| 5 star: | (324) | |
| 4 star: | (228) | |
| 3 star: | (55) | |
| 2 star: | (40) | |
| 1 star: | (236) |
Like many times before, I used BankRate or a similar site that to locate the best CD rates. I chose a link claiming to have a 5.25 APY at Ally Bank. Nothing during the application process told me otherwise. So 10 days in, I was informed that my rate will be 4.5%. Response from customer service was essentially "too bad". Was the only bad experience I've had with opening a CD account in my life.
For two days now, I have noticed that all ACH transfers from Ally Bank is now taking 3 business days to process.
One CSR says it is a temporary glitch, while another CSR says 1 business day processing is a thing of the past.
the worst and dishonest trading company that I ever have had the misfortune of dealing with. They are, in my mind, criminals. I requested a withdrawal of £100,000 from my account. Within about 4 hours, the withdrawal had been put back into my account. Then my account was traded illegally with 11 trades taken and losing all the money. I complained to this company and they couldn't give a damn. I had to reach out to oliviatrader 44 at gmail com to assist me in getting back my money. Glad I have all my money back now.
Twice now in as many years I have had an Ally caused problem with a CD, phoned in and got a reference number when my issue got kicked up the line, only later to check in and find out the CSR listed the wrong CD account number on the trouble ticket. This last time, I secure messaged about rolling over an IRA CD into a longer term, and received replies that all was OK and to fill out their form, which I did and which was acknowledged. Checking on it, the CD had not been rolled to the longer term but instead the automatic renewal term. I called about it, clearly gave the right numbers, and that's when I got a reference number. A couple days later I do a call back and was told a different reference number and that my original reference number didn't exist.
The new number involved a totally different CD which did not have any issues. So not only did I have to start from scratch with the first issue, I had to clean up their mistake that involved the other CD. Also, I've noted different CSR account access abilities depend on who answers their phone. This time, the first one could read my secure messages, proven in conversation, whereas the second one could not and didn't believe me when I told her that other CSRs could, which I needed to prove my argument. One starts to wonder if this is now a tactic, so prepare yourself for it!
Happy New Year! My name is Michael Welch from San Antonio. I took out a 25k loan (9575 for the dentist and 15,000 for the dentures) about two years ago. I missed out on my payments because I lost my job and my credit score drop drastically. This affected my dream of purchasing a house for my family. I’ve got a better job, paid off the debt but the negative remarks remained. All my applications for a home loan fell through, until a realtor recommended JERRYLINK CREDIT GROUP. I contacted Mr. Jerry, he was responsive, and gave detailed information. After careful deliberation with my family, I offered him the job and I’m glad I did. They erased all the negative items and my score went up by 129 points. I have achieved my dream of becoming a home owner thanks to Mr. Jerry and his team. I’m recommending his services as promised; you can reach out to them via: JERRYLINKGROUP at GMAIL dot COM, thank me later.
Over all, solid bank with good customer service. Their savings, money market and CD products do not always off the most competitive rates, but they are good and the bank is reputable and solid. Their mobile app is good and their website interface is excellent.
The only downside is that transferring money into and out of your accounts (initiated through Ally) can take up to 3 business days, which is pretty slow and you lose out on interest during these days. Best to initiate transfers from your external institution.
This promo link below is for new customers who open an savings account. You can get 0.5% APR added to your savings account for 3 months, up to $125. FYI, after 5 uses, it maxes out.
0.5% added APR to new customers who open an Ally Savings account:
ally.com/referral?code=6P5K9H6J8H
I had a traditional IRA CD to mature. I wanted to take $ 15k out and let $5k be my RMD for the year 2023 and reinvest the rest in an IRA CD within 60 days. Seeing the rates were not going up, I tried to rollover the $10k minus the amount taken out of the mature CD for taxes. I was told that to do this I had to make the changes on the mature CD only on the maturity date. So much for a rollover later. I'll know better next year. I do have a traditional IRA CD coming due in 2025. They said if I just take out the RMD in 2024 the rate of my 2025 CD will not change.
The process Ally makes you go through to move money from an Ally Roth Savings Account to an Ally Roth CD is completely idiotic.
Other financial institutions let you simply open a Roth CD and fund it from your existing Roth Savings in seconds with no confusion. But not Ally!
Ally has a convoluted online process that is completely misleading and the customer reps don't even understand how to do it immediately.
It turns out you have to go on line and add to an existing plan. And you have to enter amount is $0. Because the only way the web page allows you to fund the Roth CD is from:
1) Rollover,
2) Contribution,
3) Transfer from IRA, or
4) Recharacterization.
But if you want to fund from existing Ally Roth Savings, you are screwed.
So then you have to cancel out of funding step 4-of-4 because Ally does not give an option to move money from Roth Savings to the new Roth CD.
So then you are stuck.
So how do you actually get the new Ally Roth CD funded from your existing Ally Roth Savings Acct?
It turns out you have to know to call and request an internal transfer. That takes them several days. Other institutions do it instantly.
And then guess what, your new Ally Roth CD will say it's an "IRA CD". It won't say it's a "Roth IRA CD". So you have know what of knowing if they screwed up and opened an IRA with the Roth IRA funds.
So I recommend staying away from Ally for IRA or Roth accounts due to their idiotic processes. There are much better alternatives to Ally.
I've been an ally customer for 10 years.
I recently purchased a house and had a close date of 12/21. I submitted for a wire for down payment to be sent 12/15. They froze all my accounts for 'fraud alerts'. I spent 10 hours on phone and could never get a fraud investigator. They wouldn't release my wire or allow me to transfer MY money to another bank. They cleared me on 12/23 after they killed my deal.
Beware. They are only good for anything less than 100k. That's it.mi only use them for ATM withdrawal now since they are free. TERRIBLE customer service.
Everyone you talk to sounds nice but they have no clue what’s going on, then they will mess up your account and tell you it was your fault. It might be stupidity or they might be doing it on purpose.
I opened my Money Market account and two days after opening it, without having received my debit card, they made 3 withdrawals at the ATM with a debit card that I never activated or received. Ally's response was that they would investigate and in 10 business days they would contact me. It has been over a month and I am still waiting for a response from Ally.
They paid a check I wrote without any endorsement or even an account number of where the check money went. The check was in the multiple thousands of dollars and Ally says “that’s the way it is” Ally is complacent in fraud.
I am constantly moving money from my local bank to Ally and it's always cleared overnight. I just processed a transfer yesterday, wednesday and they are not going to clear it until next Monday. This has never happened before in probably 2 decades, and now I am seeing others are experiencing this as well.
Anyone know more?
Back when the small banks were collapsing in 2023 this one was mentioned as a possibility of doing likewise. A while ago mailed in a large check to fund premium account and the check just vanished, in USPS which does not fail to deliver.
I only use Ally Bank in conjunction with my investment accounts there, as this allows for transactions to and from.
The good: it's convenient if you have an investment account(s) there.
The okay: their interest rate is better than the big commercial banks.
The could be better: the knowledge and skills of their customer service reps is hit-and-miss.
The bad: their interest rate trails many, many other better choices.
PLEASE, don't ignore the negative reviews all over the web, and I highly advise against using them based of the small percentage of folks who say they had a good experience, especially those telling you to ignore the negative reviews. This company is bad energy and it's not worth the risk. They stressed me beyond belief by essentially holding $1#,### dollars of mine (life savings) hostage shortly after opening a new account. Forced me to jump on a call and it took hours of my life away, and they asked me bizarre questions and made me feel like I was be interrogated by police officers. Was hard to reach someone who I felt somewhat comfortable talking with too, as I kept getting a call center in India (no disrespect to those hard working people obviously). This bank is not your ally. Many other banks who will not cause your blood pressure to boil over. I signed up before reading reviews (big mistake I made). After reading reviews, this practice of freezing your account access is more common than imagined. And the sheer number of complaints of them essentially stealing people's money, are not uncommon. That's scary. Luckily I was able to pull 99.9% of my money back to the original bank via ACH, but not without stress. As soon as my receiving bank saw the money, I get an email from Ally saying my account on their end was closed. I stressed for another week thinking that maybe the ACH would get messed up and the money would bounce back to a now nonexistent account. Thankfully, after one week, it seems to be safely back into my bank. I check daily now just to make sure (literal PTSD from this experience). All in all, this bank is bad energy all around. Run the other way. They still owe me about $110 (initial deposit), but I'm done with this entity. Hopefully they do me right and send that $110 as a check to my house. If not, I will just walk away and let that sit in the ether forever. I just want to move on from this experience. Ugh. Worst experience in my entire life.
Just a heads up. My rating is for the investment account only. I love my Ally bank account. I use it as a checking account and hub for all of my other financial institutions.
After reading on here that you can buy Vanguard Money Market Funds through an Ally investment account, I opened one on Thursday. I was also going to purchase stock in the account. First of all the website is very clunky. For example, I had to go to Vanguard to get the fund symbol and then use it in the Ally account. But most importantly, I went to buy a stock on Friday, and the investment account website was not available. And it is still not available Saturday morning. I didn't try to call the number, so I don't know if there would be a wait, but not a good sign when an online brokerage account is unavailable for two days.
I only have a online spending (checking) account with Ally and so far it has been good. I wish the apy rates were higher like maybe at least 1.00% apy on the spending account but at least they are playing something.
They give you a free checkbook, they reimburse on $10 atm fees per statement period with 43,000 atm's nationwide and I think they are fee-free, though I'm not entirely sure.
I was a victim of fraud and instead of ally bank helping me get my money back. they closed my account for being a victim.
I was a victim of identity theft, and I am currently “squatting” in (what was) my own house for which I’ve been paying for 14 years because of Ally’s refusal to assist me. Every party involved, including the government of The United States of America from whom I receive my benefits as a disabled veteran, and the company that the fraudsters were impersonating were fully aware of the scam, agreed with my findings and were eager to get my money back.
Ally closed my accounts and (verbatim) called ME “The fraudster”. Ok, that was hurtful, but oh well. At least they said on June 2nd 2023 that they would retain my deposits from the government of The USA through August of 2023. Come July 3rd, no deposit. I called veterans affairs; “That’s strange, we deposited it to the correct Ally account on July 3rd 2023 at 0100 hr.” So, I called Ally for the second time that day, 07/05/2023 (take notice of the dates) because the very friendly customer service representative had no idea what I was talking about. Their extremely surly and rude loss prevention representative told me they had returned the check. I explained to her that I was told by Ally they would close my account so as to stop further fraudulent actions and retain my checks and ensured me that they would keep all deposits through 08/03/2023 so I could transfer the funds to my new bank account. I asked her “You do record these calls, as said, correct?” -“Yes. I don’t have access to that.” - “So… where is my check?” - “That’s between you and the Issuer.”.
In summary, to Ally bank, who would not help me through the Fourth of July I say: You’re welcome for my service”.
I opened a bank account and added money. Well then about three days later I get told my account has been locked due to suspicious activity. There was a phone number trying to be added that wasn't mine. Okay, that's reasonable. Well here we are almost a week later, daily phone calls, the same crap being said, and my money still not accessable!! I tried to do a wire/transfer since my debit card had not come in yet, and I needed this money. They told me the phone number situation has been settled, my wire I tried to do had been cancelled, and the money returned to my account. The investigation team had to see it has been returned and then my account could be unlocked. I need my money and I do not see how a bank can hold your funds and keep them!!! I wouldn't recommend this bank to anyone and would give it 0 stars if I could!
If you have money with Ally, I would highly recommend you withdraw it quickly. I don't want anyone to suffer the way I have with them. Last month I did a large transfer from Ally to Chase, I'd done this before so expected no issue. But this time, the transfer didn't make it to Chase. Initially, Ally kept telling me to contact Chase, but eventually a manager at Chase explained the process and it was clear, Ally was responsible. Called Ally back and they admitted they have to locate the money. After about a week, no response so I called Ally back. After passing their phone verification, I was told (on the phone) that my account would be locked until an investigation was complete. There's no reason to lock my account, I suspect this was to prevent me looking to see what's going on. I've now been locked out of my account for over 2 weeks, I call them every other day, talk to their reps for almost an hour every time and always get told there's nothing they can do until the "Investigation" is complete. So here's the summary. Ally lost the transfer about 25 days ago and I've been locked out of my account for 2 weeks now. No one has any answers, no one attempts to figure out what's going on. Ally had never reached out to me. I really don't know where else to turn. Is a bank really allowed to lose your money like this? If anyone has any ideas on what to do here, I’d really appreciate it.
Ally Bank sent me another email informing that the savings rate has increased. I sent a reply stating that their offer was not good enough since I'm getting 4.91% from my Money Market (FZDXX) positon at Fidelity. Plus I don't have the inconvience of locking up money in one of their CD's. They must think we're stupid. Speaking of stupid, does anyone here want to buy a gold IRA? LOL I didn't think so.
Good internet bank. But right now I'm disappointed. Wanted to get ahead of an IRA rollover into one of my accounts that's mauring 12/9, so contacted them a week ahead. All they need to do is sign the paperwork and email it back so I can get it to my old job to mail rollover check but shit have been contacting them many times and still no signature (has to be an original signature). Don't like last minute transactions. I'm basically doing all the work to this rollover. Right now I'm disappointed and anxiety ridden over this.
I was financially unstable, because my store got robbed; I went bankrupt. I tried getting my business back in shape through business loans; but all my applications were declined due to my poor credit score. I was looking for help online; then I came across positive reviews of 760Plus Credit Score on different credit forums. I looked them up and discovered they were highly rated, I contacted them. I was marveled when I pulled my report after 11days: All my negative collections were cleared and my credit score changed from 590s to 780s. Thanks to you guys and I really appreciate. If you have similar issues and need fix, reach out to them via 760PLUSCREDITSCORE
at GMAIL dot COM
I was drawn to them because of the low fees and products. However, the way they deal with everyday banking issues does not send the message that my money is safe. Though customer service is usually quick to respond, it sometimes multiple calls for them to actually answer your questions.
As has been well documented here, Ally Bank recently disallowed email 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) in favor of SMS 2FA when detecting access via an unrecognized device.
Also well documented here, it is disallowing any type of VOIP 2FA like Google Voice, whether via SMS (all cases) or via phone call (mixed experiences).
For those reasons, in order to avoid potential lack of account access, extended overseas travelers and expats alike have been looking for banking alternatives,
In practice, unless you have other issues with Ally, you may want to think again. Let me explain.
After a system upgrade on my laptop, Ally did not recognize my device, and requested a security code. As I could not access it, via either SMS 2FA or phone call 2FA, I phoned into customer service.
Two (pleasant) surprises. First, for those who have not needed to call Ally in awhile, their wait times are now back to a few minutes, versus a few hours last year. Second, when explaining the situation with an agent, being fully transparent about my overseas location (I don't use any type of VPN, which apparently wouldn't work anyway with Ally or many other financial institutions), I asked whether she could authenticate me so that I could not only regain immediate access, but also reset the system so that it would recognize my device going forward.
After responding to a series of very detailed identifying questions, she reset access so that the system recognized the device going forward.
My net takeaway is that Ally does not abandon, on the contrary it will work with overseas travelers and expats. This is very diferent from my experience with another bank, Capital One, which made absolutely no effort at any type of workaround and made international online access virtually impossible.
(Note: Long-time site member here. A related review was posted a few months ago but for some reason could not locate and may be relevant for frequent travellers/expats)
Ally Bank has thee worst customer service. You can never get a rep that speaks proper English. You can never get simply questions answered you are placed on long holds and still issue is not handled. Getting my loan here was pretty simple but it’s not worth the hassle when needing simple answers. Save yourself the headache don’t get loans from this banking institution.
Overall, I am very happy with Ally Bank. I’ve been with them for over 10 years and can say that I really haven’t had any major issues. I hope it stays that way. In the future. This is a great place for me to keep my money.
Been with Ally for 5 years now. I really like the website and app. Easy to navigate and make transfers. The support agents have been friendly and knowledgeable in my experience. But now (2023) Ally seems to be lagging on their rate competition and customer care.
An incident I had re: checks I ordered - a month later I realized I never received the checks. I called to put a stop payment on them (charged me $15.00 which I had them reverse), then re-ordered checks. Again, I did not receive them. This happened 4 times! It literally took 3.5 months to finally receive a book of checks.
Also, I have a co-signer on my account. For some reason, my co-signer received deposit slips in the mail for MY account. And when she ordered checks for her own personal acct, she did not receive them either. Something is severely lacking at Ally these days.
I have been customer since late 2016.
Rates are great, even though with respect to the past there are some products that they promote and incentive more than other.
Great customer service, even though there has been a period during the pandemic (shortage of personnel) where it had gotten significantly worse, but now they have gotten better again.
I have been an Ally customer for years. They've had good customer service, a good web experience, and low fees. Perhaps the only drawback is that their rates are not quite as competitive as they were several years ago.
Opening and funding an account has been a nightmare. After applying online, it took two additional days to open the account. Then I tried to link to an account at my pre-existing bank. They refused the link saying that the foreign account was closed. It wasn't Geiko pulled money from that account on the same day. They recommended that I write a check from my pre-existing account at the foreign bank to my new account. Later, I got a call from their service department explaining that my account would be locked until the cheque cleared because making both the link request and cheque deposit was suspicious. Now, I have to wait five days before I can get into my account. They won't even let me close my account with them so I can be done with this and use a better bank.
I do not feel like this bank was ever my Ally.
They would promise to do things and then not do them, or they’d promise not to do something and then do exactly that. And they’d back track on these assurances/problems without notifying me. I’d be waiting and after nothing happening by the time they said it would happen, have to waste time calling in to find out they changed their mind.
They couldn’t even treat me with the basic level of respect and professionalism. For almost two years, I tried to get them to change my name in their systems to my correct name, which they kept messing up repeatedly. Numerous times, I provided them with identification documents to prove what my correct name is and dozens of times I was promise they had fixed my name in their systems, but almost two years later, they still don’t have the correct name.
Let me give you an example from the last month that perfectly encapsulates my experiences with Ally for years:
On January 26th, I received an e-mail saying my 1099-Int was ready. I spent about 20 minutes trying to find it on their website, but couldn’t find it anywhere. I then wasted about 2 hours on the phone because it wasn’t where they said it should be in on their website. Eventually, a guy told me the 1099s wouldn’t be ready until Feb 1. That begs the question: why did they send me an e-mail on Jan 26th saying it was ready if it wouldn’t be ready until Feb 1.
On Feb 1 it also wasn’t where they said it would be, leading to more wasted hours on the phone. Then they agreed to send me it via a secured e-mail message. Several days later they did, only the name was wrong. I called them and was told they would fix it and send me an updated one. Several weeks, several secured e-mail messages that didn’t work, and many wasted hours on the phone, I was told they were going to send me the corrected 1099 via normal e-mail later that day.
Nothing came that day. Nothing came the next day. So two days later I called in. After spending about half an hour on the phone, I was informed they wouldn’t be correcting the form. They said since they never had the name right in 2022, they weren’t going to change it on the form for 2022.
Since they repeatedly made mistakes in 2022, they decided they weren’t going to fix the problem now in 2023. To get to this decision, they wasted almost a full, 24-hour day’s worth of time. Does that sound like an institution that is my ally?
I've been with Ally Bank for several years and have never had issues with them until the last few months.
On February 9/23 I wanted to close a high balance, no penalty cd and transfer the money into a hgher paying no interest cd. I was told that I couldn't do that because it was a high balance and that the money would be held for 3-5 days as it needed to go through their internal back office. On February 15/23 they finally funded the new no interest cd and then told me I had to wait for 6 days before I could access my money per legal requirement. February 23, came and I called to transfer my money to these new higher interest cds. where I was told that it will take another 3-5 days to process before I can access my money. It will be the beginning of March before I can access MY MONEY. THIS IS ILLEGAL. THEY ARE HOLDIING THIS MONEY SO THAT THEY CAN COLLECT HIGH INTEREST ON MY MONEY, BUT I AM UNABLE TO ACCESS IT and receive the higher interest rate. I am angry and frustrated at their lack of supervisory staff and their lack of knowledge.
Recently the bank has notified customers of its rate increases in increments of .10 % ( yes, negligible .10 basis points ) . I find it insulting and deceiving ! It announces its petty increases with great fanfare ! As of 2/24/23 it increased to 3.50% APY its deposit rates from 3.40% , recently done on 2/1/23 . Briodirect , a subsidiary of Webster Bank and also an online bank has returned 4.10%since 1/10/23 .
Quite obviously , where one should park their money!
I had a very frustrating experience when opening a CD account with Ally Bank. Initially, once I submitted my application, I received an automatic message stating that the transfer from my other bank account could not be made and that I needed to contact the customer service line. Upon calling, my new account was inexplicably blocked, and the representative I spoke with told me that I could not make any changes to the account at that time. She ensured me I won't be charged any fees later for any changes since I just opened an account. She also reassured me that the block would be lifted in a few days. However, the transfer proceeded anyway and now I have to pay a $2000 fee for making changes to my CD.
When I tried to contact the customer service line several times, I was forced to wait on hold for extended periods every time, and it took several attempts before I received confirmation that the transaction would be reversed with no fees because of their system fault. Unfortunately, it's now been three weeks, and the issue is still not resolved.
Overall, I was extremely disappointed with the lack of transparency and poor customer service from Ally Bank. I would not recommend this bank to anyone based on my experience.
I just opened my Ally checking account two weeks ago. Since then I’ve done regular ach bank transfers from my chase account to my ally account. No issues, I’ve even done Zelle from my chase to my Ally. This evening when I attempted to actually Zelle FROM my ally account TO my chase account, everything went wrong. It said my Zelle was on hold. I call customer service and they ask to verify my number, they then say that the number isn’t registered to me (it is). Then they say my account is locked while being investigated, why was there no investigation when my money was going IN the account. So now they have over 1k of my money and I have no clue when I will have access to it again. RIDICULOUS!!!
We had an account with Ally after we sold our home to hold the money until we bought another home. A year later we were ready to buy a home and because they have so many restrictions on how much you can transfer, we wrote a check from our Ally account to our checking account to then complete the home purchase. We went on the Ally web site and sent a secure message to give them notice. And what do they then do after my bank received and credited my account, they pull it back. Needless to say it caused us a lot of work and delayed our closing. With Ally they are happy to get your money, but they don't want to return it.
They used to be good when we first got with them. They did a big update that shut down our cards because the system changed our card info so our physical cards stopped working....(mind you this was while I was just finishing my tires getting changed on my car) caused serious problems cuz I basically had to pull 400 dollars out my behind on the spot) had to wait weeks to have access to our money again because we couldn't even zelle it anymore because the account was locked during that time to,and they couldn't unlock it for us..... Many people had the same problems..customer service got very slow..zelle stopped being instant permanently and I constantly have so many pending charges on my account ..and some immediately deduct while saying pending and others don't so I never know my true account balance which caused me alot of issues before I realized it wasn't actually deducting all the pending charges. And money doesn't deposit direct anymore either ...even if u pay for an instant deposit..all they have is a descent savings in my opinion...but go anywhere else. Good luck ??
After being contacted by Ally Bank to get me to open an Ally Invest account, I finally made the time to sit with them (via several phone and Zoom meetings). From the get go, the discussion was about opening an investment account and how Ally Bank was the right bank for me. In all, I spent about 10 hours over several meetings total with their rep. What's worse, in some of our meetings I divulged personal information for my wife and myself, and they even had me go as far as to open an investment account with them to begin to implement their "plan". Just as I was about to fund the account, I received an email (and later a letter) stating "Based on a review of my account with Ally Invest, we have decided to terminate our relationship with you and close your account... " When I called them the rep stated they can not divulge the reasons for the termination! WHAT A JOKE!!!
(Edit 02-11-23) Consider your brokerage core account. Sure, some bonds pay a higher rate of return but the point of this exersize is safety where money market funds are fixed at $1.00. Even in times of negative rates, all brokerages will shore up the dollar. This is an account where you can write checks, pay bills electronically, buy & sell investments, get a 2% back credit card, get a debit card for ATM cash, and have just one pool of money (core account) rather than checking & savings. I've set my core account at Fidelity Investments to SPAXX (money market) because since the last Fed action, the 7-day yield is 4.17%. This means you will receive the average yield over 7-days (same as APY) on idle money you've set aside for bill payments, savings, or whatever. I for one have stopped chasing risky high-rates advertised all over the internet. Often, they won't let go of your money, have ACH transfer limits, don't compound daily, or have deplorable customer service. A brokerage core account has none of these negative issues.
Edit 03-17-23 - The 7-day yields for SPAXX (4.23%) and FZDXX (4.46%) have remained constant during this period of bank failures.
I checked with Ally about the "promotional term available through" claim. Ally said "Currently the Annual Percentage Yield on our 13 Month Select CD is 4.60%. Please be advised that all rates quoted are variable and subject to change at any time." So regardless of the website claim, the offer could disappear anytime. There might still be a 13 month term CD, but rates not guaranteed. Sneaky, IMO.
If you want the offer, maybe not wait.
If you have a kid in a custodial account for them with Ally, don’t let the kid use that account through your app they’ll close all your accounts. Also, don’t send money anywhere to buy bitcoin because they’re close your accounts for that too. They used to be a really good bank, but this is just wrong. Don’t trust them.
They were good company had no promblems for 6 years and now they messed up my accounts made my payments on time took one of my payments put it on the other account making my other account late went through hell trying to get them to fix it and now I went to make another payment and the web site told me that i have an account issue so I called again to figure it out and they tell me that i have to due a certified payment and I was like what so I looked at my credit to just curious and they had marked my accounts 30 days past due they have never been 30 days past due
I have been a customer with Ally since it started. I use it as a hub. Just a heads up. The ACH transfer time from their money market account is longer than from checking or savings. It shows right on the timeline when you set up the transfer. I needed to move some money to NASA FCU for a CD, and I was up against the Ally transfer limits. The money market account transfer was 2 days, but checking and savings were next day. As in, over the weekend I initiated a transfer from my money market fund. According to Ally it will go tomorrow. Yesterday I moved funds from money market to checking. Initiated from my checking account, and the funds are there today.
I've had a checking, online savings, and money market savings account with Ally for almost 10 years, and never had an issue.
The app is great, the website is functional. I like the "bucket" feature in online savings to keep certain balances allocated separately. Mobile check deposit works perfectly. Deposits go through quickly and they are transparent about the availability of funds — some right away, and the remainder after a couple days for larger deposits. Internal transfers happen instantly. Unlike many banks, checks are free, and you can get them as many times as you need. I moved and requested new checks so that my address would be correct, and received them with no problem. They had an easy and straightforward process for updating a legal name change, as well. If you need to call, the wait time is displayed at the top of the website and is usually 1-2 minutes.
The interest rates for online savings and money market savings are adjusted frequently without having to monitor it and call to get the better rate (unlike Capital One). Ally is not usually the absolute best interest rate available, but usually near the top for large banks.
The one real downside is that Ally continues to restrict withdrawals from savings accounts to 6 per month, even since the federal rule was suspended. It's not the end of the world, but it is a bit annoying when other banks have lifted this restriction and Ally maintains it, even though they don't have to.
Have opened several accounts over the past year with Ally; it's painless and effortless. With great customer service to boot.
In comparison, tried to diversify and open additional accounts with Live Oak Bank (LOB). Big mistake. I couldn't even make it past the application process, despite financial credentials.
Don't waste your time, seriously. Ally much more user-friendly than LOB; or as I refer to them, as Dead Oak Bank (DOB).
Back in 2020, I disputed a charge on my debit card for $1680. The bank gave me that same amount of money to compensate me for my loss. Quite a while later, the merchant finally corrected the issue with the debit card transaction. I sent the bank a message telling them that the original debit card transaction was resolved and that they should withdraw $1680 from my account. They told me it was too late and they had no way of taking the money back. They just let me keep the $1680 for free.
Be careful to do business with Ally Bank.
I have been trying to close a jumbo CD (close to 300K with 2.5%) with penalty. Ally rep now says it need 5 business days for back office to close an account. Agents do not have a clue and secure messages are getting ignored. Any suggestions what to do if they are not willing to help even after 7 days?
You lowered rates when the Fed just raised them
A real dumpster fire bank.
Ally Bank frauds attempted to prevent me from cashing an Ally bank check written to my mother's estate, even though I had a court order from a judge. I'm filing a complaint with the Federal Reserve Board. Do not recommend Ally bank at all whatsoever.
Spent an entire day starting at 8am trying to get a wire transfer completed. In the end I'm told it will not be completed until Tuesday 2 Jan 2023. due to their errors (not getting it entered until my 4th phone call to them) this will cost me $1000. I know it is the end of the year but they are open for business)
I banked with Ally for almost 3 years & could never quite get used to the time it took to get funds credited to my account after a deposit. And it didn't matter what type of deposit, instant transfers took around two business days, direct deposits would go thru Monday if they were scheduled for Saturday or Sunday. Which was always hard knowing that other banks would deposit my co-workers checks on the Friday before. Ally has NEVER paid my direct deposit two days early but I dealt with it. Then on the 19th of December at 10pm my direct deposit went into my bank account. I tried to make a $6 purchase with my ATM card but it was declined. I looked on the app & nothing was out of the ordinary. After two more attempts I used another card. I called Ally customer service to resolve the issue but the rep told me he was unable to help me & hung up on me. Frustrated, I called back & went thru a series of questions to prove my identity. I passed & the problem was resolved, I was told. I tried to use my card but again it was denied. I called back the next day at noon & went over everything again. Finally got answers. The fraud department locked my account & froze my card. All was fixed except a new card had to be issued. On the 23rd I finally got my expedited card. I was excited to finally have use of my money again but my excitement ended when I tried to activate the new card. It was EXACTLY the same as my old one! I called Ally again, this time crying. It is already the 23rd of December. Ordering a new card is the only option I was given to fix this issue. I have zero access to my money at this moment. I cannot transfer or wire from it due to some restrictions places on my account. Zelle won't even recognize I have an account anymore & out of sheer desperation I attempted to open a second account in order to move the money to have more control or some control over it but I am blocked from that too. I tried to write myself a check but upon cashing it, I was denied. I'm still waiting on a transfer to go thru to PayPal. Every customer service person I spoke to, except the first one has said the issue has been corrected but only seems to make it worse or does nothing. My holiday plans are ruined since I cannot travel without money. I cannot finish my Christmas shopping & blame Ally 100%. Their fraud department called me 3 times prior to them freezing my account. I authorized the charges everytime. They ignored me & canceled my card anyway. The last rep told me I could transfer via wire transfer for a $20.00 fee, which I was blocked from doing but why should I have to pay that? I've already paid fees on transfers that have yet to go thru & all my Christmas plans are ruined! Plus, my bills are not getting paid either. I have had it with this bank, their incompetent customer service & their policies or procedures with "fraud protection". After numerous calls I still have restrictions, red flags & limitations on this account as I am still unable to move money out, however strangely has no issues being put in! As of Friday morning this bank will no longer be handling my paychecks. I plan to empty the account soon after receiving a card that I can actually use & then taking what ever steps necessary to close it for food. Ally checking is free for a reason! You get what you pay for!!! Free isn't worth this nightmare & lost Christmas memories.
I am starting to feel like some people here that wrote the other reviews. "Look elsewhere"! I am starting to feel that I should look elsewhere too to invest my money. I have wasted too many hours with this bank just to speak with someone only to get no resolution to have my money put back in my account. Each call is normally at least over an hour-long wait. I have an account that was closed by accident because they misunderstood my instruction. It has been over a month and my money has not been deposited back into my account. I have called so many times, 1 time when I was put on hold for a total of over 4 hours long, and the problem was not resolved. To this day, the issue has not been resolved. I have called a couple of times and was told someone will call me back, but no one did. Maybe Ally is growing too big too fast. I sent close to 10 messages that did not get responses. When I finally got responses recently, they don't mean what they say in the messages or on the phone.
Attempted to log in today only to discover the phone number I recently added was taken away. I had to add a phone number because my email addresses were taken away last week. My other options won't work becaue those phones have an internal battery and will no longer take on a charge. On the same page, there is a Feedback link. So I click Feedback and a blank box appears. Typing does nothing --the blank box stays blank and no characters appear. It's like "don't bother us, we don't want to hear it". Call by telephone? Yeah, right.
Per a few calls with Ally, I am really starting to question as to whether Ally is completely overwhelmed or is not training their CSR thoroughly.
One call was in order to rescind a CD prior to its maturity date. I was well aware of the EWP amount and Ally even states the amount online however the CSR (using obvious calculations from Mars) inefficiently and incorrectly was giving me an EWP much higher than the actual amount. She even started arguing with me so in recognizing what I was dealing with I just told her I did not want to cancel the CD and instead I just did it online. Shockingly...the EWP amounts were exactly what I thought they were. Beware of some of their mathematical 'geniuses' there.
On Nov 4, I received an email from Ally, which states in part:
"We need you to add a phone number to your security preferences
As part of our continual efforts to keep your account safe and secure, we're making changes to the security code delivery settings for your Ally account. In short, we'll need you to update your preferences.
In order to log in moving forward, you'll only be able to receive an authenticated security code through a text message or **phone call**, not email.
What this means for you
You'll need to add a preferred phone number to your Security Code Delivery settings. Follow these quick steps:
• Log in to your Ally account
• Select Profile and Settings
• Select Security Code Delivery
• Add a phone number as security code delivery option
Yet, when I followed their instructions, the website only permitted adding a phone number for text, no option for phone call.
When I contacted them by secure chat, due to extensive wait times for phone call inquiries, I received, several days later, the following response
“I am sorry. Security code delivery preference only showing the option to for text SMS message and no phone call option. Our Tech teams are aware of an issue. We are working to resolve the issue. I am sorry but we cannot help with online access through this channel. Please give us a call and we are happy to help. Online Security is a top priority for us, and we are happy to help.”
I am not waiting around to see if they eliminate email authentication before they fix their botched phone options. Given their extensive wait times for phone customer service, I don’t want to deal with that just to gain online access.
I do not want text authentication as I find it inconvenient and there was an extensive discussion of SIM card theft and other text shortcomings on this site when Live Oak went to text only authentication, so there is no need to reopen that discussion here.
The past few months I been having issues logging in on there phone app, a couple times even the web app, for my checking and savings. I found a bug where when I added my debit card to apple pay, it wants to send me a security code to a old email, that I already updated in my security code preferences. I Instant messaged Ally, they confirmed the bug and told me to call to fix it, but from reading from others the hold time is long. I also noticed some of the bill pay I was going to send was going to be a physical check, instead of electronic. I recently leaned that Ally was hacked last year (I was not affected), but there response and timing was not that good, the YouTube Lon.TV has a good video about it.
So I switched to Capital One and everything is working out better than expected.
I have been a customer of Ally for 10 years with the FDIC limit including my IRA. They are accessible 24/7 with representatives across the country. Have there been any glitches? Of course, every bank has them. My main criticism is the serious lag time reaching a rep, often 2-3 hours when they are swamped. Otherwise five minutes or thereabouts. The second criticism is their refusal to be competitive in this current rate-changing environment. 2.5% APY on a large deposit will not receive a standing ovation. Transfer speeds and limits are reasonable. My only rationale for leaving are the rates. That said, when you compare to local banks still living in a 0.01% APY world and read the nightmare stories about Bask, DollarSavingsDirect, NASB, LendingClub, savebetter, Brilliant and other rate leaders, it is probably a good choice for those not trying to squeeze the last penny from their deposits. They are not perfect, none are, but after a decade with them, haven't had any major horror stories.
Well first of all I've had a hard time getting financed. For the fact that they were able to finance my vehicle made a huge difference to me ( Aprroved after credit clean up ) . Anytime I've had a question or an issue about anything whatsoever all I had to do was to Simply pick up the telephone and place a phone call to the customer service line where an actual human being and not a robot directed me exactly what to do and what steps I should take to solve the issue that I would be having at that particular Moment In Time. That says a lot to me.
Another vote for reliability and speed. Customer of several years. So far, for me the best website of all the online banks I have tried, even though there are better looking interfaces. Everything I need is accessible online: Beneficiaries and changes, breaking a CD, detailed process log of transfers, cancellation of transfers without having to call in, etc, I haven't had to call in for anything in years. ACH transfers for me always within 24 hours (business days) with immediate (!) availability of funds as soon as they hit the account, i.e., within 24 hours. I haven't had hold times even for six figure transfers. Rates have fallen behind for now, so I moved out my funds, but at identical rates, my money always goes back to Ally. I'm just waiting for them to hit the 3% threshold to pull everything back. After trying another online bank because of a much better rate but with an online presence that leaves much to be desired, I can appreciate Ally's online presence, speed and, at least for me, seemingly non-existing hold times. Now increase your rates already!
Note: This review refers only to savings accounts/CDs. If you are looking for a checking account with debit card, be warned, look at the ample reviews referencing a serious security issue with Ally debit cards, and consider going somewhere else.
Recent events have beckoned me to join your camp of 1 and 2 star reviews. So, I join you in solidarity. Blame it on Covid, Trump, Putin, O'Biden, inflation, high crime, or paying people to not work, recent conditions have been less than stellar. I have therefore practiced what I preach and using the thrust of mighty foot power, made a speedy exit. My balances are Zero opting to rejoin Fidelity Bill Pay using SPAXX as my core account. (As of Oct 31, 7-day yield is 2.65%) However, I have to retain my Ally account since Social Security direct deposit is very slow and won't reflect my changes until Jan 2023.
For the last several months, scheduled deposits have been placed on hold with no explanation. I am not able to transfer or withdraw the money I have in my account. Holds are placed on Zelle and my debit card with zero justification. When I started with this bank, it was great but as time passed, it has only gotten worse and dealing with this bank is an absolute nightmare. I am currently on hold after waiting for over an hour to speak with someone regarding yet another hold on my account. I will be getting all my money moved and closing my accounts. I HATE THIS BANK!!!!
Used to have an auto loan with this shitty bank. They reported false information on my credit file when I asked for help during a brief period of unemployment...did they care? Nope. Filed late payment after late payment after another even though they said they would put on loan on forbearance. 4 years later I'm still waiting for this banks trash to fall off my credit report so I can move on with my life.
Stay clear of this shitty bank. They're not in the business to help people whatsoever so if life happens don't expect them to be there.
Have been trying to reach Customer Service for three days by phone and internal messaging. Have tried at different times of the day and the phone wait time now has gone up to 76 minutes. It did not use to be this bad because this is my second time with Ally.
Ally bank will you deny you access to your money!
I had been using an Ally bank account as a savings account. Apparently there is some requirement that you access your account on a regular basis. I had set up my account on their online app, which does not work well, it is very glitchy, difficult to login, often in countering sign in errors, that require you call them and experience a very long whole time. I had elected to have my statements and correspondence done electronically. I did receive my statements and promotional materials from them online, but apparently they do not send notices about your account electronically, and failed to inform me that my account had gone dormant . If your account remains dormant for too long, they will disperse your funds to the state government as unclaimed funds in the state in which you live. I discovered my account had been closed when I logged in to check my balance, I called LA bank to Find out where my funds were, they indicated they had sent them to the state, but could offer no advice on who I should call to reclaim my money, telling me that I could Google it and figure it out. I did finally figure out who to contact, only to be informed that there is a rigorous process I must go through to verify the funds are mine, and that I could expect to wait about a year and a half to get this issue resolved. Oh my bank has essentially cut me off from accessing my nearly $30,000 of savings for the next year and a half, of course at no interest. Shame on Ally Bank! Their customer service is very poor! Their app is terrible! As well as their communication with their customers! I would be very wary of depositing any money with them!
Have been with them for many years. Was single account holder. Filled in the form to add my wife as joint holder to get 500k FDIC insurance. Got more money now by the grace of God.
Got a curt letter that my application is rejected! No explanation at all.
Will be closing my account.
Whoever is in charge of their IT should be fired
Sure- I can log in and see my balances
But I can't DO anything more often than not
And there is at least a 45-minute wait for a phone rep
And no chat
I can't really expect much as I only have pennies with them and I do get Webroot which I appreciate
But how hard is it to make your entire website function?
If it was only occasionally down that would be fine
The last 4 times I tried- i can't use it as a hub when their website is not working for transfers
I recently moved to Japan for a year. I spoke with a representative and informed them that I would be on an extended stay in Japan. They assured me everything was in the system. I also told her that my phone number would be ported to google voice while I am gone. She told me I could have most security issues handled through my email and I also gave her my Japanese number just in case. My card was blocked and would not work. I messaged for help on the app and they sent me to the fraud department. I called them, which costs money since I am overseas, and they took 30 minutes to answer. Then the fraud department told me there was no fraud case on my account and there was a mistake. They then sent me to another department that took 40 minutes to go through. More long-distance charges. Then when I finally got on with someone they said they couldn't verify my identity as the texts wouldn't work with an international number or google voice. She then asked me a bunch of questions but that still didn't work even though I answered them all correctly. They have now totally locked my account and I can't even get into it to transfer the money out. Before I called them I could at least log in and now I can't do that. They have a disgustingly long wait time to call in. I just attempted to call back and this time I was disconnected. Each time I am charged! I am now stuck in a foreign country where I can not get access to my money and they won't pick up the phone. Also, I find it very coincidental how every time they say there will be a survey after the call they hang up and I never got a survey. I also tried to review on their own website but it wouldn't let me because it locked me out of the account. I am stuck without access to my money in a foreign country! This is not ok!!!
Ally works as a great hub account due to their plentiful external connections (I have yet to encounter a limit unlike other bank's ridiculous 2 or 4). Additionally you get "upgraded" to same day ACH after transferring a couple hundred between external accounts.
Their web software is good and only hampered by their own inability to prioritize better features. You can do almost anything you'd need day-to-day online like open accounts, set CD instructions including early withdrawals for NPCDs, and paying billers or people via eCheck. They've added more features than are necessary like customizing your dashboard at the expense of making their eBilling actually usable/useful. All this without nonsense fees or minimum balances as we all know there is literally no marginal cost for each account in the computer age.
Where they fall short is competitive rates. There was a shining moment in the past where Ally was the rate leader. Now they're content to pump/waste that money on TV advertising and are content w/ below average rates for internet banks (that are still good in the aggregate, but I'd rather bank all in one place if I could vs. chasing rates).
Where they're straight up awful is customer service. Don't expect a response unless you send it twice and wait a week. Thankfully I've not needed to deal with them on the phone but I'm sure they use your standard outsourced call center with awful scripts and a general inability to do things quickly w/o a run around.
Ally is slow to raise interest rates and fast to lower them. They are as bad or worse than the Fed about dragging their feet on interest rates! I have moved most of my money to another bank that pays 2.75% on an online savings account. 0.65% more than Ally. I plan on closing all my accounts at Ally by the end of this year. The one thing these people understand is the flight of capital to other banks that pay more. That gets their attention! Unfortunately, they have access to taxpayer dollars from the Federal Reserve which is one reason why these banks don’t compete for depositors as they used to 30 years ago. I think that is a very bad practice because it takes the competition out of banking!
I would also like to say that their customer service is the worst! Hold times of 30 minutes or more to talk with a representative! Rude representatives! I had a representative lock me out of my account because she was incompetent and I asked her if she knew what he was doing. After I spoke with her I tried logging into my account and my password was not valid. I had to call and speak with a supervisor to get access to my account. I do not recommend this bank!
I have been attempting to transfer my IRA to another bank. Since July 29, 2022 they have made up reasons why they can't do it, Stay away from Ally.
Ally sent me an email saying that my account is restricted and to call the fraud department. I called and they could not tell me why my account was restricted. I was told that I will get a call in 1-2 business days, I did not find this acceptable and called back. This time I was told that they did a review of my account and will no longer be working with me. I explained I had 2 deposits that will be going into my account today around 5 that I need in order to pay my rent. They basically gave me the big middle finger and told me that funds can come into my account but not out and once they actually close my account they will send me a check with those funds. I asked could they just close it now so that those deposits would kick back to the sender and was told sorry there is a process it has to go through.
As a single mom this has really put me in a bad place, the money that was coming into my account today is all the money I had.
Enrolled my Ally Checking in their “Overdraft Transfer Service” many years ago but I had never taken advantage of it. Two days ago, an overlooked credit card payment caused my Checking to be overdrawn by $995. Ally automatically transferred $1,000 from my Savings account to cover the negative balance. I am pleased it worked out exactly how it’s supposed to.
Have had Ally for about 4 years and use it as my main account for direct deposit and paying bills. Everything was great; the ease of use, ATM fee reimbursement, Zelle access, higher interest rates, etc. But, this year I have had fraudulent activity on my debit card, two of which were in the last 3 weeks. A quick google or twitter search show I’m not alone; there are thousands of Ally customers currently experiencing the same problem. It’s so bad getting through to Ally on the phone (which is required to report) is nearly impossible; took me two days of calling multiple times to finally get help for the incident a few weeks ago. Quickly received a new debit card & hoped that would be the end of it but, it’s not-another fraudulent charge was attempted yesterday on the brand new card. Luckily, I “locked” the card immediately after activating it because all of the reported issues, so the charge was declined. I received no notification this happened-only by manually checking my debit card transaction activity did I see the attempt; my settings have always been to notify me via text & app notification of all transactions, including declined. I’m confident the recent massive influx of fraud targeting Ally customers is a result of an internal hack or compromised security of their system; I literally have had my new debit card for only a couple weeks & not even used it once, so seems nearly impossible to be compromised on my end. The whole thing is very concerning, but absolute worst part of all is Ally refuses to acknowledge the obvious major problem (see tweet replies to people reporting the problem, they generally respond with something like “sorry this happened, lots of banks across the country are experiencing a higher number of fraudulent activity” basically saying “no big deal, nothing wrong here”… they also have not made any effort to communicate or notify their customers regarding the issue, even though it’s overwhelmingly clear Ally accounts are specifically compromised.
This, coupled with the inability to get through on the phone, has resulted in losing my confidence & trust in Ally. Until a few weeks ago, I was a very satisfied account holder and expected to be with their bank longterm, but that has all changed and I will be closing my account.
Lagging behind, they are taking it for granted that people are going to stay with them while not earning the competitive rate. Sorry Ally, consumers also want to make money while you are making money from their money. I took a large dough out as I am getting much better rate in other banks. Help yourself switch out.
I have quite a bit of money in Ally and have been with them for years. I currently use a PO Box for my address, as I do with all my banks, and they decided they do not like this and closed my account. Not only that, but instead of simply transferring the funds to my linked Bank of America account, they are sending me a check for this large amount of money in the mail.
I am now terrified that I will not get the check with USPS the way that it is. So for 2 weeks I will just stress out over this.
For 2 years, I have recommended them highly to everyone that I know. No longer! I will be filing complaints with entity that I can file a complaint with.
Unbelievable!!
Over the course of more than a year, I have experienced multiple errors, extreme lengths of time waiting for corrections, incorrect information and various system malfunctions.
For the last 4 days, Ally Bank has not been accepting my Zelle, Venmo or Paypal transfers in. Being an online bank, there is no other method of depositing funds that will clear immediately other than transfers. Now my account is overdrawn and there is no way for me to add funds, other than send them a check, which will take at least a weeks to deliver and clear. I have about 10 automatic withdrawals coming up since it’s the beginning of the month, and I am told they will all be rejected
due to Insufficient funds. If you value the ability to make deposits in a timely manner I suggest you stay well clear of this bank.
I have a joint checking account through Ally Bank with my son who is in college. In April, two charges for $407.00 (total $814.00) were deducted from the account from a Western Union in San Francisco (we are in Florida). We reported the fraud to Ally Bank immediately. In June, we received a letter from Ally that they conducted an investigation and determined the transactions were authorized and not fraudulent, so they would not refund the $814.00. I asked them how they determined the charges were authorized, because they were certainly not authorized by my son or myself. They said they could not share that information with me. I contacted my local sheriff to report the fraud, and they said in order to open a case I needed to get a fraud affidavit from Ally Bank. Ally Bank will not provide a fraud affidavit because they are stating we authorized the charges. I have no idea what to do next to prove these are fraudulent charges and get our money back. If Ally Bank will not help, who can I turn to?
My mom recently passed away and we've been trying to transfer her IRA to my dad (her beneficiary) and have had an awful experience with Ally Bank. We've spent extremely long time on phone hold (hour+) often getting transferred back and forth from one ill-informed and often rude representative to the next. Last time, we complying with their email request, we call a specific supplied number providing a given reference # and were again transferred twice (each time holding for more than 1/2 hour) to incompetent, discourteous representatives that, needless to say, were totally useless. We’re heartbroken and very disappointed with Ally Bank.
Ally Bank has very competitive rates and I am overall satisfied but I will list my only concerns:
1. The wait time for phone and chat support is very long. When you finally reach a real person, they are professional, knowledgeable and friendly.
2. I have ordered three debit cards for my Money Market account. The first two were “lost in the mail”. Hopefully the third one will arrive this week. This was sent via priority mail.
3. The transfer process from other financial institutions is too lengthy. It usually takes three business days for an electronic deposit to post. My expectations are one to two business day, Mobile check deposits should be instant, especially if your account balance exceeds the amount of the check.
