Ally Bank Review: Checking, Savings and CDs - NerdWallet (2024)

Ally doesn’t charge overdraft fees. The bank offers $100 in temporary overdraft coverage for no fee. Generally, customers will qualify for the service 30 days after depositing at least $100 total into their checking account. Overdraft coverage can increase to $250 if the customer receives a direct deposit of at least $250 for two consecutive months. To maintain this amount of coverage, customers need to have at least one direct deposit every 45 days.

Customers can also enroll in a service that allows them to make free overdraft protection transfers from a linked Ally savings or money market account. Customers who are enrolled in this service and also meet the qualifications for the temporary overdraft coverage will have transfers made in $100 increments from their linked account as necessary. If you don’t have enough in your linked accounts to cover a transaction, Ally will activate its temporary overdraft coverage.

Transactions are approved or declined at the bank's discretion, and customers who do overdraft will have 14 days to bring their balance back to positive before their account will be limited. Transactions that are eligible for overdraft coverage include debit card purchases, automatic payments (such as those for subscription services), personal checks and transfers initiated at other banks. Zelle payments, ATM withdrawals and wire transfers are ineligible for overdraft coverage, and transactions that would overdraft the account by more than the $100 or $250 limit will be declined, too.

You won't be able to escape fees entirely at Ally, but at least the bank clearly highlights what you'll owe for certain services and transactions. That kind of transparency isn't always so easy to come by with banks.

» Want to comparison shop? See our list of the best banks for overdrafts

Ally Bank Review: Checking, Savings and CDs - NerdWallet (2024)

FAQs

Is Ally Bank good for CDs? ›

Ally offers some of the best CD rates you'll find. That's especially impressive, considering there is no minimum deposit requirement. Like most online banks, Ally's CD rates are much higher than the national average, according to the FDIC.

What is the downside of Ally savings account? ›

Cons Explained

No cash deposits – Ally doesn't accept traditional cash deposits. Your only options are remote check deposit, online transfers, direct deposit, wire transfers, and sending a check through the mail.

Does Ally Bank have a good reputation? ›

Terms apply to offers listed on this page. The bottom line: Ally is one of our top picks for the best online banks. It's a great option for banking and investing. Other financial institutions have more offerings for mortgages and other types of loans, though.

Is Ally Bank safe 2023? ›

Yes, if you have a deposit account with Ally Bank, up to $250,000 per account holder per qualifying account is insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

What is the highest CD rate at Ally Bank? ›

Ally Bank CD rates
3-month CD (High Yield CD)3.00% APY.
11-month CD (No Penalty CD)4.55% APY.
1-year CD (High Yield CD)4.85% APY.
14-month CD (Select CD)5.10% APY (expires 3/20/24).
18-month CD (High Yield CD)5.00% APY.
6 more rows
Mar 9, 2023

Who has the highest paying CD right now? ›

Best 1-Year CD Rates
  • Latino Community Credit Union – 5.65% APY.
  • Forbright Bank – 5.65% APY.
  • The Federal Savings Bank – 5.65% APY.
  • TotalDirectBank – 5.65% APY.
  • CIBC Agility – 5.62% APY.
  • Connexus Credit Union – 5.61% APY.
  • Popular Direct – 5.60% APY.
  • NexBank – 5.60% APY.

Is Ally Bank in trouble financially? ›

While Ally had a sizeable increase in unrealized losses approximating $4 billion on its available for sale securities portfolio in 2022 that could impact near-term funding flexibility, Fitch believes the company has reasonable contingent funding capacity that included unused FHLB capacity of $11.1 billion as of 4Q22.

What is the Ally Bank controversy? ›

Ally Financial Inc. and Ally Bank have markup policies that have resulted in illegal discrimination against over 235,000 African-American, Hispanic, and Asian and Pacific Islander borrowers.

What are the disadvantages of Ally Bank? ›

For less digitally-savvy customers, this could be a major drawback. No cash deposits: Ally does not accept cash deposits, customers will need to make deposits via mobile deposit, online transfers, direct deposit, wire transfers, or via mail.

Is Ally Bank safe from collapse? ›

Ally Bank is a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC protects your Ally Bank deposits up to $250,000 per depositor for each qualifying account ownership category. This means you can rest assured that your deposits are safe up to FDIC limits, no matter what's happening in the economy.

Is Ally Bank owned by Capital One? ›

Ally and Capital One are not the same. They are two different financial institutions, both offering checking, savings, CDs, mobile banking and more.

Is Ally Bank 100% safe? ›

Yes, Ally Bank is 100% safe. Some people might be skeptical due to Ally being online-only, but rest assured – your funds are safe. In case you're still skeptical, Ally — which is headquartered in Detroit — is the 19th-largest bank in the U.S., and they employ more than 8,000 people.

What is the catch to Ally Bank? ›

Ally does not accept cash deposits. You can deposit funds in other ways, including online or mobile check deposit, online transfers, direct deposit, wire transfers or even mail.

What banks are too big to fail 2023? ›

List of Banks That Are Officially Too Big to Fail
  • JPMorgan Chase.
  • Citigroup.
  • Bank of America.
  • Wells Fargo.
  • BNY Mellon.
  • Goldman Sachs.
  • Morgan Stanley.
  • State Street.

Is Ally at risk of a bank run? ›

Over 90% of Ally's deposits are FDIC-insured, more than any other $100+ billion-asset bank in the United States. Ally's massive insured deposit base is stickier and more resilient to depositor fear of a bank run than other regional banks.

What bank has the best rate on CDs? ›

Top National CD Rates September 2023
BEST NATIONAL CDs
First National Bank of America4.60% APY6 years
Department of Commerce Federal Credit Union4.44% APY5–7 years
Luana Savings Bank4.14% APY6–7 years
KS State Bank4.06% APY7 years
60 more rows

What is the interest rate on a CD at Ally Bank? ›

Get more for your money.
BanksAnnual Percentage YieldEstimated Earnings
Ally Bank5.15%$1955.91
Capital One 3605.25%$1994.37
Citibank2.50%$943.34
American Express1.00%$375.94
2 more rows

What is Ally's CD rate? ›

High Yield CD
Account nameTermAPY
High Yield CD3 months2.55%
High Yield CD6 months3.50%
High Yield CD9 months5.00%
High-yield CD1 year4.85%
3 more rows
Sep 8, 2023

What is the penalty for a high yield CD at Ally Bank? ›

If you choose a High Yield CD and withdraw from the account before your term ends, you'll face the following penalties: 60 days interest penalty for a CD term of 24 months or less. 90 days interest penalty for a CD term of 25 months to 36 months.

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