
“I like that you can organize your savings into different categories,” said a Bankrate staff member who personally uses this account. “You can have up to 30 buckets and name them whatever you want. I’ve never had a savings account that has a bucket-type feature, and it really comes in handy. But the app and website can be very busy with information; it could be laid out in a simpler, more intuitive way.”
Disclosure: To enhance our product reviews, Bankrate employees often open accounts and provide feedback. They may have been compensated for their time and account maintenance, but this does not affect the integrity of their review.
Review methodology
We assign a score to each type of account and its features, weigh them carefully based on importance to account holders and determine an overall score. Read our full review methodology.
Ally Bank customer reviews
Ally Bank has 25 reviews
Dive into community reviews below and see what others think about Ally Bank.
In July 2024, Bankrate collaborated with a third-party vendor to survey 1,200 bank account holders nationwide. Bankrate and our vendor collected and summarized account holder responses to five rating questions on a 5-point scale as well as open-ended reviews of the banking experience. Responses are based on individual account holder product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. Reviewers received an incentive for their feedback. Their ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by the associated bank or credit union, nor do these responses reflect Bankrate's own expert review of these banking products.
Community Reviews
Thank you for sharing your experience with Bankrate