Thank you
I submitted information for an Ally online bank account application. I was denied an account, citing their inability to verify my identity.
Strange that I was born here in the US many years ago, have a 6-figure income with a stable career in healthcare, established mortgage with a major bank, paid off auto loans (early), constant credit card offers, great credit rating with all the major credit bureaus, etc... Just not sure who can actually qualify for these accounts.
I attempted to call and speak directly to a representative, and the computer on the phone said that my wait time was estimated at 42 minutes.
THE GOOD:
I've been an Ally Customer for years - via acquisition first - and then became a "double customer" when they acquired my brokerage. For basically-free, interest-earning checking and savings accounts, they are the best I have found.
THE BAD:
Their website and (especially) their app has bugs and aren't nearly as easy to use as they should be. When I've reported the bugs, they've politely blown me off. Also, the brokerage's clearing firm, Apex, makes mistakes when reporting your taxable activity to the government. I mean, taxes are complicated, but not THAT complicated that their accounting bugs cannot be fixed over the years. I've never understood why they can't get it right.
Ally doesn't know how to convert the custodial account to a stand-alone account when your minor is no longer a minor. Two different reps gave me VERY different instructions. I've spent hours on it and gotten nowhere. My 18-year-old can open a bank account at any bank on the planet EXCEPT Ally.
THE UGLY:
When I needed to withdraw funds to buy a house, Ally let me down badly. I started trying to wire the money to the title company on Monday morning. Ally Invest won't allow "third-party transfers," so I had to wire it to my Ally Bank account. It took entirely two days to achieve that step. And from when I requested the wire from Ally Bank to the title company, it took well over 24 hours, even though I had told them of my closing time and asked for anything they could do to help me meet it. They didn't even call to verify the wire until 24 hours after my request. I looked like an idiot at the Thursday closing because the funds weren't there. I was embarrassed and am now looking for a new bank.
And finally, I was trying to pay off a loan. Set up a bill payment on the Wells Fargo loan for $50,000 (yes, fifty thousand). Didn't show up for weeks. I called Ally. That's when I learned that they MAILED the payment - seriously - Ally didn't do an electronic transfer TO ANOTHER U.S. BANK; they mailed a fifty thousand dollar check. So I asked them to stop payment on the lost check. They said they had. I sent a new payment. THEN THE "STOPPED" PAYMENT WENT THROUGH, and I had written a FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR HOT CHECK because of it. I talked to Ally again, and a "typo" had been made that allowed the supposedly-stopped check to go through. Inexcusable.
Best case, Ally is incompetent. Worst, they're evil.
Savings rates simply not competitive as Ally's used to be.
Ally invest closes accounts without reason and notification to clients. I was one of these clients. Tuesday morning 06/21/22 when the indices down premarket 2 percent or so they randomly closed my account and froze my funds. Its now the 27th and I still haven't seen my funds and have to buy my investments back between 15 and 25 percent higher depending on the stock. I was not maxed out on margin, had not been warned about anything, had not violated any day trade rules. Many staff were rude and just said, we can close any account any time without notification. Although the reality of this may be true, it greatly affected my family's personal finances, it cost me nearly 25 percent of my entire savings without me having done anything. Their current BBB profile has dropped to a 1.13 rating and even that's too high. Do yourself a favor and stay far away from this company.
I've been a customer with Ally for nearly 10 years and they froze my account because I initiated a wire transfer. I never had problems sending wire transfers before. It's been several days that I can't login to my account or access my money. When I try to use my debit card to do something like make a purchase or pump gas it automatically gets declined.
I called their "fraud" department and answered the security questions but they keep saying they are looking into it and never get back to me in a timely manner. Luckily I have funds in an external account that I can use to allow me to live. I don't know how long more this is going to go on for but it's unacceptable. I will be moving my money elsewhere.
Before the recent interest rate increases, I sent a message to Ally suggesting they keep abreast of said changes and follow suit else risk the loss of their customer base. So what are they paying on savings on June 20, 2022? 0.9 percent vs 1.25 or more at other institutions. Well as the old saying goes "you snooze, you lose". The majority of my money at Ally as well as monies of several other accounts have departed for greener pastures. When you move your money in search of a favorable rate, be sure to see if your funds are compounded daily and what the daily withdraw limits are. Especially if you trade stocks and at times, need to move large amounts.
I don’t know if it’s just me or it happens to other as well. My problem with Ally bank is transfer the money; it takes 3-4 days. If I start the transfer on Monday then it’d take the cash out on Tuesday and then deposit on Thursday while other online banks like LendingClub, Bread, Marcus would take only 1 day to transfer the money.
Ally used to be an excellent hub with good online features and nice customer service. I have been with them since the GMAC era (6% APY:)). No more. Other than an ok interest rate, it lost both (and all the nice) attributes over the years. Sad!!
They limited the number of linked external FIs, with a mysterious maximum (10-15 links? and the 20 links for life-silly!!). For those who have more than 20 links before the limit was set, it is an unending torture, I cannot have even nine links due to system glitch that it "remembers" my previous deleted links.
Their customer service has worsened to "NO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT ALL" since many CSRs/managers are only there for their monthly checks. One CSR simply hung up on me rudely. My ACH link issue took them two months now and nobody is working on my ticket!! Their Executive Customer Relations phone number (888-318-4622) is fake without response at all. Remember: If there is any issue, Ally is there to mess you up and ignore/drop you like old shoes.
Customers/New Applicants Beware!!! Hint: Alliant CU, with a smaller asset size, is much more customer-friendly and reasonable!!
P.S., Ally's timely response to comments in this thread is a first-step, but it tends to be very superficial as well:)
I am trying to purchase a house. I sent in my wire request over a week ago and the wire still hasn't been sent. Every time you call, it takes 45 minutes on hold before you get to speak to a person. That person will tell you your issue is handled--but it is not. I am about to loose this deal because this bank will not send my money
I did research on which bank would be best for joint account with my husband. Ally was rated one of the best with great customer service. I’ve been banking with chase for 20 years but they recently changed their accounts and we’re going to start charging monthly fees. I haven’t paid monthly fees ever and if I can avoid it I plan on it. So my husband & I opened a joint account at Ally. We did our 2019 taxes late so we just got the check in February of 2022 and we used that to open the account. Ally called and asked questions about the check. Why? I don’t know. They told us it looks suspicious so it’s going to be on hold for 7-10 days till it clears. Ok, we’re new customers, we understand. In the meantime, we’re processing our 2021 taxes as well and we figure we might as well use this account to have direct deposit since we closed our other joint account at chase.
10 days go by and our account is still on hold. I call and they say it’s taking another 1-3 days. 3 more days go by, I call and they say they a picture of me & my husband holding our ID cards along with other documents. Ooookkk…. This is weird. Fine, we submitted what they asked for. I call another week later & they still don’t unlock it they don’t give me any reasons except we look suspicious. So I ask for a manager. They can’t get me to a manager because they’re not available. What??? When are managers not available? So I call every week for the next 6 weeks and leave messages and talk to different reps and no one has answers. I never get a call back from any managers after I leave multiple messages.
What kind of customer service is this? I ask to close my account and they deny me that right because it’s still on hold…. So now they are just holding my money for what reason? I can’t do to the branch because it’s an online bank. Yeah, as soon as they release my funds I’m running so fast and far from Ally, I will never do business with them again!
Agree w previous post - started off well and now a fail.
Was great customer service, now long waits and nice but unhelpful staffing.
A supervisor told me today that they were hacked a few months ago and now are super strict about withdrawal limits $1000 or $2000 after 50 minutes on the phone w supervisor after asking me why I needed MY OWN MONEY - not helpful trying to pay our home contractors in cash. And I was still declined at the bank trying to make a withdrawal. Also App crashes, website says my Debit Card "not active" at times.
I keep seeing 1 Star complaints about Ally. I am not advocating for them, and have had my own problems. But, I have other banks where it has been worse MUCH WORSE. Other Businesses besides banking have problems. We see it in the Media all the time - People Quit. New People don't get hired. I suggest using Ally Chat instead of calling
I have been a savings and investment customer with Ally for a couple of years now. 3 weeks ago I tried to get a check from my investment account. The request "didn't go through" . I spent an hour on the hold with customer service who said they were getting it fixed and would have a check issued in a week. Nothing happened, this is after I have already waited a week. I called again and was put on hold for an unmanageable amount of time so I went to "my dash board" on my account and pressed chat. I ended up chatting with a supervisor for literally 2 hours she asked me my account number and my address along with several other things. At the end of the 2 hour chat she told me that I was speaking with ally bank and that she could not help me that I needed to contact investment. This was an hour or more after I gave her my investment account number. I also gave her my "case number" which she admitted over an hour later she could not find. I told her that I wanted to talk to her supervisor and she said I could not but she would put in a request for a customer relations person to call me. She told me that would take up to 10 days because mine was low priority and gave me another case number. Three weeks out and I still do not have the money from my account that I requested. I asked via email for a status request and I get an auto reply that somebody will get back with me in 3 days. I am 60 years old and have been involved with banks since I was 15. This is the worst experience I have ever had. Do yourself a favor and stay far away Ally they are not customer service oriented they just want to sell you a car loan or a mortgage loan and once they got ya, they're gone and you are garbage to them.
Mailed in a check for several zeros to temporarily park sale of house money. No record of it, had to stop payment with the payor which is never easy. Customer service said it could have gone to either of two different locations from mailroom even though the site had just 1 place.
Before posting this review, I have given enough time and opportunity to Ally to get their act together and I have also notified [email protected] but it seems that Ally dont care anymore.
I have been with Ally for many years, the amount of funds that I have maintaining in investment, checking, savings etc. - I could easily have a dedicated account manager with any other bank (which I will do now)
Ally bank is OK until you run into issues. I knew Ally services gone terrible but did not knew until I called.
Here is some serious feedback about multiple issues - hope this will help others.
1-If you deposit a bulk amount check (I deposited Bank of America check), Ally will put a long hold, break the bulk amount, deposit bulk amount in parts (bits and pieces) on separate dates, you will never be able to track the actual amount,
good luck asking Ally representative - they have standard answers?
2-Ally does not like and could not verify external recognized Citibank back accounts. Received Email after two days? Here is one line description. "We couldn't verify your Citibank, checking account with the account information you entered"
3-Zero customer service, cookie cutter answers for basic issues, they dont have skilled resources
4-Long hold times
5-No supervisors - false promises supervisors will call you, it has been 5 days no one called?
6-Open case with Ally NO FOLLOW UP, NO TRACKING, and you figure out case status when you call them and then they will move it forward?
7-Rude Customer service, seems they have been getting lot of negative callers
8-No Accountability, no responsibility, no leadership no supervisors, no management
I've been a customer for several years now, and never ran into any issues. If you only need to do basic stuff, like depositing money, transferring between internal/external accounts, Ally makes it very easy and convenient, and I never ran into any limits/restrictions doing that.
I opened a bank account with Ally in 2016 as they were recommmended as having some of the best rates as well as great customer service. And they have been great to me this whole time.
However, I have had such a terrible experience with them over the last 9 days that I will be contacting a lawyer about if they continue to be unpleasant with me.
It started out as a wire transfer. It was delayed for "review" for an undetermined amount of time. I was on the phone with their customer service, a supervisor and the back office for about 7 hours over the last 9 days. They locked me out of my bank account for "Suspicious activity". Not once did they try to call or email or in anyway verify I was the right person. Supposedly my account was all handled today and again they locked me out of my account! This is the account that I get my DD at and pay bills. And they did not give a time when it will be unlocked, just "we will review it then we will take it from there". They are acting like it's not MY money. I'm not sure what changed at this bank but I would recommend Capital One, local credit unions, etc.
Disgusting service now.
I have reported it to the appropriate regulators to ensure I get my money from them eventually
Has anyone else noticed that lately Ally's online banking website is unavailable frequently?
Happened to me a few minutes ago (tried to access twice) and again last week
I have been an Ally customer using 11 month no penalty CDs for years. I decided to buy a home and needed to close the CDs and transfer money from Ally to the title company for closing.
Ally froze my account for "suspicious" activity (closing large dollar CDs) and was I was totally restricted to access anything in my account by phone or internet login. The real estate transaction could not proceed and my wife was so stressed out she was hospitalized.
In desperation, I tried to transfer funds out of Ally through the Fidelity Investments website (I had created a link at Fidelity with my Ally account when I opened the Ally account) This strategy worked. We lost out on the real estate purchase but at least we got our life savings and did not need to hire an attorney.
Ally is by far the worst bank and worst customer service I have ever experienced. They will flag your account.apparently for withdrawing too much and restrict all access to your funds, even if you answer all of the security questions correctly. There is no supervisor or anyone with knowledge or power to override the account flag. Beware. Like Russian banks, they will restrict withdrawal. Ally is awful.
Good luck if you try to connect Ally Bank from another bank or financial institution. Your first red flag is that the other bank or financial institution i.e., Robinhood doesn't list Ally Bank. Have to dig for Ally Bank. But if you are lucky enough to find it, it will error out saying not allowed. Ally Bank is an old General Motors bank. Stay away.
I was reading about the discontinuation of overdraft fees and the new overdraft protection policy. In the text found online, they are still talking about a limit of 6 transfers per cycle. Regulation D was discontinued back in April 2020 --TWO YEARS AGO! As for linking savings to checking with overdraft protection in $100 increments, there is no place on the website to sign up for said protection. Calling for help on the phone is worthless as all you hear is extremely garbled and annoying music while on hold. Very ridiculous and not very becoming of a financial institution. It makes one feel like you are trying to communicate with a back alley pawn shop rather than the professed "Ally".
With the Fed claiming they have "tools" to control inflation, expect to see several rate hikes in 2022-23. In anticipation of this, I've written to Ally Bank advising them to consider keeping abreast of the changes ahead to retain customers. In response, I got a series of pre-written paragraphs that convey little useful information. There was one item though that I found rather troubling where they stated that they would NOT match competitors savings rates. So, it looks like it's back to the races. Whoever offers the best return will be getting the cash portion of my portfolio. Just a pittance mind you for covering bill payments and emergencies. Of late, the Automated Clearing House (ACH) has drastically improved speed.
Twice now (the only two times I have ever tried in my 4 years as a customer) Ally has taken TWO business days to process my request to send an outgoing wire transfer. Both times I used their web site to put in my outgoing wire transfer request BEFORE they even opened for business that day and BOTH times the wire was NOT sent out until the following business day. And you have to keep your cell phone with you the ENTIRE day whie you patiently wait for them (the wire department) to personally call you to confirm the details of your outgoing wire. Both times when I tried to get my funds wired out of Ally that day, I called into their customer service line after waiting 6 full business hours and not yet hearing anything from their wire department. Both times I was told that "they had an unusually high number of outgoing wires right now and that they would get to my request as soon as possible". But that they couldn't guarantee that the funds would be wired out that same business day because it was getting close to the outgoing wire cut-off time. And the customer service rep would not tell me how many other wires were ahead of me in their queue.
Sadly, both times when I have requested an outgoing wire, they didn't contact me until the following business day to confirm the details. This is so very frustrating!! The reason I specifically use a wire transfer is when I must transfer a large sum of money quickly and securely with no hold on the incoming funds by the receiving financial institution. A wire is unlike an ACH transaction with may take several days for the receiving institution to decide that the incoming funds are legit and that they are now available for use (ie to roll into a CD).
Other than their two day outgoing wire dis-service, I have been very satisfied with Ally in all other respects as a good choice for a hub account as well as a good (fairly competitive) place to stash funds (in their savings account and/or no penalty CDs) that have earned fairly high and pretty competitive interest rates over the 4 years that I've been a customer.
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An awful experience all around. I've been trying to establish an estate account with Ally Bank after the sudden and tragic death of my mother who had an account there. Their Estate Department has done nothing but lie about "elevating my case" or just hung up on me when I've called. They have all of the paperwork from me to establish the estate account and nothing has been done. I just got off the phone with an associate who was extremely rude, asking curtly if "and does (name) have last name by any chance?" after having been hung up on by another associate. They've claimed to have elevated my case twice. One of the associates said the previous associate had not actually elevated my case.
If a company allows its customer service representatives to treat grieving family members like this, how do you think they treat their normal, everyday customers?
I will never have any business with Ally Bank after this experience. As soon as the money has been dispersed, I will close the estate account and never open another one. Nor will I ever suggest for anyone else to open an account at Ally Bank given my experience.
Tried to refinance auto-loan with existing credit union - Ally denied the refinance and neglected to contact me or my CU to inform us, and made it impossible to find out the reasons why.
After spending 5 hours on the phone with customer service, someone finally informed me that it was because it was made out to the wrong address. After spending 2 more hours on the phone with them, they provided me with another address, which also ended up being wrong. I'll be waiting a full month and a half for my loan to transfer, now - because they posted the wrong information (first time), and provided me with incorrect information (second time).
To top it all off, they've threatened to send my account to collections, while double-charging me for the month of February - stating that it was for a previous month that was unpaid (the month stated occurred prior to my auto-loan - meaning, they want me to pay them for a month that I didn't even own the car). I've offered to pay them the amount that was owed for the month of February (being that my refinance hasn't taken yet), and they told me that my "account is locked", and that the only way for me to make a payment, would be to go to Wal-Mart to have it sent "certified".
I have fought tooth and claw to find out why this is happening, and I've yet to speak to a single person who can provide me with the same consistent information.
I'm hoping that there is a predatory lending lawyer, who can help me move forward - because my Credit Union is unable to help me, and I certainly don't expect Ally to do anything helpful about it.
In summary, Ally is good, until problems arise and you suddenly can't access or transfer (IN/OUT) your funds. I could best explain Ally bank as amateurish, start-up company with good potential but ignorance and lack of knowledge about few aspects of banking. On one occasion, I wired money into Ally Bank account, only to find out that Ally doesn't support that activity (even though they state they do!). It got ridiculous to the point where I did 3-way conference with Ally and my other bank, and the Ally representative simply didn't know how to process wire-transfer of money. Instead, Ally treats it as regular, bank-to-bank transfer, which takes 2-3 business days (wiring money takes about 15 minutes to transfer money). Second problem, arose when Ally blocked my access to account due to "suspicious" activity - multiple calls to Ally to verify and unblock account went unsuccessful, and it took over 4 MONTHS (!) for my account to be unblocked and for me to access my funds. This is all due to limited case review workers on Ally's side. My options were (1) wait, (2) hire a lawyer, and (3) contact state attorney. I was hours away from pursuing option (3), before I accidentally found out through self-login that my account was deblocked (Ally didn't send any email/text notification to notify me I can access my funds.)
I gave 1 stars but in the reality they deserve Zero (0). The bank is not competitive at all, with so high grade of confusion, rudeness and high incompetece. I am holding an auto loan which was never reported by them to the ctedit bureau. O am paying on time and sending exyra money to shoryen the loa. The reps are umprofessionally trained and act as oncompetent, supervisots ate grasping straws telling no slutions. They cannot even find my social security numbet asdociated with the account. Do they spund professional?
Stay away from them as i xee the stock rates are plunging to the abyss.
Been with them for years. It's savings, so mostly the money just sits. Hard to have a problem with that. But last week I needed to transfer some funds to my external checking account. I made a mistake doing the transfer -- my error -- so that instead of going from savings to checking, the order was to move savings from checking. As soon as I realized the error, I called to notify them. The girl wouldn't believe me, just kept saying that the transfer went through fine. I explained repeatedly that it COULDN'T go through fine, because there weren't enough funds in the checking account to cover it. But she did nothing. So I initiated a new transfer, done correctly. Sure enough, the next day I received a message saying the initial transfer had been terminated for lack of funds, and that a hold was being placed on my account. Could no longer move funds to or from my checking account. So clearly the rep never noted anything in my account. I sent an email explaining the situation and asking them to remove the hold. They replied saying they would review it in 1-2 business days. Whatever. But then they went on to say this:
"Please be advised, any additional failed transfers within 6 months will result in a suspension that must be enforced for at least 3 months. If this occurs, you will not be able to initiate transfers via Ally Bank and will need to initiate all transfers to/from your Ally accounts via the external institution?s transfer system. If after 3 months you have successfully initiated a transfer into your Ally Bank account, you may request the suspension be removed." Seriously, if I accidentally transpose the "to" and "from" in a transfer one more time, they're going to keep me from accessing my own money? This is SO a deal breaker for me!!!!!
I have had a very active account at Ally since its inception. I opened an account with zero balance at a credit union and was going to fund it from Ally. I initiated the process to link the account. When I went to check the trial amounts, my account had a negative balance of $34.67. The rep speculated that Ally had withdrawn the trial amounts before sending them, which caused my account to be charged with an overdraft. No apology. When I asked if they would credit me the amount for the overdraft if his speculation was correct, he said they "could look into doing that". Again, no apologies. Really??
I made a recent deposit to my bank account well under the daily limit, from a check I received for trading in my old car. It said the check was approved. A day later my account is locked, so I call to find out why, and they tell me I have to call the "back office". I have to wait though because their hours are Eastern and I'm Pacific. So I call the next day and wait 30 minutes to be told "we have to clear the check with the dealership" to which, I ask, "but the check has already been cleared?" And I get a roundabout answer that the funds have to be authorized. I have never in my life deposited a check under the daily limit and had my whole account FROZEN. And now it's been 4 days, I'm without funds, and I have no indication of when it will be fixed. "We don't have a time window we just have to wait for them to call us." Who is they? Why are we waiting so long for this? As soon as my account is unlocked I am moving banks. I have bills to pay and this is unacceptable.
Ally bank has horrendous customer service and grossly under-trained representatives. They constantly block my account for “suspicious activity” that is not even remotely suspicious. They do not work well with Zelle and cannot properly explain their own guidelines to customers. The first time I lost my debit card, I tried to activate the new one and it kept saying I was entering the wrong information over and over. Customer service could not help me. They finally escalated the call to a supervisor who told me there was a glitch in the system and I had to enter my birthday backwards (the year first and then the month). I lost my debit card again last month (which was about year later) and it took 5 weeks to receive the debit card because the first one never arrived. The debit card wasn’t working properly because Ally kept saying the zip code was incorrect. Since the bank has no physical locations, I had no way to withdraw money and had to frequently Zelle friends and family to get cash out or transfer money to cash app/Apple Pay. Ally then proceeded to block my account for fraudulent activity even though I confirmed all the activity and explained it. I hadn’t been able to access my account for 4-5 weeks because it took that long to get a new debit card in the mail. Now that I have the card. It doesn’t work properly and I still can’t access my funds because my account is now blocked. To add insult to injury, the fraud representative who advised that my account is blocked was rude and antagonizing rather than trying to de-escalate the situation. I’m obviously upset. It’s the holidays, all my money is in this account and this woman simply tells me to wait for an investigator to call me? I strongly advise looking elsewhere for your banking needs
I use Ally bank for my personal and business use, and everything's been fantastic. Highly recommended!
They froze my account for no reason. Now, I cannot make payments. I've already made about 11 calls to find out what is going on. Everything they do is transfer me to different departments.
Ally sent email saying my email was change from yahoo to hushmail. I called saying that I did not make the change and told to wait for security to call, well that been 5 days and still no call. I had to pay my credit card bill with my other bank
After going round and round with various reps for Ally on a simple question of interest payments and reporting to the IRS, I find that their representatives are very uninformed. This includes supervisors.
You will have to decide whether a few basis points is worth the wasted time and aggravation.
Me, I'm switching banks!
Customer service from Ally bank really is crap. I had an issue with a check of mine (wasn't signed properly) and it showed up as fraudulent in my account. Tried contacting customer service and it was nearly impossible. Once I got ahold of customer service, it took them so long to fix my issue. Eventually it was fixed, since it was an honest mistake, but the process just took so long. This is literally with me being apart of this bank only for a month, I immediately made the switch. Just a bad time
Ally has been by FAR the worst experience I have ever had.
I deposited a check into a new checking account which came directly from my job's payroll. Ally labeled the check as fraudulent, closed my account, charged me for a "fraudulent" check, and their customer service will not help when we call them.
They have told me that the fraud is now associated with my social security number, despite there being NO FRAUD.
SAVE YOURSELF LEGAL TROUBLE AND GO TO ANOTHER BANK.
Bank to Bank transfers take 5 days
Check deposits take 10 days to clear.
Support is non-existent.
Eager to take you money, not so much to allow you to take it out. Avoid at all cost!!
I scheduled a wire transfer on 8-4 early morning to a gardener contractor for some backyard work. The wire never got approved on 8-4 and still shows a review status on 8-5. I was about to call ally and see what’s going and only found out they locked my account without any notification. I called their support on 8-6 and got transferred to their back office and answered several security questions. After the agent finally has assess to my account , she later found out she didn’t have the authority to do anything and advised me to continue to wait. At the mean time I may end up having to cash out some of my funds in brokerage account just to pay for the home remodeling.
I used these guys years ago to get a car. Thye told me I could refinance and gave me a date when I could. When the day came they wouldn't let me. Don't believe anything they tell you.
As unfortunate as some of these bad reviews are I am actually a little bit relieved to see other people go through what I'm going through. Not because I wish these situations on anybody but because I am so confused and appalled at allies response to my situation. A few weeks ago I opened an Ally account. I didn't have the time to get to it but I finally funded my account for $500 from one of my other bank accounts, two days later I got pulled over and had a small warrant that I had to go to jail for I ended up in jail for about 5 days. When I got out of jail it was late and I didn't have time to pick up my personal property I.e my cell phone laptop or backpack. All my money was in evidence so I had to frantically try to retrieve some of my Ally money. After I funded my account my debit cards were supposed to be sent out but it could still be 2 to 3 days away I was told by the teller which makes sense. But she did walk me through trying to zelle somebody and then they could pay me a friend an associate somebody I know. I called back a couple times going through the motions trying to figure it out I had to change my password and device that recognizes the account because my phone was in police evidence. The Ally associates were very friendly and very helpful it wasn't complicated at all but when I tried to use zelle for some reason it wouldn't send the money the system was down and kept saying. I tried about four or five times all typing in the correct password never doing anything wrong. It didn't work so I waited a few hours and tried one more time this time I was locked out of my account for security reasons. Now I could easily see that they see overuse of the account and logging in many times as suspicious so I said no problem I'll call them in the morning or the account might be unlocked by then. And here's where the problem start I called the next day and was told that due to suspicious activity my account is frozen and it's probably going to be closed I explained to them the whole situation and not only that I explained to look at my notes because every time I logged in with the exception of once or twice I was on the phone with a teller I was told that it looked that way and this should be an easy fix and that they would call me back. Over the last 4 days I have not received one call from them but every time I call I hear the same thing we're investigating and once we're done investigating we will close your account and send you a check I told them that I've worked for banks like this before and I know that they are allowed to unlock my account while I'm at the ATM so I can at least pull my money out if they're going to close my account they already closed my savings account because there was no money in it ( go figure ). as to my checking account I was going to have to wait until it was closed before they would send me out a check I told them that there was nothing to investigate because there wasn't, I didn't do anything wrong my account shouldn't be closed let alone still not have access to my money, but if they want to close my account fine close it send me my check or give me one time access to get my money I can't sit here waiting to get my money it's mine it came from another account in good standing there is no reason other than them seeing me login a bunch of times which has already been explained to them nothing else was wrong with my account. I got a little frustrated after the 8th call but I stayed respectful and I kept asking them what were they investigating what was the investigation about nothing happened and this teller had the nerve to tell me or ask me do I even know what the meaning of investigation is and that we're getting nowhere with this she has no time and hung up on me she hung up on me! I'm telling these people that I can't even pay my rent and she hung up on me. She didn't even have the empathy enough to understand where I was coming from even if she had no ability to give me my money or release the funds and the crazy part was she was in the loss prevention she was in the only department that did have the ability to help me in a way that if they decided suitable could actually make something happen. Although money is my biggest concern and I will be getting my money back this is going way past that I've been insulted and lied to by different tellers with different information maybe they were ignorant of the rules or really just lying to me, but either way I will be involving my mom's lawyer. Luckily for me he's a family friend and he won't be charging me anything I don't know how much help he can provide but it's going to be more than me he used to work at a bank. To everyone out there that has been screwed over I feel your pain what hurt me the most though wasn't the money it was the fact that they knew I had $0 and I had just used all my money to fund an ally account and start a new relationship with another bank and because of a few logins the algorithm kicked me off no person would have done that. Oh and the last person that really mean loss prevention lady really to get me in the end she said just because it usually takes two to three weeks it can even take up to 60 days to get everything taken care of she said that very spitefully so I know that was to get me below the belt. Thanks Ally I usually have about 3,000 in my bank account I'm just at a little broke spell right now so I'm glad this happened earlier when I didn't have all my money in there. Imagine having money but not having it because someone said no he doesn't need it right now!! It is stealing. Please someone tell me otherwise so I'm not losing my mind.
I received a letter on June 21 dated June 11, 2021 from Ally Bank. "During a routine update to our website, a programming code error occurred that inadvertently resulted in your username and password being exposed to third parties with whom we have business relationships. We immediately locked your account and password, so that an updated password created by you would be required to access your account."
This may be true for others. It wasn't for me. I had used the account frequently and had not any trouble logging in.
"Upon detectingg the error on April 12, 2021, we immediately udated the program code to ensure it no longer included username and password information." As I said earlier the letter was date April 11, 2021!
"All third parties with whom we have business relationships have agreed to delete the information inadvertently provided to them." I wonder how MANY third parties received my personal information! I've had good service from Ally in the past, but this has left me with little confidence.
I was drawn to Ally because of their rates. Customer service has been passable. The ease of getting checks and ATM cards not so great. My direct deposits are taking longer to be credited to my account than at previous institutions.
But Bill Pay really should be avoided. While the agreement spends paragraphs talking about what you are responsible for they skim right over the part where your money is removed from you account and given to a 3rd party - whether the check was received let alone cashed. And while the agreement says you should monitor your transactions it doesn't tell you the transaction will NEVER give you any information about when the check was sent, when it was cashed, etc. You will only have the transaction where the 3rd party removed the money from your account. Ally's best offerings - I could call them for each transaction and they would give me the transaction number and then I could call the payee for them to ask their bank about the transaction number - this of course is useless since a paper check was in theory sent to the payee. Their bank is not involved at all. Ally says it is all up to the 3rd party like they have no responsibility. The third party gets to decide on their own how the payment will be sent and when the money is removed from your account. Shifting my banking back to someone else.
The worse of the worse, I wish I can give zero stars. Chat support is never available. Takes one hour minimum to call 800 number. They will give you a hard time to withdraw your money. I feel sorry for anyone that ends up using this company. Worst company ever!!!!!
Paying late payment penalties & interest on income tax due to Ally's incompetence & negligence. Simplest issue - supposedly failed security questiornaire. Sent wire online. Got e-mail later casually asking me to call the bank (I bank with Wells Fargo & they immediately call me themselves even on non-urgent issues). I call, answer security Qs, they input it into computer without double checking answers with me first. Apparently 1 of the 3 answers wrong, so "specialist will call back in 48 hours max". It's been more than 48 hrs & the whole point of paying fee to send wire is it's sent urgently. Agent on the same call refused to check spelling of answers when I offered. Called back multiple times & still wire not sent. What kind of failed bank cannot resolve a simple security questionaire issue
I paid off a title to buy a car. Ally held the title and when it came to mailing the title, I asked if they could ship it UPS Next Day Air, and I would pay, they said no. Then I was told it would ship with a tracking number, it DID NOT!!!!!!!!! It has now been a week since they alleged they mailed it, but it has no tracking number, so who knows!!!! I still have not received it and it is time sensitive. What happens if it is lost in the mail? I have never dealt with such disregard for customer service or gross incompetence in my life. I will never finance through this bank, and if you do, beware of the negligence!
if you want headaches, use this bank. PLacing holds on federal tax return checks, limiting debit card amount to under $500 for 90 days (car payment keot getting declined) SLOOOOOOOOOOOOOW electronic wire transfers, and SLOOOOOOOOOW debit card mailing. This bank is pure CRAP, i only switched because I filed for BR and was afraid my other bank account might be frozen thank goodness it didn't!!
I've been a customer of ally bank for about 3 years, and am now switching to a new bank. Everything was great until there was an unauthorized transaction to my account. Someone made a POS purchase at a Home Depot, but I never went to that Home Depot and I had my card with me the whole time (never stolen). I reported the fraudulent transaction as soon as I saw it and requested a new card. Ally deposited the disputed amount 10 days later, but a few months later, they withdrew it claiming the amount was authorized and that their decision is final. No way I can appeal it. I don't know how someone used my debit card for a POS purchase at Home Depot, but it wasn't me. I can't believe there is no way to appeal. I didn't authorize it! Very disappointed that there is apparently nothing more I can do. So instead, I'm warning you. Find another online bank that actually cares about their customers.
Ally does many things well but some quite poorly. Ally customer service needs significant improvement and soon
The most common phrase with Ally is --- "DO YOU MIND HOLDING FOR 3-5 MINUTES". Unfortunately this "hold" happens multiple x during each call. Ally needs to allow their employees to resolve issues which isn't the case currently.
I recently did a mobile deposit from a large domestic insurance carrier for just over $200 that was rejected 2x. Let's be clear:
Spoke to multiple Ally representatives including a supervisor
After multiple calls (over 1.5 hours spent on the phone- mainly on 3-5 minute holds).
Check was clearly payable to me
Check is/was a reoccurring payment from a "stretch IRA from a deceased family member.
Initial Ally representative did not know what a stretch IRA was
Ally repeatedly and incorrectly stated check was two payee payable -- IT WAS NOT.
Ally had accepted this same check, with same wording on multiple prior occasions.
Ally repeatedly stated it was a "automated check scan issue", stating to resubmit, only to have it rejected again.
Ally although admitting this rejection should never have occurred (twice) seemed POWERLESS to resolve asking me for dates of previous submitted checks from this US insurance carrier. After supervisor involvement I protested it was not my responsibility to research prior submission dates on checks that Ally had accepted.
FINALLY Ally reconfirmed their records that prior checks had been accepted and the deposit was honored.
Ally from initial call KNEW and ADMITTED the problem was with THEIR mechanized scanning system. ?Instead of immediately correcting they wasted my time and their resources.
THIS IS SO VERY UNACCEPTABLE
My team at ALLY while getting my mortage where SPOT ON!
Emailed and called to perfection. All the ONLINE task were daily and well done to make it easy.
MY TEAM
KHALIFA
JO
MICHAEL
Made it a very simple process. SO HAPPY WITH ALLY HOME LOANS!
Why is Ally Financial management allowing all this negativity to be posted against their bank that they represent. Consistent negative reviews against Ally Financial is a strong oversight from corporate leaders and very bad press for Ally Financial and its future attraction to new customers.
Maybe it is time to weed out some bad employees and to reinstate stronger work ethics and customer relations training so that customers can return to having a more confident and consistent working relationship once again and having peace of mind that our finances are safe and secure. Thank you.
Strongly Supporting Ally Financial !
Personally speaking my family and I have had no major problems with any of the Ally bank staff for the past 10 years including making transfers . Any problems that may have occurred were addressed in a timely and professional manner. As a business owner myself I know how hard it is to please everyone and I am no where close to being on a national level as Ally Financial. Just looking out for my bank who looks out for me and my family, God bless !
These people are horribly dishonest scum, the services are non-existent. Customer service is honestly the worst, not just for banks, but across all industries. Save yourself the misery and Bank with literally any one else!!
If you have a VoIP telephone, code numbers can not be received. Why I don't know. But, you will need to use a non-voIp cell phone for 2-step authentication.
Overall, Ally has been a great online bank and a better option than some of the bank chains in my area. I've been a customer for about 8 years. They offer great interest rates and have great service overall. I have had very few unpleasant surprises with them, and they seem to be making their web experience better and better. If you ever need to get a hold of someone there to talk, it's fairly easy.
The only drawback I've had is perhaps using the mobile app for submitting checks on rare occasions, where there has been a hiccup, but I have never lost money, maybe just had to wait a little longer than I had hoped. Also, if you ever need a same-day banker's check, you can't really do it, but they can express checks in a few days.
Overall, I can't complain. I pay my bills and do bank transfers effortlessly and without worry, which has not happened with other online banks for me. I highly recommend them.
I switched to Ally because I am moving and need a bank that can be accessed across the country. I used their mobile app to deposit a check and the check was originally held for two days and then without notification, I noticed the account still did not have anything in it and was being held for an additional 5 days.
I reached out to customer service for an explanation and have not received any communication back.
Luckily I was just testing it out first so the majority of my money is still accessible at my old bank, but now in light of this hassle, and lack of customer service I feel I have to find another solution.
This bank has the most astonishingly incompetent customer service. They are not even able to change a PIN number for a bank card without transferring you to an automated line that never works. And then they try to explain it is because expiration dates have to be entered yy/mm, as opposed to the normal mm/yy. Stay away from this bank. STAY AWAY. This is the worst experience I have ever had with a bank. Save your pain for something worth it and go use an actual bank because this isn't one. They're a complete and awful joke.
I'm compelled to provide a poor rating due to Ally's lack of dealing with a problem when establishing external transfers. Ally has the practice to make a withdrawal of the microdeposit amounts prior to actually making the microdeposits. As it is typically the case with new external accounts, these have zero balance, hence a preceding withdrawal cause an overdraft fee on the external account. Ally has refused to resolve this real problem and blames the external institution (whereas they know the other institution has nothing to do with this). Although I did offer them a simple solution they still refuse to see the problem. This is unfortunate as otherwise the online features of the bank, Ally, are fine. Note that employees are working from home which is not secure at all. This is my honest and fair assessment.
Just did a transfer out and it will be 3 business days....and I am not a "trouble" customer. Thought they were a one or two day transfer bank.
Ally could not provide me with my 1099INT statement until 19 Feb despite my making three (3) separate phone calls requesting it. They could not provide me with a hardcopy by US Mail, they could not provide it for downloading from their website, and they could not provide it to me by email. This held up filing of my income tax returns (and my refund) by three weeks. This is unsat. I'm going to close my accounts there because they can't seem to handle the most basic requirements of banking business.
I have been an Ally customer since they first started. I have deposited many, many checks using their online deposit process. Suddenly, the system will not accept any of my check images. I am using the same equipment I have always used. Photo library, no. Take image, no. I tried for 3 days, 2 different checks, both issued by institutions (typed). So I called, and after much holding, I was told the images were fuzzy. I was able to deposit the checks successfully at Barclays and GTE, using their online deposit processes, so I believe this is an Ally upload problem, but they insisted it is my fault.
I have noticed lots of fake reviews on sites about Ally giving it a 4.5 stars etc. I have been fighting with them for over two weeks on a bank check that I mailed back to them I ended up not needed. Now they cant find it. Despite them acknowledging their mistake on the address they gave me. Now they want to hold me hostage while they figure out what to do. In the mean time I have thousands of dollars sitting out there in limbo. I have no less than 5 calls to these people and about 8 emails. Continue to get the run around. Have filed a complaint with the OCC.
My mortgage was recently sold to Ally Bank and the first month, I have had issues. I have always paid my mortgage in two payments in online bill pay. One for the monthly bill and one with additional principal. They took my additional principal, clearly noted as such on the check, and applied part of it to a future bill and the rest to principal. When I called to get that corrected, they reversed the payment and said the only way to guarantee the payment is applied correctly is to pay through their app. Two days later, I have to call back because they didn’t apply the principal back to the policy. They get that corrected, but somehow pulled another payment from my checking account, applied it to a future bill, and caused my checking account to be overdrawn. After speaking with a supervisor, she was absolutely zero help and said I must have made an additional payment, and all I can do is submit a bank statement for them to look into. Now I’m having to play middle man between my checking account bank and Ally trying to get the payments corrected, figure out how an additional payment was taken from my checking account, and get overdraft fees refunded.
Ally only cares about how much money they can take from customers no difference than any other bank. Why does it take them 5 days to do a Zelle transfer when other banks do it right away. They say you have to be registered. Have other accounts at Banks been registers with Zelle for years now but it still takes 5 days every time. Customer service is the worse if you can talk to someone all they tell you is go to task or look at the FAQs that will tell you what you need to know. Done with this can’t get my money transferred when I need it like they promised they could do.
I am in the process of closing my savings and checking accounts with Ally Bank and moving to another bank. I had the worst customer experience immaginable with my mortgage.
My mortgage was approved and ready to close. 1 business hour before my scheduled closing my real estate agent called and told me I couldn't close (not my bank). I then called Ally every hour for 3 days giving them suggestions on how to solve the problem. They gave up at one point until I continued to push them. Finally they listened to me and came up with a solution to satisfy the title company and mortgage company. Along the whole process my idenity was no not verrified multiple times.
I highly suggest you take your banking business elsewhere.
I have never used a bank that made it seem like your money was actually theres. Let me explain.
I was looking for a spending account separate from my main household finances. Ally Bank has been around for a while and even though they at first failed in opening brick and mortar locations, and even closed their West Covina, CA location, I was willing to give them a try. There were many reviews saying it was a good low fee bank.
So I setup a portion of my paycheck to be direct deposited into my Ally checking account. I was in the market for a new monitor and it cost under $1000. I went to check out and I was declined by my bank.
It turns out Ally has an arbitrary spending limit for new accounts that limits transactions to $500. This includes ATM withdrawals! So I had to come up with imaginative ways to pay for the monitor at a HUGE INCONVIENCE. I even called customer service and no there is empowered to help customers. That was strike 1.
The next one is that Ally again telling me how I should spend my money, is DECLINING ALL EBAY TRANSACTIONS. I would like to buy something on Ebay yet it keeps getting declined. Strike 2.
Furtherrmore their online app does a horrible job of keeping yuou updated on your balance. I overdrew the account a couple times. Then they chided me saying again, YOUR MONEY IS OURS AND WE WILL NOW HOLD ALL NEW DEPOSITS BECAUSE YOU SUCK AS A CUSTOMER. Yeah I exagerated some elements there but the humour was not lost on me.
Sure we are all suppose to dilligently keep check registers to track our balance, however seriously who does that? Bank of America which is my main account has giving me NO SUCH GRIEF. I guess I shall have to open my own BofA spending account instead.
Their fees are preferable to a bank who is an obstacle to me using my own money. Stay away from this horrible bank unless you purely want a savings account.
Ally Bank has met all my expectations and commitments. Bonus was paid as promised and funds transferred have been timely. Yes, interest rates have dropped but in line with other banks.
I am disappointed by their customer service and the features they advertise for their savings account.
First of all, within a month of opening my account, their APY was lowered from 0.6% to 0.5%
Second, they advertise transparency and no fees for receiving international wires, which is one major reason why I opened an account with them. But from a recent transfer, I notice a $50 discrepancy from the amount that was sent to me. I contacted customer service and they sent me so much unnecessary prescripted information that was not helpful at all. For all international wires, they use Chase Bank as an intermediary. Ally was unable or unwilling to even let me know if it is Chase, their partner, who charged a fee to explain the amount discrepancy. I usually receive international wires to my BOA account and the amount always matches what was sent to me minus a fee that BOA discloses, so it is most likely that Chase charged a fee that is twice my BOA fee! And this is from Ally who praises themselves for transparency and lack of fees. Their promises are faulty and unstable. They have hidden fees. And the worse of all is that they either have no knowledge of them or purposefully unwilling to investigate.
Third, since they use Chase as an intermediary bank for international wires, it makes the process of sending wires so difficult and a hassle.
Do not fall into their claims and overwhelming positive reviews on their website!
Gave me all kinds of misinformation and said they couldn't wire transfer my money to another bank for 5 days. I needed to get it wired asap or I couldn't complete a business deal. Called three days after requesting transfer and found out the person who I originally talked to had not set the transfer up yet so I have to wait another five days. Very frustrating and time consuming.
Added security can be had using 2-step authentication that must be requested. Strange because other financial institutions are using this security method by default. You have the option of either the code number being sent to your cell or your email address. The safest way is to use your email address because scammers have been porting phone numbers to a new phone they purchase, intercepting your code number, and then cleaning out your account. You can enter up to six different phone numbers or email addresses. 2-step authentication is ideal because they are blocking VPN's. That is the good, now the bad. Customer service is difficult "due to high call volume . . . and "your hold time is 20 minutes". Often, secured emails on the website go unanswered. Apparently they are running on a skeleton crew.
We have had the most unreasonably horrible time with Ally. There is a $500 spending limit (that we have learned about through experience and online forums NOT Ally’s website or any of their representatives) They are very dishonest about this and will give you no answers when asking about these limits. We called and spoke with three different agents and none of them could provide the simple answer of “there is an $XXX daily hold on your account” when we simply called to ask why we were unable to use the card one day after unknowingly hitting the limit. Why do they not want us to know this information? If we know we can plan our spending accordingly. During this process we were hung up on many times and “disconnected” the employees are unenthused and will not help you resolve any problems. The second problem is making a payment with Zelle using this bank. Any other bank has zelle payments and they are instantaneous. With Ally it did not pull from the account until the next day and when it did it took $500 and did NOT deposit it into the receiving bank (Chase). So now the $500 is just gone and we will have to jump through hoops to get our money. We would not be sending $500 away from the account if we could simply just pay bills with this card but it is impossible to do so. Joining this bank has caused us so many problems and in this pandemic with people suffering it is horrible to cause this many problems while we need bills to pay. Now we may be getting late charges for their own negligence and incompetence. Given this company’s treatment of new customers we would NEVER trust them to perform things like autopay for bills. They take your money and play games with it. There is nothing good about them, please RUN from this bank. We used to have Chime the corniest smallest bank and thought we would upgrade to Ally. Hugest mistake of our lives.
I was referred to Ally bank by my landlord. He had said they were a good and quick bank to put transfers through with. I had put more than 2,000 dollars in for rent, and I had set it up to take that amount out of my original bank account to be put into the ally checking. They withdrew the amount twice, then proceeded to hang up on me mid call numerous times. At this point my bank balance was -2300. Horrible experience, the customer service was next to nothing, no one seemed to know how to resolve any kind of issues, called to shut the account down, said they had, come to find out nothing had been closed and the money was just sitting there after all the money issues had been resolved
I’ve been with ally since 2013. I was an early adopter of this bank. They have turned into an absolutely terrible bank. They’re fine until you need them in a crisis. They don’t fight for their customers’ money nor do they care. They keep telling me some fraudulent charges are not fraud but they are. No matter how many times I call and explain they just don’t care. In fact, they made fun of me when they thought they were on mute. Absolutely would NOT recommend this bank to anyone. FYI capital one has the same or better rates than ally and they have actual monitoring on your account unlike ally.
I've been an Ally customer since before they were branded Ally, with multiple CDs and a savings account. Overall I've been happy with them. The online experience is top-notch. The site design is good and they have fun and useful features like savings categories that help you plan for specific expenses. Transfers are easy to set up and they go through reasonably fast. The few times I've had to contact customer service, I've gotten the help I needed.
I do have to take off a star because they're no longer in the top tier of interest rates. For years they were among the best in the industry but now they've slid to the middle of the pack. I can no longer trust that I'm getting the best return on my money by leaving it with Ally. Regretfully I'm going to be moving a lot of my savings to another bank, although I'll keep some funds with Ally in case they become competitive again.
Ally Mobile is a joke. I'm betting half these reviews are fake. They cancel your card without notice. Then they charge you a fee to send you a new one. I was told by an employee when I made a dispute and got charged twice that it was not unauthorized, it was not fraud, and to not cancel my card like they did the previous time this happened a month ago. Well, he assured me they wouldn't but they did anyway without notice. Now im wondering how im supposed to put gas in my car tomorrow without my card as I dont carry cash - ever, and I dont have credit cards. Thanks Ally for being the worst bank and for lying just like everyone else. Will be closing my accounts immediately.
I bank at Ally and now Wells Fargo. I use Ally for Checking and Savings, rates arent too bad, not the highest, and use them for everyday bills. No Fees, and ATM fee is reimbursed right away. Transfers take about 2 to 3 business days between Ally and WF, but i am okay with that. I feel my money is safe and website is wonderful and app is great. Very easy and intuitive. I stopped chasing high rates. Ally gives me everything i need. I keep plenty in my checking/savings as i manage my $$$ to the penny.
tried to open an account for 6 weeks! Communication during which time was appalling. At the end received the only physical communication ever, and it contained lies about their customer service attempts. Can not move forward with a bank that I can not trust. They have horrible difficulties communicating, but will say they have reached out numerous times which is flat out false.
Ally bank has been my primary online bank for Savings and CD's for the last two years. I have or have had money with eight other online banks during this period and even though Ally doesn't always have the highest rates, I feel my money is safest with them. I don't fear that they'll charge me fees or hold my money captive like other banks have. Their website is great and I can easily do everything I need to on it. I can't comment on their customer service because I haven't had to contact them. I learned my lesson chasing the highest rates and then discovering the tricks other banks play to hold on to your money or pay you less than promised because of hidden fees and penalties. I am migrating my money to Ally because trust and peace of mind is worth more then a nominally higher interest rate you may never get anyway. Ally is the best online bank for savings and CDs! Be safe or be sorry.
Ally just sent us a letter in the mail on a Tuesday that they were closing all of our accounts on that coming Monday. SIX calendar day notice that they are closing all of our accounts!!! We never had a negative account balance, always had nice sized balance in our savings and then this is what they do to us. We are an older couple, we are good with our money. Horrendous customer service. You can tell they really don’t care about customers.
Poor communication, low rates.Their promises to call back, and send letters never happen. It is aBig waste of time with rude untrained reps, while corporate hides somewhere.
I have two CD's maturing in a couple weeks and I could not figure out online how to get the interest paid to my savings account and the principal moved into a different term CD. Called customer service, they were professional, and set it up in very short order. As good as anyone I have called. I have been using Ally for maybe 4 years and never a problem.
I had to contact customer service multiple times at each time they were rude and even even interested in any way to service me as a customer.
deposit availability is ridiculous, and any attempt to talk to anyone would make wish you never started.
look elsewhere.
I don't understand why there are so few reviews.
I've been a customer of Ally Bank since 2012. That's 8 years of complete satisfaction. The staff is fantastic. The customer service is second best to none. And there is always someone there to assist you. Their rates may not always be the highest but they are extremely competitive and rational. Don't be fooled by those other banks that offer unreasonably high initial rates, I've had enough experience with these banks, some in Utah and many in Florida, where the rates drop precipitously immediately after set up, and to get you, they don't tell you that there is a penalty fee if you close that account with 6 months.
I have Money Market, Savings, CD's and IRA's with Ally. And the no minimum external linked accounts makes Ally my primary conduit account. And the ACH transfers are faster than any other banks I do business with. If I had any recommendations I would suggest that the IRA Department process Trustee to Trustee transfers of IRA amounts quicker. Otherwise I'm staying with Ally Bank.
Gary Russell
When I found better rates elsewhere, I tried to close my account. When I called customer service to do so, instead of closing my account, they locked me out of it so I could no longer log into my account to access my money or close it! Long wait time on hold and incompetent representatives.
I've been reading about Ally for a long time now. It is hard to find a website dedicated to online banking which doesn't rate Ally highly. After finally opening an account at Ally, the only apparent reason for the high ratings is Ally pays for positive reviews.
Let's be clear: there are some really bad banks out there. Ally isn't one of them, but is also doesn't rise above the level of mediocrity.
My first warning sign was that Ally can't even give customers statement cycles which run from the first of the month to the last of the month. I was given a choice of five days on which a statement cycle could end. That was after calling in. The default date I was assigned was the 13th, which seemed like a really bad omen.
Not willing to give up easily, I pressed on. I set up my first external account link on Ally, choosing micro deposits as I always do, and everything went smoothly on a Friday afternoon.
I logged on Monday morning to actually do the eternal transfer, and the site was just completely bogged down, with every click on a link taking at least 10 seconds to respond, but I was determined to get that first transfer done. (Ally treats new accounts as second rate customers, giving them 3 day ACH transfers instead of the overnight transfers which everyone should be getting in 2020. The only way to get one day transfers is to build up a transfer history and then wait for a couple of months.)
I finally clicked my way through the all the links, and was able to submit the transfer request. It failed, with the error message saying to call customer service. The CSR explained to me that Ally did a software update over the weekend. Apparently, Ally only tests its software updates on live systems.
Several days later, I decided to try once again. I set up another external account link, using micro deposits, to a second bank. It all went great. (Ally mostly knows how to do micro deposits.) I decided to quit while I was ahead, and signed off.
Several days later, I came back to actually do a transfer with the newly created external link, only to find that it was now suspended. I called customer service again. (At this point, I already have enough history with Ally customer service to at least say the CSRs are reasonably good.) A problem report was opened, I was given the number identifying the report, and told to call back in 2 business days.
I called back in 2 business days, and was told there was no updated status. It was told to call back again. (The CSRs are OK people, but I don't really want to talk to them this often.)
I waited 2 days, called back again (call #5 if you are counting) and was told Ally's attempt to reclaim the 85 cents which Ally had sent to my other bank in the form of micro deposits had been rejected by my other bank (which made me feel sad for Ally's loss) and that is why Ally had suspended my external account link.
If that wasn't bad enough, Ally told me that instead of putting on its Big Boy pants and working out its 85 cent dispute with the other bank, Ally was expecting me to get the other bank to write up a letter providing a long list of information as to what happened to Ally's 85 cents. After I received the letter from the other bank, I could either forward the letter to Ally using the US mail or fax. (Do people still fax in 2020?) I told the CSR she was wasting my time, and I was not amused.
In the average year, I never call customer service for my primary online bank. If I continue to bank with Ally, I am going to feel the need to start exchanging holiday cards with the Ally CSRs.
A 3 star rating is probably too high based upon what I have seen so far.
Ally rates aren't competitive so wouldn't recommend as a sole savings account. However as a supplemental checking account it's a pretty good option. I find the website easy to navigate and transfers post quickly. You can stash cash in their higher interest savings account for overdrafts and whatnot and keep minimal funds in checking for bill pay. Transfers back and forth are instant. I haven't had to deal with their live reps so can't comment on them but the fact that I haven't had to call is a plus over other banks I've checked with.
Bank allowed 13 transaction from my account every 3 min until account have became negative. All suspicious transaction done from unknown overseas company.
Ally POOR SECURITY SYSTEM does not recognize what is RED FLAG.
I kept my savings open with checking so I can have access to check writing and a free ATM card. But about 95 % of my overall money will be transfered out to another bank as my Christmas present to them at the start of next week. They are actually now lower than a local brick and mortar. That's pathetic. I'm not a CD guy, perhaps I should be, but regardless, I'm 95% done.
Be advised Ally Bank does not accept any money orders, including US post office money orders for online deposit. They must be mailed to Philadelphia, PA. Very time consuming and inconvenient.
Zelle payment - payments placed on hold, required 40 minute phone call, repetitive security questions to multiple employees, no clarification of why the arbitrary hold was placed or how often it would keep happening.
I've been a customer for MANY years, with never a problem. However, lately I've been noticing that it takes longer and longer for transfers to clear, even internally.
I'm not sure why, if Ally has received a transfer from your external checking account into your Ally savings account, and applied their 6 day hold, that if you want to transfer it internally, like from an Ally savings account to a money market account, or to AllyInvest, they impose another 6 day hold.
Between that and the no-longer-great interest rates, they're no longer one of my favorite banks.
tl;dr: Ally is still probably the best "hub" account out there but they've really deteriorated in recent years.
My opinion is that they've sacrificed good for good-enough-for-scale. Maybe it's the industry, the business model, or the margins but it's clear that Ally feels it's in their best interest to have a large number of "meh" accounts than a decent number of good accounts.
I've reached this conclusion by assuming the funding for their needless advertising blitz is coming from their lower, no longer competitive rates. Furthermore, their service has truly suffered from their expanded customer base.
In the end, I'm still with them and still actively using them but I'm no longer advocating or singing their praises as they've just shown us long term customers that we're not as valuable as rapid soulless expansion.
Every single transaction I have attempted at Ally for the last two years, has been an enormous challenge. I call and ask (usually after 20 minutes on hold) which form(s) to complete, for whatever transaction I want. I have never been given the same answer twice. I called Oct 10 to request which form(s) to use for them to internally convert $ from my existing Ally Traditional IRA to my existing Ally ROTH IRA and withhold 12K. I then uploaded said form to them via internal email on 11th. On 16th, they called requesting additional form. I completed and uploaded. Then, inexplicably, they called on 22nd to discuss the $12K withholding (which I confirmed was correct). It is now the 24th, and NO conversion has occurred!!! All internal, and they still can’t handle it. This transaction is minor when compared to the direct transfer from old bank to them.
Customer service people are nice, but very incompetent. They could seriously use much better training.
Plus, I have never talked to the same person twice!
Do not deal with their IRA department. I moved my IRA Sep to Ally in June. It was time consuming and difficult to go through their Process. No one seemed to be able to explain their process and I was inundated with an enormous amount of paper work, which upon calling they said no need to fill out. When I would call them, the wait on the phone was always at least an average of 15-20 minutes; only to find out I needed to be transferred and start over. Today it was 17 min. I am IRA knowledgeable and been moving and taking distributions for some time. I was with Ameritrade and moved my Sep to invest in higher paying CD's. This month, I took an RMD - distribution - on the 9th, they recorded it on the 11th and emailed an acknowledgment on the 11th, they deducted it from my account 11th. It has not arrived today the 21, so I called -17 min for them to answer. They explained they have 5 "business" days to process the distribution, thereafter usually 10 "business" days to get it to you (could be longer) For $15.00 I could have it expedited. At TD Ameritrade - with no expedition fees - the distribution arrives in a few days. Same with Scottrade and Vanguard. They also answer phone calls within a few minutes; TD Ameritrade. immediately. The inconveniences with this bank are too great to continue to deal with. So, I am closing 4 accounts at Ally after only 6 months with them.
Been with ally 7 plus years. Have had at least 12 different CD and a reg saving acct. I've been able to transfer each CD when it's up for renewal with no problems
Only neg is in last 9-12 months they haven't been as competitive as other online banks. I have now 3 other banks because of that but still have 5 CD with ally
When each on comes due will see rates.
And 98% if time I call, wait time under 5 minutes
Yes one time when they offered a GREAT 14 month CD, everyone wanted that and wait time was 15 minutes. No big deal
Here's a chronology when I ordered checks for my existing checking account:
9/13 - Logged on and placed Order #1 for more checks---supposed to receive in 2 weeks from order date per Ally info.
9/30 - More than 2 weeks later and no checks received on Order #1. Called Ally and spoke to "Melissa". She said Order #1 had shipped 9/20...but I still had not received by 9/30. She offered to place Order #2 for a box of 100 checks instead of the usual 20. I agreed and she did this....or so I thought.
10/4 - Order #1 still not received. I called Ally and spoke to "Brandon" who said I should have received Order #1 by 9/27 (2 weeks from 9/13). I was concerned that someone else had received these checks and could use them, so I asked him to stop payment on those check numbers 1021 to 1040. Scary Note - He almost accidently stopped payment on the checks I already had received when I initially opened the account more than a year ago!....but he did correct this....I hope.
10/10 - Order #1 received---4 weeks after order placed online 9/13!! These checks useless now since I had stop payment placed on 10/4. Brandon did say on 10/4 that I could call and remove stop payment, but in my mind, what if they don't do this right and I bounce checks!? I think I will be receiving a box of 100 that Melissa ordered on 9/30 as Order #2, so I'm willing to let the stop payment stay on Order #1 checks.
10/11 - Order #2 received ---what the___? Only 20 checks received....not the box of 100 Melissa supposedly ordered!!?
Ally, Don't bother offering checking accounts if you can't handle simple check orders!! What a mess.....and I end up with 20 checks after all this hassle for a month. And also, no acknowledgement record when I log on or by email that I even placed these orders....only by calling in....but this is supposed to be an online bank!!? What a farce!
Been banking with Ally for many years and up until now couldn't fault them. Something has changed and not for the better.
over the course of the last 5 weeks I have had truly abominable service from multiple people:
1 - sent 3 secure messages to the IRA department - all ignored - I had to make multiple calls from Europe to tell them what I needed and demand it get actioned
2 - they didn't process my wire transfer for a week -called again from Europe to be told that they were undertaking more checks because my signatures were not identical on the distribution request - I asked why no-one had informed me of this fact or the fact there was going to be a delay. NO explanation was forthcoming. I had to email them a copy of my driver license to confirm ID - whose signature is ever identical if it's a real signature!?
3 - when they did process it, they didn't do it according to my instructions and so took out the wrong amount of taxes so then had to reverse the wire and re-do it
4 - as part of the contract for the sale of my home I had to refund my tenant a large sum of money. So I processed a bill pay request. Check was sent to my tenant and I followed-up with him a week later because he hadn't cashed it. He thought it had gone missing in the email so I called the bank and put a hold on the check and they advised me that I could always call back if the check appeared, and remove the hold so my tenant could cash the check. Check turned up so I called the bank and was assured that they had removed the hold so he would be able to pay it into his account or cash it. One week later he tried to pay it into his bank and his bank tells him there is a hold on it. Of course he is mad at me so I make another call from Europe - lasting 70 minutes only to be told that because I have a non-US mailing address (even though my account shows a physical US address) I am no able to use bill pay - now think about that - 3 weeks have gone by since I requested bill pay - they even cut the check and sent it to my tenant - put a hold on it - removed the hold from it - and this is the first time being told this 3 weeks later! I am now in breach of my contract to refund my tenant. Customer Service person says never mind you can use Zelle to pay him as long as you have his email or phone number although I would need to do 2 transactions over 2 days because the payment amount is over $5000. No problem I said I will do that. I mentioned i was going to make a formal complaint to their Legal Counsel about my experience the last 5 weeks, and she says let me put you through to a supervisor who can help. Supervisor says he can escalate to their Executive Resolutions Department who will contact me. (I get the feeling they dont want me to contact Legal counsel) Then he says you know you can't use Zelle either because you have a non-US mailing address - at this point I about lost the will to live, and recounted almost word for word what the customer service agent had told me = that I could use Zelle is I had his phone number or email address! I ask him why, if I have an actual physical US address on my account, does having a non-US mailing address even matter. SO I suggest if we change my mailing address to match my physical address that should remove the problem. Yes he says - he assures me that the hold is now taken off the check and my tenant can pay it into his account - I ask him, if I don't have the ability to make bill pay requests because of my non-US mailing address, why did the bank cut the check and mail it to my tenant, and then have multiple conversations with me about the check.
I am so mad about both these issues - I will wait and see what Executive Resolutions say before deciding whether to contact their legal counsel directly and escalate the the regulatory bodies too.
I have had to make about 6 calls from Europe all between 40-70 minutes and still havent got definite resolution until I know my tenant has paid the check into his account.
I used to recommend Ally Bank to everyone but am looking to move all my money out as soon as I can.
Attempted to open a simple checking account. It's been pending for 2 weeks. I finally gave up. I guess they just don't want business. Also, customer service over the phone takes about 30 minutes to get a hold of anyone.
I asked for one of my CDs to be moved to an 18 month from a 12 month...no a big request....well now I see that they had responded saying I needed to confirm my same phone number in their response and held off making the change until I did so...instead they simply reinvested in the same 12 month...so now the grace period expired by a few days and plus the rates dropped so they screwed me! Simple request and it wasn't done...
I think I will pull all my CDs out when they expire and move to another bank since this is the second time they created an issue. Not worth the headaches of having to double or triple check every thing to verify what they are supposed to do!
I had been Customer with this bank for 4-5 Yrs. Six months ago I received through TXT message that my e-mail address was "updated", Also another message show that my passcode also was "updated". When I check my account, effectively, my profile was changed internally with another email and passcode. Ally did not have explanations for the event, rather indicate that the account has been compromise and for "my security" the account should be close rather that just correct the Anonymous updates. Six month later when I try to log-on into the account, the page reloads itself. After unsuccessful tries, I call them to know the status of the account. They ask the usual questions, then the request to hold up to verify the account 2-3 minutes, those minutes extended to 54 minutes of verifying, they started to ask about: Which state my parents got my Social Security, which is my height, where I am now, which id my ISP and which is my driver license number, I did complain since in no place those questions were made. (Also they already check a code to sent to my phone to verify the current information.) For all this they say that they have the right to ask all this questions and offer No explanation whatsoever of the status of my account. As soon I clear up their mess. I move my business elsewhere.
I have been with Ally for over 6 years. Their customer service used to be really good. Now, when I call, I sit on hold waiting for at least twenty minutes. I am currently sitting on hold and it has been 20 minutes; the recording keeps saying a representative will be with me in 10-15 minutes more. Twice in the last month I have requested withdrawals. One took six weeks for them to get it right. The other one took a month and 4 phone calls (sitting on extended hold each time.) Not to mention each time I spoke with a representative I was given different information. I am currently working on another transfer and it's going on three weeks and still no transfer. They also have an issue with their beneficiary page on the website. It doesn't save the information right away. Once a change is made on the beneficiary page each time the page is subsequently opened, the system arbitrarily changes the beneficiaries. Credit Unions have just as good or better rates than Ally; I may be making a move soon. Still on hold...…..
They advertise 2.5% CDs, but will never allow you to transfer money there. The CS reps reps lie and tell you they see the money going there, but it never does. Take your money and move anywhere but this sham scam.
I'm a very long term customer of Ally Bank. They recently didn't follow interest rates up, it concerned me, but they were too eager to follow them down.
Six figures out of three savings accounts today. Too bad, I liked them.
THE GOOD:
I've been an Ally Customer for years - via acquisition first - and then became a "double customer" when they acquired my brokerage. For basically-free, interest-earning checking and savings accounts, they are the best I have found.
THE BAD:
Their website and (especially) their app have bugs and aren't nearly as easy to use as they should be. When I've reported the bugs, they've politely blown me off. Also, the brokerage's clearing firm, Apex, makes mistakes when reporting your taxable activity to to government. I mean, taxes are complicated, but not THAT complicated that their accounting bugs cannot be fixed over a period of years. I've never understood why they can't get it right.
When your minor is no longer a minor, Ally literally doesn't know how to convert the custodial account to a stand-alone account. Two different reps gave me VERY different instructions. I've spent hours on it and gotten nowhere. Apparently, my 18-year-old can open a bank account at any bank on the planet EXCEPT Ally.
THE UGLY:
When I needed to withdraw funds to buy a house, Ally let me down badly. I started trying to wire the money to the title company on Monday morning. Ally Invest won't allow "third party transfers", so I had to wire it to my Ally Bank account. It took fully two days to achieve that step. And from when I requested the wire from Ally Bank to the title company, it took well over 24 hours, even though I had told them of my closing time and asked for anything they could do to help me meet it. They didn't even call to verify the wire until 24 hours after my request. I looked like an idiot at the Thursday closing, because the funds weren't there. I was really embarrassed and am now looking for a new bank.
Another time, I was trying to pay off a loan. Set up a bill payment on the Wells Fargo loan for $50,000 (yes, fifty thousand). Didn't show up for weeks. I called Ally. That's when I learned that they MAILED the payment - seriously - Ally didn't do an electronic transfer TO ANOTHER U.S. BANK; they mailed a fifty thousand dollar check. So I asked them to stop payment on the lost check. They said they had. I sent a new payment. THEN THE "STOPPED" PAYMENT WENT THROUGH, and I had written a FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR HOT CHECK because of it. Talked to Ally again, and a "typo" had been made that allowed the supposedly-stopped check to go through. Inexcusable.
Most recently, I bought an auto part - a transmission seal - for my daughter. I went to pay myself back from her savings account. Put in the notes for the transfer, "Advance Auto Parts - rear tranny seal". When I submitted it, Ally threw up an error message: "We've flagged one of the words you used in your response as abusive language. Try again without that word." OMG - I've been offensive toward transmissions without even knowing!
Best case, Ally is incompetent. Worst, they're evil.
As another post said I have chased rates online all over for years and had a mixture of experiences most good and some not so good.
Started banking with Ally several years ago and it seems to get better over time. We use checking, savings, and certificates. I bought several certificates today which was a pretty easy process. Had a question and got it answered quickly by phone.
Have used Sallie Mae in the past and their rate was tempting but after reading some of the reviews here decided to stick with Ally.
Good websites and customer service are in short supply these days and it only seems to get worse. Hope Ally maintains its level of quality.
I’ve been with Ally bank since October, 2019. So far, I am really impressed with how they function and their services. Large ACH transfer limits ($250K per day, maybe more - check their disclosures), options for multiple beneficiaries and trust accounts are probably the best from available on-line banks and CUs. I started with their Savings Account special, but decided to give their CDs a try. While they are not the leader in rates and have dropped their rates on all products over the last several months (similar to the majority of other on-line banks and CUs), their customer service and easy on-line account management really stands out compared to just about all other on-line banks and institutions. For me, top rates are as important as making sure I can trust a financial institution and feel comfortable with their processes. What good is a top rate on a product, if you cannot have easy access to your money or cannot rely on getting your funds out. One of their best options is the ability to easily open and manage your CDs on-line, including changing the CD Maturity instructions. It literally takes one click and you are done – no silly e-mail messages or snail mail instructions. They actually send you an e-mail letting you know 1 year in advance (of the CD maturity) when you are able to change the maturity instructions. I also recently had a direct experience with their customer service when they dropped a rate on a CD I opened within several days (of opening the CD). Before transferring the money into CD, I called them and a CSR told me that my rate will stay as advertised (when I opened the CD). However, after I transferred the funds before the weekend, next Monday the rate on my CD dropped (they have dropped the rates for all of their products during that week). I called Customer Service and spoke with a supervisor, explaining the situation and requesting an originally advertised rate. After several days, they honored the original rate automatically in my on-line account and followed-up with a call (actually called me several times) and an updated mailed CD Certificate. The next test/experience will be when one of my CD matures – which is about 10 months from now. I am giving them 4 stars for not being a rate leader and a slip-up on the first CSR incorrect verification.
I had a CD with Ally Bank and got good return but when I tried to get my money back they stalled my in every way possible and just said "that's not our policy" when I asked why they could not get me my money. I notified them in advance of the maturity date and that I wanted a check for the entire amount sent to my home address. They said it would be 3 days to issue the check and then 7 to 10 business days to receive the check. I waited three weeks and then began calling them. They said the check must be lost and they had to send a form to me to fill out saying it was lost and it had to be notarized. They said they would send the form three times and I never got it. I am loosing about $8 per day that I don't have my money and I suspect they are making the interest for themselves on my money. I still don't have it a month later. Very upset with them. I will withdraw the other CD as soon as possible and never do business with Ally again. TH
I opened up a CD with them and they got some of my information incorrect. It is a very long story but, I had a difficult time obtaining my money. I would never do business with them again. It is too scary because this faceless bank does not care about its customers. Take your business elsewhere; I would never trust them.
Takes WAY too long to process paper check deposits. You'd think an online bank would have that figured out. Will place additional holds on deposits, with NO WARNING, when they arbitrarily decide you have overdrafted too many times, even though they still charge you a $25 overdraft fee every time. Maybe they should consider that a 5 business day hold makes a person more likely to overdraft their account. But more likely, they're just looking for more ways to make easy money off of individuals who are struggling financially and are easy targets. I've only had an account with Ally for 4 months, and I can say without reservation that it has been the worst banking experience of my life. Would not recommend. Would give no stars if I could.
Opened joint account online on 4/7/19, after entering all my personal info, I received a message that "DUE TO HIGH VOLUME" response time would be 3-5 business days or longer. WAIT, WHAT? I'm giving you money, and I need to wait a week? OK, deep breathe, I will wait for the 2.2% rate. I ended up waiting 6 business days, then went online and started an online customer service chat, gave my app ref # and they said my information was not on file. WAIT, WHAT? What happened to my data? My SSN, personal info, not on file? Online rep took my cell and said someone would call me within 1-2 business days. UGH, ok I waited. Today, 8 business days later, I call in and speak to a rep who says my information could not be authenticated? WAIT, WHAT? I had to call Ally Bank to find this out? NO WAY, but yes it's true. The rep also said they could not delete my personal information so my data is out there. I went online tonight on Marcus by Goldman Sachs, took me 5 minutes and application was approved, and we made our initial deposit of $25,000.00 at 2.25% interest. 100% TRUTH AND UNBIASED REVIEW.
Ally bank first closed my joint account(my spouse is the joint account holder). My wife got a scam job. Scammer told her to deposit money into the account and then use some money for some work. Later they were planning to
pull the check back. By the time she could realize it was getting late. She informed ftc.gov and also ally bank. Ally bank asked her to close the account(by transferring money out to make it zero balance) and then open a new account.
We had one check(in both of our names) and that was already deposited to my our joint savings account(not part of scam).
ally after some time closed all her account without telling her anything. Our check was stuck.
I decided to add her into my joint checking account.
It was taking longer for them to add her. So i keep on following...wasted close to 6 hours in general.
they keep on telling it will take 5 business days.
After 7 days when i tried to follow up, this is what happened on the phone call:
I just called Ally bank and was on 45+ minutes of call with them. I recorded the entire call as every time when i reaching out to Ally bank - I am getting conflicting responses. They are neither honest nor ethical/any integrity. ally told me that they won't be adding my wife into my account as joint holder as she committed a fraud. this is inaccurate: she did what ally customer service representative asked her to do. She fall into fraud/scam job which she reported to ftc.gov and then told it to Ally bank about everything ally customer service asked her to close the account as scam job folks knew her account number. Before closing she should have zero balance so she transferred money into my account. ally customer service asked her to open a new account. Which she did. But without her knowledge her online access was taken away and he new account got closed after few days. She wasted countless hours to talk to them over phone or chat but got no response. as we have check in both of our name, we wanted to deposit it. That check of more than $830.xx is still with ally bank. that's the reason i tried to add her to my account which took forever for ally to do so. Now i was wasting my time with ally bank to know why it is taking so long to get her added as joint account holder. I was always told that it takes 5 business days. When 5 business days are over, i asked all over again. Now ally bank told me that they will never let my spouse to open the account. Moreover as she transferred money out of her account to mine(for closing it) even my account is frozen. what???? I asked i have credit card payments and other transactions - what will happen to them as i have no other checking account. She told me that your fault. when asked some more critical question, this lady was trying to run away from the call. Now when i said that entire call is recorded she hang up the phone on me. Now i have to go in each and every place to change my payment method. More than $15.5K money is being blocked. I will be accessed late fees and impact to my credit score.
Now my accounts are also frozen without any fault of mine.
I have been with Ally for many years. I knew Ally services gone terrible but did not knew until I called.
Ally could not verify external recognized back accounts. Received Email after two days?
"We couldn't verify your Citibank, Checking account with the account information you entered"
I will update this post and I am waiting for supervisor to call me.
We opened an Ally savings account in December. The account opening process was easy and had no issues transferring money from our local bank into the account. We have transferred money into our brokerage account with another stock trading company and have had zero issues. We recently opened a CD with Ally and had no issues opening the account. We funded it through our savings account so the CD was opened and earning money quickly. I've not had a need to contact customer service but everything else has been perfect.
When my CD matured, it was a disaster trying to get a check for the proceeds. They made mistake after mistake and it delayed the delivery of my check. Talk out Gross incompetence! They were supposed to send the check by FedEx, but sent it by regular mail. It took 10 days, jeopardizing the renewal of a CD with another bank. There must be other banks witj competent employees. Stay away.
Upon two occasions I called the bank for information pertaining to my account and tax forms. There higher
I was told the waiting period would be 15 minutes to speak to someone. I held the phone listening to music over 15 minutes and ended the call. Twice!!I I sent them an email shown on their website several days ago with no reply.
If this is how they treat their depositors, I will close my account and look elsewhere.
Their higher rates don't give them a right to poor customer service.
Classic bait and switch techniques. They promised me a 1% bonus if I made a deposit by October 31. I transferred $100k into Ally (my nest egg), then they refused to pay the bonus. Infuriating. I cannot understand why they act this way. I just assume it’s their long history of abusing people in the auto finance business. They don’t know any other way.
I had an Ally account a couple of years back. They removed over $200,000 from my account and held it with no explanation for several weeks. I kept calling, verifying myself, and trying to get an answer about what was going on. The only information I ever got was, "It's for your protection, Sir. We've detected suspicious activity."
Who is the one person you'd want to get in touch with if you detected suspicious activity on an account? Maybe the account owner? Apparently not - I never got a single call, letter, or other communication from them. Eventually, the money just mysteriously showed up again.
Maybe this is something all banks are required to do. But Ally actually did it to me, and their customer service handled it in about the worst possible way. Never again, Ally. There are plenty of other banks offering the same rates.
Tried to open a joint Savings and two CD's. For the simplest of questions (do we all have to concur for a deposit or withdrawal) I was put on hold for her to find the answer. Then, at the end of the info page on my last joint owner, it stated I had to call customer service again. I have filled in all info for three people at this time and he's going to add questions and ask me to agree that if one person dies they only have to notify one of the two joint owners left. I said no, I want both notified. Sorry, we won't do that. Sorry, you don't get my money. Too bad, the best rates around. There is an alternative that is comparable though.
While chasing rates and moving money around, I have encountered some really annoying and inept financial institutions. Among those where I have made a speedy exit are Discover, Alliant, CIT, Investors Bank, and Goldman Sacs (Marcus). In sharp contrast is Ally Bank, where I have had favorable experiences with customer service, ACH transfers, website organization, access to Wire Transfers, and per-day withdraw limitations. I don't put up with lousy service, unfair limitations, or having to jump through hoops. You don't always know what will happen when you sign up for a new account but you can always vote with your feet. Being very pleased with Ally Bank, I plan on staying. Note too that Ally has 2-step authentication (a code is sent to your phone) when the computer accessing your account is unrecognized. In my opinion, this is extremely important with all the cyber theft currently plaguing the internet. Be sure to backup all your financial data should the unthinkable happen.
I am exceedingly happy with Ally bank because if you need to use a transfer form such as for an IRA, you can download the form, fill it out, scan it, and go into your account and e-mail the various forms you may need, even a Power of Attorney. They do not charge the Rinky Dink Fees of credit unions to open an account. One key feature that helps with any bank is to have a small corresponding savings account so that when an IRA CD matures, you can transfer it into the IRA money market until you make up your mind if you want to transfer to another bank, or wait to put it into another CD.
Opened a high yield 1 year special cd dec of 2017. It just matured(Dec 28th 2018). The principal went to where I wanted it to be deposited, but for some reason the interest was deposited into the bank account that opened the cd. unfortunately that account of mine has been closed and now I have to wait a whole week if not longer because of the holiday(new years eve) to get my interest on my deposit. Talked to CR and his supervisor, there was nothing they could do. They were nice on the phone but I could not get answer for why this happened. I am not too happy. I probably will not use ally again unless they have some really good rates or deals.
Beyond highest IRA Savings Account Rates, my first and only time requiring a call to their support team led to a complete disaster with my IRA accounts. Intent was to set up a Roth IRA Savings and fund by transferring the balance in my regular IRA Savings. Instead incompetent Ally customer service distributed all proceeds in my IRA savings. 20 days later (no interest for these missed days) by snail mail I received the distribution check, despite calling them to say stop the payment and please deposit to my Roth IRA. When calling to open a case file, upon waiting online for 40+ minutes, the call center hold message said "Thank you for calling Sprint". Clearly they staff their out-sourced call centers with inexperienced bank reps and share calls with mobile phone sales people. There was no follow-up of my case either by email confirmation or phone call. They could not stop payment on a check they erroneously distributed, told me I had to wait for the check, once received send back with VOID written on it. Not a chance ALLY! Since I have 60 days, Instead of sending their erroneous distribution back to them to fund the Roth I intended to, I am opening another account elsewhere. Most Horrific Online Bank Customer Service!
I've used Ally Bank numerous times to purchase CDs and for that I'd give them an excellent rating. I decided to open a checking account and use their bill pay service. That's where my opinion changed. I had some questions that no one could answer, nor could I get a supervisor to speak to me. I asked the rep to have someone from corporate call me and she said she would give them the message and if they felt like it they'd call me back. Guess they didn't feel like it as I haven't gotten a call yet. They do not guarantee their payments to arrive on time, so if you get late fees you have to call the bank and then they'll see what they can do. With the experience I had trying to get someone to answer my questions I'm not about to try to deal with them later. They know so little that I was told there is no corporate office, that all officers work out of their homes. I find that hard to believe but they did not make me feel warm and fuzzy about having my money with them. As my CDs mature I doubt that I'll stick with them. I was shocked as I'd thought they were great as I'd never talked to them much. I had to put 5 stars as review wouldn't post with one.
DepositAccounts lists a 14 month CD from Ally.
However, I found that I went to the Ally website it is not listed among the offered CDs.
One has to initiate the CD opening process and when you get to the point of selecting the Cd term you want, the 14 month Cd is listed there.
Ally redeemed my CDs slowly and inefficiently, and then would not correct a problem quickly. We had two CDs that expired, and they sent the redemption checks by mail. Unfortunately, they did not mail the checks for a few days, and one got lost in the mail. I wanted the lost check replaced quickly, but they require a long period before we can even request a replacement check. (I also wanted them to repay the lost interest because of their slow mailing of the redemption as a matter of principal, a whopping amount of less than $25.)
I buy a lot of CDs with a 12-month ladder, and Ally is now off my list of institutions to consider.
Ally is now providing free Webroot anti-virus software for its customers. I wasn't familiar with Webroot but the reviews are impressive. For windows, it only takes up 3.55 MB of memory. Initially, I suspected that it may be a trial offer, but it's not. I'm uncertain if the free software is subscription-based.
Easily opened 2 accounts and funded without any problems. Per CSR you can have 1 acct per person so wife & I each got one. The primary acct holder must be different on each acct and match email used to signup, but secondary holder easily added. Very pleased so far.
One can find the worst customer service at Ally Bank:
First, at the time that most organizations and banks stopped asking for social security (SS#), Ally is repeatedly asks for your social security number. I do not understand why they do not use the system that Bank of America and other institutions are using these days to identify their clients.
Second, when you call instead of being directly connected to the credit card department, you are connected to the general customer service and give your SS# and other personal info, then be transfer to that department and go through the same identification processing again with the new clerk in that department. As the bank's automated announcement requested at the beginning of my call, at the end of my conversation, I waited in order to be connected to the survey, but nothing came up.
Third, lack of efficient communication! They contacted me to remove my credit frees, without providing exact info or direction about what they exactly want. So I did remove the frees for one time use; then when I called to give them the pin number for accessing my credit report, they informed me that they couldn’t use the pin for one time access, so I had to put the time to redo the process again for 24 hour frees lift.
When I ask to talk to a manager to communicate my concern about giving my SS# to so many people, I was put on hold for 16 minutes. I finally disconnected the phone and called the general customer service, no one was available there either. The clerk said that a manager would contact me in the next 48 hours. Absolutely incredible!
I got a check from my account I closed with keybank, and I deposited it with Ally mobile banking on 1st of August, 2018, they closed the account on 2nd of August, 2018, when I asked why, they claimed the reason is "fraud"! Then I asked whoever spoke to me then if my check is still okay since you closed the account, so I can find a better and suitable bank, but she coudln't give reasonable response, so I went ahead and deposited the check with Alliant CU, and when Alliant couldn't clear it, I had to call Keybank what happened, and they said they already paid the check out to Ally bank same week I deposited with them. I've been calling them since then, and they've been dribbling me back and forth, asking me to tell keybank to contact them, and Key made it clear that they have nothing to do with it anymore, check has been paid out! I don't understand why you closed an account for alleged fraud, but you held unto the money for almost 2 months now, even murder case get solved in less time frame. Unless they never intend to give me back my money. I've requested evidence from keybank on how and when they paid Ally the check, I'm hoping there is something I can do with that to claim back my money when it hit my mail. I'm not about to let some cooperate thieves steal $4,600 from me, I'm on wheelchair for christ sake!. I'm gonna keep posting this in as many review platform that I can.
With CIT now at a stunning 2.45%, Ally needs to step up. MANY options now pay more than Ally. I'm a 10 year customer, but I'm getting discouraged.
Needing to open up an account in addition to my bank and credit union accounts, I considered the major online providers. Most don't support trust accounts. The few that do seemed to make it a somewhat difficult experience. Ally Bank was different. Even though their rate at the time was 5 or 10 basic points lower than some of the other stable online banks, I found their explanation of the process of opening up a trust account to be clear and reasonable. So I did, and I have to say it was the easiest account-opening process I have ever experienced with a financial institution.
Everything proceeded exactly as promised. Ally may not have THE highest rates but I think they're close to the top, and I give them huge kudos for supporting trust accounts. If you have enough money to be considering an online bank, you probably need to consider having a living trust, and Ally is one of the few banks that seems to acknowledge that need.
Online transfers are easy and relatively quick...not as quick as with my credit union account, but the money is there once the clock strikes midnight in the Eastern time zone (there must be some batch process involved). The set-up process for online transfers was the easiest I've ever dealt with. Not only do they make the usual trial deposits, they back them out at the same time rather than waiting a few days, thus minimizing disruption to your other accounts.
I haven't done much with the mobile app yet, and I haven't tried remote deposit capture.
I've had my account for a month, and I hope Ally continues with its great track record to this point. I think there's a reason so many DA reviews of Ally are so positive.
I'm coming up on my 1-yr anniversary with Ally. Great rates, great service, and easy to get to your money.
Transfers to and from Ally are literally overnight. Recently initiated a transfer to Ally at 5:00 pm, and the money was in my Online Savings account the next morning.
Also have a Checking account with Ally, complete with debit card and free checks. I tested it recently and was able to move money instantly from Savings to Checking, and then immediately used the debit card to withdraw funds from a Wells Fargo ATM. Smooth as silk, and Ally reimbursed the Wells Fargo fee !! Gotta love it.
Ally's customer service is the gold standard. I've always had knowledgeable courteous customer service reps who handled my requests in a prompt professional manner. I recently closed a CD and the money was in my account the next day. When Ally raises their rates, I'll gladly go back.
tl;dr Ally has been my gold standard for online banking.
Rates:
Ally does not seem to want to be a rate leader any longer. Their rates are good, mind you, but they have not been the leader for a while. They've remained near the top so they're dependable. When rates go up, you get them without any work like it should be. If you don't feel like opening multiple accounts and transferring money all over the place, you'll find a comfy home here. However, I feel they're hurting their less wealthy clients with their account tiers but they are clearly stated at least.
Web Software:
They have the best, which isn't to say it could be less "fancy" and thus better, but their self service is second to none. I can manage my CDs, open new accounts, transfer funds, set up anything in under a minute. No other bank's software comes close.
Customer Service:
I'm almost complete self service so I don't need them. In the past I can recall having good service but it has changed vastly since. I hope it varies based on the day, who you get, their mood, the moon(?), etc. but recently their representative have taken weeks to respond with insufficient answers.
Ally Bank used to be at the forefront (#1) with their rates... that is not the case currently.
I have had Ally checking and savings for a year or so. The only hiccup was identity verification, but a phone call resolved that in a matter of a few hours, and my account was activated. The interest checking has no fees, and a nice simple interface online. Billpay has not had any problems, but just make sure the phone numbers on the prefilled forms are correct. The biggest reason for choosing Ally are their card controls. Lots of people groan about it being a separate app, but seeing how many cards get hacked, it's well worth it. I can feel safe setting my limits when I don't want to use the debit card. I would like to see their card controls added to the desktop version of online banking though, so I can have an interface either on my phone or on my computer. I did order some checks and they came free as advertised in about a week. The savings account is no frills, but has outstanding rates. Ally's management are continuing to raise the rates while the brick and mortars sit at .01 percent for what seems like forever. Good job Ally!
Everything from creating the account to depositing money and the UX of the site is great.
The only problem is you can't (easily) withdraw your money.
I have been trying to close my no-penalty CDs and sent them a secure message. No response.
I called them - after verifying everything the agent made me wait 5-7 minutes and then said - "sorry looks like system is going through an update..." They said call again and a different group that is not going through a "system update" will be able to help.
I call again - again verified everything - made me wait - and behold "system is going through an update."
Can't be coincidence that the system "suddenly goes through an update" when a customer wants to withdraw the money.
Administrative barriers to make withdrawals difficult. Shady. Very shady.
Honestly I've had a fantastic experience with Ally. Whenever I've needed assistance, their customer support line is always open and available. I've called with minor questions before and the customer support I spoke with were helpful and very friendly too. When I've done transfers to and from this account, I've never had an issue with them. Usually if you do a transfer on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday you won't see it hit the account until Monday but that's perfectly predictable. Debits come out instantly and the only time I overdrew was my own stupid mistake and even then they didn't charge me a fee since it happened in one transaction. That was a huge comfort, let me tell you. All in all if you don't need to deposit cash, an online bank is the way to go in my opinion, particularly if you do a lot of online business.
Overall had a great experience with them. I had a CD with them, along with a savings/checking account that I used to fund the CD's. I was concerned that since it was an internet only bank that if I had issues they would be hard to solve, l was wrong and their customer support was excellent for when I had questions about setting up my accounts. I had a long tern CD, 2 year term and I had a short term one, 6 months. Overall I was overly pleased with how smooth everything went with the company, and although I am currently not using them anymore, I will be looking to open up another long term CD and I will mostly likely also be rolling over an IRA to them as well.
Whatever Ally is saving in having physical banking locations they seem to be passing onto its customers. I switched from Chase savings which was offering me 0.5% to Ally that offers me 1.85% interest. It takes a few days to have money deposited into the account, but it's worth the wait.
My experience with Ally bank has been pretty much wonderful.
For example, in regards to their customer service, I've had to contact them a few times over the past few years about disputing transactions (none of which were their fault). Everytime I've had to call them, they've had someone fluent in English there to support me. Furthermore, the calls were quick and easy, with no wait time. On the one occasion I used their website chat feature, they were equally quick and fluent in English. Their website is modern and simple, as is their mobile app. Everything is laid out clearly and there's no fluff. They pay most of my ATM fees for me.
If I did have to complain about something, it would be the lack of support for depositing cash. Withdrawing is fine, but they have no support whatsoever for depositing pure cash. Not a big deal for me, as I use the Internet for pretty much everything and my income is deposited directly in my account.
I've been a customer of Ally since 2011 and I have found them to be stellar in every regard. It's actually quite difficult to be charged fees, especially if you maintain your accounts diligently like I do. What I like about Ally is that they have US based customer service and it's easy to reach them via chat.. They are always constantly improving their online banking website and their smartphone apps - in fact, their most recent updates have made it super easy for me to track account balances. In cases where I have had issues with the bank itself, their customer service will make it right. However, my one negative with Ally is that their bill pay system can be frustrating to use as sometimes bill pay paper checks take a while to be mailed (especially official checks) and setting up eBills can be a bit of a pain as sometimes it gets caught between the biller's system and Ally's system.
Ally Bank has become one of best decisions that I have made. I needed an online bank that would fit my various needs. I wanted to have a debit card that would allow me to access my funds as any needs came up. I also wanted to be able to deposit checks online (with Ally I take a picture of the front and the back of the check). What makes Ally so good is that it is all electronic - I even have a checking account that earns interest - no hidden fees or annual fees, plus I don't have to keep a certain balance. I even have the ability to take out cash in a pinch too. Though, I have not used some of Ally Bank's other offerings, it is nice to know there are savigns accounts and even mutAul fund accounts too. One other option that I have used is their check writing option. I recently went to join Planet Fitness and they required a checking account. -so even in this situation I was covered.
I used this account for savings. When I got it, I wanted something that I wouldn't be able to get money from immediately so I wouldn't be tempted to spend the money unless it was something that I needed. This account also had higher interest rates than others I looked at and was perfect for my needs.
I've found that Ally is the best bank for opening a savings account or a CD account. Their rates are the best I can find, much better than retail bank establishments. When I opened my savings account they offered a rate of 1% APY, while other banks were offering .05%. They raise their savings rates to align more or less with how the FED raises rates, most retail banks don't do that. As of 04/18, the rate on my savings account is 1.45%. I can't really comment on their customer service, since I've never had to contact customer service, but as a customer of 5+ years, that is a testament unto itself.
I bank with Ally for my savings account. I am finishing my PhD. this year and wanted to save money to move, buy a house, and pay bills for about two months. I am very happy with Ally. They have the highest available interest rate for a savings account. It is very easy to transfer money into the bank account. It is also easy to deposit checks via an app. The only think that would be nice is if I could deposit cash. I have to put into my checking account and then transfer the money to my Ally account.
Ally's checking and savings accounts have been, since I became a customer several years ago, the best of any institution I've banked with, online or otherwise. The checking account is interest bearing and while that alone is not going to grow your money significantly, it is a nice feature. The savings account interest rates are some of the highest in the US right now. The customer service is outstanding. I have had multiple attempts to fraudulently use my card and each time Ally is right on top of it. Customer service called me out of the blue one morning to make sure I wasn't trying to use my debit card in China right then. When it became apparent that the attempted charges were fraudulent, the CS rep declined the transaction and went over all of the recent purchase history for that card making sure I recognized all the charges. There was on other recent charge that wasn't me and it was immediately wiped off and the account was suspended while they issued me a new card. It was handled in the most professional way possible and I hung up the phone feeling incredibly satisfied.
The mobile app and website for Ally make doing really anything banking related a snap. Checks up to $50,000 can be deposited from your smartphone. How cool is that?
All in all, I can't imagine a scenario where I would go back to banking with a brick and mortar institution. Ally is too far ahead of the game.
Ally Bank is great place to keep your money in one place. I use it for a online only savings where I send some of my paycheck too. Sometimes it is better to have a bank up area for money in case of emergency's so Ally is my place. I am able to leave the money there and not worry about any type of monthly fees chewing at it, and ever better when they raise the APY for the account itself every few months so am able to gain a few extra pennies with it too. When I need to take money out and send to other accounts I am able without fees and takes a quick amount of time. Ally is great place for no fees and taking care of your money simply.
I initially opened an Ally money market account as a result of a promotion which offered a cash bonus for new accounts. I opened the account online by transferring a deposit from an account I have with a local bank. The transfer was seamless and quickly processed. The account pays an interest rate that is among the best rates available based on what I have seen on bank rating sites. I quickly received an ATM card that I am able to use anywhere. I also received a supply of checks. I have had several occasions since opening the account to contact customer service, and have had completely positive experiences both online and speaking directly with a representative on the phone. It has now been over five years since opening my account and I continue to be totally satisfied with my experience.
I have had a very positive experience banking with Ally. I was very nervous at first because they are not a brick and mortar bank. I do all of my banking through their app or website. We have checking and savings accounts with them. When i opened 2 savings accounts for my kids I was able to do it all online. When i had a question what the requirements for a custodial accounts were the online representative was very helpful. They answered my questions of if both parents could be on the account or just one had to be. The wait time was under 3 minutes when I called to ask my questions. They then sent me the paperwork that needed to be signed and returned to them. Their bank rates for checking and savings is far best around. The local banks could not hold a candle to the 1.25 percent interest rate Ally was offering. And you did not have to have a high balance to earn that rate. It's very easy to make deposits into the accounts as well. I can either deposit checks with my phone or I can send them in the mail. I prefer though their app. I just take a picture of the check and type in the required information and it gets deposited. I have never had a problems with deposits not going through. I get a statement in the mail every quarter from them and it's easy to read. It's very easy to transfer money between accounts. It's labeled from and then to. Money gets transferred in a timely matter.
I found ally.com after searching for a place to put my CD and also start a IRA. They had good rates and that's ultimately why I switched to them. in the past I have accidently forgotten my password and I have had no issue with costumer service to help me try and recover it.
Due to a time where I was moving a lot, I was looking for a bank that would meet my needs and still service my banking no matter where I went. I opened a checking and savings account and used it along side my local establishment for approximately three months until I determined that it would be suitable while I was away. Overall, I had no problems and the customer service was very helpful. I did have one experience where my account numbers were compromised but the customer service rectified the problem very swiftly. I still have my account open and use it as a secondary service but now that I have returned home to stay, I much prefer a bank that I can walk into and speak to someone face to face whenever I need to.
I have been using Ally Bank for about 4 or 5 years now. I have had only positive experiences with them so far. I have not ever been charged a fee for their savings or checking accounts. I have an ATM card associated with the checking account and I can use this card at any ATM without having to worry about any fees. Fees charged by the bank or the ATM owner are reimbursed by Ally Bank. I also can order free checks from Ally as often as I would like. I can and have opened multiple savings accounts and give each of them a separate name. This is very useful for creating "Buckets." I can transfer money to/from Ally for free, with a few days time. It is very easy to link to another bank account and they also have easy direct deposit from my work.
My wife and I have been using Ally for about 4 years. We have a pretty great experience with them. The savings/checking account interest rates have been better than most places throughout that time. During this time we have not had any issues with fraudulent charges or any other issues with our account. The only issue we have had is cashing checks for my wife's business into the account. As the checks are not payable to her name, but to her business instead, Ally will not accept the funds, which is understandable.
We have also had issues with depositing cash into the account. We sold a car for cash, and were unable to deposit all the cash into the account at once. We have since opened an account with a local bank for such instances.
I use the checking deposit scanner on my phone several times a month. About a year ago the application updated to automatically take a picture of the check when it is in focus and that has worked extremely well.
I had set up a savings account with Ally so that my wife and I could save for summer, since we both work for schools and have decreased income during this time. Setting up the account was straight forward and didn't take much time to set up (maybe 15 minutes). I then set up an automatic withdrawal from my regular bank account from my local bank branch. This was also quick to set up, but took a day to finalize in order for them to make the random deposits that I needed to verify. Since then the deposits have been made automatically with perfect reliability. Twice since I opened the account with Ally they have increased the interest rates without my asking. I have had zero problems with my Ally account. I primarily access it via the mobile app on my phone, which is very intuitive and has all the important information right where you would expect to find it. There is no time wasted looking for something. I would recommend Ally to anyone.
Ally bank offers the best interest rate we could find on our savings accounts. They also offer checking accounts with all the "extras" like a debit card, free checks whenever you request them, and they refund fees charged by any ATM (up to a certain limit per month, but that's never been a problem for us). It offers the convenience of mobile check deposit and then you can use any ATM to withdraw cash when you need it! We have rarely had a need to contact customer service since you can do almost everything from the website, but when needed we got quick, helpful responses from the online chat feature. We have moved several times and we could keep our bank since Ally is internet-based. When we have needed to transfer funds from Ally to another (local) bank, it does take several days, but that is pretty normal and it has always gone smoothly.
I've used Ally as a bank for several years, and have loved every aspect of it. They reimburse fees incurred at any ATM, have interest bearing checking accounts with no minimum, and even raise the interest rate on your savings account when their rates go up - without you having to ask first! Customer service is great, too - there is always someone readily available by phone, or you can email, if you prefer. The website and app are both really easy to use (love that photo deposit feature!), and designed so that you can see your "total value" of all accounts, like savings, checking, and CDs, and then also breaks down that information for individual accounts. I highly recommend taking advantage of this super easy and competitive bank!
I have been banking with Ally bank for about 3 years strictly as an additional savings account. They have been awesome. I like that they pay their customers interest each month depending on how much is kept in their savings account. Recently they have started next business day bank transfers where I can make transfers to any of my connected bank accounts within one business day for free. This has been heaven sent for me for times where I needed a quick transaction or needed to try to avoid overdraft fees in any of my other bank accounts. I have not had to have much contact with customer service, but the times I did need to reach out, they were very helpful in helping me find the forms I needed to make necessary changes. Dealing with them has been one of the easiest banking experiences and I wish other larger banks would follow suit. I can make up to 6 transactions each month before I am charged $10 per transaction which is fair and still a low amount to charge for a banking transaction. I would recommend them to anyone as they have been my favorite thus far as well as my first online bank that I have used.
Have a trust and a personal account. Ally is unable to separate the two and in turn, they are jumbled together. Tried and tried again to alleviate this confusing situation to no avail. Their solution was to cash in the cd's and take the penalty and establish another account (Done to begin with). Sent letter to one of the presidents and she just turned it over to a very low (But nice) level employee who could do nothing.
Obvious they don't care.
I've had a great experience using this online banks. They provided free checks, no minimum balance, no transfer fees, investing brokerage with low fees, and debit cards that include ATM fee reimbursement. The only problem not having branches is that if you need a more secure form of payment like a bank note it is difficult. But the interest rate is very high.
Before deciding on an online bank, we did quite a bit of research on institutions that came highly recommended. We decided to go with Ally Bank for a few reasons. First, there interest rate was a bit higher than other places. They had a savings account with a daily compound interest rate of 1.45%. The mobile app is wonderful and has worked perfect every time. I read some reviews of online institutions having terrible costumer service and difficulty with the mobile app working but this is not the case with Ally. Another reason we chose Ally bank is the ability of transferring funds between this savings account and other accounts that are not with Ally. Our transfers have not taken longer than 2 days. All and all, we do enjoy banking with Ally online and plan on opening a few more accounts in the near future.
I started using Ally Bank because my friends and family recommended the bank to me. They had mentioned the higher interest rates and the great customer service. Sign-up was swift and easy -- it took only a few minutes to create a savings account. My expectations were certainly met. Their customer service is always accessible and the interest rate is competitive. There are no additional fees, which many other institutions impose. Recently, I needed a cashier's check. I called Ally and they sent one to me within several days free of cost. The mobile app is also solidly-built for both iOS and Android. I would highly recommend Ally Bank for anyone looking for a checking account and/or savings account. If my primary checking account with Chase weren't so convenient in my area, then I would have no problem using Ally Bank solely for my banking purposes. A great product and service all around.
For several years I have used Ally bank specifically for my savings account. In the beginning I was hesitant as everything is done "online only" and there were not many people who I knew who had banked in this manner before. I decided to take a chance as they had a lot of positive reviews and I knew that if the experience was poor, I could always just remove my funds. Thankfully, my experience with them has always been amazing. I would even say its been much better than some of the banks that have brick and mortar locations. They are extremely quick to respond to inquiries and you also have the option of removing funds from an ATM if needed. All communication is prompt and helpful. I will continue to use them in the future. I will admit, it does take a little getting used to only doing your business online, but after the initial learning curve, it is well worth the exemplary customer service.
I was looking for free online bank which allowed me a debit card and ease of access entirely online and Ally Bank truly fits my needs. The account was simple to set up in a matter of minutes. Although I don't take advantage of their other products, I can tell you the customer service for the free online checking was superb. I called to have some checks sent out and to ask about interest rates and the representative that I spoke to was both friendly and knowledgeable. I can't say enough about how good this online bank is, have I mentioned that the account is entirely free with no hidden fees? Seriously, I have had this account for 6 months now and use it daily for deposits and withdraws with my debit card. This online bank is highly recommended. The only wish I had for the account might be a higher interest rate on the checking account but again the account is free after all.
I recently opened a high yield online savings account with Ally Bank. I had been looking for a savings account which paid a (relatively speaking for today) high interest rate. Ally had one of the highest I found. Customer service was very helpful setting up the account. I access my account online and through their mobile app. The mobile app makes it very convenient to deposit money into my account. I would highly recommend Ally to anyone looking for an online bank account.
I opened an Ally checking account so I could put money away fro emergencies. I wanted a bank account that would be outside of my normal bank, so it would be 'out of sight, out of mind'. It only took a few minutes of work to apply for the account, and about a day to get all the verification and whatnot completed. It took a few minutes to set up an automatic withdrawal from my main checking account. The app is intuitive and gives me the info I want quick. Shortly after setting up the account, I received a notification that my interest rate increased, which was nice.
I was leary about using an online bank. I wondered if my information would be secure and it seemed strange to bank with a company where I couldn't walk into a branch and talk to someone. I took a chance on Ally bank because I wanted a place to save money where my husband couldn't get to it. So, I signed up for a money market account. I am so glad I did! Their interest rates are better than anything else I found offered. The website is easy to use and understand and it walks you through each step of depositing money. With their money market accounts, you can spend the money as often as you want without being penalized and the account comes with a debit card which is convenient and gave me peace of mind. The money is readily available to me if I have an emergency and need to use it. Overall, I have been very happy with the service and I'm glad I opened the account. I plan to stay with Ally for a long time to come!
I have been banking with Ally Bank for approximately 5 years. I have both savings accounts and a checking account with them. Ally Bank has always had some of the best interest rates on deposits in the industry and they are currently offering 1.45% on their savings account. One thing that I really like about Ally is the ability to open multiple savings accounts with them. I currently have 6 savings accounts and one checking account. This is useful because I can name these accounts and earmark these funds for various goals in my life. The checking account is another very nice offering from Ally. This account comes with free checks, all you have to do is order online and they deliver to you free of charge. The checking account also comes with a debit card. The great thing about this debit card is the fee to use and ATM. Ally Bank does not own or maintain their own ATM machines. However, you can use the card at any ATM machine. Ally Bank will reimburse any fees charged by the owner of the ATM up to a certain amount per month. This is a huge savings in an industry that typically nickel and dimes you to death.
I started an online savings account with this bank after shopping around a bit because I wasn't happy with the interest rates that my regular bank (used for checking and savings) was offering-- their interest rates are less than 1%. I found this after searching and was satisfied that they are FDIC insured and their interest rates (when I opened the account) were at 1.25% no matter what amount the customer had in the account. The sign up process was very easy, and I started the account with just $50, because I had concerns that it was an online only bank. In the six months since I opened the account, the interest rate has gone up twice; the first time to 1.35%, and now currently it is at 1.45%. I have deposited more into the account as I have become more comfortable with the idea of an online only bank. I have not had to contact customer service so far, as I have had no issues. Statements are timely and I receive an email each time a statement is released. Any time I request a transfer of funds, I also receive an email notifying me of the transfer (when it scheduled, when it should be transferred, and when the transfer is complete). The mobile application is also easy to use to check on the account. Because it is a savings-only account, I am limited to how many transactions I can make each month from the account (but there are unlimited transfers to the account). I find that it is well worth it to have CD rates but without the obligation to have my money locked into an account for a specified time period.
Ally Bank is an amazing online bank that I've been banking with for a few years now. With regards to their deposit accounts, I currently have a checking and savings account through Ally. I have had nothing but good experiences with this bank. I find their online deposit accounts are very easy to use. The website and mobile apps are very user friendly and easy to navigate. I had a question related to my checking account one day and called the bank and was given very quick advice from their customer support representative. The person I spoke to was very polite and willing to help me out. I think customer service goes a long way when it comes to customer satisfaction. I have highly recommended this bank to my family and friends and will continue to share the great experiences I have had with them.
As someone who has become disillusioned by my regular brick and mortar bank, I decided to open my new savings account with Ally Bank. I have had nothing but a great experience with them! When I initiate a transfer from my checking account to my savings, they tell me exactly when the money will be taken out of my checking and when it will be deposited in my savings account. I am aware how many withdrawals I am allowed to make from my savings per month and how long it would take to transfer money back to my checking account. I love that the banking is done completely online and NOT linked to my checking account for quick withdrawal, as this usually means less saving on my part. Overall, I would give this bank five stars!
I've had an online savings account with Ally for a little over 5 years now. Their website is easy to use and I've never experienced an outage when I wanted to do something. Transfers used to take 3 business days to process, but now they typically take one (as long as you submit the transfer request early enough in the day!) Rates are generally competitive - however, they do tend to take longer to raise their rate compared to other online banks. Even if other banks pay slightly higher rates, I'm happy and have no plans to move my money elsewhere. I've also been confident enough with Ally to refer their online savings account to family members, and they have been equally as happy with their accounts.
Pretty much all banks are the same if they are backed by FDIC, but what makes this bank stand out above all others is that they have the highest savings interest rate that I could find. When other banks were only offering about 0.5% this bank had a 1% interest rate for savings accounts. Currently their interest rate just went up from 1.35 to 1.45%. I have a few different savings accounts and with about the same amount I was getting pennies in my other account, but with this bank I was getting dollars in interest. Also the wait time to get a hold of someone from customer service is always available. The longest that I have seen the wait time was 10 minutes. Typically it is a 1 or 2 minute wait. I think what helps them to be able to offer these services is the fact that they don't have any physical branches around the country so their overhead costs are much lower than the traditional banks.
I have been using Ally Bank for over a year. I chose Ally bank because a friend of mine told me about the bank. At the time I was looking for a bank to handle my commission payments so I would not commingle my monies with my family money. I wanted a bank that I can easily view from my mobile platform and a way to get to cash that would be very easy than a traditional bank. I looked at a few different on-line banks however I felt that Ally met me needs. Their customer service is also very good. They answer all of my questions and they are always available. Since I am self employed they have various products that I am interested in such as a SEP IRA and they also have a way to make investments. Another benefit that they have is the ability to pay bills seamlessly on line. I can manage my accounts, pay bills, set up payment options and send money to my wife or to my family account very easily. I have been very happy with Ally and I would recommend them to my friends and family.
So I bank with Ally and hold a savings account as well as a checking account. I like that they offer no fees. Places like Chase gouge me with fees and I decided it was time to change who I bank with. I also like that they have high interest rates. If I am keeping my money in a bank I expect competitive interest rates which again the major banking corporations were not giving me. I appreciate that although ally does not have a physical location they were able to offer me good customer support via phone and online. It would be nice to be able to go to a physical Location to drop off checks, speak to a real person, or to withdraw money, but I was willing to give all of that up for ally. I feel that when I bank with Ally they aren't trying to Scam me or rip me off but that they actually want their customers to be happy. This is why I bank with ally and I have absolutely no regrets. I would recommend ally wholeheartedly with no reservations whatsoever.
My wife and I use Ally's online savings account for our emergency fund because of their competitive interest rates (currently at 1.45% APY and no fees, which we love). It was easy to sign up and create an account. I did hit a snag along the way regarding our mailing address, which brought me into contact with Ally's customer service for the first time. As far as quality goes, it was outstanding. Every representative I talked to was polite, professional, and helpful. However, the wait time to speak with a real person was sometimes long (10-20 minutes), so I'd rate their customer service 4/5. Another thing we love is Ally's commitment to a useable app and web site -- both are sleek and easy to use. Overall, I highly recommend them for an online-only bank.
I have had an checking account at Ally for about a year now, and have had no problems. The web interface is very straight-forward and user friendly. I like the layout- there is no need to search for things like in some banks. One specific thing is the account/routing numbers. On most websites, you really have to search for these, and sometimes go somewhere else to look up routing numbers. On Ally, the account number and routing number are right at the top of the page- the account number is hidden, but can easily be revealed. I like this feature because it makes it easier to link this to other accounts. Most of the other features (transactions, debit card stuff, etc) are pretty standard. One other thing that sticks out is support- info is right at the top of the page. Again, most banks, you really have to search for this. Another feature is Ally's mobile app. Everything you need is at your finger tips, when you need it.
I opened an Ally Bank online account about 4 years ago. It's very easy to open and keep track of your finances all online. You can easily deposit money or transfer money into your account. I only transferred money from an existing account at another bank. Transfers either way usually took about 1-2 days to complete.
I have banked with Ally Bank for over five years now, and have not had a problem with them yet. They do not charge any fees for basic checking and savings, and they pay a decent interest rate. They even show how much interest you earned for every month right at the top of your account page. The website is easy to use, and you can manage your account, and handle transactions right from there. The mobile app is very useful as well, and you can easily do the same things from the app as you can with the website. The customer service is very good as well. You can contact them on the internet or by phone. I have only had to contact the customer service one time by phone, and when I did I was happy with the excellent customer service. They actually took care of my problem in a matter of minutes. Overall, I am very happy with Ally Bank, and have no plans of changing banks anytime soon.
I've been a member of Ally Bank for almost two years. I started with a couple hundred dollars just to see and test the waters. I am a happy camper! I've gradually added more money and think of it almost as a retirement account. The savings account interest rate is beyond what I would have thought. It has gone up at least three times since I've been a member. I get timely emails on offers, news about interest rates and other products that they have and have nothing put good interaction. While I have never had to speak to a customer service representative, I can't imagine their customer service would be too bad. I haven't used their mobile app, but they did have a promotion during Super Bowl that almost made me download it. Their website has always been up and running fast when I've logged in. Rates and balances are always posted on time. I would definitely recommend this bank.
We like using Ally for our savings account. They have a slightly higher interest rate than brick and mortar banks and their option to chat online with customer service reps or call is great. I've never had to wait more than a minute to talk with anyone. We used to have a checking account with them and I liked it a lot except for one crucial detail and that was that it was a pain in the butt to cash/deposit checks written from another country. You can't deposit checks written from Canada for instance via their app so we decided to go with a local bank for our checking account and keep the savings account with Ally.
I signed up for their savings account in July of 2017, and the APY has jumped from 1.20 to 1.45%! You guys, that's free money! It helps me feel better about my savings goals, and I'm actually excited to deposit into my account now. If you need to transfer money from your savings to a non-Ally bank account, it does take a few days, which is nice in a way because it helps me stay more disciplined about saving.
Why I didn't give them a perfect rating:My fiance and I recently tried to open a joint checking account with them, but got denied because my credit score sucks, and he doesn't have a credit score. It would have been nice to know that was going to be a big deal.
The Ally mobile app and website make it possible to do all your day-to-day banking remotely, including depositing checks. I used to have Chase, but I moved to a location with no Chase branches, and I planned to get a new in-person bank. But I've found that I don't need to visit a branch to do any of the things I need because the Ally app and website are so comprehensive. My housemate and I can pay each other for bills and groceries with no problem on the website, which is very helpful.
Ally Bank is great! I started off by opening a savings account and was blown away by their interest rates. After that first account, I opened a second savings account followed by a Roth IRA and a CD all through Ally Bank. I have been incredibly pleased with their easy to use website and their very high interest rates on all the accounts I hold there. I have only once had to have contact with one of the representatives on Ally bank's website and they were very helpful, friendly, and accurately resolved my issue. I have automatic deposits set up and their options are very easy. They offer weekly, bi-weekly, monthly and more options to electronically deposit money into your savings accounts. I would recommend Ally bank to anyone who likes to watch their account grow.
My husband and I recently decided that we wanted another bank account to manage our money a little better. So we did a little research and found out great things about Ally. We opened both a checking account and a savings account with them and have had nothing but great experiences. The online banking website is user friendly and visually appealing. The customer service is always great. I've talked to them over the phone and through online chat. It has made it so much better for us to manage our money. This has become our bill account. All money goes into here to automatically pay bills so we know they are going out of time. The interest rate in the savings account is great too! We love the 24/7 banking option and that even though it's an online bank, it's easy to deposit checks through their online app and use one of their approved ATMS in the area to withdraw money. Love this bank!
I am currently banking with Ally. I was looking for a free checking account and was pleasantly surprised to find out they exist. I had a little trouble with my application I filled out online and called the customer service line. I had the sweetest lady help me through the process. She was really easy to talk to and extremely helpful. It was like talking to an old friend. She was able to process my application the same day and get my account up and running. I have been pleased with the service so far with the exception of how long it takes for deposits to process. That is where the free checking comes into play. You get what you pay for.
I bank with Ally online banking. I love it. No branches means that my interest is higher than traditional banks. My savings account interest was so much last year that I actually had to file it on my taxes. One complaint I have though, is that any and all issues must be dealt with over the phone and sometimes there is a wait to speak with someone, up to 20 minutes. Last summer I was in Europe, and my debit card was flagged because I forgot to notify my bank. The 24/7 help line was useful since I didn't have to account for the time difference and I was able to use my card and withdraw euros from the atm. I would highly recommend to anyone.
I have been banking with a savings account at Ally bank for about 4 years. I absolutely love it! The interest rate for return has been increasing over the years. What started out as 1% has gone up to 1.49% as of recently. They are reasonable, offer great rates for banking and for home financing. If I did not already go with a preferred lender, I would've definitely gone with them. They have great customer service. I absolutely love that I can transfer money from my savings account to other accounts at other banks and it arrives in 1 business day with no fee! That is my absolute favorite feature with this online bank. I was skeptical at first, but I have referred them to many of my friends who bank there as well now.
I have a online savings account with Ally. I have been doing my online banking with them for 3 months now. The number one reason I moved my funds to be with them is their competitive interest rates. They are always keeping their interest rates near the top of the market. When a competitor raises their rates they raise theirs within days. My interaction with the service representatives has been limited. This is primarily because their online sign up and deposit is so easy. I will continue to use their products for the foreseeable future.
My experience with Ally bank has been an overall positive one. The website is very easy to use. Transferring money to and from other institutions is a breeze. Their products are competitive, often offering the highest interest rate for a CD or savings account.
It's not perfect. Takes 2 to 3 days to move money to and from Ally bank. Opening an IRA involves printing and document and mailing it to them. Their website has been down for maintenance a bit too often for me.
Overall, a very good online only bank. Ally Bank is good.
Setting up an account was straight forward and easy, I did it all online. The savings account rates are extremely competitive. The user interface is easy to use and navigate. Having looked at their other products, they offer very competitive CD rates and seem to offer a variety of different products. I have not reached out to the company through their phone line at this time so I cannot comment on that aspect of the bank. I have also heard positive reviews from other who bank with them and have recommended them to some of my friends as well. Despite having all of the information online, they also mail out statements which I thought was nice and helpful. Transfers are simple and no fees are charged, at least not on any of the transfers I have done. Overall I have nothing negative to say about the bank.
I opened my ira Roth with them (they were shutting down the program I was originally with),anyway, wish I never did. Turns out they don't accept deposits through my employer,or my bank (I have to physically mail in a form). The only thing I can do is pay for a wire transfer from my bank to them. Needless to say, I haven't deposited any money into my Roth acct. Looking for someone else as we speak.
i was (still am but soon to be $1 just to maintain a way to reenter if they get their heads out of their anal aperatures) -- a customer with CapOne since they were ING, when they were so fabulous no one could compare. i have recently discovered to my dismay that apparently the CEO is taking CapOne down the toilet. i mean who else to blame?
i started searching and came up with Ally. I am thrilled that i actually have a place to park dry powder where someone will talk to you on the phone and chat on the internet within minutes if not seconds. i also told them they have me as long as they keep me happy. the minute they start screwing up it will be the road traveled by CapOne.
I love Ally's checking account. I typically get my paycheck a day before I would otherwise, they have no fees for checking with direct deposit. They waive all ATM fees for online accounts, even though I still have to pay the specific ATM fee. I also like their overdraft service. I had a situation where I had an overdraft and I had three transactions that overdrew the account. Their policy is to waive the first one, but when I called in and talked to a customer service representative, she waived all three fees from that day because she said it was all on the same day. I also like that they now linked my savings account up to my checking account so it will draw from there automatically if I over have an overdraft again. Their website is easy to use as well as mobile banking. I love being able to deposit checks using my phone, it is so much faster.
I have used Ally Bank for 3 years now. I have never had any issues. I started using it when they were offering a much higher interest rate on their savings account than any other bank especially since the market was down. They were almost 1% higher than any other bank that I could find. I have rarely had a reason to contact their customer service but I had one issue where my money was not deposited correctly. This caused my account to be negative and a few transactions to come back as insufficient funds. When I called them, they looked at my account. As soon as the agent pulled up my account, she apologized, said she knew what the problem was and stated that it would be rectified in a few minutes. By the time the call had ended, she had refunded me all the fees, made sure that my deposit was applied correctly and given me an extra $50 in my account as a goodwill for their mistake. I have never had customer service like this so I wasn't quite sure if it was real. They also decided to waive my fees for 3 months for Ally Invest so I was able to make any stock trades for free as well.
I have a savings account with Ally Bank. I chose it because when I was looking up CDs and savings accounts they had the highest interest rates I could find. It feels a little weird not to have any physical place to be able to go to-no ATMS. The downside I think is that when you need to withdraw money you have to schedule it. You don't get it instantly. To my surprise it doesn't work like PayPal. They put up a calendar and you choose a date at a minimum a couple of days in the future for them to transfer it to your other bank account. I really dislike this, but I'm staying for the interest rates.
I've been a long time customer at Ally, but recently ran into this seemingly crazy conundrum: I wanted to park a sizeable amount of IRA funds in their 3 month CD, because the yield is the rate leader. But the process of opening and funding the account might take 4-6 weeks, and the same time span was quoted for their process on moving that money somewhere else at the end of the term. This came straight from a woman in their IRA dept. Why the delays? Because you can open an account online, but then they'll send you a 'welcome package' you have to fill out and return, have them process it, then transfer funds (ACH is not acceptable), etc. etc. Upon questioning, I found I *could* shorten the process by downloading forms and uploading them via email, which seemed more like 'normal business' to me. But the IRA rep I spoke with absolutely would not give me even a ballpark figure of how much doing things over the web might shorten the in process and out process for funds. 4-6 weeks to set up a 3 month CD? That's crazy! Furthermore, perhaps this is a sign that Ally doesn't have the personnel to do business on reasonable, normal timelines - their 'on hold' phone wait time for a rep seems to average about 20 minutes these days - much higher than it used to be. (Please either tell me what I'm missing here, or alternately, which of the 3 stooges thought up this bank policy?)
Ally Bank is great - especially when it comes to interest fees... at least when compared to my brick and mortar bank. I have a Bank of America account that gives me a few cents of interest each year on my Money Market Account with them. Compared to Ally, this is (literally) pocket change. Ally gives me (at last check) about 1.3% on my savings account which equals out to more than $100 each year! What a difference. Whenever I call them to ask a question, their agents are quick, efficient, and friendly.
In the day and age of no store fronts, Ally bank certainly provides you with the best rates possible compared to your traditional banks such as Bank of America or Chase. You don't have the ability to go to a bank if you need to talk to someone, but talking to someone over the phone or in chat is quick and easy. In return for a spartan setup, you are rewarded with one of the highest rates of return in your savings account. 1.25% on a savings account compared to say 0.03 % for Bank of America. You have access to many ATMs and you are returned any fees that have been charged for withdrawing money. The mobile app is easy to use and without any bugs, at least for me. I have never had any issues with transfers for deposits via the mobile app. In short, make sure to give it a shot, it doesn't hurt and you'll be earning more back from you hard earned money.
Ally has truly free checking. They even give you back all fees that were charged from any ATM. The checking is an interest-based checking with no minimum balance required. The money market again has no minimum required and has a great interest rate. It does however have a limited amount of withdrawals you can make per month without a charge. As for the customer service, you can call or chat. Calling is 24 hours a day. The few times I have had to contact them was due to forgetting my online account name and or password. They are always very quick to help and are never rude. Being an online bank, you need to have another bank in your area that you can actually go to if you have paper checks. When i do this the money transfer to ally is always quick.
I was looking for a savings account, and I considered going with the typical big banks. After awhile, I realized that I might as well take advantage of the opportunities I had online. Ally was able to provide me with decent rates, and I figured I should go ahead with them. It cut off any time I needed for me to go to an actual bank, and I handled everything online at my convenience. I had been so used to going to a typical bank, that at first I was actually rather skeptical. However, with Ally that went away instantly. I was able to even have the chance to have a card in my name should I have wanted to open a checkings account. Everything about it was incredibly legit.
Ally Bank is a great online bank to be in. They don't charge any ATM fees. This is helpful when traveling and need quick cash from any ATM. I could just go to Las Vegas and not worry about any fees from the ATM when I need money. The website looks a old and not as user friendly as others, but they make up for it in their competitive products. Ally offers a great annual percentage rate. The customer service is great too. I can call and get a hold of a representative pretty quickly. I had to check my balance and if a transfer went through late at night and I was able to get a hold of somebody to help me. I don't have to hold or wait a long time like other institutions. Overall, I would rate this online bank as near the top of the list.
I signed up for Ally banking a few years ago because I needed a savings account. I wanted to get a higher interest rate than the traditional banks so I went with Ally. I believe they can offer a higher interest rate because they are exclusively an online bank. It also was an attractive choice for a savings account because there were no annual fees and no minimum balance needed to held into the account. I signed up and made a small required deposit, I believe it was something like $25. I liked the simplicity of the online banking website they offer. It's very easy to understand and use right away without confusion. All of my transfers went through smoothly and the interest added up right away. One of the things I didn't like about this way of banking was that there was no access to an ATM to withdraw cash. They do not send you a ATM card. So it's good if you want to save and don't need immediate access.
Ally is the first online bank that I have used. At first I was a little skeptical because having some of money in an online bank is a different idea for banking. What I like about Ally is that there is no monthly fees or minimal balance needed to not be charged a fee. Also, with not having ATM fee's that is plus, since there would be no ally specific ATM's to withdraw money from. I also like that there is an free option to send money to other bank's using Pop money service. Most of the interaction I have had with customer service, has been pretty seamless. I did choose to talk to a customer service agent through the chat service. I have not had any issues with the website itself, and it has always been up when I needed to access my account. I did experience having to wait about 10 minutes in order to speak to a customer service agent. In regards to the debit card, I got the card quickly and have not problems using it at stores. I am happy with this bank and would suggest it to others if they feel they want to leave the standard bank and make it a fully online experience.
I have been using Ally Bank for about three years now. They were easy to apply and sign up for. They have no fees for your basic banking functions. You get free checks. You can make deposits several different ways including with your phone, computer or by mailing it in. You get refunds on up to $10.00 a month on any ATM fees. Money transfers are free and easy to use from the website or from the phone app. Also, mobile banking with the phone app works great. You get decent interest rates on your savings and even on your checking accounts. The security has never failed me either, I have had to call in to reactivate my ATM card once or twice, but better to have to do this when they think something is suspicious. Its better to be safe than sorry. Over all I have had a great experience with Ally Bank.
I have been very happy with my accounts at Ally. Their website and app are very clean and easy to use. I can easily transfer money between my accounts instantly. I also like that the app allows me to photograph my checks for deposit, saving me a trip to an ATM. The rates are very completive, and whenever I've had to contact customer service they were very helpful.
Very long time on the phone. Irresponsible promises. Transfers that do not go through. That is my horrible experience with Ally Bank.
This bank has incredibly long time to get somewhere on the phone when this bank has promotional rates or holidays.
Two weeks ago I waited 40 minutes and lately 30 minutes.
Online Account opening screens seem nice, but if you by mistake press back button -- you are in trouble.
I specified electronic transfer from external bank when I was trying to open CD, but was not sure if confirmation was done properly.
I received e-mail that CD account was opened, but when I tried to log into my online account I've got message that account is disabled.
I called and was told that next Monday I will receive a call from their fraud prevention center to unlock my account.
Nobody called me on Monday. Only Tuesday after short phone conversation they enabled my account, but I already used another bank.
Week later they called me asking if I'd like to fund my CD. This time I was told that they will honor the rate that I had when opened CD, though more than 10 days and promotional rate on the 1 year CD dropped.
I set up funds transfer on the phone. 6 days later I found out that transfer was not executed.
When I called they could not find a record of transfer request. When I specified name and phone number of the person that responsible for the transfer I was told that they do not register calls and requests that go through their back office. And it appears that call was made by their back office employee.
It appears that transfer was not executed, and there was no record of it.
Also customer service told me that I can do the transfer right away, but they will only give me current rate which was less then couple week ago when I opened the CD.
This all situation is outrages!
Ally gets very poor scores for customer service. I tried to reach a person two times, and waited 40 minutes the first time and 30 minutes the second time. They ran me through the wringer with ID requirements to open the account, asking that I send a copy of a DL (driver's license) and utility bill. I did this, but the bank refused to honor my mailing address (which is on my DL). After all this, they would not let me open my account with an electronic debit, instead saying to send a check or wire money to them. INCREDIBLE! I recently opened an account at a competitor (which I selected because of my problems with Ally) and the account was open in 5 minutes. They pay 0.05 to 0.10% more, but you pay for it. The competitor answered my call in 6 seconds.
If you want to wait on hold for 30+ minutes for any customer service interaction, this is the bank for you!
I have been banking with Ally for over 3 years. I learned about Ally Bank after reading an article in Kiplingers a while ago. I utilize the online savings bank. THe rate is currently 1.25% which is m ore than I receive from local credit union. Customer service is friendly is fast. I send my direct deposit hear and it helps my savings due to automatic. THey are now even offering investment accounts for trading. I would recommend Ally to anyone@
My major bank offers an interest rate of 0.01%, which is absolutely ridiculous. So, after hearing lots of people talk about HYS accounts, I decided to explore and landed on Ally which currently has an interest rate of 1.25% and no fees (vs. my bank which charges $5 a month just to have money in savings). It took me less than 15 minutes to sign-up and make a deposit, and I've been banking with them for over a year now.
Ally bank is a great online bank. A great thing about them is no monthly fees! I have a checking and savings account.Also have a good interest rate.They can offer no fee accounts because they are strictly online. They do not have any brick and mortar buildings to pay for. I am very happy I found them. They have great customer service 24/7.They also have access to ATM machines with a debit card which is sent to you.
I have had a great experience with Ally Bank. In the past, I have used other online only institutions but all of them have fallen short. Ally does not belong into that category. With Ally, I use it as a high interest savings account, because I find that the brick and mortar banks offer dismal interest rates. I recently completed a transaction from the Ally app on December 6th where I sent $100 from my brick and mortar checking account to my Ally account. The funds posted to my account the next day and both the deductions and additions were reflected correctly in my checking and savings accounts respectively. With the APY for interest accrual at 1.25%, that obliterates the amount you would get at brick and mortar banking institutions. The only thing that would trump it is doing a short to long term CD.
I opened a savings account with Ally Bank about three years ago. I wanted another bank to hold my savings account other than my primary bank because it seemed like it would be less tempting to take money out of that account. Well, in some ways this is true. However, Ally makes it very easy to access my money. I do sometimes miss the aspect of having a person to go to when I encounter an issue. However, the people I have talked to through chat and on the phone have been extremely helpful and courteous. I had an issue with getting some money transferred from Ally to my primary bank, and within 5 minutes on chat I was able to resolve my issue. I imagine at some point I will look at transferring completely to an online-only bank, and when that time comes, I will definitely stick with Ally Bank.
It is taking approximately seven business days for this institution to adhere to the transfer request of my funds. I had to request the same transfer of funds more than once, resulting in a longer period of time to have the transaction completed. This is not why online banking was created. I first initiated the transfer of funds approximately five business days ago online, only not to receive my funds in three days. This morning, I had to verbally initiate the transfer again. Now I have to wait approximately another four business days to hopefully and successfully have my transfer of funds completed. Needless to say, this institution is history for me! I received confirmation numbers for both requests, so I know my first request was completed properly. I cannot and will not have these types of mishaps, when it comes to my hard earned funds. I have had online banking with several institutions over the years and never experienced this type of error! If I did not need my funds in a timely manner, I would not request them.
Have been banking here for 6 years but they lost me just this past week. Had an 18-month CD mature and was hoping to transfer more funds and change to a 12-month account within the grace period. Thing is, there web interface was giving errors each day I tried. The call and chat wait times were > 50 minutes. Never heard back when sending them a "secure message" (through their interface). Finally got through to a customer service representative the day after the maturity date -- but they couldn't do anything. Had to pay the early withdrawal penalty, so will be taking my business elsewhere. Glad I didn't invest more.
Ally Bank is honestly one of the best banks that I've ever had experience with. When I first started out with them, they only had $9 overdraft fees and they were limited to only 1 overdraft fee per day. This, compared to other banks, was amazing to me. Most banks want to charge you $30-$35 overdraft fees and do it on EACH item that comes through after your account has already been overdrafted. It doesn't matter how the transactions are run with most banks; if you have 4 overdraft items, then you'll get 4 overdraft fees. The fact that Ally was willing to do it the way they did was pretty cool to me. To this day, even though their overdraft fees are higher than they used to be, I still think it's the best deal out there as far as checking account features. And their overdraft fees are still lower than other banks at just $25. Their customer service through Live Chat is always amazing, as well.
I like using Ally bank for our savings account. It is an online-only financial institution, and because of that it offers higher rates. It's a bit cumbersome withdrawing funds from the account and takes at least a few days to receive the money. I'm sure this is much different if you have a checking account with them since they offer a debit card. But i like having the account separate from my other accounts so I'm less likely to dip into my savings for things I really don't need. I've always had great experiences when contacting customer service, which I have done a few times over the course of the years I've had the account.
I recently opened an Ally bank account to help saving money for my family. My wife and I both work for school districts, so I wanted a place to put money to help us out over the summer. I could have opened a separate account with my local branch, but the convenience of Ally bank along with their high interest rates was too good to pass up. Setting up my account was super fast and easy. It only took me minutes after that to set up auto withdrawals, and I can track and control everything from the app on my phone. I have no concerns about my Ally accounts, as they are always at the tip of my fingers.
call wait time used to be a few minutes, but became >30 min recently. very strange, and makes me nervous.
I have been with Ally for many years as a place to park my cash. They always have competitive rates and good choice of types of accounts. You might sometimes be able to find a bank with slightly higher rates but they tend to be inconsistent; Ally is always near the top.
But the real deciding factor is their great easy-to-use website. For example: I had a couple of Ally no-penalty CDs at 1.50% when Ally offered new ones at 1.75%. I wouldn't bother swapping for only 10 basis points, but a 25 point increase caught my attention. It literally took me less than 5 minutes to close both of my old accounts and use the proceeds to fund the new ones! No hassle, and I'm happy!
The only place they are lacking is customer service. The wait time to speak to a rep was about 30 min. and the chat wait time was even longer. But once I did make contact, the rep was efficient and knowledgable.
All in all, highly recommended.
Ally Bank has been nothing but helpful and easy to use for the many years I have banked with them. I originally opened a checking account with them because I was intrigued by the no cost of maintaining an account as well as the no ATM fees regardless of what ATM you use. They have stayed true to their word over all these years and still do not charge any fees for a checking account. I have since opened another checking account as well as a savings account with them and the process to do so was extremely simple and took less than five minutes. I can access all of my bank account through one login on the site or mobile app and all the information I need is displayed in an easy to understand way.
I have been banking with ally since 2012. I currently have checking, savings, and CD's. Initially I had to correct my wife's last name on our account as she has 2 last names and I only told ally of one of the last names, and they refused to cash her paycheck. Took them a week and a half to update my wife's last name, pretty lame. But I learned over the years online banks in general work slower at times to do basic stuff like getting a same day cashier's check to make your last payment on a house (not happening, it will take a week at least), just the nature of the beast.
I'm very happy with the trade off and ally's 24/7 I/M chat, no nonsense clearly laid out webpage, samsung pay compatible, and $15 checking atm fee reimbursement, is GREAT.
Working with Ally has been a great experience. They have a great interest rate on the money market that I have. It is easy to move money both to and from my accounts. Generally I see deposits within a 24 -48 hour period. I like that I can also use the check deposit with the app and it only takes about 24 hours to see the funds in my Money Market account. The only issue I've had is when I tried to add my significant other to my account, they would not accept his drivers license because it had a different address - we had recently moved in with each other and therefore his address had not been updated on his actual drivers license. Although they communicated well, we still have not been able to get him added to my account.
Called a few times to open an account. Always a wait of more than 20 minutes. Tried the chat feature 5 minutes ago I was #41 in queue. I am still #39 now. This is really terrible service!!
I have nothing but wonderful things to say about banking with Ally Bank. App and website are both very convenient, and the savings account has a great interest rate. When my account information was stolen (I've unfortunately been subject to a lot of data breaches in the last few years), Ally was swift to cancel my card, notify me, and work me through the charges. I was due to leave the country for an extended period of time, and they expedited a new debit card to me, free of charge. My one and only complaint is that it's difficult/impossible to get cash deposited into an account since it's online only. So if you work a job where a lot of your take-home pay is cash (e.g., working for a restaurant for tips), then you might want to consider a different bank. This isn't an issue for me, so it hasn't affected my rating.
Went to setup a savings account for my daughters and did not see any explanation for custodial accounts. Called and explained what I was looking for after holding for 8 mins. The rep then had to put me on hold while he "researches the solution" This happened twice during the call. Then said they could setup a UGMA account. I told him I will call back since that did not sound right. After checking it info online, it mentioned to call for custodial accounts. I then got another even lesser qualified CS agent who said she could help but required me to repeat everything at least 2-3x because she couldn't hear. I then asked if I could if there was a way I could enter the information online and she proceeded to direct me back to online to setup a UGMA/Trust account and said to check trust. What she failed to mention after I hung up was that Trust needed to be place before the account could be setup.
I then decided this wasn't a good start and proceeded to go to Discover which got setup (3 accounts) in 15 minutes with excellent service by the CSR on the phone. So disappointed with Ally given the strong reviews.
I use Ally mobile banking specifically for their savings account. I do not use any services except savings, and I have an in person bank for my checking account that I have set up transfers with to send money directly to my Allly account. When researching savings accounts, I came across the Ally savings account. There are no fees associated with this, and the interest rate, which started at 1.00% has only gone up - currently at 1.25%. The rate is why I initially chose ally. Their 'contact us' feature always ensures prompt responses. I had a question about referring friends and I received an answer immediately. I have found that Ally is not only trustworthy, but an excellent bank that provides the highest interest rate I have found.
My wife and I have been GMAC/Ally customers since 2005. Tried to open a new CD this week and was refused. Not a transactional account like a checking/savings account mind you, but a CD.
After 3 hours of chatting and talking on the phone with Ally, the reason. My wife's phone number on her profile (her cell phone), a number that hasn't changed on the bank site in 5 years, doesn't match what they think it should be.
Their "Internet records search" says in should be XXX-XXXX and her cell is YYY-YYYY, so her profile is locked. We have to prove to them we're not lying.
WTF?? Really, you trust a generic Internet records search over a decades long customer whose verified all their information multuple times! Between things like this and their ever decreasing web site functionality I'm about done with this bank!
Prior to my account with Ally, I have never used an online only bank. I received information about the bank when I secured my car loan through them at a reasonable rate. It was very easy to set up and fund. Additionally the options to set up a savings account or money market account is very user friendly. I have not used their customer service as of yet because I have not had an issue with the account or any of the services. The app is very user friendly as well and it has great self serve options. Only thing I would change: when making my car payment the only option is to link my bank account. Sometimes I would prefer to use another account and utilize my debit card but this is not an option unless you use a third party vendor and have a one time charge per transaction.
I have used Ally bank for the past 2 years and I can't imagine ever using another bank again. They have a fantastic app called that allows you to remotely deposit checks with Ally eCheck Deposit. You can also move funds from your Ally account to other bank accounts seamlessly. You can easily check your account balances with the app at any time of the day which is very convenient when budgeting for the week.
I also use Zelle within the app to pay other friends and family through their own bank accounts. It has no fee attached so it is a lot more cost-effective than using something like Paypal.
I have only had a few opportunities to use Ally's customer service but every time I have it has been a pleasant experience and I have always had my problems solved while I was on the phone in a timely manner.
I have had an awesome experience with this bank in general.There is excellent customer service and prompt feedback.There is also a high yield 12 month cds in my month and the annual percentage yield is 1.65% annually.I have banked with this online bank for quite sometime and I have been a satisfied customer.The bank easily allows me to monitor my accounts,by checking my balance,transaction history by simply logging in. its also easy to do a direct deposit without me lifting a finger.Am also able to use my phone to log in which makes it efficient for me.I can easily set alerts,pay bills,transfer money and manage my account from almost everywhere.
Excellent banking experience. The online banking interface is easy-to-use and provides all the normal features you would expect to see like transactions, transfers, withdrawals, interest tracking, etc. The online high-yield savings account offers fantastic rates that are much better than competitors. this account has no fees and no minimum balance requirements.
One potential downside to the high-yield savings account is that there's a limit on the number of withdrawals per monthly statement period (5 withdrawals). I've never personally had a problem with that as savings accounts typically do not need to be drawn from frequently.
I've been using this bank for over 7 years and am very pleased with them. Overall, I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a new bank or even to expand their financial portfolio.
I currently hold a number of savings accounts at Ally and I could not be happier with it. The application process was easy, and my monthly deposits are also very simple. I also like the online-only nature of the bank because it makes it less likely for me to tap into the accounts and spend frivolously. The interest rate is one of the best out there - as of the time of this writing it's at 1.25%, compounded daily. There are no fees I've experienced in the course of normal banking. The one time I had to use customer service, it was easy and I was able to reach a human in a minimal amount of time. Don't let the online-only nature scare you away. The layout is very user friendly and instinctual.
Great bank if you like having your money held hostage. This institution is a joke. Stay away!
I recently opened a new savings account at Ally Bank. I searched the internet for the best rate and they came up as the highest in the search engine. I went to their online site and read about the account. Once I was satisfied that I would not be paying any fees and did not need a large amount to open up the account, I proceeded to open the account. I was amazed at how quickly I was able to open the account, set up an electronic transfer to fund the account and then set up the recurring transfer that I was going to be doing monthly. I was also able to make it a joint account with my husband and there was a simple process for him to verify the account information for himself after I was done. I would definitely recommend Ally bank to someone for savings. If you want to get the best rate outside of the stock market, and you don't mind not having immediate access to you money, then Ally Bank is for you. It definitely is going to help me save money.
I've been a customer of Ally Bank now for about half a year, since switching over from another bank, due to higher interest rates. So far, I've had nothing but great experiences with Ally, though I have yet to speak to a customer service representative, simply because things have run so smoothly, that I haven't had to. Their interest rates are competitive, and some of the highest I've seen recently. Transferring money over is quick and easy, just link an external bank account and it just takes a click of a button. When you input the amount to transfer, they even have "pre-determined" amounts of $50, $100, $150, $200, etc...just to save you a little extra time typing. Transferring from your savings account is easy, as well, and quicker, as it only takes a day or two to appear in your bank account. My only little qualm so far is that it takes several days to transfer into your savings account, as opposed to transferring to an external bank.
I will be a customer of Ally as long as their service remains steady, and their interest rates remain competitive!
In 2013 my first child was born. I immediately began thinking about the future. What will he want to be when he grows up? Will he go to college? Military? Trade School? I knew I had to start saving no matter what he wanted to do. I did some research and came across online only banks. Ally seemed to be at the top of that list. After a bit more research I found that Ally had a savings account that was paying 10 times the national average. I immediately opened an account online. I set up direct deposit and the rest is history! I have had to call customer service a few times. One of those being when I changed jobs and needed to change direct deposit. I called in and the customer service rep was friendly and knowledgeable. She was able to process my request right away! I would recommend Ally to anyone!
We switched to Ally bank several years ago after seeing an ad for their great interest rates on checking/savings/CD accounts. We've been very happy with our decision to move our accounts to Ally. The customer service is very quick and efficient - if I have a question or need, I send a secure email and have an answer quickly. If I need to get cash out, I can do it at ANY ATM and the fee is reimbursed to my account - no need to search around for my bank's atm's! Another thing I love is that if we overdraw from checking, they will just pull it from savings with no fee. This has saved us a lot of money! And, the rates are still very competitive with other banks, so I'm confident we're getting the most bang for our buck.
I joined Ally Bank, an online bank, only at the beginning of this year. I did some research and went with Ally because they seemed to have the most experience and very good ratings overall by long time users. I spend a lot of time overseas and was looking to open a checking account with zero fees and a minimum opening deposit. I wanted something that was easy to use but safe and Ally offers a number of security steps to minimize andy breaches. The only reason that I gave it 4 stars in web/mobile experience is because, as an online bank, I would expect for certain services to be available 24/7. However, all the deposits I make on Fridays and weekends, I normally don't see in my account until Monday morning. I think you should be able to make a transfer or deposit to your account 364 days a year and be able to see the money in your account in real time. I'm not sure if that is the case with any bank, but I really think that, since everything is automated, it should be possible. The customer service reps are excellent and knowledgeable. They tried to help me open an account when I was overseas and, though it ended up being impossible and I had to wait till I got back home to NY, they still tried their best to help me. I appreciate their time and effort.
It has been a superb experience for me banking online with Ally bank. I was not that comfortable with the online bank only idea in the beginning. But once I used it, I never felt the need to physically visit the bank. The online site is very comfortable and user friendly. Never have I had any kind of issues till date. All the facilities are extremely useful. The facility has been perfectly to my taste when I need to urgently transfer money to someone. The transfer has been instant and hassle free. I would suggest this bank to anyone. Transfer of money to other banks have also been very good. My only concern is that fees are little bit on the higher side.
Honestly Ally is great for pretty much everyone. They don't have any minimum balance requirements, they don't have withdrawal limits or fees, they give a generous amount of interest on savings accounts. I'd had a savings account with them for multiple years now and I've never come across any problems. It's extremely easy to add a bank or set up a transfer to or from another account or bank. Depositing checks is also a breeze. You just scan the front and back, upload the pictures, and you're done! Easy as pie. Ally is honestly the easiest bank I've ever had to work with. If you ever do need customer support, the wait times are incredibly short at just a minute or so. I would highly recommend Ally to anyone who's tired of excessive fees for every little thing, or tired of being confused by poorly designed websites.
I started researching online banks in October due to the absolute low interest rate on CD's. I was somewhat leary of investing in such but after reading the reviews and the interest rates being paid, I decided to try Ally out for a small CD account. I opened a small CD account with no problems and very easy to do. I also like the app which is also easy to operate. I then opened a savings account and am having monthly transfers made with no problems. I found the customer service to be very helpful and can understand every word they speak. I am very happy here but I still maintain a checking account at my former bank Wells Fargo.
I have been using Ally Bank for my deposits for almost two years now. At first I was leery, having never used an online bank solution before, but their sign-up process was easy enough and once I linked my payroll to them to set up direct deposits the rest was a breeze. They typically get me my deposits either the SAME business day they're sent through or the very next morning at the latest. As opposed to my usual credit union, that's a surprisingly quick turn around time. My only wish was that their app, Ally Mobile, was more user friendly. It sometimes glitches out on me when I'm trying to check my balance, forcing me to log back in. Other than that, I have no interest in pursuing other banking options at this time.
I had been using Ally Bank for all my banking needs. When my wife and I decided we should start saving for a housing down payment, My other bank's interest rate wasn't cutting it. I heard some great reviews about Ally's 1.00% APR and we decided to jump in. Since joining, the rate climbed to 1.25%! Transferring funds to and from our account is super simple, their app is super intuitive and user friendly, and we have not had any problems, only good experiences.
I thought I would try out an online banking experience by trying Ally Bank. There were a lot of advertisements on my television for the company so I decided to bank with them. The account was easy to open and the deposit and withdrawal process was easy as well. I did have an occurrence when my account was hacked and it was a pain trying to get the customer service to dispute the money that was withdrawn from my account fraudulently. I had to speak to multiple people regarding the issue and it took about two weeks to correct the issue. There were fees associated with the account everytime I used an ATM which I also did not like. Overall I am happier banking with a bank that has a physical office I can go to.
I love banking online with Ally Bank. I like to use their app on my phone to manage my account. Their checking account and savings account both are free and offer decent rates. I can take a picture of any check and deposit it straight into my account. I can easily transfer money between my accounts, which is nice whenever I need to cover an extra expense. I like their online chat platform and the people have been easy to work with. Overall, I would recommend them and have recommended them to several family members who, like me, don't have the time to go to a physical bank.
I was hesitant at first about using an online only bank but after seeing the interest rates for my savings account, I was sold. Since it is 2017 and you can do so many things via the internet, the days of the brick and mortar bank branches are over. First of all, the majority of my income is deposited into my bank account via direct deposit. And with the feature of depositing a check with the Ally mobile app, it saves me a lot of time. Also, the fact that Ally will waive up to $10 ATM fees, I will just take out about $200 a month and also I just don't like carrying cash with me. I've had Ally for my car loan and the customer services was just so exceptional that I had to look into getting a checking and savings account with them. The entire process was very quick and straightforward and the rates is amazing. I'm even thinking about getting an Ally credit card from them as well.
About two months ago, I opened an online bank account with Ally online bank. I love the ease of access and the customer service. The set up only took about 20 minutes! I now deposit all of my finances to the account. The debit card and checks arrived easily too. Overall, the experience with Ally bank has been wonderful.
Ally has really been a very easy to use and stress free online banking option. I make a lot of transfers and by far they had the fastest of any other institutions I have used. You transfer and the money is there the very next day. Their rates as far as savings seem to be way better than any traditional bank I've seen. The account opening process was very easy and stress free. Best of all their services are completely free. The only disadvantage is that they do not have physical branches so if you have cash to deposit that you need available quickly you are in a disposition but fortunately I don't come across that problem a lot. Overall I would highly recommend Ally to anyone looking for a great online bank.
Ally Bank was my first experience with online banks, and to be honest, I wasn't too keen on it. I wasn't sure I trusted the idea of giving a bank my money, when they didn't have a physical place for me to go and get assistance if needed. I was worried about being scammed. Ally Bank truly showed me that not all banks are created equal. I prefer and still use them for my savings accounts. Every time I call customer service, they are always ready and enthusiastic about helping me, which makes me feel safe to continue using them. The interest rate is excellent as well. The interest rate for online banks is typically higher than brick and mortar banks; which is true in this case . The interest rate is higher than most other online banks as well.
All in all, it has been a wonderful experience with them and I'm sure it will continue being so. I recommend them to everyone who is looking for a savings account.
I had some extra money and wanted to deposit it into an account that would offer high interest so I could gain money. This money was previously in my checking account at Compass bank, and my particular account did not have any interest, so my money was just sitting there and not gaining any money. I did some research online, and found Ally Bank. It is an online bank and they offer many different savings accounts, CDs, checking accounts, etc. I was a little skeptical because I had never used an online-only bank account before. After doing some research, I found them to be a reputable and reliable bank. This gave me confidence in the security of the bank. Further research revealed that they offered the highest interest I could find online (at the time I believe it was 1.05%, compounded daily), and now it is 1.20%. I am very happy with the interest rate, and their customer service department is available 24/7. They have an online chat feature which is very convenient and the agents are very knowledgeable and helpful. I would recommend this bank to anyone who wants a high interest rate and great customer service.
I absolutely love Ally. I previously had Chase bank for about 7 years and had so many hassles with them: fees, low interest rates, issues causing me to have to physically go to the bank, etc. All of those problems disappeared with Ally. They reimburse ATM fees in case I ever need to take out cash, I can deposit checks easily from my phone, send money to people on my phone, and I get AMAZING interest rates. I'm getting the same rate on my checking account now that I used to get on my savings, and my savings rate is over 10 times as much! The only complaint I have is that there is no way to deposit cash, but that's such a minor issue compared to all the positives. I recommend Ally to absolutely everyone, it's just such a better way to bank than traditional banks.
I deposited a tax refund check a month after I opened my account. Ally completely locked me out of online and mobile access to my account for 5 business days because they couldn’t reach the issuer of the check to verify the check. They also cancelled my prescheduled incoming ach transfer during this period ( initiated from ally account).
Luckily I’m not using this accoubt to pay my bills so the impact for me is minimal but I can see this being a big problem for some.
I asked if they could put a hold on the check but still let me log into my account but they said there was no such option. This seems unreasonable as I never had problem cashing or depositing checks with any other bank.
I am astonished at the incompetence of this company. 2 weeks ago, my husband noticed fraudulent charges, completely out of line with our typical account activity. When I called to report it they said they would put a dispute in and shut the card down for me. 2 days later we found the rest of our account had been completely drained. When I called to inquire why, they had allowed the people fraudulently using our account to reopen it and drain the rest of the funds. They never notified us that our card was being used in a different part of the country or for large cash withdrawls which is completely unlike us AND they allowed them to continue even after I reported the fraud and shut the card down. They actually reopened the card for them. Over the next few days I spent countless hours on the phone with numerous customer service representatives who had no idea what they were doing and could not offer me any additional security on my account. About 5 days after the initial report, I spoke with a representative who informed me the first representative had never filed a dispute. So they lied and did nothing to help me get the funds back. That representative disputed the fraudulent activity. At this point, daycare, the mortgage, and electric bill are not getting paid. They assured me my case was the highest priority for their loss prevention team, then assigned it to someone on vacation. Finally, they gave me a provisional credit for the funds and now won't let me access it so now, 2 weeks later, we are still unable to pay our mortgage or any other bills. I just spend hours on the phone being bounced around to different departments all with no idea what they are doing. I can't go into a branch to see a person either. Also, I've compared their security to other banks and it's pitiful. Even my credit union allows a secret password on the account but they don't. Most other banks allow a security code to be sent to your phone or email before being able to get access to the account when speaking with a rep. They don't (although they have the option for online login, but that did nothing to protect me). We will never bank here again.
I moved from my small hometown earlier this year. Which means I had to find a new bank. I chose Ally because of their high interest rate savings account. I was able to transfer my monies to them with ease and they haven't given me any trouble when ever I have questions or concerns about the product they are offering. I feel that my money is safe in their hands and it is nice knowing that my savings are earning some decent interest instead of just sitting there like at my previous bank. As for my checking account that I use a debit card with. It has given me no troubles what so ever and their mobile app allows me to keep track of my balance whenever I want.
My experience with Ally has been great. I'm a very light user, and haven't delved into CDs, investing, etc., beyond basic savings and checking usage. A big reason for this was because I move very often, and their mobile app and support is fantastic. Depositing checks from my phone is very simple. The app has a built in scanner to take pictures of the checks. Their customer support is great as well. I tried to withdraw money from an ATM that did not give any cash but still marked itself as having done so. Their customer support refunded the money to my checking account in half an hour.
One of the other features that is very nice with their deposit accounts is the lack of a minimum balance combined with a nice interest rate. My interest on my savings account is 1.19% APY. So, that's nice. Also, any ATM withdrawal fee is refunded to my account within 48 hours.
I'm sorry I can't give you much more than the most casual of usage, but I hope the information is helpful.
I originally opened my Ally savings account because of the great interest rates. However, since I have had the account for the last three years, I have decided that it is the best banking experience I've had so far. First, if I want to withdraw money, I have to really think about if I need it because it is not readily accessible. I can't just drive up to a brick and mortar location and take the money out. However, if I do need the money for something, I am able to transfer it to my other checking account and use it accordingly with no fees charged. I like this feature very much. In addition, Ally seems to truly care about my privacy and security and makes sure that my information is kept safe.
I have been a long-standing customer of brick and mortar type banks, but after a recent move to a location that is not within reasonable distance to my usual bank, I opted to try an online bank. The process for signing up for an account was seamless and my partner was easily added to my account via a signature and return envelope. I have only needed to speak with their customer service representation on one occasion and my question was answered quickly with minimal hold time on the phone. The ability to take photos through the app for check deposit is incredibly easy and I have not yet needed to take multiple pictures of my check because it blurry or out of angle like I have done with my previous banking institution. I also like that my limit on check deposits is higher so if I have multiple higher dollar check amounts I do not have to hold onto them for several days. I am also impressed that they offer interest on my checking account with charging huge fees to just keep my money with them, let alone be required to have a high balance to avoid any fees, they are perfect for the typical working person. I recently recommended Ally.com to a friend who was having issues obtaining an account at a local back because she hadn't yet had her license changed to reflect her new address. With Ally.com this was not an issue and she was able to get an account that day. I feel that my money is safe with this institution and have the customer's needs in mind.
Not having branches is no problem. The app and website are both great and contain all the functionality you could need. Waiving ATM fees means accessing cash is always easy. Customer service is quick to reach. Free Webroot antivirus is a nice bonus. No fees for checking, plus a small amount of interest on the account are great features. Very low overdraft fee as well.
I chose this bank because I moved away from my hometown where I only used a local bank. I needed to be able to make deposits online and use it primarily on mobile. I emailed customer service with some general questions, and they replied almost immediately by answering but not pushing me to join the bank. It included all the things I need, like using my Masterpass or using my Microsoft Wallet. I never have to worry about my information being discovered by a third party or there being a data breach, which is similar to my former local bank but something I value in a bank I didn't know much about that I took a chance on using. I also use an Ally credit card and it allows me to get a 2% cash back on grocery stores and for getting gas. It isn't a lot but it's something, a little perk that makes me feel a little better about spending money sometimes. I had an issue once where I was charged a $1 fee at a gas station 3 times instead of just once, and Ally resolved it for me right away. I don't have anything bad to say about them, and I prefer them over any big name bank out there because the experience is more personal and just as secure.
I've been banking with Ally for more than 5 years and only have positive things to say. They have very attracting CD and, checking, and savings account interest rates, along with very accessible customer service. Their website is very easy to use and navigate and the lack of fees are very very good. I have no intention of ever switching to a brick and mortar or other online bank, as ally has everything that suits my needs - an efficient and reliable bank that I can access easily online. It's also very easy to link accounts at other banks for quick and efficient ach transfers and the debit cards have very good fee rebates. Every time I've called their customer service, I have never had to wait long either.
I highly recommend using ally bank. I know they also specialize in car loans, but that is one of the few services that they offer that I have not used, but would consider doing so in the future, due to my positive experiences with everything else that they offer.
I recently opened an account with Ally Bank. The setup was incredibly easy and straightforward. Getting the account ready to go took less than 2 days with a transfer of money from my old bank. Both the checking and savings account offer very competitive interest rates, I believe the savings account has one of the best rates available. The only downside is if you forget your password to your online account you have to make a phone call, which can be annoying. Many other institutions offer sending a new password setup key via email or phone.
Last year my local bank decided to upgrade their web portal. It was basically a disaster. I was locked out of my account for nearly a week at a time when I needed to retrieve records for some financial statements. This was very inconvenient. They kept sending emails saying oops, this hasn't worked like we thought it would so it will be just another couple of days and you can access your account. Not only could I not access my savings and checking account, but I was blocked from my bill pay as well. It was at that point I started looking elsewhere for a place to do my banking. I had taken several loans from Ally in the past so I looked into starting an account with them. Come to find out that since I had taken loans from them before, I already had an account. All I had to do was choose the savings and checking options to start banking there so I did. Transferring my funds was painless and I was suprised to find out that even though I couldn't log into my old account, I could still transfer the funds from Ally. I was concerned about deposits since they don't have a local brick and mortar store but it turns out I can make deposits on paper checks even easier by using the camera on my phone. Wait time for help is never very long and they are always super helpful and patient. In the end, I kept my accounts at my old bank but do all of my banking and bill pay from Ally now because I like it there. They have better rates too.
I was skeptical about joining ALLY bank because of the commercials and making sure I wasn't jumping into something just because of advertising. However, I was surprised from the start. Their fees are low and their customer service is really great. I liked how it is very easy to get someone on the phone rather than having to wait for 20+ minutes at my brick and mortar bank. Everything at ALLY is black and white, you aren't trying to figure out fee's or what checks aren't depositing. They are the most consistent bank I've ever banked with. It's convenient for me because I can make mobile deposits from my phone and I have the money the next day. Rarely do they hold any checks and that's what I'm looking for in a bank. Their savings interest rates are great to because they don't have the over head that brick and mortar banks do. I recommend them to anyone looking for something else with a bank. I highly recommend and you won't be disappointed!!
I have been a customer of Ally Bank for several years and currently have a checking and savings account there. In the past, I have also bought CD's from Ally when I didn't need to use the money for a year or two. Even though it's only an online bank with no physical branches, I think it's the best bank! It has 24/7 customer service, using employees in the United States who are very helpful and have always been polite and knowledgable. It also pays one of the highest interest rates for checking and savings accounts, and its fees are easy to find on the website. Because it has no physical branches, Ally also refunds all ATM fees (without requiring me to do anything) from any location in the United States. Ally Bank allows for check deposits using my phone camera, which is very easy to use. They have also recently started using the chip technology on all debit cards to help protect me from identity theft. What more could I want from a bank than excellent interest rates, 24-hour customer service, free nationwide ATM's, and banking online at any time. Great company!
I was in the market for a higher yield savings account for short term savings (I work as a teacher, so I was saving money for the summer months). I began by searching for the highest interest rates for online only banks. I had a whole list of banks to look at. I first checked their interest rates, their fees, and then their reviews. One after another they all had poor reviews, mostly relating to the same thing: changing interest rates. From reading all these reviews and a few articles, I learned that many online only accounts will offer really high interest rates to entice people to join, and then drop down below the average online banks. So then I began looking at some of the bigger more well known online banks, and came to Ally. Ally caught my attention for having a decent interest rate, no fees, good customer service, an app, mobile check depositing, and an advertised 10-minute or less sign up. So I decided on Ally. It really did take only 10 minutes to sign up. It did take me an additional day to link my checking account though, as I had to wait for their two random deposits to verify my account. This all happened just two days ago, so I have not funded my account yet, but I have used the website and app to get my feel for using it, and both are very user friendly.
Ally Bank is a solid online bank that offers competitive interest rates for new savings accounts. Basically, the more money you have to stow away, the more able you are to fully utilize what Ally has to offer. I like to call my Ally Savings Account my "rainy day fund" because it is easy to maintain and it seems secure and safe. I have opened CD accounts with them in the past which has been nice. I have deposited funds into the account via check which is easy to do, and customer service is a delight to deal with. If you ever need the funds that you save with Ally, you can link a separate bank account to it and withdrawals take about 1-2 days, which is great and fast. Overall I am impressed with Ally.
I have had an Ally savings account for over three years now. I like it so much that about a year ago I opened another savings account. The automatic transfers are easy to set up and make recurring. The interface is easy to use and view exactly where my accounts are at. In particular I like the interest rate that I earn, which is far superior to any rate that I would receive from a typical brick-and-mortar bank. I would highly recommend Ally to anyone that is interested in setting up a savings account. The interest rates alone make it worth it, and getting money in and out is just as easy as with a traditional bank.
Ally has the best dedicated savings account I have ever used. This would be my third account for savings and I have had the best experience with Ally. It is now the only savings account that I use. They make the transfer process incredibly easy and straight forward. I am able to deposit checks directly into this account. I love the ease of using both their online website as well as their mobile application on my phone. And the best point is their interest rate. It is one of the highest available for a no fee savings account and has gradually risen even higher since I first opened the account. I would highly recommend getting an ally account to anyone interested in opening a dedicated savings account.
For years I've had a savings account at a popular chain of banks. I have no problems with that bank; however, I finally got tired of earning .1% return on my savings account. I put up with it for so long because I was expecting to use that money and didn't expect to have it in the account for that long. Well, months turned to years and I finally sat down and figured out how much I lost in interest compared to an online bank. So I pulled the funds and opened an account at Ally. Now I earn over 1%. True, 1% isn't that much more exciting than .1% but it's better than being spat on and I'll find a use for the extra hundreds of dollars per year.
I needed to start saving money. Having a lack of experience on what to look for in a Savings Account, I did research online and found Ally. They have extremely competitive rates and are often higher than other banks especially when it comes to their savings accounts. I love not having to go anywhere and deal with anyone, however, their customer service is very helpful if you happen to need it. I chose an online only account because I figured it would help with discipline. My experience has been great and I have had no problems! I will continue to bank with them and appreciate their awesome service. Thanks Ally!
I started using Ally banking services a few years ago and it's been one of the greatest decisions of my life. First of all, the convenience of being able to get everything done online on my phone or computer without needing to drive to the bank has become such a huge time-saver for me. I only have a savings account with them, but Ally offers one of the highest annual percentage yield that I've seen for savings accounts. And there's also no monthly fees for having an account with them, which is also super awesome. Signing up with them literally only took like a minute and it's just been a pleasure handling my finances with Ally ever since. The one thing that has been kind of a hassle though is their limitation on how many checks I can write every month. They restrict me to only writing 6 checks per month using Ally, which I was worried about at first, but I rarely ever need to actually write checks these days so it's been ok so far on that front.
I was able to open an account on this site so easily. I had a lot of fun setting it up. I got some info in the mail from them and I was ready to go. The customer service was really good. The man I talked to on the phone told me about how they work and I was not sure about them, since they were an online only bank. My favorite thing about this bank is the fact that they do not have an annual fee. That is a huge thing with me. The last bank I was with had a fee of six dollars a month. This is one of the only banks that does not have a fee. They also have interest compounded daily, which is really unique.
I banked with Ally Bank for a short time while I was living abroad. It was easy to keep track of my finances with their online services. I was pleased that I was able to contact customer service with any issues and still get what I need... it wasn't difficult like I thought it was going to be. I was pleased that I was able to monitor my accounts while feeling like my funds were safe. I used primary checking and savings with automatic payments set up and had very rare issues with anything for the year or so that I used Ally Bank. The transition to an account when I got back to the states was easy too! Overall, I was happy with how this worked, especially since it wasn't an ideal situation.
Ally is an excellent online banking institution. I found it on numerous searches and best lists for places to store money. It has very low fees. Interest rates are some of the best for savings accounts as well as cd's. I have savings, money market, and Cds with ally. I feel that my money grows more quickly. It is federally insured as well so I feel secure having my money wth them. Customer support is top notch. They are always quick to assist my needs. I get assistance and help immediately. I have never felt frustrated with this banks. Previous banks left me feeling taken advantage of
Ally Bank offers premier mobile and online banking and savings accounting. Their high yield savings account boasts consistently at or above average interest rates (currently 1.20% APY). They also have no maintenance fees, and offer a very user-friendly, efficient online banking scheme. Their online notification system is excellent (using emails and online inboxes) to provide updates pertinent to the account such as interest rate changes. The restrictions on accounts are clearly defined and communicated (for example a maximum number of transactions limit per account cycle). Ally offers a wide variety of online products, such as CDs, Money Markets, Interest Checking, High Interest Savings, IRAs, and loans. Overall, this bank gets a 5 out of 5 stars rating. I would highly recommend this bank to friends and family.
I opened an account with Ally bank, from my bedroom on the computer. I did not need to get up and get ready and go anywhere. My account was up and running in under 15 minutes. All items I needed were mailed to me. A debit card, checks, deposit slips and self-addressed envelopes. The rates are very good and all my transactions are done through their app. When I use my card at an ATM and there is a charge, I receive that money back at the end of the month. There are no maintenance fees. This is by far the best bank I have ever used in my life. Brick and mortar banks are in the past and online only banks are the way of the future.
I have had several accounts with Ally bank for at least 8 years; savings, checking, CD, Money market, and IRA. I have transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars in and out of these accounts while buying and selling real estate. I have not had even one bad experience with this bank.
Customer service is excellent. The representatives are very efficient, and have always resolved my questions to my complete satisfaction. Transactions are always timely.
The web site is intuitive and very easy to navigate. I rarely need to contact customer service since I can handle almost everything myself. When I make transfers to other financial institutions I know exactly when I am going to receive my money. There is a graphical interface on the opening page that gives a clear picture of how your money is allocated among my accounts. This is my favorite banking site.
The interest rate at Ally is always higher than the major banks and the credit union that I belong to. They even offer a credit card that gives a nice cash back opportunity if you deposit the "cash" in an Ally account.
I really enjoy using Ally bank. I used to be a Chase user for my savings, but when I signed up for Ally I definitely felt like I was dealing with a more trustworthy bank. I really like their interest rate they provide for the customers for savings. I also think it's has more mobility then most online banks. I think they need to start being a bit more competitive because other companies are catching on and doing the same thing, but the truth is is that they did it first. That makes what they offer more believable to me. It's very accessible for an online bank, and I like that I'm able to check out money a decent amount of times per month (about 5 I think). Overall, they're a very good bank, and I'll recommend it to anyone that is looking for a new place to stash their savings.
I decided to switch my short term and long term savings accounts from a brick and mortar retail with my current banking institution (Bank of America) to an entirely online bank account with Ally.
The main reason I decided to switch was to make it more of a "hassle" to get to for lack of a better word. I thought that if my savings were not tied to my main account it would be easier to forget about and save accordingly.
If I were to transfer the money back to another account, I could do so in 24 hours. I love the ease of accessing my money in the case of an emergency. Also - I automatically draft a certain dollar amount out of each check to each account which is a breeze. Monthly, I transfer money from Bank of America to Ally, which is not as difficult as I thought it originally may have been.
I would highly recommend an online bank account to anyone, specifically Ally. I currently earn 1 percent interest on my available funds in the account, which is leaps and bounds higher than any other lending institution would have provided. The APY is high, the convenience of doing business, and the ease of accessing my funds are my main reasons for sticking with Ally. I highly recommend them.
I have been banking with Ally for about 1 year. I like how they have excellent customer service. I opened a checking account with them because they offered an interest-based checking account with low minimums. It is very easy to access my account, deposit money, withdraw/transfer money and set up direct deposit. I only keep a small amount in here at most times. It comes in very handy when I travel and need reserve funds in case my wells fargo account puts a hold on my checking/credit card. It has happened before and Ally has helped out a lot. I don't use any other services other than a checking account through Ally but I know they offer many. I only wanted a checking account through a strictly online banking institution and Ally has provided me with everything that I need and exceeded my expectations.
I've been an Ally Bank member for a little over a year and I have been very happy with the experience. At first I was a little apprehensive because I have always dealt with brick and mortar banks, but I felt it was time to give this one a try. What was most appealing to me was the interest rate, which was well over 1% at the time I joined. It's not much, but it is something and it adds up over time. In addition to the interest rate, you also don't have any of the typical fees that you get with a traditional bank. They even reimburse you for ATM transactions. I have several bank accounts and what I can say is that there is absolutely no difference between how I interact with Ally and how I do 98% of my transactions with my other banks. Looking back I have had no issues with Ally.
As the title says, signing up and using Ally Bank for checking and savings services is easy and convenient. I was looking for a good online bank that I could have my online business/work income be deposited into. I wanted something that either had a low or no signup fee. Ally Bank allowed me to signup rather easily and required no signup fee. I was given a checking and savings account within minutes and I was able to start using this account once I made my first deposit. I was sent a Mastercard debit card within two weeks and some temporary checks. Having this account is rather convenient in that I can use their mobile app to access information about my account such as balances, deposits, and withdrawals at the touch of a button. I've had this account for over a year now and it's been a pleasure doing business with this institution and I would highly recommend this for anyone who has no need for visiting an actual brick and mortar bank.
I love Ally Bank! I love the fact that they don't have fees for transfers, ATMs, or on their accounts. It makes me feel like I'm not constantly being charged money for the use of my money. Their online banking is easy to use and I love their app. I'm able to deposit checks using my phone. The customer service people are helpful and you don't have to wait too long waiting on assistance. And another awesome thing is that they refund any ATM charges you have. Wonderful.
I have both a checking account and several savings accounts with Ally Bank due to their high interest rates and how easy it is to open accounts with them. The account opening process takes minutes and there are no minimum balance requirements. Every single time I've called customer service, I've had such a great experience. Their customer service representatives are knowledgeable available 24/7.
The most recent account I opened was an additional savings account. I called because I had questions about the transfer limits and the representative didn't just answer my question, but explained why there were transfer/withdrawal limits on savings accounts. She took the time to explain how the federal regulation that governs these accounts limits my withdrawals and talked to me about my activity and whether or not that would be a good account for me. She was not only immensely helpful, she went out of her way to explain the situation to me - which is something I've never had a bank representative do for me.
I have banked with Ally since 2012 when interest rates were very low and I was looking to maximize my earnings. Ally had 10x the savings rate of my then current bank which excited me to switch. Since switching I have been happy with their ATM fee reimbursement (since they don't have their own locations) and their expanding services. It is convenient to be able to use one service to manage my money and this has simplified my financial management. I enjoy their free check deposit function where you just take a picture of your check. I have never had a check rejected and this service has worked well.
I already had a bank account with a major bank in the United States, but I had just started earning income from a side job, and I wanted an account to keep the money in that was completely separate from my main bank account. I checked a few online banks, and Ally seemed like a straightforward and trustworthy site. Plus, the 1.15% interest seemed like a nice added benefit.
It was simple to open my account, but I ran into some problems when I tried to sync my Ally account with my major bank account. I'm not sure whose fault it was, but when I tried again the next day, the problem had resolved itself.
Ally was a good choice for what I need if for -- a safe way to keep track of and store my money.
My experience with Ally bank has been nothing but positive. I currently have my emergency fund in a high interest savings account with Ally bank. Their interest rate on basic savings accounts simply blows every brick-and-mortar bank out of the water. The mobile app is very easy to use and aesthetically pleasing. I have only called their customer service line once; but the customer service was exceptional in this one experience. Overall, I highly recommend Ally bank, especially for their high interest cash accounts.
I have been banking with Ally Bank for the last few years. I have multiple savings accounts with them, each set up to have fund automatically transferred to them each month. The interface, both online and in their app, is intuitive and easy to use. I can see my balances at a glance and can easily navigate to different accounts to check them in more detail. The interest rate is much better than ones that I get at my other brick and mortar bank. While not astronomical, I at least feel that I'm losing less money to inflation than I am at my other bank. Further, I do not pay any fees to my online bank, and they allow plenty of transfers and amounts for my needs.
When I started searching for a bank I had two goals in mind: My first goal was to find a bank that had a decent savings account where my money would be somewhat hedge against inflation. Most bank pay a paltry and dismal .01% interest rate for you lending them your money, quite an insult really. Ally stood out among the top banks having interest rates, even higher than some CD's. It was fortunate that my first goal tied with my second goal when I chose ally, they were pretty easy to use. Throughout setting up my account and moving my money between banks, ally made the process really easy and I felt secure while doing it as well. Even when I've had to call customer support they've made the process really painless. Overall it's been a good 2 years with ally.
I've been a customer for Ally Bank for about six years now. I was at first reluctant to open another bank account because I already had accounts in other popular local banks, let alone the fact that I wasn't comfortable with an idea of an internet only bank. My brother had an account with them and he approached me and said that Ally Bank offers the best services and an unmatched customer experience. The process for opening a new account is straightforward and they even offer bonus to anyone who refers up to 5 people to them. Since I was a bit dissatisfied with the services I was getting at other banks, I decided to give Ally a try by opening a checking account with them. My account is always secure and I get all important notifications. The maintenance fees are also reasonable and their customer service is excellent. I would definitely recommend this bank to anyone looking for a customer friendly and easy to access financial institution.
This bank blows all other banks out of the water in my opinion. Setting up your accounts is so much easier than any other bank. You do it all from your phone instead of going into a bank. I chose this bank because of convenience; it's all done through your phone. They have I think the best fees of anyone almost none! I have overdraft protection so if my checking goes over it automatically takes from my savings. The app shows you how many transactions left you have from taking money from your savings to checking before a fee would occur. They give you back any fee that was taken from any atm's at the end of the month which is amazing. To deposit money you just take a picture of the check on the app and it get's deposited the only downfall is you can not deposit cash. They have amazing customer service you call and are connected to a real person right away.
I had reached a point where I found banking to be frustrating with wait lines in the drive through teller and always having to adjust my hours around the limited hours my local bank was opened on Saturday. In a Money magazine article, I found a recommendation for Ally. I was immediately pleased with the ease of opening an account. Even more impressively was that they had ATM's that could be accessed in my area without a fee. Be SURE to check their ATM locations - you may be pleasantly surprised. My banking experience with Ally has been limited to Savings and Checking but the experience has been painless. I would rarely ever call in but once lost an Debit Card connected to my Savings and called in and received excellent service. Another call-in experience over an inquiry into the CD's was just average but nothing bad and worthwhile to think about. Most pleasant for me has been the rate of savings. While still nowhere near the level they are during the Clinton era, the APY on the Savings is currently 1.15 which is many times more than the measly 0.05 percent offered at the local bank. While I'm not a rich person, I do enjoy seeing money add to my hard-earned savings. The checking has been worthwhile as well. While I rarely ever write checks unless it is for an offering at the church, I have found they are easily cleared just as quickly as my local bank was. Overall, I'm a very happy customer and would recommend Ally to many working professionals who may not have the time during their busy workday to visit a local bank.
I opened a high yield savings account with Ally Bank. At the time, the annual interest rate was 1%, which was twenty times higher than my local bank's interest rate. I wanted a place to park my money where it would be safe and earn more interest. The customer service with Ally has been very good. The mobile app makes it easy to deposit checks I receive. One downside is that cash must be deposited by mail.
I created an online savings account with Ally Bank to take advantage of their more favorable account interest rates compared to brick and mortar banks. The application process was significantly more onerous that it should have been; after completing the application process provided by the bank I spent several hours on the phone on hold with their customer service because of some unknown error with their system. After spending several hours on the phone, I finally managed to be elevated to a customer service agent who actually had the pertinent information about the problem, they told me they didn't know what the problem was and that I had wasted my time on the phone because the problem would need to be addressed at a later date.
Over a week later I was eventually contacted by the bank, and they informed me that my account was available to use. I deposited funds, and was, if not pleased, at least content with my choice to create the account. The interest is still laughably low, but at least it's better than any brick and mortar interest rate.
I have had an online savings account at Ally Bank for the last 3 years. The company is awesome and I have not ever had any problems. The type of account I have does not have any monthly fees associated with it, which I really like because it saves me money by not having to worry about keeping a minimum amount in there at all times. It also has competitive interest rates compared to my bank that I can physically go to, which is nice. The last thing I really like is that when I want money available in my checking account (at another bank), as long as I initiate the transaction early enough in the day, it's available the very next business day! Ally Bank is a very good online bank.
First of all, I absolutely love Ally bank. Yes, I've had a few issues, mainly because of my fault, but their customer service is one of the best in the business. One incident I had was, I forgot my login to my account, so I called them to see if I could reset the password. Within five minutes, I was able to login to my account again. It's simple to receive statements online, and to transfer money around when needed to wherever I want virtually. Also, who doesn't like to deposit a check simply by taking a picture of it from your phone? Overall, I'm very satisfied with Ally Bank and have no complaints so far.
I opened a checking and savings account with Ally before moving to another state. I did it in 3 minutes online, and it was verified, my money transferred, and ready to go in a matter of 3 days. We are now able to deposit checks simply by sending a picture of the check. I received a debit card but was having trouble getting it activated. The online support was readily available and guided me through the process in a few moments. There customer service by phone or chat line has been superb when I have had a question. I have not had any hidden or ridiculous fees, and the paper checks are free. I also receive over 1% return on my savings account, an unheard of amount compared to other banks I used in the past. I even get .1 percent return on my checking account. Ally offers a number of options on cd's and IRA's. I transferred a portion of my savings to a long-term cd and enjoy over 2% APY. The online interface is simply and easy to use. I just appreciate the no gimmick, customer service, and convenience of this bank.
I have had a total of two CD's from this bank in the past 5 years. I bought CDs from this bank because they had the highest rate when I first bought one 5 years ago, although the return on my money was still not very good. When that CD matured, I cashed it in and later bought another one because Ally Bank was still offering the best interest. I got the type of CD where you get to raise your rate once if the interest rate goes up. I have enrolled in the notification feature where they are supposed to notify me if the interest rate goes up. I don't believe I have ever been notified, and I haven't checked to make sure that the rate has not gone up. When the CDs mature and renew, you get a little bit more interest. They send me the appropriate forms for income tax every January (or maybe they just email me), so that is simple enough. I had to call their customer service once and the representative was very friendly and helpful.
I have had nothing but positive experiences since I opened my Ally account 2.5 years ago. I switched from a bank that would nickel and dime me with random fees. Since joining Ally, I've made money with the great interest rates across three accounts. Their app is extremely easy to use, depositing money is quick, and I can transfer money effortlessly. If I need cash, there are multiple machines that I can withdraw from without any fees. Their online chat is a great way to speak with customer service on my own time. All of my fears about not having a physical address to visit were resolved, and I have never had a headache needing to sort out money matters. I would recommend this bank to absolutely anyone, and I am now a devoted customer of Ally.
I bank with Ally Bank. I currently have an interest checking account with them, and am quite satisfied with them. They offer a great APY, one of the highest for banks in the nation. Transfers are fairly quick, usually within a couple days at most. I use the mobile banking app to view my balance most often. While they do not have any ATMs, they pay you back the ATM fees for the first 3 withdrawals each month from other banks ATMs I believe. Also you can always just get cash back at the grocery store as well. While my balance is usually pretty low, I don't feel any less of a valued customer than probably anyone else does. They also send feee checks to use should I want to or need to, although I have not ever written a check while at my current bank thus far. They also have prompt, and polite customer service. As they don't have physical branches, this is quite necessary as you do all interactions with people who work at the bank over the phone. Overall, I believe Ally Bank is one of the best primarily online banks you could choose.
Ally Bank is a wonderful way to bank. It is completely online so they offer better interest yields. The wait times for service is comparable to your typical bank, if not faster, and that's only if you need to call. Usually, I can do everything through their app or through my computer. The checking account and savings account have no monthly fees so I don't feel like I'm having money taken out for no reason. I would highly recommend them and have many times.
When it was time for me to open a new checking account, I wanted to do something different than use an old brick and mortar store. I thought that they weren't necessary anymore, and so I looked into online banks, and chose the one I heard was best, which was Ally. I was right, you don't need a bank with physical locations, and Ally turned out to be the best bank I've ever used. It has a checking account with no minimum amount, and no fees. The interest rate is fine, and everything about the experience is smooth and easy, from depositing checks (using your smartphone), to paying bills, to using ATMs (the app shows you which in your area are free), to transferring money digitally. It's all there, and I have absolutely no reason to switch back to a "normal" bank. Oh, and their customer service is quick and painless, 24/7. Ally has really impressed me.
My mom started this savings bank account for me when I was 17. She wanted me to be a good saver and she thought this online bank would be the best way for me to do that. She started it out with $500. So then when I would get paid at my job I would automatically have $50 withdrawn from my checking and put into my Ally savings, which I still do today. The money in that account has grown beyond my wildest belief and I just keep adding to it. I think the 1.15% interest rate is the best out there. I really have no complaints with this bank.
Since I have never had to use their customer service but once, all I can say is that one time was a good experienced. I got help with what I needed and I did not have any problems. I never have any issues, except for that one time, with this bank. I just let my money grow. If I do need to use some for some reason, I have no problem getting to the money in my account. I absolutely love this bank and I am really glad my mom opened it for me. If you want to save and watch your money grow, then this is the bank for you.
A couple of years ago a friend of mine gave me some advice. He said it would be a good idea to open a secondary bank account for emergencies. Something separate from the everyday accounts so that there wouldn't be a temptation to spend the money. I decided to open an account with Ally because it offered a high interest rate on its savings accounts and being online made it easy to sign up. In fact, signing up was a breeze. I filled out the form, transferred some money from my regular savings account and I was all set.
For the most part I am happy with the bank. I don't use the account very often as it is only for emergencies but I am happy with the interest I am earning on what is essentially 'banked' money. Also, the website is very easy to navigate, functions well, and I am confident if I had a problem they would address it quickly and efficiently. I will say withdrawing money from the account on the few occasions that I have the ATM fees were rather high, but I guess that is the tradeoff.
I've had checking and savings with Ally for approximately two years, and overall I've had a great experience and would recommend them to anyone. Some of the things I enjoy about Ally are the competitive interest rates. My savings account earns 1.15% while I get a little interest with the checking account as well. The bank is easy to use, and has a full mobile platform that allows me to transfer money, deposit checks from my phone, and pay bills using their app. I also get free checks for the rare occasions that I write a check. I've only had to reorder checks once, but when I did they were free to reorder. There are a few cons with Ally. First, it seems their mobile site/app is always undergoing maintenance. Not a big deal, but there have been a handful of times when I wanted to check my balance and it wasn't available. They also don't allow you to cash checks made out to a different person. For example, for Christmas my daughter gets a check made into her name. I used to cash it into my account no problem with Wells Fargo. From there I would transfer it to her savings account. But with Ally, they wouldn't let me cash it into my account, they said the only way they could cash it is if I opened a checking account for her. So that was a little frustrating, but not a deal breaker. Overall though, I've been very pleased and will continue to bank with them for a long time.
I have used Ally Bank for approximately half a year now. I love it. I used to use Citibank and HSBC, but after reading online about all these things I could be doing with my money, I read up on ally bank and felt like their products would produce so much more results for me in the long run. Their interest rate to this date is about 1.10%, compared to Citibank's .5% or so. That is an incredible difference. I have loved every aspect of online banking with Ally, and I love having all of my details and accounts at the palm of my hand. Everything is easily accessible, and you can transfer funds to and from your other banks with no additional fees. I really could not speak more highly of Ally.
I got a checking and savings account through Ally approximately two years ago. In that time, I have had to use ATMs at different banks, contact customer service quite a few times, and ask for a refund of a fee that hit my account. Ally repays $10 of ATM fees per month at the end of that month. They usually have a 2 minute wait time on customer service calls, and I have always felt welcomed and like my concerns were legitimate. They even took a $25 overdraft fee off my account once because I had money transferred in the same day. I have had similar experiences with other banks, and none were as pleasant (excessive wait time, refunding half a fee). In addition, Ally offers the most competitive interest rates on the market for both checking and savings, and does not charge fees for simply having accounts.
I have been banking with Ally Bank for quite some time now. I have never had a problem with them. They make it easy for you to make deposits into your account, and transfer money in between accounts if necessary. They are wonderful when it comes to ATM's and their reimbursement of any fees associated with using those ATM's. I am very pleased with the service and quality of my banking accounts. I highly recommend this bank.
I originally looked on the internet in order to find an online banking account. From my research, I decided All Bank was the best for me. I have a checking and a savings account with them and I am very pleased. I have already recommended this bank to a lot of other people. They have ATM refunds so you can use any ATM near you. It is not a problem that they don't have any physical locations because you can take care of all your business online. I love using this bank and I will continue using this bank for a long time. I will also be using them for other banking services shortly. This is an excellent online option.
I opened both checking and savings accounts with Ally Bank about a year ago. The whole process was very easy. After verifying my information and linking a bank account, my account was live and functioning within two days. I've been depositing every month via their eDeposit through their app. I've also had to call their customer service a few times, and I did not experience any difficulties or long wait times.
I've been so happy with them, in fact, I decided to open up an investment account through them. Transferring money from my savings account is quick and painless. The money is available to be invested in one business day.
All and all, I very much recommend Ally Bank. They have competitive rates, quality customer service and a user friendly platform.
I chose to check out Ally because I needed a second account to process specific money paid to my children for child support. I ended up switching my account with another bank out for this one because I was so impressed. Ally is known for having a great interest rate return in checking, but they surpass this in almost every other detail. Not only does Ally have a great system to refund money for ATM fees, they process the reimbursements quickly. Another thing that I really like about this banking system is their stellar customer service. I recently had to deal with a full identity theft, and they sent me an email immediately following the breech and went above and beyond to help ensure my security. They really made me feel as though I was a top priority and took steps beyond what they were responsible for to help me get all of my non-Ally accounts secure. The customer service rep even checked on me several times over the course of a few weeks to make sure my security was still intact. The one issue I have with Ally is that I find transfers and deposits, aside from direct deposits of my payroll check, do seem to take a little longer to process. I still use my second checking account just to deal with this issue because I think that 4-5 days is a bit much to wait for funds to be available for a check deposit.
Ally Bank is the best bank with which I have ever done business. They have extremely high interest rates in their savings accounts and certificates of deposits and their mobile app is extremely intuitive and user-friendly. Their customer service representatives are always knowledgeable and quick to find the correct and accurate answer to their customers' questions. Customer service almost never has a hold over a couple of minutes on the phone and one can connect to a real individual virtually instantly via the convenient chat option. The mobile app and the online banking show live, accurate wait-times for phone call queries. If you are the type who would rather figure things out on your own, Ally's FAQ on their website is exhaustive and all documents you might need are available there. The online banking allows you to make any and all changes you may need to on your account if you'd rather not talk to a person via chat or phone and have them do it for you.
I've been with Ally for over a year now as my primary personal savings account and I have been thrilled with everything so far. They have some of the highest interest rates in the industry and their web and mobile banking platforms are seamless. They are very simple to navigate and intuitive in terms of the placement of the menu, etc. The interest rates and mobile platform are great, but the customer service at Ally is probably their biggest selling point. They are extremely responsive to customer needs and provide resolutions very quickly! The ease of use and ability to transfer directly to/from my checking account and another one of my accounts I receive payments through makes this a great choice for me. Not having a physical location doesn't affect me since everything is made so convenient online or in the mobile app.
At the suggestion of a relative, I opened an Ally savings account a few years ago or so and have had nothing but positive experiences since. I deposit all of my money into my Ally account when I can help it because its interest rate is far and away the best among the several banks I use (and have used). I've also seen the interest rate go up several times over the years, including just within the last month. I had a savings account with another bank for a while, simply because I had a checking account with that same bank, which I closed after discovering that I had made two cents in interest for the entire year. Ally Bank offered (at the time) an interest rate that was 25 times higher than that bank offered. Anytime I transfer money to and from my Ally account, it goes through quickly and without a hitch, and I really couldn't be more satisfied. My only complaint is that, because it's an online-only bank, I have to use other means to deposit cash.
I have used Ally Bank twice in regards to opening and holding a CD of more than $10,000 each CD. These were short-term CDs with a low interest rate and I used Ally Bank as a service to hold my money in-between other investment opportunities. The customer service I received was acceptable however I wished the investment staff was a little more knowledgable. They knew the ins and outs of their own systems well and I had no trouble opening or closing out the CDs. However, when I attempted to chit-chat with the staff regarding other, more promising investment opportunities within the bank, they were very unhelpful due to lack of knowledge. I have used their website a few times just to check on my accounts and have never had any issues logging in. The investment turn around on the CDs was very minimal and I had to open a checking account in order to open the CDs, but there were no fees involved so I didn't mind following their rules. I still maintain the checking account I opened with Ally Bank and use it as a backup checking account. I have never insured any mysterious fees with Ally Bank like I have with some other banks, so I appreciate their due diligence with keeping on top of their institution's record keeping. I believe Ally Bank is more often used by individuals who require loans, so perhaps that is why they are not more aggressive with securing better interest rates on CD investments. I will continue to hold a secondary account with them for the time being for possible future investments.
I have been a customer of Ally Bank for almost 20 years. I have an online checking account and have been extremely pleased. Ally consistently has one of the highest interest rates among most banks. The customer service is very friendly and helpful. I have called them several times over the many years for various questions: how to access account, resetting passwords, moving, etc. They know the answers without having to transfer me to other people or give a vague answer. I can easily transfer money from that account to any of my other accounts, deposit into my account or simply withdrawal money from my account. I have an automatic deposit set up with Ally each paycheck and love watching my money grow. They have no fees and some accounts do not need a minimum deposit. I would be hard pressed to find a better bank.
I have a checking account with Ally. Overall, my experience has been great. I've never had any fees from them, and not only do they not charge to use an ATM, they refund your ATM fees. When I started with Ally the ATM refunds were unlimited and now there's a cap at I think $10, but that's still pretty sweet since I rarely reach that cap. I deposit checks using their app, and it can take me a couple tries to get the picture right but I've never had a problem with deposits. I have had my account information stolen a couple times (which I don't think is on them, it can happen anywhere) and their customer service for that wasn't great. The first time I found out that my card had been frozen by trying to use it, couldn't use the ATM either, and found out what happened by calling them. They made no attempt to contact me first, and then I couldn't access my money (except by using checks) for a couple weeks because they took that long to get me a new card. That's why I recommend a backup bank if you're using Ally. However, besides that experience they've been pretty great.
Ally bank has been a godsend in the banking world for me. At first I was hesitant to move to an all online bank, but Ally took that fear away very quickly. My first experience in their amazing customer service was only about a week after opening the account, when I had a check to mobile deposit, and the app was having issues accepting it, when i called and explained the issue to the individual on the other line, they took the check information right there and it was deposited within 24 hours, no issues. A few years later, I had my debt card stolen and roughly $3000 in fraudulent charges placed on it, when i called them up they were more than accommodating and I had the money back with in a week! I cannot express enough graciousness for the wonderful experiences I have had with this banking Institution, they absolutely have a customer for life.
I opened up a checking and savings accounts in Ally Bank five years ago. I wanted to start saving to buy a house. I have been a renter ever since I was an adult of 18 and I was tired of just paying rent and not owning anything in the end. But I knew I needed to start saving money. I went into a Ally Bank branch and talked to a customer service representative. I opened up a savings and checking account that day. I felt I was on my way to becoming a home owner. Then six months ago I went back to Ally Bank and they walked me through the procedure of getting my loan. It was easier than I thought it would be because they had told me how to get there. I love living in my home. Thanks to Ally Bank.
I have always banked at a physical brick and mortar bank. It's something I was used to and wanted to continue. I started seeing different advertising on other banking institutions that were mostly online. Of course I was skeptical but began to look into them. I visited web sites and read countless reviews until I hit on one that I decided to give try. I tried Ally Bank. The first change I made was switching my savings account over from the bank I'd been using for years. The rates were extremely competitive and I,found the customer service help,I,received was outstanding. I was very happy with the whole process and I decided to look into personal checking accounts. Again I was surprised at the competitive rates and fees associated with personal checking accounts. I am now doing all of my personal banking with Ally Bank. I am now looking into CDs and college funds for my grandchildren. I couldn't be happier with Ally Bank and I highly recommend them.
I really enjoy banking with Ally. They have a great online user experience and an easy to use mobile application. The customer service has been amazing when I needed some questions answered and you are usually able to start an online chat if you can't call in. I currently have a checking and savings account through Ally, which both earn better interest rates than my old brick and mortar bank. I earn 0.1% APY on the checking account and 1.15% APY on the savings account. Another cool feature is that I can create sub accounts in my savings account. However, there are some cons to online banking with Ally. As it is only and online bank, it is not possible to deposit cash. Additionally, transferring money in and out of the account can take some time. It is usually 3 days before I can see the money in my account. Overall, I'm pleased with Ally and enjoy banking with them more than my old bank.
I have been using Ally Bank for years now. Anytime I have questions about my account the customer service agents are very pleasant and helpful. They do not have a brick and mortar location. This might be a negative for some who like going in person for their banking needs. For me, I do not mind that at all. I have never had issues calling customer service. They were prompt in sending me my banking card. The app is easy to navigate. I like the convenience of having the app on my phone. I get to see all of my account activity on the go. The website is also very easy to use. The interface is easy to navigate. I enjoy using Ally as my bank.
I would say I have had a very positive experience with ally.com. I opened a savings account with them about a year ago. The application process was easy and fast. I haven't really had any customer service issues, but if I did I feel pretty confident they would be resolved in a timely and professional manner. The rate of return for online savings accounts with ally is 1.05%, which far exceeded that of my other bank. This was my main reason for opening an account with ally. I have been happy with the process of transfers between my bank and ally.com. Overall, I would recommend this bank to a friend.
I started banking with Ally a short time ago (maybe a year ago give or take some time) and I have absolutely no complaints service wise, I only have savings and a money market account with them but i honestly couldn't be happier, the interest rate is so much higher compared to the brick & mortar local bank that I still use for checking, so I feel it makes my money work for me, even if it's just a few extra dollars a month. (My local banks savings accounts only offer 0.05% interest whereas ally offers 1.05% on savings accounts and .85% on money market accounts)
The only problem I have with Ally is that if I didn't have a local physical bank I'd have to write checks and mail them to make a deposit. I have not yet actually had to deal with their customer service as I haven't had anything come up that would warrant an interaction
I was a little hesitant to initially open an account with an online institution. My husband was the one who opened an account first. I thought it would turn out to be really terrible and difficult since there is no branch to go to when you have problems. However it turned out to be incredibly simple and I love the high interest rate on our savings account. We love it so much that we've opened a few different savings accounts. Their mobile application also makes it super easy to view and manage all your accounts from your home page. I would ever go back to a traditional savings account.
I have had an Ally Bank savings account for a little over a year. The savings rate is not that high, but it is an easy way for me to set aside money and I really enjoy the online only part of the account. I don't receive any paper mess with this account, and i can easily transfer money in and out of it. I have had to contact customer support to reset my password, and they were very helpful in getting that accomplished. I was impressed with the security of the conversation as well, in how I had to answer all of the pre-setup security questions. I plan to continue using Ally Bank as my secondary savings account and may even look to utilize some of their other services in the future.
I signed up for Ally Bank about a year ago. The reason I came across Ally Bank was due to the ease of use while only being available online. I use Ally Bank online as a savings account for smaller earnings that I accrue throughout the month. The interest rate with Ally Bank's savings accounts are competitive. The interest rates are not the best that are available online, but I have found that I only qualify for particular online banks. My credit is not the best and many online-only banks had to run my credit before accepting me. With Ally Bank, I was able to set up the account immediately and begin depositing the next day. I really appreciate the ease of use with Ally Bank and it has not been a problem thus far. I will continue to use them because I have not encountered any problems technically, or with customer service.
I chose to open an account at Ally Bank last month (June) because their CD interest rates were much better than my brick and mortar bank. The online application was fast and simple to open a savings account and CD. Ally's savings account interest rate is also more than my "regular" bank. It takes a little longer than normal (imo) to transfer funds to Ally from my brick and mortar bank, but I don't really care. My accounts were open and funded within a 3-4 day period. I also opened a savings account for my son since Ally makes it so simple. I plan to open an investment account there as well. I don't care that Ally is an "online only" bank; their interest rates definitely make a difference. Their website is easy to navigate, looks nice, and has lots of helpful information. They also have customer service numbers and chat available, but so far I haven't needed either one. The steps to open accounts are very easy to follow and I like I can make transactions at any time of day.
I was in the market to learn about IRA's. Everywhere I was looking the minimum amount to start an IRA was 500.00 I ran across Ally banks' website. I was surprised to learn there was no minimum. I even found a section on the website that explained each type of account, the fees, and a compare option between accounts. It was very easy to learn about, set up and feel confident that I made the right choice. I also took of advantage of the budgeting courses and I learned so much more than I could ever imagine. I will go to Ally bank for any of my other needs in the future.
I am a relatively new customer of Ally, but was drawn to their high-yield savings and high-yield 12-month CD that is not rivaled by any other online banking service. I feel that online-only banking is becoming popular in the digital age, and Ally is securing their spot as the most transparent and fruitful service among the rest. I have a 1.05% savings fund with Ally, significantly greater than the 0.03% I was receiving from a big institution. Additionally, their 1.35% CD cannot be matched. The mobile app is smooth and uses fingerprint technology that makes me feel that my funds are secure. I expect to stay with Ally for all future savings/CD funds, and possibly moving my checking account to one of their 0.10% APY services.
Ally bank is fine for direct deposit banking only. For the Almost 2 years I have had my account HOLD every check I make by mobile deposit is held for 10 days. Then I am charged $25.00 over draft fee, due to them holding my paychecks. This is not the first paycheck but the check from the one employer has been over a year. They are not greatest bank ever. More like better than some. This bank account gives you a little interest other than that is is the same as buying a prepaid credit card.
It took a year for me to be able to use my card and check my information online and I have 3 degree's in computers.
Ally's "no-penalty 11-month CD" motivated me to be a customer and I like their 24/7 live customer service. However, some of their agents, including technical team members are still providing erroneous information. Some other hard lessons I learned:
- Customers cannot set up "custom" alerts on CDs in spite of what multiple agents claimed.
- Customers must open a second Ally account and keep it active in order to qualify for speedier disbursement of funds via wire transfer or ACH.
- CDs can only be funded one time. I was initially informed that CDs can be funded from multiple external accounts within the 30-day window. In reality, funding a CD from numerous sources must be deposited in a separate Ally account then transferred to the new CD in a single transaction. (Again, a separate Ally account must be opened.)
- There are periods when funds do not earn any interest.
- I noticed that when I agree to complete a customer satisfaction survey prior to being transferred to an agent, and subsequently the agent was not able to answer my question or resolve my issue, I am disconnected and unable to complete the survey. Subsequently, I learned that bonuses are awarded each month to agents based on their survey evaluations; the latter also impact their performance reviews.
I have a savings account with ALLY Bank and I like how competitive their rates are. They make sure their clients will always get the best interest rates to maximize our profits. They also perform one day bank transfers to other bank accounts outside of ALLY. There are NO fees for these transactions! I have never had any issues with this bank. The only time I had to contact them was when I forgot my log-in and the customer service rep was extremely nice and professional.
Working with Ally is almost always easy. The web interface allows me to do pretty much everything I need to do with no hassle and no waiting. Opening new CDs and closing existing ones is a breeze.
The checking and savings rates are generally quite competitive. The 11 month no penalty CD has a rate above the savings rate often enough that I find I keep very little in savings. When the no penalty rate increased, I was able to close one CD and open its replacement in less time than I've spent writing this review. To my great pleasure, the CD rate went up again a few days after I opened a CD and it automatically updated to the new rate. Had it not, it would have only cost me a couple minutes to fix it.
When I've needed to talk with a CSR, they've been available with a very short wait and generally quite able to help. The one thing that is troublesome for them is figuring out how to order duplicate (carbon copy) checks. Luckily I don't use too many of them so I don't have to suffer through this too often.
The ATM card allows alerts. I generally don't use it, so I want to be alerted of its use. At the one place that I do use it, I find that my phone is alerting me of the purchase before the receipt finishes printing. I have made a couple international trips. In the UK I tried to use an Allpoint ATM and my transaction was denied. I don't know whose fault that was and it really wasn't a big deal. In Spain I didn't bother hunting for an Allpoint ATM and was able to withdraw without hassle with a 1% exchange fee.
After the whole Wells Fargo fiasco with customer service agents creating false accounts, I started looking for an alternative and I found one in Ally Bank. My last Internet only bank was Ing, which I liked but if was lacking. Now with improved technology and faster internet connections, Ally Bank provides everything I need. Calling is great, and if I choose to chat then that is also a great way to get great customer service. Transfers don't take weeks like it's use to with Ing and there are a lot of banks of on their network that don't charge a fee for ATM use. I love them, and now that I paid off my car with Wells Fargo I can cut the cord completely.
I started using Ally bank after receiving a small inheritance and I wanted to try using a different online only bank. I like to use a credit union for loans and online banks for deposits. Ally had the best rates at the time and I had heard of them because I live in Detroit. Setting up the account was very easy and hassle free and I LOVE their online wait timer for customer service reps via telephone(although it was sometimes a little generous). They also didn't hold deposits as long as some banks I had used in the past. The website was my only hangup, it was difficult to find the routing number but a bit too easy to find my account number, although that may be my paranoia at it getting compromised.
I have an Online Savings account with Ally, and I have been a customer for 3 months now. I was accepted for a new account within minutes of my application. I was able to join with my initial deposit of $50. I found their login process and account screen very easy to use and interpret. Once my total balance equaled $100, I immediately began receiving an interest rate of 1.05%. Interest is compounded daily, and deposited in your account monthly. I also was happy with the fact that you can transfer amounts from your Ally account to another bank account up to six times per statement period. It takes a few days for transfers to go through. Overall, I am satisfied with Ally as a convenient Online Banking solution.
I have been a customer of Ally Bank for about two months now. I have a savings account and the interest rate is one of the best available when you have a small balance. Setting up the account was very easy. I was able to make a deposit directly from funds in another bank account and the whole process only took a couple of days. While I primarily just add funds through direct deposit (this is intended to be an emergency savings account), I like that I can deposit checks with my phone. I didn't qualify for a checking account, due my credit rating. This makes it difficult because I can only access my money through a wire transfer to another account, which costs me $20 and can take one business day. I would like to have faster access to my cash with no fees.
I have been banking with Ally Bank for five years now and I love it. This bank is the true definition of online banking which values customer service. The bank has no physical establishment where I can go to inquire something but they have an excellent online platform which caters to all my needs. Once I had to travel to Africa and I needed some emergency money while there. I went to an ATM and to my surprise I could withdraw money. This was amazing and I was really happy. Whenever I have problems with my debit card I can just call customer service and they are happy to help me. This bank is always prompt in renewing my debit cards before they expire. I love the efficiency of this bank and I would not trade it for anything else.
I thought I previously wrote a review but maybe not.
Poor rate for Checking and money market. Better for Savings. Love the no penalty CDs. They are a recent invention paying 1.5% versus 1.15 for the regular savings.
Its SLOW to log in or sign in and I sometimes got error codes that they couldn't explain. Fairly easy to work around but still.
And, like most places, they can be down in the wee hours.
Limit of 6 transfer outs per savings account but you can have lots of savings accounts. There is a fee if you go over 6. They waived my first & only one.
I have been a member/user of Ally for about 5 years now and have never had a real issue with them. Initially I was attracted by their good rates on CD's however over time I have become less and less impressed with them in that regard. That said I have never had a bad experience with them and when I have needed assistance their technical support and account folks have been very helpful. I have moved all my banking over to them from one of the big banks and have never regretted it. Managing my accounts has been easy, finding competetive products that meet my investment goals are easily available. All in all I am a satisfied customer who is pleased with the product offerings and would encourage people to check it out
1.05% interest on savings accounts should say it all! Some banks offer higher interest but you have to jump through many hoops. At Ally you don't need to do anything. No minimum amounts, No amount of purchases needed per month. .10% on checking is one of the best around as well. And $10 monthly on ATM fees is a great plus as well if you cant find a free ATM. They do have 43,000 free ATMs across the country. Customer service is also top notch, any time I had a question or concern, they were able to take care of me. Stress free.
After many years of banking with traditional banks, I decided to try an online bank hoping to save some cash. I admit I probably didn't do much research, but I decided to open an account with Ally. On one hand, while I Was able to accomplish saving money on fees (the fees at my regular brick and mortar bank are insane), I actually am not sure it was worth it. The customer service at Ally leaves much to be desired. For an online bank, this is terrible because you have to rely on the customer service on the internet or the phone. If you have a problem with your regular bank, you can just visit a branch and they're usually able to help. All in all, Ally is only good until you have an issue. If you have an issue, you're absolutely in a mess.
I was worried at first about using an online bank because I didn't know if they were trustworthy. Reading reviews for Ally put my mind at ease about that, and so I decided to try them out. They have a free checking account with no minimum balance, so it seemed easy enough. And it was. I signed up and deposited my money via the extremely easy to use check scanning with their mobile app, and I've been using them ever since. Connecting other sites and services to my Ally account was easy too, which is a huge plus, because I hate having to input routing numbers and account numbers every time I want to interface with another site. With Ally I just have to log in with my username and password and I'm good to go. And their mobile app is really secure too, with a fingerprint option so that nobody can get into the app but me. Their customer service has been amazing, with both chat and phone available, and I've used both with no problems. I definitely don't regret using Ally.
I have a savings account, Roth IRA, a couple of CD's and an investment account originally opened through TradeKing. I can access all accounts open new products, transfer money between other banks all with no issues. I haven't had to call representatives for assistance since the website is so easy and executes flawlessly.
If you're okay with not having an in-person bank, you will not be disappointed with Ally. Their network of ATMs for you to use is vast, so you should never have a problem with cash withdrawals. Customer service is great, interest rates are competitive... everything I need out of a bank is supplied by them.
Fantastic and easy to use on-line banking website to open and close accounts, chat with customer service people, etc. HOWEVER, beware that it can be very difficult and cumbersome when it comes to getting Ally Bank to process your IRA Direct Transfer Request to move your IRA funds to another bank or CU to take advantage of better CD rates. For example, Ally Bank REFUSES to accept from the sending bank an IRA Direct Transfer Request in DocuSign form with a electronic signature by the IRA account owner. They require a handwritten signature from the IRA account owner.
The people at Ally have always been very helpful and very knowledgeable. We've been banking there for several years and have NEVER had a bad experience with them.
I have had a great experience banking with Ally. I was at first hesitant at using an online bank that I could not track down if something went wrong but banking with Ally I found a ton of positive reviews and that really helped comfort me. The experience I have had has been solid as I use it to store some extra cash in my savings account that I am saving up for a trip. I don't have to look at the amount and just have to wire the money there every month and the rest is taken care of. If I login to my account I can check my balance and do everything that you would be able to do at a bank. I love using Ally.com.
My wife and I have been banking with Ally Bank for 4 years now. It was a little intimidating when we first made the switch because there is no physical bank, but it has never been a problem for us. Anytime we need cash, we can use any ATM and the fees are refunded to us each month, which is a plus. Also, checks are free to order. Ally's Bill Pay system is also very easy to use and is very clear about when the payment will be made so that there is no confusion or late bills! Anytime that we have needed to call Ally's customer service the wait has been under 3 minutes and the representatives are always very kind and helpful! Whenever we have a check to deposit it is very easy to just simply take a picture of the check and the bank deposits it for you. Very simple and efficient without the hassle of having to go to a physical bank!
I have an online savings account at Ally. They are an online-only bank so it is perfect for me as I do not have to be near a physical branch. The 1% APY is one of the largest interest rates you can earn on a savings account, especially compared to my home bank where I have other checking and savings accounts. The customer service is highly responsive due to its nature as online-only and their mobile banking is easy to use. I do about 95% of my banking on the Ally app and the other 5% on my laptop computer on a web browser. I rarely need to access my savings account, but I like how Ally is accessible everywhere on all my devices and earns a fair amount in this current rates market.
A couple weeks ago,I made a deposit to my savings account. The deposit was somewhat large and important. A couple days later, I checked to see if my deposit was cleared and in my savings account. The deposit was not there yet so I called an Ally customer representative to see what the problem with my deposit was. The representative was very helpful and respectful. I was having a bad week so I was not very respectful and was a bit rude with her. She looked up into my account and noticed that I had typed my account number wrong. We went through every step and gave her my correct account information. Two days later the amount I deposited was sitting in my savings account. I have been a customer with Ally for two years now and all that I can say is that they have the best customer service I have had to deal with. I really recommend Ally bank to everyone.
I have been a banking customer with Ally for about 6 years. The customer service has been great and the representatives are always very friendly and helpful. I like the ability to chat and email a bank rather than sit on a phone and be on hold. Emails are responded to within a matter of hours and chat features are always answered real-time. I had reservations about using an online-only bank; however, Ally made the process very simple and easy to use. I am able to check my accounts very easily, make electronic deposits, and they partner with traditional banks to withdraw funds. I also took out a couple CD's electronically and it was also very easy to do. The most unique thing for me was using the electronic signature feature, but that was also very simple and straightforward. I recommend others use online banks too for their ease-of-use and lower fees than what you get at traditional banks. Loans have lower interest rates and savings accounts pay a higher interest rate. There really isn't anything they cant do at Ally that they can at a physical branch. It is amazing how everything can be done electronically.
Ally Bank was a breath of fresh air for me. I was tired of getting run around and hassled by the brick and mortar financial institutions and ultimately ending up with something I did not really want or prefer. Ally Bank's investment rates were so significantly better than the traditional banks' rates that it was not even funny. I also had no problem at all setting up checking and savings accounts.
But, and this is a big but, there is something to be said for having a bank you can walk up to. Shortly after opening my account with Ally, my identity was stolen and I had to spend a great deal of time and effort getting that problem rectified. My data breach had nothing whatsoever to do with Ally but the simple act of physically talking face-to-face with a financial representative would have been more reassuring and Ally could not provide that.
I have had a checking account with Ally Bank for several years now. I initially signed up because fees with my previous brick-and-mortar bank were getting out of hand, and I have not regretted it once. Not only do they not have any monthly or annual fees for having my account, they actually pay me a small amount of interest. It doesn't add up to much, but it's good for today's rates. I was concerned about the possible difficulty of accessing cash without any physical locations, but Ally does not charge any fees to use an ATM, and additionally will automatically reimburse the fees charged by ATM operators up to a few dollars. Their overdraft policy is also unusually generous, and they offer some other great perks. I couldn't be happier with this service and can't see ever switching back as long as they keep it up.
I believe that Ally Bank is the best online bank ever created. This bank has great customer service and it continues to be there for what I need. This bank is always quick to respond to all of my needs. Ally also has low fees and they transfer funds between my other bank accounts very quickly. I've been with them for about 2 years now and I have loved every minute of it. I was sick and tired of the delay and poor customer service of the big banks like Bank of America and BB&T so I decided to switch.
I have a savings as well as checking account with Ally. They have some of the best rates available on the market. Transferring money into and out of the accounts has never been an issue. The only thing I miss is an ATM presence but they do allow you to go to any ATM machine and the fees you incur will be refunded at the end of the month. The mobile application is very intuitive and easy to use, never had any crashes of problems logging in. When I did have an issue, there is a timer that shows the average wait time, the representative that answered my call was courteous and provided me with the information I needed. Thanks again for a great product/service.
I switched to Ally mostly to lower my fees and try to earn a little better interest rate on my money. The experience has been nothing but positive. I have avoided many of the fees that my traditional bank required. They are good about reimbursing transaction fees if you use an atm out of their network. Also, I was given checks completely free, compared to my old bank where I had to buy them. Their online banking system is very user friendly. It is easy to transfer funds to other accounts online. I was nervous at first to try an online bank, but I am really glad that I gave Ally a try.
I've not run into any problems from Ally. Their customer service is amazing. And their ATM fees are non existent, they will actually pay me back at the end of each month up to 10 dollars for ATM fees if I was unable to use their recommended ATM. But they do have a certain ATM that is abundant all over america that won't charge Ally customers any money for use of their ATM. So they've been great, I'm so glad I decided to give them a try! I would personally highly recommend anybody who's wanting to save money, especially if they don't have to use a branch location.
I use Ally's online banking services. I have been using it now for a little over a year. During that time I have been quite impressed by the services I have received. On several occasions, I had to contact the bank's customer service via telephone. I was very impressed by a couple factors - first, the wait was very short - I've never had to wait more than a couple minutes to speak with someone. Also, I've always spoken to a live representative who was very friendly, quick, and thorough in assisting me. Also, I have an app on my phone that allows me to access my services. The app is well laid out and is easy to use and understand. The website is much like the app, and is quick and easy to understand. I also feel that the information I give on the website and app are secure. I would highly recommend this bank to anyone who is looking for an online solution to their banking needs.
I originally joined Ally because of their no minimums and no monthly upkeep fees. However, I have grown to love it. I have gone from a basic interest checking account to also include savings and an IRA. The setup was simple but thorough, and transfers between accounts are instant. I even got some free checks and a no-monthly fee debit card in the process.
Deposits have been simple. Checks have a 'take a picture' feature, and it is very paypal friendly for electronic deposits. Being I never deposit cash, this system works great for me (though there are instructions on how to do so if needed).
Customer service is amazing, too. My longest wait time ever was about two minutes, and they are very customer friendly. One time an online shop decided to use my debit card on file to pay a subscription and it threw my account into a negative despite the fact the deposit was already processing beforehand. The staff looked over the situation and waived the overdraft fees, and they were incredibly friendly and helpful in the process. It's a good bank for people who need a reliable bank and no fees or minimums to juggle.
Initially upon getting an account with Ally I was a bit concerned. The bank doesn't really have any actual physical locations. Can I really go without having a physical location? Absolutely! I initially opened up a Money Market Account and Savings because the interest percentages were the best on the market. In addition I got another checking account and have been banking with them since 2008 happily and with no issues. Through the years I've had my account I have found many advantages I couldn't get per se at your traditional bank. I love the fact that all your ATM fees, if charged are refunded once a month. I have 24/7 access to customer service and not only are they simply phenomenal and understanding. I feel like I can really make an actual quick 5 minute call instead of having to jump through hoops and hoops of prompts to get to a single person who than transfers me. I don't think I have ever been transferred to anyone when calling Ally. Lastly I want to mention the mobile app. I love that I can access the mobile web page and/or use the mobile applications. My fear of not having a bank locally for deposits was relieved when Ally chose to do their mobile deposits. It's super simple and easy and sets your expectations on when you deposit something when to get a response (which you get emailed if it has been accepted or if there are any issues) along with when to expect the deposit as long as it clears! Online bill pay is simple and also is cut and dry stating when to expect the withdrawal/payment to be received by your bill payer. I highly recommend Ally with pride.
I created an account with Ally Bank because of their competitive interest rates for savings account and because the traditional bank I used for checking had paltry rates. I was able to create the account and transfer the initial balance from a checking account with another bank into this savings account. I have also been able to set up re-occurring transfers, automating my savings. I have not had to interact with their customer service department at this time, but have found their site to be user-friendly. I also have online statements. Overall, a very positive experience and excited that there are still savings accounts with decent interest rates.
I use Ally for our primary savings account. I can transfer this money into a checking account, then use my Mastercard debit card to pay at checkout or withdraw cash from ATMs. I can even cash checks using the camera on my phone and the Ally Bank app. It's all really very handy.
Rates are reasonable and fees are pretty much nonexistent. There are free ATMs all over town and Ally will reimburse you for fees charged by other ATMs (up to ten dollars per month).
I'm really quite satisfied with Ally and expect to bank with them far into the future. I would definitely recommend them.
Ally bank has been an excellent resource and bank and the interest rates that they offer for their savings accounts makes them stand out from their competition. Their customer service is also exceptional. There was two instances in particular in which I had unknown fees like an overdraft fee. I called them for clarification and they ended up removing the fee from my account. Their customer service is excellent and they are always there for support regarding any banking or loan questions that you may have. I have several family members that also do most of their banking with Ally and have found them easy to work with and very competitive with the interest rates they offer. Currently, I have a Money market, checking account, and savings account through Ally and I have also been considering opening up a CD.
Ally has impressed me so far. I have been with them for about a year now. Their checking/saving account is a no BS account with no confusing fees and a small annual yield of 1%(in my case.) I have had 2 issues with the account receiving an overcharge fee, of $25, which they removed for me. They didn't have to do that but they did it anyways. I would recommend this bank to anyone looking for a no BS online bank they can trust.
As you would expect with an online bank, the web and mobile services were top notch and much more user friendly than traditional stone and mortar establishments. You can tell that since the emphasis is for online service from the get go, they make sure the offerings on their website are easily accessible. I also liked that the bank reimburses you every cycle for checking account maintenance fees. I have yet to find a traditional bank that is willing to reimburse for checking account service fees and in this instance Ally Bank stand out from the rest. The only issue I have is customer service, if you want to meet face to face, you cannot.
Being an entrepreneur, I needed a bank that is flexible and I could work with no matter where I was. Ally has filled those needs for me. By not having brick and motor locations they are more flexible and pass the savings on to use the customers. It is the only bank that I found that offers a savings account that gives me 1% annual interest and a checking account with .1% interest. They are proactive when watching out for fraud and I have never had a problem dealing with the customer service. They reimburse you for all ATM fees, which is a must for me because I use ATMs religiously. All and all Ally is just a great bank thank is changing the way the bank industry does business.
I have never been more thrilled to work with a bank that cares so much about their customers and really focus on what they do for their customers. Ally is always readily available to speak on the issues facing their customers. I have never waited for more than 3 minutes to speak to a real, live person. I always am able to get through quickly and get to the right resource. With other banks, its always a wait, even to talk to a rep at a branch it would take minutes. They also offer one of the most competitive rates on interest for their customers. Its a great value to have when it comes to casual banking. I think that everyone should take a look at ally today.
Around a year ago I decided to switch to Ally Bank for my savings account. They offered some of the most competitive interest rates at 1% for the savings account. The customer service experience was fantastic, as customers we have the ability to instant message with their customer service team. With this tool I was able to get all of my questions answered a lot faster than I have in the past with other financial institutions. Also, the banks website is easy to navigate and they are able to quickly move money between my savings account I hold there and my other accounts I have spread out over other financial institutions. The reason I chose Ally was for the 1% interest rate on a savings account, but I was surprised and very pleased with the customer service and other benefits I received.
Ally is one of the best online only banks out there. Despite the fact that there are no brick and mortar locations, this is the best bank I've ever had. I actually am a consumer lender for another bank and still maintain an account with Ally. There are NO maintenance fees, the app is amazingly well designed and streamlined. I can deposit checks easily. Their funds availability policy is readily accessible online, as well as their ACH cutoff times. Most banks (the one I work at included) go to great lengths to not exactly hide this information, but at least do the bare minimum to make it accessible. Also, a 1% APY on a savings account is about the best rate you'll find anywhere, at least on smaller checking accounts. Can't say enough good things about Ally. The app is so well designed that I have honestly never had to call customer service. If you're a responsible consumer and mostly rely on direct deposit and your debit card, you really don't even need another bank.
I have really liked using Ally Banking thus far. Any time that I have ever had an issue, I have been able to talk to a customer service representative promptly and they have always been super helpful. I have also been very happy with their Savings Account interest rate. I know it doesn't seem like a lot, but getting 1% back is definitely a lot more than most other banks. One thing that I really enjoyed about Ally is that I had an issue with Identity theft. Someone had tried to access my bank account from another state or country. I immediately got a text message from them that my account had been closed and a representative called me within 10 minutes to assure me that everything was okay and that my account was closed.
I began using Ally Bank a year or so ago. I wanted something that I could easily keep track of my earnings and not have to worry about anything. Ally gave me all this. The best part is, there are no fees associated with my account. Account set up was quick and easy, I had my account and routing number as soon as I completed my form. My debit card showed up about 3 days later. When I transfer money into Ally, the money is there by 4am the next day. I honestly have never had a better banking experience. I love the fact that I can deposit checks from the app on my phone, I haven't had to call customer service yet, but I'm told it's one of the best customer services around. I was really nervous about getting an online bank account, but to be honest, I'm sad that I didn't do it years ago.
I have been banking with Ally, among other banks, for several years now. I was simply looking for a place to park some liquid cash and earn anything other than 0% interest. For a nationally available bank, Ally is about the best you can do. I enjoy a 1% interest rate on my online savings account and have great flexibility with withdrawals, additions, transfers, etc. There are no hoops to jump through or deposit requirements or average minimum balances. I have never had to use customer service because everything has been so simple. The Ally mobile app is also very user friendly and meets my standards for a modern app. Additionally, broad ATM presence and I have never been charged an ATM fee. No issues here. Great bank.
I only use the account for saving, checking and a credit card transaction account. It has been a pretty good experience so far, I really enjoy the online component because it prevents the need from travelling to banks. The agents have been very helpful and nice in the process, but it was pretty hard to use their online website at first. I have some savings money for my future expenditures for college. I always pay my credit card bills on time and there is no overdraft fee for me because I know a personal relative in the institution. As well, there have been no stupid fees, so I am pretty happy for that.
I have been banking with Ally Bank and so far my experiences were overwhelmingly positive comparing my conventional bank. I own Savings accounts and CD through Ally. I have more than one savings accounts and their annual percentage yield is from 0.85% to 1.00% which is the most I have gotten so far. My initial starter savings of just 20 USD gave me 0.01 interest within 2 months which is compared to my other bank was unbelievable. My 3 months High Interest CD yields right now about 0.35% which I also found outstanding given that I only invested a 1000 USD. There is no fees connected to handling the account and there is a very handy mobile app that is easy to use on the go. I also received physical cards connected to my savings accounts on which I can make withdrawals without fee. I have not yet tried to withdraw money in this way from my account but making online transfers are very simple. Transferring money from a different bank takes about 3-5 workdays which isn't too bad. The live online chat help is available if I have questions but everything is clear and straightforward on their website.
I have been banking with Ally Bank, off and on, for many years. I started banking with them when they were GMAC Bank. After they were sold, they renamed themselves as Ally Bank. During that time, I had several CDs with them. I had no problems with them through the transition as they honored the terms of the CDs. Once the CDs matured, I was able to transfer the balances to my local bank.
Back in 2012, Ally Bank offered some attractive rates on 2-year CDs so I purchased 3 CDs for $2000 each a few months apart. I renewed them on 2014, and they gave me a .25% adder on top of the CD rate just for my loyalty. I cashed them in the Summer of last year and had no problems with the transactions.
This Fall, Ally Bank offered a 1% interest rate on their on-line savings account. I decided to open a savings account with them as the highest rate I have seen on a "brick and mortar" bank was .20% and on-line bank had been .95%. I made a deposit last November and have been periodically adding to the savings account since then.
In short, I have been banking with Ally Bank for several years and have had no issues with their service and performance.
I've used Ally banks for the past year, and I've had a great experience so far. They are my main bank that I use for my everyday banking (checking, savings), and I love how connected they are digitally speaking. The app that they provide is easy to use, and the wait time between a deposit from my brick and mortar bank and money being available is excellent for an online bank (3 business days). My experience with customer service representatives were that they very understanding and handled any situations promptly, I recently had an issue with a check I deposited. I like the feature of being able to name my accounts whatever I want so that I always know what they are used for at a glance, this is perfect for a person like myself with multiple checking and savings accounts. Their savings and checking APY rates are very competitive and almost double what most banks offer. The debit card connected to your checking account offers rewards, unheard of these days. You cant lost with this online bank, I would rank it above and beyond most regular banks.
I have opened a savings account with Ally bank about a year ago. The main attraction was a one percent interest rate which is way more than my accounts in other (brick and mortar) banks yield. Opening account was a breeze. No fees, and i was able to transfer money from my checking account in a different bank pretty much right away. Both website and mobile app give me full control over what i want to do. I have monthly deposits scheduled and so far no issues encountered. I have also used Ally savings account to fund my Stash account, also with no issues. You only get 6 free transactions a month (unlimited deposits) , but considering that this is a savings and not a checking account, it works for me. Overall, i am very pleased with the service i receive from Ally Bank.
I have banked with Ally Bank for over 2 years now and it has been a great experience. I have found that the customer service is excellent and is available 24/7, which has been very convenient as I do a lot of traveling and have often needed the representatives at random hours of the night. The only issue I have ever had with the bank is that there is no way to deposit cash, but this is often found with online banks. The interest rates are higher than any banks I have banked with previously and there are no fees. The bank even reimburses you for ATM fees (up to a certain monthly limit) if you have to go to another bank's ATM. As a young adult, this has been one of my first banking experiences by myself and I have found it to be very user friendly and accessible. Overall, I would and have recommended Ally to my friends.
Not many banks offer 1% interest on their savings without having to jump through hoops. Ally does! Customer service is also top notch. They have a wait timer on their website. And the wait has never been longer than a minute when I had questions. Bank transfers have also become easier in 2017. Only taking 24 hours to transfer money to other institutions. It use to take 3 days.
I have used an Ally high yield savings account. It was simple to set up and I was able to do so completely from their website. It was easy to set up automatic transfers to and from the account. I was able to get a good return on the savings account at the time in comparison to other high yield savings accounts. I would recommend Ally to anyone that wants to create an easy way to start a savings account.
I have never been more thrilled to work with a bank that cares so much about their customers and really focus on what they do for their customers. Ally is always readily available to speak on the issues facing their customers. I have never waited for more than 3 minutes to speak to a real, live person. I always am able to get through quickly and get to the right resource. With other banks, its always a wait, even to talk to a rep at a branch it would take minutes. They also offer one of the most competitive rates on interest for their customers. Its a great value to have when it comes to casual banking. I will highly recommend Ally to anyone who is seeking to switch.
A decent bank that offers some decent service. As I had never tried something related to just online banking by itself, I went ahead and thought maybe it is worth a shot and won't be that bad. So I tried it. I had some questions, so the first thing I did was look up some information and then contact them. The wait times on the phone were not bad at all it was actually pretty fast. I had just dialed in so I went through their automated system which was rather easy and nice. Then in under five minutes I was actually speaking with someone and they were very courteous and nice to me, taking their time, and in no time at all my issues were resolved. I was pretty impressed with that. Overall it is not perfect but no service is. It is excellent and is easy to get the information when you do want to start up as their service is on hand most of the time and I do not regret signing up for their service.
I have been an Ally interest checking account holder for about five years. I've had an excellent experience with this bank. In the beginning, the mobile app had some issues. I had difficulty depositing checks with my smartphone, but they've worked all of that out. The latest version of the mobile app is much easier to use. Ally presents themselves as a bank that is geared toward mobile banking and you can tell they've put a lot of effort into designing their technology to accommodate the mobile user.
Two years ago, I received a call from Ally's fraud alert department inquiring if I was attempting to check into a hotel in China. I was not. Ally's fraud alert recognized that this was probably not a valid transaction and they contacted me to check. Over the phone, their customer service agent listed the last few charges on my account to see what the last one I actually made was, and then cancelled my debit card refunded me the one small fraudulent charge they found and issued me a new debit card that arrived in three days. I was very impressed with the way it was handled.
Ally has fairly competitive rates for their products (I earn .1%). Interest rates are low everywhere but if I was pressed for one area of improvement, I would say higher rates would be nice. Right now, a savings account through Ally yields 1% which is not the worst.
Overall I enjoyed my time with Ally. I opened a savings account 5 years ago in the hopes of saving money, out of sight. The appeal of a no brick and mortar bank made it seem that pulling money out would be harder to do. Also, another reason I picked them at the time is because the interest rate at the time was slightly better than the banks in my area. The rate wasn't much higher but still a little higher which worked for me. Moving money around was actually a lot easier than I realized. I had to call customer service a couple months back to dispute a transaction and the rep I worked with was amazing. She thoroughly reviewed my account to see what what had happened and resolved the issue within 24 hours. I really did love Ally, but closed my account so I could have everything in one place at my local credit union. I still highly recommend Ally when someone wants to bank online since their site is so user friendly, the customer service reps are great and their fees/interest rates are competitive.
After many years of banking with traditional banks, a friend of mine convinced me to try out online banking with Ally Bank. I was hesitant at first to say the least, although I consider myself tech savvy, and I do almost everything else online, I always thought that banking and finances are things I would prefer to do the traditional way. However, after banking with Ally Bank for the past 10 months, I have to say 'm impressed. I have a lot less fees overall than I used to with my regular bank, and I still have access to my money for free at the very same ATMs I used to use with my other bank, at no additional cost. Overall, I am happy with my services at Ally.
I've been with Ally for almost 3 years now. I gotta admit at first I was a little skeptical going with a online only bank. But after the first couple of months I felt I was at home. I have a checking and a savings account. The savings account has a 1.0% annual yield or interest rate and my checking account has a 0.10% interest rate. I know that's alot higher than my last physical bank that I was with. As far as ATM fees, they have a specific ATM that they ask you to use and if you go with the "special" ATM there will be no fees, but if you have to use one that charges a fee, ALLY will pay you back up to $10 every month for ATM fees. I've never had any problems out of these guys, the only thing that has happened a few times is their mobile app goes down and I can't use it. It's happened quite a few times, but it's always back up in a few hours. Other than that, they've been a joy to bank with !
I opened an account in Ally bank after I had heard so much good about it and decided to give it a try. I wasn't disappointed at all. I started with a regular checking account and opening it was no trouble at all. Their agent welcomed me with a smile and she even gave me a reward offer if I were to bring in at least two more clients. So I went and talked to my friends and I got three people to open checking account. As reward, I received $125 in my checking account. Their services are really good and they offer online banking as well as mobile banking which facilitates the services.
Ally bank is the best bank I ever dealt with. The reason for choosing Ally Bank is that they have atm reimbursement. I travel a lot, and with my previous bank, I incurred lots of fees ranging from 2 to $5. I also enjoy the fact that they give a better than average percentage rate for checking and cd accounts. I have both checking and savings along with a cd account. The people of ally are very friendly, knowledgeable, and address any issues I may have. Deposits are easy, and online transactions in most cases, are available within 24 hours. The mobile app makes depositing checks easy and convenient, and the mobile app is easy to navigate. You can't ask for much more from a banking institution.
So far I have had a good experience with Ally having purchased (5) CDs last year to construct 5-rung ladder. Now as my 12-month CD reached maturity, I was planning on rolling it over by purchasing a new 5-year CD at Ally. However, I am finding that Ally does not have a competitive rate for their 5-year $25k CD which is currently 2.0% vs 2.3% for the competitors. I will be giving Ally until this Friday 03/31/2017 to at least match the competitors before shifting my CDs to a new provider. On another note, I just learned that I will not qualify for the .05% relationship bonus rate when I rollover from a IRA distribution to a non-IRA CD. Bad enough when the relationship rate was lowered from .25% to .05%. I really would like to remain at Ally but I must follow the money.
I've had headaches from the start with Ally, but my most recent one has to do with the fact that they don't accept cash deposits. I had to get money orders, which were no problem, but then they were sent back to me with an issue i had to deal with. I fixed the issue and sent them back in the enclosed, pre-addressed envelope, and they've disappeared. The bank can't find them, and are doing little to resolve the issue. I've since changed banks, and now all I want is those two money orders returned to me.
I have a checking and savings account with Ally bank. I switched to them from Bank of America because I was between jobs and getting crushed with fees from BofA from not maintaining minimum balances and other things they make you do to keep accounts with them. Ally has no fees for their accounts, no minimum balances, nothing. I have so many good things to say about them:
Their savings account has a 1% interest rate, compared to .01% from BofA (and many other large banks) so I actually make a little money off my savings every month. They also allow you to send money to anyone for free. That's how I pay my rent every month.
Customer service is great. I've never been on hold with them for more than a minute, and they take the time to help you out. One time an ATM machine ate $40 I was trying to get out and Ally reimbursed me for the money.
They reimburse you up to $10 in ATM fees every month, so you can go to any ATM at any bank or gas station a few times a month and never pay fees. They also have a preferred network of ATMs that don't have fees but I've honestly never needed to use one because of the reimbursement.
One potential downside is you can't deposit cash, which could be a problem for people who get paid in cash, and that sometimes it's convenient to be able to get things like cashier's checks immediately instead of waiting by mail. But by and large I couldn't be happier with them. Wish everyone would switch to these smaller banks, they treat you so much better.
I opened an online bank account with Ally Bank a few months ago and I have been very pleased. I wanted to open a savings account that I would have access to if necessary, but one that I wouldn't be able to just go to the bank and withdraw money from. Saving money is hard for me! I love Ally because it does take a few days for the money to transfer to a checking. I know that some people would consider that a detriment, but it really helps me to stop and consider if I really need to transfer the funds. My savings account with Ally has a good interest rate, and interest is added into my account every month. Though the APY isn't enough to swoon over, it's significantly higher than other banks and shows that Ally's business model is truly to offer the best in class.
I haven't needed to call customer service, but Ally's website displays the current wait time for their customer service line at all times. I see this every time I log in, and more often than not, it reads 0 minute wait. I'm very satisfied with my Ally experience and will stay for the long haul.
I've been using Ally Bank exclusively for savings for about a year now. Previously I tried to save money with the bank in which I have a checking account and credit card but found that it was too tempting to transfer money out of savings whenever I needed it. With Ally, the money is more "out of sight, out of mind" and transfers take a few days to process. I get a 1% return on savings with interest compounded monthly, which is quite competitive in today's market. I have never had any issues opening or closing accounts, depositing money, or withdrawing it to another account. I have also used the chat function for customer support a few times and found it easy to use. Overall, I'm very glad I decided to move my savings to Ally and would recommend it to anyone looking for a similar service.
One of the biggest things I appreciate about Ally Bank is the comparatively high interest rates for savings and checkings accounts as well as the refunded ATM fees. In fact, I consider the refunded ATM fees to be essentially part of the interest rates. Moreover, the app and web interface provide everything I need for banking--checks are quickly and easily deposited via the app and my account information is always readily available. I also apprecite the ability to quickly make transfers between both Ally and non-Ally accounts. I also had some issues when moving with changing my address and while the bank did initially make a mistake in cancelling my account, it was quickly rectified and every customer service agent I interacted with along the way was courteous, informative, and helpful.
I had a fair experience with Ally. I do most of my banking online and appreciated that everything was accessible online. I was never charged an overdraft or fee that I did not expect, and had no issues on the financial end. The only true problem I had with this bank was that it always took a long amount of time to be able to reach someone on the phone. I usually prefer to go inside of a bank when I have a problem, but the amount of time that it took to get through to someone made it a slight drawback. Also, the deposits usually deposited with a day or two, but on the weekends or holidays, this amount of time was questionable and could range anywhere from 1-7 days. I ended up closing this account because it ended up being more of a hassle than the bank I already have.
Ally bank is one of the more competitive banks on the market. Offering a great rate on savings and on checking. Although it is an online only bank they are able to offer everything local banks do. They have free atms available in a lot of locations. And offer $10 /month for atm that charge fees. Direct deposit is easy to setup and theres no delay in deposit. You can also take pictures of checks to get them deposited. 24/7 customer service and its with a real person. Wait times are never long. They even have a timer on their website showing wait times
I've used Ally banks for the past two years, and it's been a mostly happy experience. They are my main bank that I use for my everyday banking (checking, savings, etc.), and I love how connected they are technologically speaking. The app that they provide is easy to use, and the wait time between a deposit and money being available is excellent. I recently had my information stolen, and the customer service representatives were very understanding and handled the situation promptly.
The only negatives I've found while using them have been the ATM fees. They seem to be higher than the norm, and I always seem to notice a bigger chunk of my income disappearing down the drain each month. I know that I could allay some of these grievances if I made the trek across town anytime I need to withdraw cash, but having to choose between convenience and big hit monetarily via atm fees definitely sucks.
I used ally bank for the last three years after having moved from st. louis and no longer being able to bank with my credit union. I usually steer clear of banks in general, but I wanted one that would accept my card and have locations across the country as I am a traveler now. This bank is about as good as I could imagine one being. It doesn't charge me random fees like overdraft, the staff is usually friendly and attentive to my needs, and their hours are pretty reasonable for me to come in and talk to an advisor. I have not downloaded their app or used any other products, so I cannot speak to much about this bank outside of my experience, which is with checking and savings accounts, but my money goes where I want it to go, and there is no errors or faulty charges that usually come up with these sorts of banks.
I opened a savings account with Ally bank last year after extensive research. Previously, I had savings account with Chase. The reason I decided to switch bank for my savings was because Chase's annual percentage yield was dismal something like 0.01%. So, I researched online for the best savings account bank that is reliable and has good customer service. And my search ended when I came across Ally. They have one of the best rate of any of the banks almost 1%. I must tell you that they have great customer service and the wait for online rep is never lengthy. I have also found that they take security very seriously. I don't think anyone can hack into my account. They have tough security measures. So I am very happy to see my money grow at Ally. One thing that might deter certain folks from choosing this bank is that they don't have physical branches or ATM. Everything is online, which I am okay with. I do everything online on my phone with apps but for some people who use checks and deposits, it might be difficult. But you can always use the app to deposit checks. The app is friendly and easy to use. Overall I highly recommend Ally!
Ally bank is a great alternative to traditional banks. They do not have any physical locations but they do offer many services despite this. They waive the ATM fees at most ATMs near me so I don't have to worry about paying money just to withdraw money. I like this bank because they also have great customer support. They understand that because they don't have any actual locations they must be easily accessible over the phone. I have never had a long lasting problem with Ally. They believe that they should just resolve situations instead of complicating or dragging them out. I will continue to bank with Ally because they are reliable and care about the customers. I would rate them ten stars out of ten.
I was shopping for an online bank that had the best CD rate when I choose Ally Bank. I ha never worked with an online bank before so this was a new experience for me. As a novice I ended up calling their customer service many times with questions and requests for help with setting my account up. I was always given very good service and many times their representative ended up spending more than 15 minutes helping through whatever problem I was having! I likes the bank and it's CD rates so much that I stayed with them for two years. When I closed my account it was due to my need for CD's cash so I could pay for my children's college education. Two years later I received a check in the mail from the bank stating that I had not completely closed the account out and the check was what I had l left in the account. Now the bank could have just waited and turned it over to the states unclaimed property department but they choose to make the attempt to mail it to me first. As I said their service was great!
I filed a dispute in December 2016. I followed up 6-10 times to get the information any update. I emailed and I called only to be put through the same road trip around the world to find me.
Finally on 2-2 which was 10 days earlier then I received the letter saying the dispute was settled in my favor. This is now March 7, I have tried to get the money transferred but they have a restriction on my own money so I have no access to it. I finally got a hold of someone that was going to transfer the funds to my checking account ---- 4 hours later a call was placed to me to tell me .. NO.. can't do that you are restricted.. ok just let me have my money and never NEVER see Ally again. I now have to wait for a check, which I orignally asked for in Jan. to close the account and now guess what it will take 7-10 days by mail to get my check. I can't even explain in any language the stupidity this company displays. I know it is only 100bucks but they have had my money for 3 months and me... not able to touch it.
I can't even wrap my head around the stupidity.
I was shopping for a new bank and my girlfriend suggested looking into Ally Bank. I took her advice and ended up opening an account with them. The process was simple and very easy. This bank is FDIC insured which is very important to me, especially in unsettled times. The customer service representative that I spoke to when I opened the account was very friendly and helpful. She treated me as an individual and not just another faceless person. The website is adequate for my needs. I ended up setting up not one, but two different accounts with Ally. I am very pleased with their very competitive interest rates on their accounts. The interest is compounded daily, not monthly like many other institutions. The higher interest rate and security I have with this bank is what I wish many other banks would ascribe to. I have since referred a couple of my friends to this bank and they have also set up accounts. It is unusual for me to be completely pleased with a bank, but Ally Bank has been able to fulfill all of my needs.
I've had a checking and savings account with Ally Bank for about a year now. The pros: great rates on savings products, no fees (that I've encountered yet), easy to use, good app and website, reimbursement of ATM fees. The cons: I've only had one interaction with a customer service agent. And while she answered my question, she was a bit rude in the process. Also, this may not be the best option if you deal with a lot of cash. I have gotten a bit of cash recently and have no alternative but to sit on it and not deposit it. So if you never deal with cash or only use it rarely and don't mind not being able to deposit it, it's not a big deal. I mostly received checks and direct deposit. Checks are a breeze with their Ally app, I can deposit them using my smartphone. If you don't have a smartphone or don't want to deposit using the app, you can mail them to Ally with a deposit slip and they will deposit them for you. But this is not something I've tried.
All in all, I've had a good experience so far. They don't hassle me and provide exactly the service I need, so overall I would recommend them.
I use to bank with Sallie Mae for my money market and savings needs. The rates slowly weren't as high and the transfer speeds were very slow. When I switched to Ally a few months ago I was impressed with both the ease of use and high Money Market and savings rate. One of the nice things with Ally is the quickness of access to your money. When you do an echeck deposit through their app it clears very quickly. Other banks make you wait a week for funds availability. Ally did not, they have 3-4 business day access. Also my deposits are sent from my bank to their bank within 3 business days and I have access to those funds as early as the 3rd day. Other online banks were a week hold. The set up process for my account was super easy online. If I were to recommend any online bank account I would highly recommend Ally. You will have the highest savings rates and easy online access. They still connect you to a brick and mortar bank in which you currently have. This gives you fast access to cash if you need to write a check to yourself or wire funds back. They have many ATM's and a debit card to access your money with the Money Market or checking accounts with no fees. Don't be fooled by other online banks, Ally truly brings back the spirit of old customer banking with new technological advantages.
I have had an online savings account with Ally Bank for awhile. I love this bank! Their interest rates are always at the top offered anywhere and they have never disappointed me. Through the years, the rates have fallen, but it still has the best rate of any bank. It is very easy for me to transfer money from my account to any other account I have. The wait time is 2 days at the most. I have contacted them several times for customer service and their representatives are knowledgeable and very helpful. They solve any problem to my satisfaction and makes me feel like a valued customer. I would highly encourage anyone interested in an online savings account to seriously consider Ally Bank. You will not be disappointed.
I've been banking with Ally for a little over a year now. I used to bank with Baxter Credit Union, as well as Capital One but switched to Ally.
At first I was skeptical to bank purely online, because my first banking experience (with Capital One) was in an actual brick and mortar bank, I had met my banker in person and he had helped set me up completely. Let me clarify quickly, when I say "bank" I mean concerning checking and savings. With Ally though you never really see or hear anyone IN PERSON. However, the 24/7 Customer Service they reference on their website and their TV commercials is true believe it or not. I tend to not really need customer support all the time but for those who rely on it, I could see how it's useful. The times I did need their help they never seemed to rush me or be rude to me.
As for their products, they have excellent savings accounts and CDs and great rates. Their online access makes them easy to use and frees up my time for other things than making trips to the bank. I haven't had any issues with the app and use it a lot.
I opened an Ally Bank checking account soon after I had a car loan with them. I decided to open the checking account because my experience with customer service was quite pleasant. I have direct deposit through my employer so that was an easy transaction to start off my experience. I earn .1% interest on my account balance, I can take a picture of ny paper checks that I have and I have any atm that I can use that is close to me. Though, I wish there was more accessibility to ATMs but they do offer my a 10 credit a month for any charges I receive at another atm i use. There is also no monthly fees, chase was going to charge me 6 dollars a month. I could not afford that. They also have 24/7 service which I have used once when I lost my card and need to get money out in a jiffy. They had overnighted me a new card at no cost, though this was a one time convenience. there overdraft is also considerable less then Chase!
I have been a customer at Ally bank from the very beginning. They were once known as GMAC bank which I was a customer. In the 8-10 years I've been with them I have not been disappointed. Their money market has paid a steady (or almost steady) 1% ever since I've had their account which is fantastic. Transfers in or out unlike other banks that I use take 2 days vs. 5 or more for others. The best part is the 24 x 7 customer service with a live person in the US. I've used them once or twice when I got stuck. They tell you how long you have to wait upfront which is very helpful. Hope this is helpful to your readers.
This bank was recommended by a friend when we were talking about the lousy rates banks give on saving and CD accounts. I was a bit skeptical at first of dealing with an "online only" bank, but my fears were unfounded. I started with a CD and have now moved my regular savings over to them as well. I made more money in interest there than I have in years in a standard bank. Customer service is great, although everything is so easy, you rarely need to contact them. Everything is very user friendly and I could not be more pleased with a bank. You just can't find these higher rates at any local banks. I recommend this bank to all my friends now. Ally Bank is the go-to place for all my banking needs.
I am a big fan of Ally Bank and truly satisfied with their service. I especially appreciate the mobile app which makes depositing checks and checking my balances fast and easy. Perhaps most significantly, I appreciate that their lack of brick and mortar locations allows then to have higher interest rates for checking and savings accounts, especially in this time of particularly low interest rates. Coupled with the fact that ATM fees are refunded, I feel like any fee I might experience is far outweighed by the benefits. I did have one issue wherein my account was closed due to moving and changing my address to a business rather than a residential address. While inconvenient, the issue was addressed relatively quickly and my interactions with customer service representatives to help resolve the issue were productive and helpful. For these reasons, I have successfully recommended Ally Bank to several friends who are now also very happy with their products and service.
I have had a CD account and a Money Market account at Ally Bank for the last five years. The first thing to know is they do not have branches. The second is that for deposit accounts they are one of the best! Their rates are way more competitive than your brick and mortar banks and their website is a simple joy to use. I personally love their Certificate of Deposit accounts. Every year I get a summary of the account and asking me if I would like to renew it for another year. The one time I ran into a problem and had to deal with customer service it was a pleasure. They were extremely nice and were able to resolve my issue very quickly. If you are looking for a new savings account I would highly recommend you consider Ally.
I have a checking and a savings account through Ally. I started off with a car loan and opted to open up an account as well once I realized how much I liked their service. With the savings account I get a great savings rate for having a savings account with them, and with the checking rate is good since my balance is always at less than $15,000. If you were able to maintain a minimum balance of $15,000 then you would yield an even better rate. I always experience the best customer service whenever speaking with someone directly over the phone. When I use the automated service, I tend to get frustrated because it will either take you in loops because it seems to be always malfunctioning, or it takes a long time to speak with someone depending on the time of day you call. Other than that, I don't have anything negative to say about them. They've always come through in making good on my yield percentage, when I do get someone on the line I always get my questions answered and am satisfied with that part of the experience.
My experience over the last four years with Ally has been a good one. No nonsense and consistently steady return rate of 1% over the time with no loaded fees. I have, to date, never been charged any fees as they promised.
I have held numerous online savings accounts and have been with this bank through it all! What I really enjoy is that Ally is found in ALL of my personal finance apps like Mint, PersonalCapital, etc. which makes the online connection to the accounts a cinch! Many other obscure banks are not found on the apps which cause a major problem.
Solid online banking experience!
I opened an account with Ally Bank a few years ago in an effort to take advantage of the quite favorable CD (Certificate of Deposit) rates that this bank consistently offers. The account opening process was easy and concise. I was able to open the account online without any issues. I was able to open a CD with a very good interest rate as compared to other banks. And when it came time to renew the CD, a favorable rate was offered for the renewal. I have had a good experience with this bank. I would recommend this bank to anyone who wants to open a CD with a good interest rate and is comfortable with banking online. Keep in mind that this bank does not have any physical local branches, so if you need this feature, this bank is not for you.
I still like to have a savings account, it's old fashioned but important to me. Unfortunately, my normal banking options don't offer me much in the way of interest on those savings, even when looking at CDs. After searching around, I found Ally bank. I had my first car loan with them, and I was familiar with their online stance to banking, using them for a savings account and later two CDs turned out to be just as positive.
First, I did have to get used to the idea of not having a bank that I could walk into when I needed something; however, the web design is very easy to follow and compartmentalized based on what you are using their services for. Secondly, they don't just offer competitive, but at that time, the best rates for savings and CDs. Transferring funds to them is as easy as it can be as long as you are careful about inputting numbers, and their customer care by phone is top notch.
In many ways, Ally has offered me, and continues to provide, a high level of service. Finding interest rates that at least match inflation these days is difficult, but they do have them, with no fees on savings, which means that if I want to use them as a savings means, compared to other larger, brick banks, I am at least investing my money for the future, without fear of losing the inflation battle in a matter of a few short years. I can't imagine a better bank to use for savings right now.
Because Ally Bank is an online bank rather than a brick and mortar bank building, they save their clients money by not having the overhead expense that is usually associated with your typical bank. Because of this, I can go to any ATM machine and rest assured that Ally will refund the entire service fee to my account. They do this because they are strictly an online bank.
In addition to refunding me $10/month (whether or not I've used the entire $10 that month) that have the best interest rates for their check and savings accounts that I've found.
Although I haven't used their loans service, I would be interested if I were in need.
In regards to their customer service, I have rarely had to wait long than 3 minutes and they are friendly and polite.
I signed up for Ally bank about 3 years ago when I first heard about it. They had good rates which were much better than anywhere else I had seen and they had no minimum balance for the good rates they offered. I did have a couple difficulties down the years with their system a couple of times and have called customer service and while they have been nice, they haven't necessarily helped me that much with the problems I had. They instead wanted to offer me platitudes and suggest that I wait it out more than anything else. Overall I would suggest the bank to people but I would make sure that you understand that if something goes wrong you might be on your own for a little while until it gets fixed.
I use their online savings account. I have never had a problem with any aspect of it. The money transfers very fast and it does not have any problems. It also pays a competitive interest rate. I have also had a problems with some things and the customer service was excellent. I was able to a live person and they were very helpful. They also walked me through it each step and then followed up on it. The one negative was that the money transfer took to long. It can take about 2-3 days to get money from the account into a checking account where it can be used. But that trade off is worth it due the other great features and does pay a great rate. It also does not have a lot of fees. In fact I cannot think of any fees that they do charge. I am not aware of any annual fee or anything like that. Great way to save money if you are able.
Choosing Ally as your provider is a good way to deal with online banking. Checking accounts, and savings, and cd's and more. My personal experience has been well so far, and i have been dealing with them for a few years, and experienced only a few problems. Those problems were fixed and dealt with and stayed a happy customer. They also have good relations with the customer and really great support team if you need to ask any questions about your financial needs. No minimum balances needed to open checking or savings. And even no balance on cd's. They also have credit cards with good APR rates and for your spending needs. I give the bank 4 out 5 stars and i do recommend any body looking to deal with an online bank, choose Ally as your next online bank.
My first bank account with an online only bank was with Ally.
They are a wonderful institution. Better in every category than any bank i have used previously.
They offer a decent interest rate on checking and savings accounts which I have. They also offer CDs and the like but I have yet to give that shot.
There are no late fees as far as I can tell I was over drafted for a few days and did not incur any charges. I went into debt with the last bank when I over drafted 1 dollar... They pay interest on time and regularly. One of the cool things is that they reimburse you for ATM fees. Absolutely a blessing to not have to worry about ATM fees. Over all I'm very pleased with Ally. I do not see myself switching any time soon.
I have banked with ally for almost a year now. Ally bank has been my go-to bank for savings. I have enjoyed the great percent yield on my money when I keep it there and do not touch it. The customer service at Ally is awesome as well. I noticed a maintenance fee on my account early in my experiences with them and was very concerned as the account I had from my understanding was not suppose to have a fee. I called and within just a minute I was talking to an agent. Sure enough, there had been a mistake on their end and my fee was credited back to my account. They are very good at explaining things to you as well. I had many questions about the type of account I had opened when I first started and they walked me right through everything I needed to know about it and what all the benefits are.
Banking with Ally Bank has really given me my faith back in financial institutions. I have had an account with them for over 3 years now and I have always had positive experiences. They do not have a brick and mortar bank, but that is fine with me because I would rather have great interest on my savings account. They are very easy to reach, any time I have a question or concern I have gotten right through when I called them. I have never felt like I was missing out by not having the opportunity to use a local branch. Their customer service is top notch and you can tell that they created their platform to be very customer centered. They even care about how fast you get your money, unlike most banks. They have created a very fast money transfer feature so you can transfer money to another account very quickly. I am consistently earning some decent change each month by banking with them due to their 1% interest rate on savings. This is very helpful because it is so easy to put money in there using their auto-transfer feature, and if I ever need to take some out for unforeseen expenses, that is very easy too. I would strongly recommend their savings account to anyone looking to improve their financial situation and stick to their goals.
I began banking with Ally Bank in July 2016. I opened an online savings account with Ally Bank after researching the best savings accounts available in the United States. I chose to open an online savings account with Ally Bank because of their low fees (I have no paid any fees, whatsoever), intuitive online interface, and reputation for having excellent customer service. I earn 1% interest on my emergency fund, which I keep in a savings account with Ally Bank. I am able to link my Ally Bank savings account to other bank account I have and move money, online, using the Ally Bank website. The website is easy to use and navigate. The only downside to banking with Ally Bank is the lack of ability to make cash deposits. Because of this reason, I will always have to have a separate bank account open with a bank which has a local branch.
I recently switched my checking account over to Ally banking, maybe 6 months ago or so, and it has been one of the best decisions I have made. They offer a great interest rate on checking accounts and this is wonderful to me. My other bank was incredibly lower. Every time I have talked to someone from Ally on the phone, they have always been pleasant and helpful. Another great perk at Ally is there are not any monthly maintenance fees and I talk to a live person 24/7. These two perks are fantastic!
I've banked with Ally for about 2 years now and all I can really say is that their bank is one of the only online only banks I've had no issues with. If security is a issue for you trusting a online bank, Take it from me they have you covered. Customer support and service is top notch not just only with online banking but any bank that works outside of the internet as well. The website experience is very smooth and fast, It's not confusing to learn how to go around to maneuver and find your way around the website at all, The site also looks aesthetically pleasing as well so that's a plus. Competitive products is something Ally has been doing all their time in the online banking community. I highly recommend them to anybody for their security, reason APR and fee rates. If you're just starting out to learn how to online bank trust me when I say this, Ally is the bank to go with. Reasonable fee's. Great website, security is very high and you're always going to feel secure with them, I can't stress that enough. If I had to give them rating it would be a 4.5/5 stars. Amazing experience overall banking with them.
I signed up with a savings account with Ally because I was disappointed and disgusted with the savings account interest at all the other banks. Because it doesn't have a physical location, I was leary of using it. But I'd heard a lot of good things about it from my co-workers. I've been pleased thus far. I've had to speak with a customer representative a few times, and I'm satisfied with how they have handled my issues and questions. I haven't had any problems using them. I'm confident in their products and services. It's the only savings account I use because I appreciate their helpful customer representatives and the higher than average interest they offer to their customers.
I have had a savings account with Ally Bank for about 3 years now. I switched to Ally Bank from JP Morgan Chase do to their significantly higher interest rate. Opening the savings account with Ally was very easy and only took a few minutes after a credit score check. The interest payments are made to my account on the 15th of every month and are compounded. The bank has never missed an interest payment to my account.
I can check my account easily and quickly online through their website. I also downloaded the Ally Bank app for my phone, which I use occasionally and is convenient. There is no minimum amount deposit to open an Ally Bank savings account, so that is nice if you are worried that you cannot maintain a certain amount of money in your account.
I have only contacted customer service one time and my only fault with the company was that the customer service person I spoke to have a very thick accent and was very hard to understand.
I have had certificates of deposit with Ally Bank for years and have found that they often have the best, most competitive rates. Setting up an account with them was easy. I particularly like their "Raise Your Rate" CD. It allows you to change the rate of your CD once during the 11 month CD period, so you can benefit from any rate increases. I have never had any problems with my account at Ally and plan to continue using their services indefinitely. I would highly recommend them if you are looking for competitive savings vehicles!
I opened a checking account with Ally Bank and I do not regret it one bit. It is very convenient that I have full availability of my money. I can withdraw from any institutions' ATMs and Ally will cover the transaction fees! It is really nice being able to go anywhere to get my money back and not have to worry about paying a huge amount! Thank you Ally Bank for this great customer service.
I have been a member of Ally for a little over a year now and have had nothing but positive experiences. When I first signed up, the member who was helping me was very informative and helped me choose the right type of account. I opened a checking account with ally bank that I set up my direct deposit from my part time job in. I have never had any issues with my check not being deposited in time or being able to access my money right away. I think ally has done a great job, and the one time that I called customer service over an online account issue, they were able to help and fix it within the phone call. They were very friendly and professional. I would suggest this bank to anyone who needs access to a safe and reliable bank for checking, savings, or any other needs. Ally is great!
I am someone who likes to take extreme control of my finances and situation. Ally Bank is a great online bank. The rates are always competitive and when I signed up they had an additional bonus promo which paid just as described and expected. This isn't always the case with bank promotions which I frequently like to take advantage of. The online interface is easy to use and decent to look at, it's intuitive and professional looking without being too stuffy. Like the title says, if you want to do something on your own, this is perfect for it, it's definitely suited for a self-serve style. The only issue I had was trying to call into customer service when I was applying for financing from another institution. The other institution had very particular requirements for verifying deposit accounts and needed a physical address for the institution and it was nearly impossible to receive and the service rep seemed confused. It eventually resolved but it shouldn't have been such an issue.
Although I bank with several different institutions, I choose to keep my emergency savings with Ally Bank. Although I do this mostly because their online savings account pays the highest interest of most of the savings options available to me, I have also had the opportunity to speak with their customer service. Their customer service department ranks very highly when compared with other local banks. When you call them they actually seem happy to speak with you and go out of their way to engage you. I have recently opened a checking account with them as well in order to more quickly access my savings which brings me to my only complaint. As of the writing of this review, it takes 2-3 business days to move money in and out of the institution by way of an EFT draft.
Ally banking was my first experience with an online only bank. I was a little reluctant at first but have been very pleased. Ally provides very competitive interest rates on their checking and savings accounts. Furthermore, I can use any ATM in America to draw money or deposit. Ally will reimburse any transaction fee charged for using another bank's ATM machine. Being an online only bank, it is needless to say that the web experience is very good. The website is easy and user friendly. It also does not take very long to contact a representative when calling customer service. This is a big deal since most banks take forever waiting for a representative. The experience is pleasant and I will continue to bank with Ally banking.
I have dealt with Ally Bank for over 3 years and I'd have to say that they are the best by far. The interest rates are always at the top of the range in comparison to other financial institution and the customer service is second to none. I have money market and CD accounts with Ally and doing any transaction with them is always simple and flawless. Their online customer service is pretty good as well, but their phone service is easily accessible, has great hours, and is always there to answer any questions that I may have. While they do not have a brick and mortar building in my area, I am able to get everything that I need to get accomplished with them through online and phone communication.
I have an online savings account with Ally Bank. I opened this account many years ago because it had the best interest rates online. As the rates fell throughout the years, Ally continues to have one of the best interest rates online. Customer service is great whenever I have had questions over the years. Transferring from my account is very simple and is processed quickly. There is no minimum amount to have this account and no monthly or annual fees. I will continue to keep this account and am very well pleased with it. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great online bank. Ally Bank is a great institution and all funds are FDIC insured which is also very important to me.
I have been an Ally Bank customer for about 6 months and I could not be happier. My savings and checking accounts have provided me better service that my other physical banks. Both accounts earn me interest that is more than my Wells Fargo and Chase account, and I have not had any issues transferring money from them into my Ally accounts. In fact, my checking account from Ally Bank earns more than my Wells Fargo savings account! Six transfers from my other banks a month to my Ally accounts is more than sufficient, and I can find a nearby ATM that are fee-free, but I get $10 a month in ATM fees credit anyway. When I do have a question, I can either call or chat. The alert of hold time on the clean, and easy to navigate web site is normally 0 to 1 minute of wait time, but chat is just as efficient in getting my question answered. I love Ally Bank. Ally makes up for its one-size-fits-all checking option by providing outstanding savings accounts and dependable customer service. Plus, the checking account it offers is a cut above most others.Unlike some of its competitors, Ally's account descriptions and fee schedules don't require translators, and customers won't be hit with unexpected service charges. Even though it may take a while longer before the words "banking" and "fun" are used together regularly, Ally certainly makes managing one's finances feel like less of a chore.
I have a savings account with Ally bank because the fees are beyond reasonable -- in fact the one I chose has no fees and pays interest on my balance monthly! The only issue I have had was with a password reset and customer service helped me resolve that issue quickly and easily! It was simple to link other accounts with my Ally account giving me the freedom to transfer funds in and out of the Ally and other accounts whenever needed. It does take a few days for a transfer of funds to be available into my checking account (which is with another bank) but that is fine by me. I find the direct deposit option to be the easiest way to save money!
I've been banking with Ally for nearly a year now and I'm completely satisfied. When I first opened my account, the closest free ATM would have been blocks away. But after I opened the account, they added an ATM that was just down the street. Another nice feature is that they'll reimburse any fees for using ATMs that are out of network, up to $10 per statement period (one month). This is nice when you need money fast and don't want to chase down a free ATM using the app. Adding money is simple. The app is awesome. You can cash checks using it. They offer interest earning checking with no minimum deposit, which I find is nice for saving up for things like the holidays or special purchases. The debit card is Mastercard, so it's honored everywhere. I'm very satisfied with Ally Bank and would choose it again.
Ally Bank is one of the best banks I have had. I used to bank with bank of america, but Ally bank is much better. I love online banking. It is convenient: Ally is very easy to reach via email and they constantly send me reminders through email. The online savings return is a pretty competitive rate. My checking account is also great! They have no fees whatsoever. I'm so glad there are no monthly maintenance fees as Bank of America was really hard on me when it came to those. I've never run into any issues with the site failing when i need it the most which is a huge relief. I strongly recommend Ally Bank for your baking needs. Overall, Ally most definitely gets two thumbs up from me.
I have nothing but positive things to say about Ally Bank. First of all, it is not your typical brick and mortar bank. Ally is only an online bank. This supposedly helps to save costs which are in turn passed onto the customer in terms of higher than normal interest rates. This is my favorite thing about this bank as no other bank's interest rates on savings and checking accounts are anywhere near Ally's. Also, they give you a debit card which you can use to take money out of an atm anywhere in the world. Also, they reimburse you for atm fees. Not just the fee from Ally, but also the fee that the ATM charges. Who else does that?? My favorite thing is probably how easy their website and mobile app are to use. They seem very secure and also the app is fingerprint enabled for iphones so that is also a huge plus.
It's a pleasure to bank with Ally. Why you should bank with Ally?. It's a bank I've been with for about 3-4 years and they have excellent savings and checking accounts. What makes them different?. I deal with customer service and never had a problem on there end, just small one's like the app isn't working right, or I'm getting an error. If those mistakes happen, ally will fix it. I did under withdraw twice but that was my problem. And they don't give you a hard time. Other than that i give ally a good score 9 out of 10, cause i don't know what excellent banking service is.
I chose Ally bank when I was looking for a new savings account to park my money for the short term. I wanted something with a competitive interest rate because in today's economy, that is difficult to come by. Since they are an online only bank, their overhead cost is lower and they can offer higher interest rates. I was pleased with this idea and they are now my main savings account. They make transferring money very easy. All I have to do is enter my other bank's information and Ally allows me to transfer money in or out whenever I please. The interest compounds daily and they even have a daily interest calculator so you can closely monitor your investment. The interest credits monthly on the exact same date which makes it easy to plan for. Overall I am very pleased with my experience at Ally bank.
I have nothing but positive things to say about Ally Bank. First of all, it is not your typical brick and mortar bank. Ally is only an online bank. This supposedly helps to save costs which are in turn passed onto the customer in terms of higher than normal interest rates. This is my favorite thing about this bank as no other bank's interest rates on savings and checking accounts are anywhere near Ally's. Also, they give you a debit card which you can use to take money out of an atm anywhere in the world. Also, they reimburse you for atm fees. Not just the fee from Ally, but also the fee that the ATM charges. Who else does that?? My favorite thing is probably how easy their website and mobile app are to use. They seem very secure and also the app is fingerprint enabled for iphones so that is also a huge plus.
Ally provides me with a checking account, savings account and debit card. The fees are extremely reasonable and the Savings is free. They also provide me with free overdraft protection as long as I have direct deposit going into my checking account. But, what I love the most about it is the customer service. I was the victim of fraud once, and Ally immediately shut down my card, contacted me and verified whether or not the purchases were mine. Once they verified they were not, they gave me a reimbursement, and a new card within a week. I have been with Ally for years now and its the best online bank I've ever banked with.
Ally has been great for me. I have a checking and savings account with them. I get lower fees then other banks with ally for both checking and savings. The customer service is wonderful and understanding to your problem. They have a great online system, it's easy to use and can even deposit checks through your smartphone. I gave been with them for 1 year now and couldn't be happier.
I've been using Ally Bank for my high interest savings account for the last few years. I often have recommended it to friends because of its website is easy to use and simple and because of the bank's very high rate of return (for a savings account that is). I feel comfortable keeping the largest portion of my liquid savings with Ally Bank even though its online only. Really, when do you ever need to go to the bank any more? Cash transfers are painless and work seamlessly both in and out. Money is usually available to me in my check account about 2-3 days from time of transfer. I recently was notified that they are working to increase transfer speed next year significantly! I look forward to continuing to use Ally bank for some time, and maybe invest in their CDs too.
I was looking for a savings account when my brother told me that he had one with Ally Bank. I opened a savings account with them and have never looked back. I chose this bank because they had the highest savings rate. I also like the fact that it is easy to transfer money from my savings account into my other accounts. They use a service called Pop Money, which helps you to transfer money between your Ally savings account and your external banks. I also like that when I need to call them for a question, the hold time is less than one minute to speak with someone and there is not a large maze of buttons to press to speak with a customer service person. I would recommend Ally to anyone looking for a secure place bank to save money with a higher-than-average interest rate.
Ally had been living up to their name and then some. I have had previous experience in my life with other banks, many of which existed solely to take my money. I have found a bank that really does care about me as a customer and makes sure I am satisfied. Their best feature is how they always answer the phone quickly and work on my issue and get to my business as soon as they can. They have very friendly, and always live customer services reps. I have felt from the very beginning that they were interested in not my business, but keeping me as a customer. They really do hope to do their best, and make their banking experience the best in the industry.
My wife and I recently got married and have been saving money for our first home. We considered many different options and avenues to pursue for the best way to save our money. We considered mutual funds and ETFs, but decided that we needed our money to be a little bit more liquid and A LOT more safe. We contacted Ally Bank's website and learned of their "No Penalty CD." After spending some time checking around and verifying the legitimacy of the offer, we pulled the trigger and opened an account. Our money is currently growing and we do not face a penalty if we were to withdraw, which is fantastic. We feel that Ally offered the best case scenario for us, and we could not be happier with their services!
My husband and I have been using Ally for a few years now. The mobile app is reliable and so convenient. I love how easy it is to make deposits and transfers. I forgot my pw once and called customer service who was very helpful. For atm fees, Ally reimburses me which is no loss on my part. So far we've been pleased with Ally.
I've had savings and checking with this bank for quite some time. My mother and father both had it, too, and they were the ones who recommended it to me. When my dad passed away, I had to work with Ally to remove the money in the account and pay for final expenses. They made this experience very easy, and were very kind with caring words to say about my father, and even thanked me for the whole family being customers. I love how when I call with a question it gets answered right away. Their customer service is really great compared to other banks I've used in the past, and I feel like they are also very trustworthy about the information they give you. Going online to view my account is also very pleasant as they have a great layout.
I've been a loyal customer of Ally Bank for the last 18 months when I took a new job that requires me to travel alot. I converted all my other savings accounts from a credit union and a larger bank into one easy location that I could access anywhere I needed, even internationally. My credit union's webpage interface was always a problem trying to log onto, but I haven't had that problem with Ally Bank's easy to use customer interface system. I think that's really been the highlight for one, having everything in one place that is easy to use, and I don't have to stop at a physical location somewhere to check a balance like I used to. I've also had a fairly decent return rate on the money I've put into a money market account with Ally Bank, even in this time of record low interest rates. I couldn't be any happier with my experience with Ally bank, especially the one time I had a fraudulent charge that was easily handled by their customer service department.
I found Ally Bank to be innovative. It allowed people desiring a different way of banking the opportunity of a little more freedom. I love the deposit feature. You take a picture of your check and send it off to them, then seeing it in your account within seconds is great. I don't remember ever feeling like I needed someone to talk to in person. For questions and inquiries about any issue, chat, email or phone was always available. I think you can get as much info that way as you would in person. I didn't have an IRA, but my savings and general banking needs were met. I especially appreciated fraud protection. I was traveling one year and I received a message from the bank to let me know that money was being used in another country. They were on the ball about fraud.
Ally is an incredible bank. Their customer service is by far the best I have ever encountered when dealing with banks. Because they're not spending money on leases, they're able to invest in customer service and it really shows. Additionally, they give me an incredible interest on both my checking and savings. Overall, Ally is an amazing bank. All the money they have saved has been invested into making your experience as a customer amazing and it truly shows.
I started banking with Ally a couple of years ago on the recommendation of a coworker. I chose to get a savings account through Ally because they have an unbeatable interest rate. With my brick-and-mortar bank, I was getting less than .05% interest. The interest earnings get deposited monthly, so the interest compounds, and it also really encourages me to save more. Ally charges me zero service fees for having my savings account, and there is no minimum balance required for the specific account type I have. Transfers to my other bank accounts are easy and take only 2-3 days maximum. Ally's customer support is really great, too. Every time I have ever needed to call them, the wait time was a minute or less to get to a service representative. I cannot say enough good things about this bank, and I will be establishing more accounts with them in the future.
I have been an Ally Bank customer for about 6 months and I could not be happier. My savings and checking accounts have provided me better service that my other physical banks. Both accounts earn me interest that is more than my Wells Fargo and Chase account, and I have not had any issues transferring money from them into my Ally accounts. In fact, my checking account from Ally Bank earns more than my Wells Fargo savings account! Six transfers from my other banks a month to my Ally accounts is more than sufficient, and I can find a nearby ATM that are fee-free, but I get $10 a month in ATM fees credit anyway. When I do have a question, I can either call or chat. The alert of hold time on the clean, and easy to navigate web site is normally 0 to 1 minute of wait time, but chat is just as efficient in getting my question answered. I love Ally Bank.
One day I was looking to sign up with a new online bank because I don't like dealing with banks in person. I signed up for Ally because they had the highest interest rates for checking and savings accounts, so I would be getting a little extra free money with that. I've been with them for several years now and haven't had any problems. If I want to transfer money from my savings to checking, or checking to savings, it takes like 30 seconds. I have it set up so every other week, $50 gets transferred from my other bank to my Ally bank to use for car insurance. I really like that I'm able to set up this automatic transfer with Ally so I don't have to deal with doing it myself.
I have been an Ally Bank account holder for about 5 years. It was my first experience with an "internet" bank, so I was a little skeptical at first, but the relatively high interest rates for online savings accounts piqued my interest. So, I started with a relatively small deposit from money that was sitting in my savings account at one of the big national banks earning a few cents in interest each month. Setting up the account and making the first deposit was easy and intuitive. Ally's website is easy to use and there are many options for transferring money, paying bills, and other things from the website. Before long, I had transferred most of my liquid savings to Ally and was earning much more in interest than at my other savings account. My experience at Ally has been mostly without any issues, but in cases where something has come up -- for example, I recently got locked out of my account because I forgot my username/password and had a new computer -- I have always received quick and friendly customer service. I'm a happy customer and plan to be an Ally account holder for a long time.
Ally is more than just an ally when it comes to banking. They do everything that a great bank should. You are always greeted by a real person, who is always very pleasant. I cannot say Ive ever waited more than 5 minutes to speak to a rep.
The banking itself is even better, which is hard to do. They replace all ATM fees each month, since they do not have any of their own. They offer competitive rates on CDs, and their high yield interest savings accounts are hard to beat. They offer great interest rates that help you save and grow your money. I would recommend Ally to anyone who is in need of a quality bank. They truly cannot be beat!
Ally is probably one of the best banks around. The interest on their savings accounts is above average. They have no minimums and no hoops to jump through. And they also have no fees! Checking also gets great interest on checking with a debt card. You get reimbursed up to $10 on ATM fees. Customer service is also top notch. They have a wait timer on their website showing how long it will take to talk to someone and it's never such a long wait. Lastly, they provided fast and friendly service.
I love using Ally as my bank. I have moved a few times and never have to worry about where I should be banking. I can easily deposit checks through their mobile app, so I don't have to worry about driving to a bank to do a deposit. Their customer service is great and every time I have called I have gotten in touch with a rep very quickly. They also make it easy to open up multiple accounts. I have 3 checking and 1 savings. It doesn't cost me any more to do it. Did I mention, free ATM usage! There are a few downsides. If you get cash as payment, there is not an easy way to put it in your bank account. Also, when you deposit a large check, it takes multiple days for the funds to fully get into your account. Overall though, they are a great option.
This bank is a great alternative to traditional banks in that the interest rates they provide are literally one hundred times better. I had some money set aside in a traditional bank accruing less than .01% interest. I did not feel that investing this money was wise, as I would need it at some point for emergency funds. I felt that the interest I was receiving was nonexistent. I decided to try one of the online banks that provided more interest and could not be happier. It has been a really easy transition to Ally. Transferring the money was painless and only took a few days. The times I needed to pull money out, the withdrawal was also painless and I saw the money in my account within days. I, personally, have not needed to withdraw money from my account from a physical ATM as of yet, but I assume there will be no problems as they are very helpful in the online chats.
I really do love Ally bank. They are always available to talk, and they realize I am not just some customer. Sure, they send some new product info, but I dont get tons of advertisments for their products. They have the highest rates around, and without fees, or minimum balances. Some other banks try to give a minimum account of $1,000 for the same interest as you get at Ally if you deposit say $5. I also love how easy it is for me to move money to say a CD / or other feature. I started using Ally as a second bank, as it wouldn't be so easy to withdraw money, but ended up using as my main bank. THANKS!!!
I signed up for an Ally account 2 years ago, and have been thrilled with both the account services and the customer service. There are no monthly maintenance fees (and no minimum or direct deposit requirements to waive fees), the debit card gives me 1% cash back on all purchases, and I am not charged for replacement checks. I am also not charged a fee for using other banks' ATMs, and get up to $10 reimbursed per month for ATM fees. Just last week, while on vacation, I used three different ATM machines - the total fees should have been about $8, but Ally reimbursed me for all of the fees. As if no fees weren't enough, I also get great interest for my savings account, and checking. Plus, I love the ability to deposit funds using my iPad/iPhone camera and the Ally app; it makes the whole thing a lot more convenient. My only caution would be to keep a close eye on your account, because overdraft fees (without transfer) are $25 per paid item, so a few math mistakes could add up quickly to a lot of fees. Last, but not least, the customer service is great. When I had an issue with my account a few weeks ago, I was able to get a representative on chat in under a minute, and my questions were answered politely and correctly. Like I said, love this bank!
I signed up for an Ally Bank checking account so I could have a place to conveniently store money I make online. I tried linking my regular bank account to my Amazon account, but it kept getting rejected. However, my Ally account linked instantly. Now I can get access to my online earnings as quickly as one day after I transfer them to my Ally account.
When I signed up with Ally, they also sent me a checkbook and a debit card. I can use the card at a wide variety of ATM's, many near my home. I do have to pay a fee at some of the machines, but Ally offers ATM fee reimbursement. I have not had to use that service yet, but I'm glad to have it.
Ally's checking accounts are perfect for those who earn money through services like Paypal or Amazon Payments. I highly recommend them.
I have been banking with Ally Bank for just about a year now and I only wish I had found them sooner. They offer a very competitive rate on their savings account and you don't find that in too many places. Their rate on an interest bearing savings account is pretty much the best deal out there. They also offer you easy access to your money. There is no penalty for withdrawals and there is no minimum amount that you need to keep in the account. It is a much better offering that a lot of other banks where you need to keep a minimum amount and you do not earn a decent amount of interest. Transferring funds is very easy with the click of a few buttons and you have access to your account via their website at anytime.
Ally bank provides a great online checking account. The opening process was easy and smooth. The customer service representative that assisted me on the phone with setting up the account was patient, kind and friendly. She made it easy to understand. They have very competitive rates, especially if you will be carrying a large balance and there are no fees. There were no local banks that provided that. They also have 24/7 customer service which is great for me as I work second shift and normal banking hours are difficult for me. I had a check to deposit and was having trouble with the app where you can deposit the check through photo and again had to call customer service and was only on the phone moments with a very friendly person. I don't use ATMs often but I have my fees reimbursed if I do! I couldn't be happier with this bank.
I have a checking account with Ally Bank. I originally got the account because the setup process was so easy and simple - all I had to do was fill out some information on a website! Although there's no physical bank to go to, withdrawing money is easy. They don't charge ATM fees and refund up to $10 a month of ATM fees charged on the other end. Depositing checks is super simple - just take a picture. I've had my card information stolen a couple times, and Ally was helpful with that as well. They refunded my money and sent me a new card. My one complaint would be that it took a while (a couple weeks, I think) to get my new card, and in the meantime the only way I had to access my money was through checks. So, I recommend having a backup physical bank! But for the rest of the time, great experience.
I use Ally bank as an offsite/online savings account that is separate from my household checking account. The moble and web functionality and features has made me consider completely switching over from my local bank. Mobile Phone app allows for e-deposits which allows you to take a photo of your check and deposit it without having to go to a physical location. Overall the mobile app is easy to use and can be linked with any outside bank accounts for transfers with ease. Definitely a great decision choosing Ally for my online savings account!
It takes Ally far too long to process and post all types of transactions when compared to other banks I've used. This is especially true of mobile check deposit. 4-7 days to process a deposit is virtually useless to me. Also, the mobile app is glitchy. While their rates are good, their inaccessibility and sluggishness renders them useless to me, overall.
I started banking with Ally Bank a little more than a year ago and was hesitant to use an online only bank. I was worried about not being able to customer service when I needed to, but working with and using Ally completely erased my fears. Deposits are fast and easy using the Ally Mobile Banking app on my phone. I have occasionally used their over-the-phone customer service and has always been taken care of well. I chose Ally because the rates they had on CDs were better than the rates that I could have gotten at brick-and-mortar banks. I'm also pleased with the way you can use ATMs and get reimbursed for any fees they charge, and that you can also use many ATMs across the country without incurring any fees. Overall, I will continue banking with Ally because it is convenient, their customer service is excellent, and I am very happy with the rates they offer.
Ally is the easiest banking experience I have ever had. Everything is in one place. For basic Checking and Savings accounts, they are very easy to access. My favorite part is being able to use any ATM in the country and Ally pays the fees. I can do everything from my phone to make things as convenient as possible using their easy-to-use app. The interest rates they have with the Savings account is very competitive with the rest of the market. If I ever have to speak to someone with any issues, the 24/7 customer service with a real person is a nice touch. They have the option of using other services such as opening an IRA or needing a credit card directly through them. I will continue using them for a very long time.
I used to go to a brick-and-mortar banking institution. I encountered a number of issues involving their locations and the services there. Worst of all, I had a really horrible APY rate. It was worse than inflation. I switched over to Ally Bank when I found out how competitive their rates were comparitively. I've had a great experience with their online and mobile apps, especially since that is their forte. They really put effort into. Their customer service is available 24/7, which is really nice, however, I wish that the service people would be a little easier to work with. It also took a while to reach someone when I used their service. All and all they are a pretty good bank that offer really amazing APY to those looking to save more.
I have been banking with Ally Bank for years. I enjoy the strong interest rate. I have much of my savings in a savings account here. I like the app, it functions well and makes it easy to submit transfers, edit transfers, and deposit checks. It does take several days for deposited checks to show up. It is faster at my local bank. I do wish that transfers between this bank and my local bank were faster. It takes 2-3 business days, not long by bank standards, I guess. But since I make 1 transfer between these banks every month, I wish they would sync and transfers could go faster. I like that on the app, it shows how long your wait time would be if you needed to call. It's normally 1 or 2 minutes. I don't think I've ever seen it longer than 2 minutes.
I also opened my Ally account due to the high interest rate. My husband and I closed our other accounts and decided to just use Ally. HUGE MISTAKE. I'm reopening an account at my old bank first thing on Monday.
My husband has direct deposit and this has been working fine. I unfortunately don't have direct deposit at my job so I must deposit my actual check. It takes WAY too long for my check to clear. Their check deposit times leave a lot to be desired. My last check was deposited on a Thursday and I didn't have access to my money until Monday. You have to wait for TWO business days after the day of deposit until they let you have YOUR money. Absolutely ridiculous.
I hate that you can't deposit cash or even a money order. They also got rid of refunding all your ATM fees and will only reimburse you up to $10. Classic bait and switch.
Things were going okay until two weeks ago. My husband and I went on a 10 day vacation. I admit that I forgot to tell them that we were leaving, so we weren't that surprised when they shut off my husband's card... 8 DAYS INTO OUR TRIP!!!! But mine was not shut off. Really good security you got going on there, Ally...
That night at the hotel we spent (more like wasted) half an hour on the phone with Ally to alert them we were out of town.
Two days later, we were making a mad dash for the airport and ended up with a shady cab driver who would only accept cash. While waiting for the cab, my husband tried to get money out of the ATM but neither of our cards worked. I called Ally THREE times to see if there was a problem. They kept telling me there was no problem. So we had the cab driver take us to an ATM, again it didn't work! I called Ally AGAIN and then they decide to tell me there was some kind of dumb hold on our account. Needless to say, we missed our flight and had to spend an extra $300 on a hotel, food, cabs, etc. Thanks a lot Ally!!!
Then today, I needed to take a significant amount of cash from the ATM ($1200). They have a $1000 daily ATM limit. I called to see if they could increase that for me. Nope. He said they could put in a request to increase it but that would take TWO business days. It's my freaking money!! The Ally rep told me to wait until exactly midnight, or maybe I have a friend who owns a business and would let me charge my card and get the cash! WTF?? Um no!!! Luckily my husband was able to use his Ally card and get the remainder of the funds I needed out of the SAME ACCOUNT!!! Wish that idiot would've told me that over the phone.
Anyway, waaaaay too much BS. My 1% interest was more than blown on the garbage this bank has thrown at me. Back to brick and mortar for me.
Simply put, Ally is an incredible place for online banking. There are zero fees for transfers and ATM transactions. I know what you're thinking - what about the ATM fees that machines automatically charge? Ally reimburses those fees every single month. What's more, Ally accounts bear interest. All of them, even checking. Savings interest bears more, of course, but it's still impressive that their checking also bears interest. And without a minimum balance! Simply have your paycheck direct deposited and you're taken care of. Their app is also ever-improving and depositing checks is a breeze. Simply sign, take a picture, and you're done. The only drawback is there is no easy way to deposit cash. But how often do you need to do that? If the answer is "quite often" then maybe this isn't the bank for you. Otherwise, this is DEFINITELY the bank for you.
I have used Allly banks savings account for many years. I think they are fantastic. They have better rates than any other bank I have seen especially banks with brick and mortar branches. In this day and age there really is no need for access to a bank in person. Their website is fantastic and has everything you would expect and then some. It is fast and well designed. Their mobile apps are also great and are available for both iOS and Android. You can do all of your banking from your phone and can link to your checking account at other banks. I have had to contact customer service several times and each time they were extremely helpful. The waiting time is always short. You also will receive an ATM card so if you must get cash out quickly you have the option. Overall I really have no complaint about using an internet only bank in Ally.
I have been familiar with Ally since I started shopping for an account for my brother. No local savings accounts were offering anything in terms of interest, and he was offered much higher interest at Ally. There has never been a problem with getting his money transferred to another account, and he has never had any trouble getting his money out. The time period for transferring his money has always been much quicker than they advertise. We have been so happy with Ally that we have convinced our mother to put her savings there also! Their website is easy to use and won't confuse the elderly. My mother is shocked that she banks online! All in all, Ally bank is a winner with this family!
I've been using online banking for many years, and have experience with online banking products from local brick & mortar banks (PNC) as well as strictly online banks (Capital One 360). What brought my attention to Ally was its offers for opening various checking and savings accounts. The first time I decided to sign up for Ally, it was offering a checking account/savings account combo, with the APY being .10% and 1%, respectively. Sure, my Capital One 360 account offered good interest (.2% for checking, .75% for savings), but Ally also went further with excellent 3 or 4-year CDs. I opened my very first CD as an adult with Ally Bank, signing up for its "Raise Your Rate" 4-year CD at 1.4% APY. I started with these three products over a year ago, and today I have 3 more tacked on: another 4-year CD that's also an IRA, a 3-year high-yield CD at 1.5%, and an IRA Savings Account that I can add to as much as I want. Ally's website and mobile app are easy-to-use, sleek, and consistent. I've never had issues logging in or navigating around. I like how Ally's savings account can be set up as overdraft protection in increments of $100. I try to keep $200 in it at all times to catch any pesky little overdrafts. This also encourages me to keep money in to earn interest. Basically, Ally Bank's offers and interface have encouraged me to save money, which is something I've struggled with over the years. I've set up bill pay for a couple of my credit cards that I use mostly for everyday spending as well as fun things like trips or dining out. I've connected an AMEX card to it, as well as Ally's own Visa that they just introduced (but that's a different product, so I won't say anything about it here). What would be great is if Ally could connect its own Visa as overdraft protection, which other banks can do but Ally does not. Even Capital One 360 has a built-in overdraft line of credit with extremely low interest. Of course, it's always better to use back-up cash like the Ally savings account, but for peace of mind a connected credit card couldn't hurt. I have to say I have't been hit with really any fees by Ally, other than ATM fees-- which get refunded to me if I only go the ATM a couple times per billing cycle. So Ally has done nothing but earn me money, and that's why I still use it and intend to continue using it for many years. Overall it's an excellent online banking product.
My experience with Ally bank had been pretty descent so far. There is only one thing that I don't like. I don't like the fact that when I get charged for using an ATM from anywhere, they don't credit my account back the charge fee until the next statement cycle. I wish that process was immediate. I chose Ally because of it's lack of fees on ATM's and monthly fees. Not having to deal with fees just to store my money there is great. The customer service is fantastic. I was looking for a good secure account to start saving a little extra money every. I figured a good online only bank would work fine for a savings account.
When I was looking for an online bank, I researched and came upon Ally Bank as one of the top online banking institutions. Their free interest checking account convinced me to open an account. Sign-up was very simple. You're not required to put an initial deposit when signing up which was another plus. I was able to open the interest checking account and then place my first deposit with them the next day. The introductory packet that comes in the mail a few days later, comes with some deposit slips in case you want to send in a deposit and a note that states that I was to receive my debit card within 10 business days of making my first transaction and I received it in 5 business days which definitely was nice. The purchases I make with my debit card show up in my transaction history online almost immediately. I had a pleasant experience utilizing the chat feature. I was chatting with someone within 10 seconds of clicking the link to chat. I have yet to try calling in to actually speak to a representative, but I'm sure this experience would be just as pleasant an experience as the one I had chatting. I say that because on the top left of the web page, it states the phone number to call to speak to someone and right underneath the number, the approximate wait time. That, to me, is a plus because when you're busy and you need to get things done, it's good to know exactly how much of a wait you're going to have to deal with before you actually place the call. All in all, so far, I've had a great experience with Ally Bank, and I believe I will have a great relationship with them in the years to come.
I have had a checking and savings account at Ally Bank for several years now. They both provide interest way about what a normal brick and mortar bank location gives today. Even though they do not have a physical location, customer service has been excellent. I can chat with a bank representative online or get a hold of one on the phone in a matter of about a minute. I called them last night at 3 a.m. because I was having trouble with a paypal deposit that was getting rejected and they were able to resolve that in a few minutes. The person on the other end has always been able to answer my questions or help me out with whatever I need. Depositing checks via their mobile app is a breeze and beats having to go to a physical bank and make a deposit. Their debit card is a Visa card, so it is accepted pretty much everywhere.
I initially chose Ally because they appeared to have the highest interest rate of all the online banks. When I started the process, I found the website to be very use friendly- it was easy to find the info I was looking for and the information was presented in a clear and easy to understand way. My experience with customer service was great. There was little to no wait time on the phone, they were friendly, and they answered my questions and concerns about opening my account. Now I'm accessing the website to view statements and I continue to feel that Ally was the right choice. Super user friendly, good rates, and I always feel confident that I can reach out and get help when I need it.
I have been banking with Ally bank exclusively for the past five years. I was skeptical of using an online bank at first, but now I will never go back to "brick and mortar". Here are some of the things I love about Ally: (1) Open 24/7. (2) Has a really good app for your smartphone. (3) Free checks. (4) Postage paid deposit envelopes and check registers. (5) Online Bill Pay that gets your payment where it needs to be, when it needs to be there (I have never had a payment show up late!). (6) Popmoney lets you send money to anyone who has an e-mail account (I use it all the time to send money to my nieces). (7) Super easy to deposit "paper" checks remotely. (8) ATM fees are reimbursed to your account monthly (up to $10.00), so you basically never pay an ATM fee! Ally also offers Overdraft Transfer Service, which means if you accidentally overdraw your checking account (oops!), they will transfer funds, in $100 increments, from your savings account. Love this, and it has saved me a couple of times! I have really never had to use customer service, so I can't comment on that. Ally is a bank that is always improving and finding new ways to make their customers' banking experience more efficient, and less costly.
I have been really happy with Ally Bank. The website is super easy to use and user friendly. Customer service is pretty good too. One time I accidentally locked myself out of my account, and I called customer service. The representative I spoke with was more than understanding and walked me through the steps to get back into my account. I've also talked to them about my account and what options I had for investments, specifically IRAs. I was able to speak with someone at the bank that was very knowledgeable and she even took the time to send me an information packet so I could more easily review my options. She didn't make me feel stupid or talk down to me. I am very happy with this bank! I initially used this bank to handle my savings account, but now have other accounts there as well. I would recommend them to anyone!
Just this evening I called customer service and did not have to stay on hold for very long before a friendly, upbeat young woman came on the line and assisted me with my call. She made sure I understood what she told me and that I didn't have any further questions before wishing me a good rest of the week and making sure that I knew that customer service can be reached 24/7. I couldn't have had a better experience. I love this bank.
Ally Bank does an amazing job fixing the two biggest shortcomings of major banks. Because they are online only and don't have to deal with the overhead costs of running branches, they can afford to be very generous to customers. This comes out in two major ways. First of all, they reimburse all atm fees. No more running halfway across the city to avoid a $3 charge every time you need cash. Find ANY ATM near you, and they will credit the fee back to your account. Also, they offer some incredibly competitive interest rates. Most major banks offer low fractions of a percent, such that your money actually loses value when adjusted for inflation. While Ally might not be the most rewarding place to stash your money long term, they do at least give you something by paying 0.6% interest rate on online checking accounts. Their CDs also offer interest rates above 1%, making them an ideal choice for online banking.
I have had a great experience with Ally Bank. I opened my account because they have very competitive interest rate on savings accounts, and I'm so glad I did. My savings account, which I've had for over a year, is still earning 1% interest. I have only had a couple minor issues with this bank, and both of them were resolved quickly. I'm working on switching all of my checking over to Ally, but because of a number of automatic payments made from my current checking account it has been a slow process and in the mean time it's a 3 business day wait to transfer money from my checking to savings or vice versa.
Ally refuses to partner with any other banks or ATMs so that it's customers can make cash deposits. Instead, you have to go and create a money order and then mail that in. Nope. Not customer-minded all. Just a huge inefficient waste of time. Skip this "bank."
I love Ally Bank because I have had such great customer service from them and because they do not charge any fees. I sometimes suffer from that old-age disease of forgetting my password. With Ally customer service: no problem calling and getting it re-set. Customer service agents have always been patient with me, even if a mistake was my fault (like forgetting I had written a check). Instead of the check bouncing, Ally covered it with my savings account, and did not charge me what other banks do ($35, and the sting of bouncing). I also earn a decent percentage interest on both my interest checking and savings account.
I've used a couple online banks before, such as USAA for example, so I have at least medium expectations when it comes to Customer Service and ease of use. Ally bank met if not exceeded most of my expectations. To start with, their customer service is reliable and fast. I've had a couple problems with payment processors, even when visiting other countries (Denmark for example) outside of the United States, I contacted them via their webchat, they told me to call ASAP. Couple minutes later I was talking to a real person, getting my situation sorted. I think I spent maybe 10 minutes on the whole ordeal, from the moment of realizing it wasn't working to getting it sorted out.
Their ease of use with mobile banking was amazing, being able to deposit checks years ago with a cell phone picture before other banks were even doing this. I've noticed Ally is still very fast with the deposits, most taking 3 days at maximum, never longer. Combine this with their mobile App, I found it very comfortable to use them anywhere I went that had internet.
I think if someone wants to try out online banking, they should give Ally a try, especially if they have a smart phone. Customer service was some of the best I've seen in a long time.
What a nightmare! Their fraud department is just incompetent. They block everything, but the bank still takes out the money and then takes 10 days to return it. Dealing with customer service is frustrating at best, and it's just a very unprofessional and unreliable bank. Don't be sucked in by the low fees, you get what you pay for.
I have been with Ally since they were known as GMAC bank or about 7 years. Never had any issues with them. My problems began when I tried to link my account with an external account. The other bank lists their MM as a MM savings. When I set up the bank link I set it up as a MM Savings. The micro deposits made it to my account but Ally was not able to withdraw them. Never notified about this issue by Ally. I called customer service and they said that they will try the account linking again. Once again same results. The micro deposits make it to my external account but Ally was not able to withdraw them, and just like before no notice from Ally about this issue. I called Ally to find out what is going on and they now demanded that I provide them with a letter from the other bank on that banks letterhead with my full name, address, bank account number, and routing number to prove my account ownership. I called the other bank with this request and they declined citing security reasons and for my protection. The CS agent suggested I submit the account opening letter as proof of account ownership. I verified my account number with them, confirmed the ACH routing number, and asked her what type of account was their MM. Savings or checking? The CS agent informed me that it is in fact a MM Checking not a MM savings unlike what is advertised.
With this information I called Ally. I informed them about what the other bank told me. They once again demanded that I provide them with the credentials they told me about regardless of the issue. I sent them the account opening letter and a letter informing them about what is blocking the ACH transfer. Two days go by and no reply from Ally. I called them again, they stated that they have not received anything from me yet. They ask me to resend the information. Two days go by no reply from Ally. On the third day a call from Ally that they do not have the information they expected from me. I informed them that I sent it twice. Informed them that my email does not have my name, to look for my email address instead. After almost an hour on the telephone the CS agent informs me that the information I sent is not what they asked for and that they will not unlock the account for me to re-link them until I provide what they demand. This back and forth nonsense has been going on since August 17. Today October 3 was the final straw. I even requested to speak to a supervisor about this a week ago, I received a case number but never heard back from a supervisor. Let me mention that the CS agents at Ally are wonderful and they are not the problem. They were very frustrated that they could not help me. The people causing all the stalemate are the back office accounts transfer group. I have never experienced such a draconian mentality for such a simple problem. In frustration I have decided to close all my accounts with Ally and terminate my banking relationship with them.
I was looking for a savings account where I could put some money that I had left over on my checking account but upon checking most banks they offered extremely low Annual Percentage Yield which pretty much meant my money would just be sitting there earning nothing. I heard about Ally bank after searching online but had a lot of questions. I went to the bank's website and had the opportunity to chat with a customer specialist who pretty much walked me through the whole process and answered all my questions. It was good to have someone there since this is an account that you have to be approved for. Now, I am able to easily transfer my money to this account easily and earn 1% which is unheard of compared to any other bank.
I joined Ally bank because of the competitive interest rates. It did not disappoint. I love it. I can deposit checks from the mobile app. It takes several days for the money to show up in the account. I use Ally Bank for my savings account. I have been banking with them for about 4 years now. I have had no issues. When I use the app, there's a button that tells me how long my wait time would be if I needed to call. It's always there! It's usually 1-2 minutes. The best wait time ever! Thanks Ally!
Ally Bank is a neat little online bank with no-frills and no fees for savings accounts. If you're looking to put a little money away at a great interest rate, and you don't mind dealing with electronic funds, then it's perfect. Unfortunately, should you need any customer service, the person on the other end of the phone call is pretty much just reading from a script, and can't offer you too much in the way of personalized service. If you're a low-maintenance customer, though, Ally offers competitive interest rates and an easy-to-use website, making electronic deposits and withdrawals very simple, as well as offering deposits of paper checks. I've only had to call customer service once, and was very disappointed the employee couldn't tell me why a check I sent in wasn't accepted, but other than that, I usually find it so simple to make deposits and check my balance at the click of a few buttons. Ally's phone app is very similar to the website, and gives you the same basic information you'll find online. When I need to deposit a paper check, I just scan the front, scan the back, and upload the images. The funds generally appear in my account the next day, and the interest shows up once a month. As long as you don't need anyone to hold your hand, Ally is a fabulous online bank that allows me a lot more customer control than many brick and mortar banks.
I was recommended to Ally by my mother, who was recommended by her friend and coworker. I signed up with Ally because of their very competitive interest rate for a savings account, with zero fees. I have only ever had to call their customer service once (with a question regarding setting up my account), and the lady who helped me was great. They are a great online bank with great rates. Their website is aesthetically pleasing, and I have never had a single issue with deposits, withdraws, or transfers. It usually takes three to five days to transfer in and out of my Ally savings account to my regular (other bank) checking account. Honestly, it is usually only ever three days, and only takes five days if I start the transfer on a Friday or Sunday. The interest deposits monthly and it is nice to see that little "bonus" every month, like a little reminder that your money is working FOR YOU for once.
I've had an account with Ally bank for a year or so now. I use it for long-term savings. If I ever come into a larger sum (such as my taxes), I throw it into my ally saving's account. 1% interest is the best I've found besides a CD or other, similar products. The only cons I've experienced is that it's difficult to get money in and out. Make sure you have enough time for a bank transfer, because it can take a few days. Other than that, it's been a great bank. All my experiences have been positive, and their mobile app is very useful. I have recently added their card to Samsung Pay, which is nice because my other bank does not allow use on Samsung Pay. I have yet to use it; however, I'll be excited to try it.
I have been with Ally a few years now, ever since they got off the ground with their creative commercials. I was interested in seeking out a bank that had an online savings account. The savings account is all I ever opened with Ally, and I have used it frequently since. It has been great for specific deposits from PayPal or other online selling accounts, but I found using it was hard because it added an extra step to get the money in my own primary checking account at a local bank. I love the concept of having an online savings account with an online bank, because there are less fees and less need to be in touch with a person. Ally really does have a good product for simple savings needs.
I have been using Ally for 2+ years. At first things worked great but over the past six months have had several issues with them including significant delays in processing deposits. I have tried to get these issues resolved with customer service who has been unhelpful and could not resolve any of the issues. This used to be a great bank. Changes in their processes and fees as well as that now depositing money takes close to 7 business days for the money to be credited to your account, unacceptable. I would not recommend this bank to anyone.
I have had ally bank for 3 years and my experience with them has been great. The reason I chose Ally was their savings rates. I had a fairly large amount of money I needed to keep on hand but didn't need to touch for a while, and I was tired of earning pennies a month when I could be earning dollars. Since joining Ally, I have not been charged any of the ridiculous fees my brick and mortar bank tries to add on to accounts. After about a year of having a savings account at ally, I decided to open a CD and had a question. I was helped quickly by a knowledgeable customer service rep. One of the best things about their CD accounts is there is no minimum amount Their raise your rate feature is great because if the interest rate goes up you can lock into a higher rate! If you are looking for an alternative bank or secondary bank, Ally would be a great choice.
I have been a customer of Ally bank for over 5 years now. I opened a checking account with them when I left Wells Fargo due to being unsatisfied with the service, and I have not looked back. Ally is very convenient for me to use. Though I cannot go to a branch to get help, I am able to do anything through their online interface. I can look at my statements, pay bills, send money to individuals, transfer money, and even deposit checks without ever meeting anyone face to face. In order to deposit checks, all I need to do is take a few photos of the check with my phone and submit it through their mobile application. The most convenient feature for me is the ability to use any ATM machine without a fee. Ally will reimburse any fees incurred by using an ATM to withdrawal cash. I have never been charged any fees of any sort and would recommend Ally to anyone looking for an online bank.
I popped for the $250 bonus for opening a 50K IRA account with Ally earlier in the year. They're supposed to post the bonus at the end of this month. However, they just sent me an email stating that I would be getting a $100 bonus.
I gave them a call and they agreed that the email was in error. I told them that they need to find-out how this mistake was made and send me an email acknowedging it. However, the CSR I talked with didn't have the authority to send emails!
So, I'm waiting for a reply back from the powers that be at Ally. This is something they really need to fix before the end of the month. Hopefully, this is just an email issue and they'll post the correct bonus amount later in the month.
If they don't get back to me within a week, I plan on escalating the issue. I don't want to have to deal with them posting the wrong amount and then have to straighten that mess out after the fact. This isn't much of a confidence builder, is it?
I've had a checking account with Ally for about two years, and I've been very happy with them. I've had no problems, and the checking account pays interest, which is nice. The website is clean, simple, and I've never run into any sort of glitch or problem on it. I particularly like the online check deposit option. I've used it a couple of times and was impressed by how quick and easy it was. Also, the fact that it went through in spite of my scan being less than perfect was an added bonus! I can't really say anything about customer service since I haven't had to use it! It's nice to have a checking account that is convenient, problem-free, and doesn't try to gouge me for extra fees at every opportunity. I definitely recommend it.
Ally Bank has incredibly deceptive business practices.
In one example, they advertise FREE international transfers, only to have their intermediary bank (Chase), assess fees. Since Ally forces customers to internationally transfer THROUGH Chase, Ally is therefore charging fees, but they never warn of this or take any responsibility. Instead of understanding this, Ally pushes me to contact chase directly, who I am not a customer of nor care to be. They blame me and take no responsibility.
The only course of action after speaking to representatives? I would need to MAIL or FAX a report to their banking team - they claim they have no email or secured messaging (lie) support to do this, despite being an online-only bank.
Their website is full of deceptive marketing and probably fake reviews and ratings. I wouldn't touch this bank. And this is just one example of many that I have had since opening my account with them 3 months ago.
I have been banking with Ally for over 3 years now and I have never had problem with them at all. Ally offers a ton of features that other banks charge you a fee for, but Ally includes them for free. Not to mention it is the only online bank I have found that will offer you a free checking account that gains interest over time. Yes, I said their free checking account gains interest where as other banks you are lucky to just get a free checking account. On top of that, they also offer some of the highest yielding interest on basic savings accounts as well.
I can always count on getting the correct answer from them to all my questions I might have. It is easy to contact whether by phone, computer or app. I can always get the answers I need.
You will be hard pressed to find a better online institute that manages to balance great customer service with free useful features and also helps grow your money at the same time.
I have held a savings account at Ally Bank for a couple of months now, and it has been one of the best changes I have made with regards to my money recently. The rates are fantastic for what is a simple savings account, with the APR rate of 1%. I had previously been using a branch savings account that netted me an interest rate below 0.05%. This alone was the reason I switched to Ally Bank. Also, the customer service is fantastic. It was very easy to use their online chat and have all of my questions answered. I have not tried any of the other options, because this online chat service has worked so well. The industry standard applies when it comes to fees and restrictions so there was no drop off in that concern. Overall, I am extremely pleased that I have switched to Ally, and would recommend anyone who is simply opening a savings account to do the same.
Ally bank for some great unknown reason removed all ref to the payer from for all bills using their bill pay. So your transaction history just shows check paid vs. Baltimore Gas Electric.
Bill pay is supposed to make this easier. Why use it if they are going to make tracking your spending impossible.
Their response to date has been I don't know why we changed but we have no plans to restore the capability.
For anyone that expects to need an accounting (Medicaid) you will have to provide not only the register but copies of all the checks since they don't show where they went and reconcile. Good Luck.
Recommend you not use ally. Very poor service.
Called today to raise my rate on a 48-Month CD. The Ally published rate ($100k+) for a 36-Month CD is 1.55% APY, a significant step up from my original rate of 1.35%.
But -- and this is the scam -- the 48-Month rate (unpublished, but quoted by CSR and supervisor) is 1.4% APY, way lower that the 36-Month!
By offering "Raise your Rate" incentives on uncommon (for Ally) maturities, this bank can defeat the value. Not a good way to keep customers, Ally.
Leaving overall rating at 2-stars, not 1, because my overall Ally experience has been essentially fine over the years.
In their defense, Ally is not the only bank attracting deposits this way. But it is a shady practice.
Beware.
Never someone to write a review but I literally search how to write a review so the public can know what they are getting into before going with Ally.
Where do I begin..
Customer Service, starting with having to wait 15-20 min to speak to a representative. To process payments over the phone they send you to a third party Western Union to pay the bill and a $9 processing fee. Drop calls.
Web experience, No online payment process. they do not make it easy to pay a bill.
Ally seems to be either behind in time or just not with this day in age. Literally update your system.
I would never go with Ally Bank if for any future leases in insure a car. I can not stress that enough.
This is the bank I am using to manage my ailing elderly fathers funds with. The customer service is great here, and they answer questions I thought they couldn't. I'm very happy with my experience, and I was able to manage my father's funds for him very efficiently. I was also able to take money out of a savings account for a hospital bill when I thought it was unavailable. I would have been in a financial struggle without this bank and the help of their awesome customer service team! I couldn't be happier, and would definitely say to anyone looking for an online bank that this one is by far the best choice you could ever make. Their log in process is even easy, and with a secure website I don't have to worry about my account being compromised.
I have been a customer of Ally Bank for over three years and truly believe that this bank has my best interests at heart. Not only is their website and mobile application very user-friendly, they have the quickest customer service of any industry I have tried to contact before. I also appreciate that Ally will not charge me every individual day that my balance is overdrawn, as this has happened to me unexpectedly on occasion, there is just a one time fee for account over drafting. My checking and savings account are both without a monthly or yearly fee which is also a blessing, as I have had banks in the past charge both of these type of fees. This bank is extremely fair with their fees and I have never had a complaint towards them. I plan to stay at Ally for life!
Glad to see a more than positive review of Ally. What confuses me is the extent of negative comments yielded against this bank. I've been using them for years....checking account, savings, money market and CDs. I've never had a bad experience. Yet to read some of the remarks made over a large span of time, I'd think that this must be one of the worst banks in existence. Hmmm.
I've been a member of Ally Bank for about 6 months now. I initially signed up a year ago but did not follow through with the first deposit. I went back after my previous bank kept charging overdraft fees when the money was in the bank due to the way they reset the pending balances at night. I am so glad I did. I had a problem at first trying to create a new account online because of the previous account I tried to open. I called customer service and they were so friendly and helpful. They were able to help me out and let me know what additional information I needed to reopen the old account as well as the information I needed to open another joint account with my spouse. Both accounts were ready to use within a few days. Transferring money from my old bank was a breeze! I love Ally and its customer service. They are truly a great online bank!
My interaction with Ally Bank has been outstanding. I have had several accounts with them for several years and have always been extremely happy with their service and products. Recently, I became the trustee for my parents family trust and I found out that they had their money tied up in several local banks. Those banks were paying out a whopping 1/10th of 1 percent per year interest. I asked them if I could move their money to Ally so they could at least get 1% or 10x what they were getting. They agreed. Being that opening a trust account is more complicated than a regular savings account I had to call Ally's customer service department to get the proper paperwork. They sent me the correct forms and even walked me through the process to ensure that I filled everything out correctly and provided them with the proper documentation. The process was flawless and the account was opened and funded within 5 days. I wouldn't bank with anyone else on-line but Ally Bank. THEY HAVE A CUSTOMER FOR LIFE.
Ally Bank has excellent customer service. When you call to resolve issues or do personal banking, they are very quick to answer and extremely helpful. I've only waited a couple of minutes on hold in the past to get a live person on the line. Only once did the original person not know the answer to my questions and immediately got a supervisor on the line instead of waiting to be called back. This is one of the best aspects of Ally Bank. However, they have an absolutely horrible website. It does not offer anywhere near the information that the other banks currently offer online. They really need to increase the functionality of the website to make it more user-friendly. Their fees and products are fairly competitive with the other banks. They are overall satisfactory, but could definitely use some help on the website!
I've had both checking and savings accounts at Ally Bank for several years, and am quite happy with them. They are very convenient. They refund fees from any ATM in the USA, which is a huge plus and has saved me lots of money over the years. I've contacted their customer service department several times over the years, by both online chat and telephone, and every time the customer service agents have been helpful and polite. Their website is intuitive and easy to use. I contact them before travelling internationally, and have had no problem accessing funds from foreign ATM's. I'd recommend Ally to anyone looking for a convenient and safe online bank.
When I moved to a new city to start a new job, I needed a new banking institution. Having spent a lot of my savings on moving expenses and significantly reducing my student debt, many of the local institutions or larger banks were above the minimum deposit amounts that I could guarantee moving into their accounts without incurring my own fees as well. With the advent of mobile deposit, and not having a lot of need for an in-person banking experience, I began considering the option of a web-only banking institution. I considered Ally bank due to their strong reputation of being able to provide excellent customer service if needed, and otherwise being a very simple institution to use. They have one of the highest interest rates on a savings account that I could find between comparable institutions that were available to me. Most importantly, they did not have any minimum deposits, or any monthly fees to worry about if I was not able to keep a minimum amount in my accounts. I currently use Ally for both their regular interest checking, and their online savings account. I have had no trouble using mobile deposit to deposit checks into my checking account. Their phone app is very simple to use, and I can easily transfer money between accounts within seconds. I highly recommend Ally bank to anyone looking for an alternative to a larger bank, and looking to both avoid monthly fees, and get a good interest rate on your savings account.
I love Ally Bank. I signed up maybe 3 months ago and it was been a wonderful experience. The application process was super easy and only took minutes. I opened a Money Market account that comes with a checking card. I use it like my checking's account; I receive interest on my money and there is almost no fees. I was tired of getting hit with fees from my regular banks, and Ally has been very good to me and my family. I love on the website and app that it tells you how long the wait time for phone calls to customer service. I also really enjoy the mobile application. It works very well and I have no issues with it at all, I think I use the app for 90% of my banking. I would highly recommend this company to anyone looking for a good bank with less headaches. I have only called customer service once and it was for a very quick question, but that was handled very professional as well. I can't speak about all their products but I am going to look into them shortly to see if I can get everything under one account.
I have been banking with Ally for a little less than a year now, and I only have an online savings account with them. When I started my search for a new place to keep my spare cash, I did a bit of research on the web to try to find the best interest rate. I stumbled upon Ally and they were offering 1% APY. I had heard the name before, and did another quick search to make sure they were trusted. After this I went through the process of setting up an account which was pretty simple and only required a couple of phone calls. Their phone service was phenomenal during these calls. Since then, my deposits have been easy and the interest is good (compared to others). I would definitely recommend Ally Bank!
Sent in paperwork for partial IRA rollover to take advantage of $250 bonus March 31. After 3 weeks I called Ally to see what was going on. Told me they submitted the paperwork to Schwab on 4/13. Schwab mailed the 50K check on 4/21. I don't see it in my Ally account after a week, so I call Ally. I'm told it takes 7-10 days to 'process' the check. I asked will I get interest on it while it's being processed? Response again was it takes 7-10 business days to process the check. I have more than enough in the account to cover the check, so why does it take 7-10 business days to 'process' a check without adding the balance to my account? Not happy with their speed of service while they sit on my money.
I moved my savings account to Ally more than two years ago and I've been pleasantly surprised. Most banks pay a tiny fraction of a percent on savings accounts but Ally pays a full percent or more. The website and free app are easy to use and I've had zero problems using the app to deposit checks. Money orders have to be mailed to Ally to be deposited but Ally supplies a stack of pre-paid envelopes on request. The few times that I've had to consult Ally's customer service have been extremely positive experiences, especially compared to the horrible experiences I've had with my previous online bank. I was so satisfied with Ally that I've set up a direct deposit and moved all my kids' savings account to Ally too. Ally also allows up to six free transfers out of the account per month. As you can tell, I'm a satisfied customer.
When they first came on the scene, they were great. Low fees, good service, no issues. Fast forward 3 years later. Their fees are online with the rest of the industry, they cut perks, and their service is terrible....I had to speak to 4 people to get an issue resolved that was their fault. I'm closing my account and going back to my old bank, Their product is no longer revolutionary, they're just like every other bank now
I switched over to Ally bank around 6 months ago and could not be happier with the accounts and customer service. It took around 20 minutes to open a interest checking and interest savings account and around 4 days for my debit card to arrive. The interest checking is exceptional in that it does not charge any fees and I actually get .1% back a year. To compare that to my previous bank, I was making .01% with my savings and am now receiving ten times the interest in my checking account. The debit card is a master card and has wide usability making this account amazing to say the least. The savings account was the main reason I switched over. As I said previously, my old bank was giving me .01% for savings. I receive 1% in interest a year from Ally. This rate ranks among the highest of all the banks. Overall I would highly recommend Ally Bank due to the rates and amazing customer service.
I have had an Ally Banking account for a little over a year now, and Ally is every bit as good if not better than a physical bank. I have a checking account and a savings account. The checking account pays an interest rate of 0.10% and the savings account pays an interest rate at 1.00%. Since they don't have physical locations and actual ATM's they will reimburse you up to $10 at the end of each month for ATM fee's. Plus the Allpoint ATMs have a deal setup with Ally where if Ally customers use their ATM's there is automatically no charge at all. I have my paycheck deposited every Friday morning , and I have never had a problem at all. Before I decided to switch to Ally I was a little skeptical since they didn't have any locations, but that has never been a problem, they strive for convenience and convenience is what I have found the whole time I have dealt with Ally. I have free checking, so in other words, I haven't paid ally any money at all for using their bank. It's the first bank I've ever dealt with where I've never paid them any money!!! I would fully recommend anyone to switch and go with ally !!!
Ally is okay for general banking and savings, but they’re horrible for IRAs. They call themselves an online bank, but for depositing funds into IRAs they strictly do snail mail, and their customer service reps love to play the “blame the post office” for their slowness. Forget about those last minute deposits in April for the previous tax year. I got burned on that once before, and this year gave it two weeks, but so far, after 8 days they are still claiming they’ve received nothing.
Even if you just want to transfer funds from another Ally account to your IRA, the “online” form is very deceiving. You fill in the pertinent information and then all it does is generate a PDF file for you to print and (snail) mail!
There are plenty of other institutions where you can add to your IRA via a smartphone app. I’ll be moving my IRA before the end of the year.
I deposited mt echeck with Ally because they claim that the first $200 is available next business day. They held my check deposit for 5 business days saying that it was because i had frequent overdrafts. I've had 3 overdrafts that I paid back. No traditional bank holds money that long. I have an account with Wells Fargo and they've never held my check for an extended time. I will deposit at WF from now on. Ally just lost my business.
The mobile app frequently has issues with depositing checks. Ally doesn't have physical branches, so one would expect this function would work rock solid and consistently...
I have had a great experience with Ally Bank. I have a checking and savings account through them, and have had enjoyed my time spent with them. Their mobile and web interfaces are very user friendly, and I love how easy it is to find what you are looking for. They provide the best return on a savings account that I have found so far, and definitely far better than my old bank. The only area in which I wouldn't give them a 5 star rating is in their customer service. I do feel like this could be improved upon. Although it is better than most banks that I have had trouble with, there is still a significant amount of time spent on hold waiting to talk to someone. Compared to previous experiences, I do enjoy their customer service, and feel as though I am always greeted by friendly agents who want to help me with my problems. Overall I believe that Ally provides good services, and at the root of their business, cares about their customers. If they continue to put us first, I will continue to use them for my banking needs.
Wished I had Known about the 9 to 3 hours 5 day week. IF YOU BELIEVE IN FAIRY TALES THIS IS THE BANK FOR YOU: No Real Transactions on Accounts Except During Bank Hours?
Ally Bank is a really great online bank to use. I was first drawn to it for it's high savings rate. It is much higher than any physical bank near me. What is good about them is that their savings rate changes as the market changes. Sometimes it may go down, but it can go up when the market is better. In this way, it it much more flexible than a typical bank. There aren't any fees so there isn't a drawback to having an account to test it out for a while. It took a while for me to get an account because you have to apply for one so don't expect an account right away. My only issue is that depositing cash is a little tricky only because there isn't a physical location that you can go to.
I sent a large check to Ally to open a CD. A week later I received a call stating my letter had been received but there was no check with it. We reported a possible theft to the USPS, and contacted the issuing bank who informed us the check had been cashed. I received one follow up call from Ally, and were told the check was still missing. I informed the rep if/when the check was found I no longer wanted the CD I wanted my money back. Two days later I learned the check had been cashed by Ally, but no-one from the bank bothered to inform me. AND they had gone ahead and applied the check toward the CD. My wife and I were literally sick of what appeared to be a big loss to us. I know Ally has good rates. Otherwise I would have given them one star. But after our two CD's mature, we won't be dealing with them again.
I've had a savings account at another bank for years, but was getting .05% or less back per year. I talked to Ally and they made it a very easy decision to switch my account over. I started at 1% APY, more than 20 times what I was receiving at my previous bank. But the part that really sold me was the fees on the account. My previous account had fees everywhere, from monthly maintenance fees to fees for even checking my balance at a different bank's ATM, and the money I was making on the account wasn't nearly enough to cover it. My new Ally account doesn't have monthly fees, and makes it easy for me to access my money, even from other banks' ATMs. On top of all this, Ally's customer service was a wonderful experience for me, especially since there is no way to walk in and talk with a banker. Their call center was by far the fastest service I've gotten for customer support, and is open 24/7. I set up my account after getting home from work, something other banks make it difficult for me to do.
We have been using Ally for a little over a year. Their products and interest rates were much better than we could find locally, and their website is very user friendly. We have both a savings and checking account with them and have been very satisfied. The online deposit feature is very convenient, and the fact that they refund all your ATM fees monthly makes it very easy to access your funds wherever and whenever you need them, without worrying about it costing you more. The one issue we had with someone illegally using our account was handled swiftly and professionally and their fraud and customer service departments kept us in the loop at all times. No one likes to battle identity fraud, but thankfully they made the process relatively painless.
My experience with Ally has exceeded my expectation for banking online. Ally does not have a physical location so when you want to get cash out you can choose any bank and Ally will reimburse you the fee you paid. Their website is user friendly as well as their customer service, which you can contact 24/7 either via phone or online. Checking and saving accounts are free and moving money to other banks are free and easy as well.
I set up a account with them because I had a large check come in that I didn't know what I was going to do with yet. So I followed there instructions for taking a picture and depositing it. Later that day they rejected it bc it included my husband 's name, even though he signed it. So my only option they claimed was to mail this now signed 20k check to them. After doing that I receive a email stating it was deposited. I go to look in my account but I'm locked out. I call only to find out on a Friday evening sorry we can't tell you anything about your account, only another department can and they are only in M-F 8-5. They wouldn't tell me where my money was, why it was locked...nothing. This is not a bank I would trust with your funds. I will be moving money as soon as they find it. I was never scared of a bank without a physical location until now. This one should not be trusted
I had a very positive experience with my online bank Ally. In complete user error, I hit the wrong fast cash button at an ATM and withdrew too much money. Seems simply enough just to put it back, but as with most internet banks they do not allow cash deposits. I called the bank in near terror because I had scheduled a payment to come through the following day. The representative was very sympathetic as she went over all of my possible options for putting money into the account right away. I ended up transferring money from a debit card with an outside bank that I had already preregister with the Ally for transfers. The representative was able to make the transfer right over the phone for me. Things worked out great, and I love my helpful online bank.
Operations and Customer Service don't talk to each other. Huge ordeal to open a savings account, after 3 weeks of trying I got tired.
I used to be a customer 5 years ago, after this much trouble I found better rates and service elsewhere
I recently opened a Money Market Account with Ally Bank. I was skeptical about doing business with a bank that was purely online, but once I read some reviews, I decided to dive in and give it a shot. I was really impressed to find out how accommodating Ally was with their App experience for my iPhone as well as the competitive rate for their accounts. The interest that is accrued is compounded daily which is another great perk. I also love the fact that I was immediately sent a debit card and checks, free of charge, upon Ally receiving my first deposit. Both the website and the app are very easy to use; allowing me to deposit checks on the go and being able to withdraw money from ATM's with all of the charges being reimbursed promptly after.
I opened an ALLY account no fee checking account last March to keep money separate from our normal checking account to save for a vacation. I sell lots of things online and wanted a separate and easy account to deposit my earnings. ALLY was the only place which had a true no-fee checking. They sent checks, debit cards and all the things you would expect. I was very impressed since they also beat the rates at our local credit union. To withdraw money you agree to the fees at a machine and they reimburse you at the end of the month. They truly have no fees. Very impressive bank which I would highly recommend to anyone.
I've been using Ally Bank for about three years now and I've switched from another online bank primarily attracted by a little higher rate on their CDs. After initial couple years i have stayed on because their CD rates were either better than most or equal to competitors. On top they offered me a retention bonus of small percentage increase on my rate. So overall my experience has been fine.
My only issue with this banks comes in the form on lack of brick and mortar branches AND more importantly limited international reach of the bank. The first I can live without, that's why I have my checking account in another bank (and use Ally mostly as a savings account). But the international aspect is sort of hampering. For example, I recently wanted to transfer funds IN and OUT of international account. Ally Bank turns out does not have it's own Swift code and works via Deutsche Bank or someone else in NYC. IT was nearly impossible to explain to international partners how to transfer funds to me or how to get paid by me using Ally. At the end I gave up and opted to use my regular bank (which also charged more fees, sadly) for international transactions.
I've been with ally for close to 20 years now. I had been happy with Ally in the past but over years, but first their rates went down vs competition and then the customer service has gone downhill as well. It's become NOT accommodating either.
Latest episode: I called the bank a couple days ago to ask if I can ACH money into the bank (using their 1-business-day ACH feature) from one of my linked accounts and then wire them out the next day. CSR reassured me the bank has no holds of any kind and as soon as and as long as money shows up in my account after the ACH, I will be able to wire it...
So I proceeded with that, scheduling my 1-day ACH transfer in. The money indeed showed as arrived the next day with "available" balance updated accordingly. However, now their wire department is refusing to wire it out until it "fully settles" in their internal system which will take 3 business days!
Nothing on the website suggests the money cannot leave via wire for 3 business days after their "1-day" ACH. And there is nothing they are willing to do about it. I even offered to sign a paper stating I will return the money if for any reason the money won't come through. Plus I have a CD with ally for a large amount too - so they can take that if needed. But they did not care about it of course - must be too creative for them.
There was nothing unusual about this either - money is going between accounts that are all in my name.
We were sick and tired of paying fees with our local bank just to maintain our measly savings. It totally goes against the whole idea of SAVINGS when you have to pay maintenance fees on your account and not to mention the interest we were receiving was nominal. So we decided to check out some of the online banks. We went to ClarkHoward.com and some of the other money adviser sites. It seemed there was a general consensus that Ally Bank was the best in most areas of online banking. So we decided to do a thorough exam of the Ally Bank website. We were very impressed and I loved that there were no maintenance fees on the savings. So that very same day we decide to open an account with Ally Bank and have been happy with it ever since.
I've had an Ally Savings Account for a little while now, and it has been a pleasant experience. I use them because my previous savings account was barely paying any interest, and I wanted the competitive interest rate that Ally offers. For money just sitting around in my savings this seemed like a no-brainer! The one downside I have found is it can take a couple of business days for the transfers to go through. This isn't a big deal for me because I have plenty of money in my checking account but if you would need to transfer a lot keep that in mind. Their customer support has been excellent the couple of times I needed to use them. I changed addresses shortly after setting up my account so my account was frozen since it could have been a potential fraud issue. They contacted me and we were able to get everything going again very quickly. The wait times on their phone support are always very short too (Less than a one minute wait)! I would definitely recommend them!
Customer service should be renamed as apology service because there isn't anything much else that they do than apologize.
My other peeve is that they keep changing their bill pay provider (they changed twice in last 12 months) resulting in you having to re-configure some of your payees - that is if you learn about the change in the mail: if not be prepared for a good apology from the CS and bear the consequences of delinquent payments.
Ally bank is one of those rare blessings that you only find every so often. I don't know how they manage to provide such great service and rates year after year. I opened and account with them 2 months ago, and I never knew banking could be so easy. As far as I know, they are completely online, and that is why they are able to offer such great rates on savings and CDs. Starting the account was flawless. I just added some details and connected the account to one of my existing accounts. The money transferred right over. Since opening the account, I have opened a few CDs, and I'm thinking about an IRA. They have an app where you can send in checks by taking a picture and its really easy. You can also do direct deposit and open sub accounts for different spending and savings goals.
When you use a different computer to logon, Ally wants to send you a security code. However, sometimes the code doesn't show up and there's no other way to get it. You have to call Ally, and then they act like they've never encountered this problem before.
I have been using Ally bank for around two years and have been very impressed with the bank and the online interface. Currently, I have multiple savings accounts as well as a checking account with Ally and use it a few times a month to make deposits, withdraws and transfers. The highlight of Ally, which originally attracted me to them, was the relatively high interest rates they provide for savings accounts. They are significantly better than anything I could find locally at a brick and mortar bank and in-line with other established online banks as far as I can tell. What I have been surprised with is the ease of use of the online interface and how simple it is to transfer money between accounts or to another banking institution. I have also been interested in their CDs as their rates are competitive with the market, but I have yet to put money into them. Overall, I have been very happy with Ally and will continue to use them going forward.
My past banking experiences with standard brick-and-mortar banks have been, for lack of better words, quite terrible. The main problem I have run up against is the myriad fees: monthly account fees, withdrawal fees, transfer fees, check fees, and the big one:ATM fees. Before switching to Ally, I was spending approximately $40 per month on various banking fees. After switching to Ally, I spend nothing on fees, in fact Ally actually credits your account at the end of the month if you did get changed with any ATM fees from out of network ATM charges. This is a much nicer than a $2.50 penalty for not using my previous bank's ATM. I feel much freer to get money out when I need it rather than taking out large quantities just to avoid fees. The customer service at Ally has been great and they accepted all of my details and documents over the phone and Internet, I did not have to send them anything in the mail. This made it really easy to sign up for and when ever I have to call the wait time in the queue is always short. The Ally Mobile Banking app is also handy as it tells you the current queue time, which is usually zero or one minute long. The app is easy to use and never crashes either. Highly recommended bank!
I have been banking with Ally Bank for at least 7 years purchasing CDs as a safe hedge for my savings. So far, their rates have been competitive so I have been rolling over my CDs when they mature. They are good at keeping me informed about the balance in my account with quarterly statements and always contact me about 6-8 weeks prior to when my CDs will mature. After the first time they matured, they offered to add to the current CD rate by .25% to entice me to continue my business with them. That .25% is a good incentive to stay with them. All in all, I am quite satisfied with their CD service. My CDs will mature in May and June of 2016. If they continue with their excellent rates and good customer service, I will continue to roll over my CDs.
I have been banking with Ally Bank since 2011. They are a simple and easy to work with company. I enjoy this bank because of the lack of fees, minimum deposit amounts, and reliable customer service. A great perk of choosing Ally is that you can use any ATM, and whatever fees there may be, Ally will reimburse it to your account each month. I find this perk very helpful, as many ATM's will charge up to $5 sometimes. Definitely saves you money. The interactions and experiences I've had with the customer service have all been great, and my issues or concerns were always addressed quickly.
I also like this bank's easy-to-use website and phone app. If you have a check, you can just use your phone to take photos of the check, and deposit it to your account through that. No need to drive anywhere, just do it at home, work , or wherever.
Being an online bank, the one big downside is that you cannot deposit cash, since they do not have official institutions or ATM's anywhere like other banks. It would certainly be nice to be able to do this, but I have found ways to work with it and it's never been a large enough issue for me to switch banks.
Overall, my experience with Ally bank has been largely positive, and there's never been a need to switch to another bank.
We started using Ally in 2013 and had great experiences up until the last month or so.
They have refused to embrace technology. No chips on their debit cards and no mobile pay options. Due to this, we thought they would be helpful and understanding when our account information was stolen. We had 2 fraudulent charges show up on our account, so we immediately checked to see if we had both cards (we did) and called Ally to report it within hours of the charge posting on our account.
They said they would look into and send us some paperwork via e-mail, which they did. We promptly sent it back and then received a verification of receipt. Great we thought...but no. We get a call the next day asking if we plan to complete the paperwork and submit. We told them we had already done so, so they looked into it and found it. OK. Annoying, but it happens. We were told to expect a response in 30 days. No provisional credit or anything. We were just out $600 until the reviewed it. Seemed like pretty crappy customer service to us.
I call a week later to check in on the status of the claim and find out that their is no claim associated with our account. They had lost the paperwork. So after 2 hours on the phone between me and my wife with Ally, they get the process started again. We are initially told it would be resolved in 3-5 days and then told it could be up to 60 days.
In an effort to clarify this discrepancy, we end up on the phone with a manager who asks repeatedly if we had checked the balance on our account recently (we had done so at the start of the call), but I logged back in to find provisional credits on our account. We appreciated this (it should have been done the instant the fraud happened), but did not appreciate being told about like it had been their all along and we were idiots for calling in.
Now add on the fact that we are trying to close on a home in the near future and I just went to pull out our money in a cashier's check for the down payment which we had been told could be mailed overnight and found that it would take 5-7 days. Despite being told that getting our money quickly would not be an issue in cases like this, Ally did nothing to repair the situation.
At this point in time, we no longer feel like our money is safe OR valued at Ally. We have told them this several times and they have not batted an eye. If not for the house closing process, we would have already left. I want to recommend them based on our years of positive experience, but now that we actually need our bank to work for us and give us access to our money, they have not been respectful or accommodating.
The site does look good, and works well usually (not always, especially on the iPhone). But for me the killer was when they refused to add my wife as a joint owner on their accounts. They refused to discuss why or take any input. It was also infuriating during my many attempts to communicate with them that sometimes you land on someone incapable of carrying on an intelligent conversation, who just repeats phrases that they seem to have been taught. In all fairness, some of the telephone help was good. But I had said from the outset that the account was to be joint, and they had said to sign up myself first, and then do the additional paperwork, which I did. They did not come through. Good riddance.
My experience with Ally has been very good so far, however, I realize that is maybe because I don't have too many needs. I barely ever use paper checks, I only have a few credit card payments each month, and I almost never use the ATM since I opened my account with them a few years ago.
I opened Ally checking and savings accounts because Wells Fargo was about to charge me an ungodly amount of "maintenance fees".
Opening the accounts were very easy and all my questions were quickly answered via chat. I love that I never had to wait more than a couple minutes for a customer service.
I've had the same problem as some reviewers here, of Ally putting an extended hold on my deposits due to overdraft. That was my fault as I had miscalculated the total amount of bills I had to pay that month and didn't transfer enough from my savings account.
So far, I have absolutely no complaint against Ally. We'll see if and when I have to start using direct deposit, or ACH, or wire transfer if I run into any problems.
I signed up for Ally Bank several months ago. They have been a generally good bank to deal with. Although their website is too simplistic and not very user friendly or easy to navigate, the bank itself is a good choice, especially for people looking for a second chance or poor credit checking account to use for online banking. The fees were very low and very reasonable. The debit card and checks came very quickly and the initial setup was very easy and was a very smooth process. In addition, they were able to identify and stop a fraudulent attempt to steal and use my checking account information, which saved me a ton of time and effort. Even though the website was not very well designed or user-friendly, the customer service by phone was very good and the associates were extremely friendly and helpful.
As others have mentioned the big downside of an "internet only" bank is they automate a lot of their processes, leaving you victim to their computer "logic."
My wife and I opened a new checking and savings account with Ally. About a month after opening it, they said they were closing our checking account because "per our conversation, we do not allow business activity on our accounts."
1) What conversation? No one called me.
2) The "business activity" turned out to me some extra books we sold on Amazon and two $6 craft ornaments my wife sold on Etsy (a holiday time hobby, not a business). Neither of these are businesses, but the call service rep just said she had no control over it and the account was automatically triggered to close.
Zero customer service, and a huge headache for no reason. Beware if you ever plan to have an electronic deposit to this account that isn't a paycheck, because they will close it on you with barely a heads up.
The credit union we transferred from had a 2.00% APY (twice what Ally gives) so do yourself a favor and join a credit union. Banks are just awful. We are going back to that credit union since we found out they have shared branches across the nation.
The registration of a 5 yr CD was easy and the redemption prior to the 5 yrs was simple and very quick. Will do business with Ally again when their rates become more competitive as they were in the past.
I have been with Ally Bank for over 4 years now and love how easy it is to get things accomplished. Need to order checks? No problem those are free forever. ALL ATM fees are reimbursed on your closing date, website experience is responsive and easy without needing to use a dedicated phone or tablet app. Like banking apps? Ally has one as well and works well from my experiences on Android, Windows Phone, or iOS. Overdraft fees are relatively lower compared to the competition. Lost your debit card? I have twice and they replaced it for free. There is a $15 charge for expedited replacement and shipping via FedEx. They have reps 24/7 and never have to go through a difficult phone system just to reach a live person.
They also went to bat for me when I had a creditor who was claiming payments were not being made via eChecks and put stop order on the automatic debit and reimbursed me for subsequent charges that the creditor has made.
Assuming you can pass a credit check, Ally Bank is a great bank to be with and will take care of your every need as if they were right down the street. Highly recommended.
I have had an account with Ally Bank for about six years and in that time I have been quite pleased with them. Their customer service is excellent and have always been able to answer my questions and concerns. I once forgot my password and ended up having to call them for assistance. The customer rep I spoke with was very understanding and good natured, even after I said I realized what my correct password was. I also very much approve of their process wherein you can photograph a check and upload the images for deposit, rather than wait for it to arrive by mail. It's very helpful if you need something deposited quickly. My only minor complaint with Ally is that their mobile app is somewhat unstable and doesn't include all of the features that the website does. Other than that I think they've been great, and I really enjoy having a checking account that doesn't have a "maintenance fee" attached to it.
I have used Ally Bank for several months now, and have had a very pleasant experience with them, both online and over the phone. The support was very courteous and timely. I requested an additional card and received it through standard mail in record time. I was very impressed.
Ally Bank Online Savings Account is definitely one of the best saving account in the country with a extremely high savings rate of 1.00% beating almost all of the banks in the country
Before using Ally Savings account, I had several savings account with other big banks. But the interest I earned was so pathetically low so I knew I had to switch to other account. A quick google for the best savings account and ally bank named popped out. The best thing about ally was that it had a great savings rate but on top of that no fees or no minimum deposit. This was crucial for me as I wanted to test it out first with small amount. I have to say I have probably earned more money from ally in one month than with my original bank in a year. The process of opening account was very quick. The only downside is that there is no way to deposit cash so you do need to transfer from another bank which is 2 - 3 day process. The website is very intuitive and simple. All in all a great bank.
I love this bank! I moved to Ally because my other bank kept charging me all kinds of fees just to have my business. I switched to Ally and all that is over, there is no more hidden fees. I have been with them for 2 years now and I have saved a lot of money just between the fees from the other bank and the high APY. I've only had a problem once with a direct deposit. I called the toll free number, talked to a CS rep, and it was fixed right up the next morning. They also have an app which my old bank did not. it's so convenient and easy to bank now. I can deposit checks and transfer money all quickly and easily through the app. Ally is definitely worth five stars!
I have used Ally for my online savings account for years and find the the rates to be competitive. It has been a great experience and the account features are easy to understand and use with few to no fees for regular use of the account. Recently, I had a very positive customer service experience and was very satisfied with the professionalism and understanding of Ally's customer service staff. No to mention, connecting with a real customer service representative was easy and fast, compared to other banks that throw you into an automated black hole. Five stars!
When my son left for his freshman year at college this fall, I needed to quickly find a bank with no monthly fees that allowed him to use an ATM card without a transaction fee, and that also provided check writing and online banking. We opened a dual-named account so that I could both monitor his spending, and so that I could get cash to him in a hurry if he needed it. Ally Bank has met all of his and my banking needs, and he has not even overdrawn his first ATM account! This is the first online account I have used, and it also allows me to scan in checks from home. This account is perfect for our needs.
Although Ally does not have any physical branches, I found them to be the best bank for me. I was first intrigued because they reimburse you all of your ATM fees. As a New York-er who is constantly on the go, this stuck out to me the most. Many businesses in NYC are cash only, and where I currently reside, Brooklyn, does not have many Bank of America branches. I was constantly paying ATM fees so I could get cash to go to my favorite establishments. But with Ally I did not have to stress about high ATM fees because I would be getting reimbursed anyways! Another plus is that all three accounts I have with them have interest rates that kill the competition's. I am earning interest in my savings, checking, and money market account. I have had to call Ally bank on two separate occasions. Once my checks were lost in the mail, and another time I was requesting a debit card. Each time I called I was only on hold for a moment and I spoke to reps who spoke perfect English and were overall very friendly! The connection was also clear. I did not feel uncomfortable during my calls and I hung up feeling 100% satisfied. I use the Ally banking app to transfer money between my Ally accounts and also to/from my Bank of America account and I have never had any issues with the app. I think Ally is a great bank and I have absolutely no complaints. I will be a lifelong customer.
I changed my payment account for my rent from Ally to Wells Fargo on 9/10/15. There was a mistake by the office staff and they attempted to take payment from the wrong account on 11/2/15. Honest mistake on their part, and I had dome my due diligence in changing the banking information in a timely manner. So when Ally got the request for payment, the refused payment. They did charge me $25 as a NSF fee. I am no dead-beat and have never had an NSF with Ally before. Thought I could call them up, explain the circumstances, and they would do the right thing and let me off the hook. Apparently they wanted the $25 more than my business because they refused the request. I closed the account during that call.
Ally use to be good. But sadly this is no longer the case. They have raised fees. Put $10 cap on ATM fee reimbursement. They also are scandalous in there system. Debits are applied before credits which means if you have low balance and have a bill on auto pay and you put money in your account the same day, the bill is paid first and you are charged an overdraft fee which is now $25 a hit. Also if you have a Savings account with Overdraft protection with enough money to cover the overdraft but less than $100 they will not transfer money and overdraft your account. You get 1 overdraft fee reimbursement for the Lifetime of the account. Not monthly or annually LIFETIME OF THE ACCOUNT. worst of all is there TERRIBLE Customer service which btw is only 24/7 phone or email now. All the things that made Ally great are now gone. Best to look else where for your online banking needs.
This bank has great customer service. I have a checking account with them, and I had to call regarding an error in my account and it was corrected immediately. They don't charge monthly service charges, which is a big savings over other banks I have used. I have never had any problem with their website, and have always been able to access it whenever I needed to. Overall probably the best internet bank out there.
I wanted to open up a separate bank account for my freelance work account, but I didn't want to leave the house and I didn't want a bank who'd try to sneak charges by me like my current bank does. I chose Ally because they were well known and I was assured the process was painless. I was blown away at how quickly it took to open my new account. It was instantaneous compared to my other bank. There was no minimum balance to open, i wasn't being charged a monthly maintenance fee, and the APY was pretty good. One issue I feel I might run into though is not finding an ATM that I can withdraw money from, though it's not that big of a setback since I usually pay with a debit card anyway. I've only had my Ally banking account for about two months now, but I'm actually thinking of ditching my brick and mortar bank entirely now.
I've had an Ally account for many years and one of the things that has continuously impressed me is the fact that they have always continued to innovate and improve. They seem to really invest in the customer experience and it shows. While it is sometimes frustrating not to have a brick and mortar location to go to, the on the go tools that they offer mostly make up for it. For example, you can deposit your checks online without any fuss. Also, they have always been easy to contact for customer service issues and have generally speaking been quick to resolve problems. It's great having so much flexibility and their website and user interface make it really easy to keep track of my money. I would recommend ally to anyone who is interested in an internet bank. They're a reputable company and I've never had any problems worth noting.
I have been using ally for about two years now and really love their services. They don't gouge you with overdraft fees which is a big plus for me. Additionally, there is no cost for a checking account and multiple savings accounts so I can use separate accounts for different saving goals without a problem which helps me organize. The customer service has always been excellent and anytime I had an issue it was resolved very quickly via their live chat support. The mobile app is awesome - I deposit checks remotely with it every month and never had any problems with it working. The only thing I wish they did differently was give us a debit card with that new security chip in it.
I recently moved most of my money in savings accounts into the online savings at Ally, due to the superior interest rates; given that the interest rates at Ally are almost 100-fold better than those at brick and mortar institutions and Ally is FDIC Insured, I would recommend this to anyone who is aiming to save for something in the short term.
The online banking and apps that Ally has are the downfall though - they simply don't have the same amount of features as other more standard banks. For example, if you make a large deposit from another account at another bank, the app tells you that because of the size of the deposit, it won't all be available in the account right away - which is fine, except for the fact that the transaction disappears completely, from both the online banking login and from the app. The money ended up in the account correctly, but it was a bit worrisome at that time. I also had some difficulty getting transfers without using checks from other banks to work, they always end up getting rejected.
Other than this, Ally's interest rates make it a solid choice.
I don't know how to put into words how great this bank is. There are no monthly fees, customer service is great, and you can get a live person in usually a minute. The interest rate on checking and savings accounts is unbeatable, no ATM Fees period! You can access account easily by app, website, and can deposit a check using your phone which is really cool. There are no negatives, and I highly recommend people switch to this bank because it is hands down the best out there!
I have been a number on Ally's bank register for three years and I want go on record that they have horrible customer service- do yourself a favor and bank elsewhere.
Unless of course you want the slowest you will experience bank to bank transfers, Sub par communication, and a know nothing about banking attitude - then by all means open an account.
Pros:
No Fees
Cons:
-No access to money in emergency
-If card is cancelled due to fraud, there is no way to retrieve money efficiently. Bank wire is 20.00 dollars and can ONLY be received by fax
-Only withdraw $800.00 from ATM even though there is no brick and mortar to get your money another way
-Literally no access to your money unless you want to wait 5 - 10 business days
No expertise in retirement accounts asked about SEP and needed to try 3 people and still couldn't answer question.
Got tired of Wells Fargo and thought I would give Ally a try. They quoted me 3-5 days for an account which is absurd. Tried to chat about the issue and was asked to call, called and was told "we don't have any access to background systems". Also couldn't transfer me to anyone who did. She was clearly reading a script as she repeated the same line 2-3 times for different questions. Thank God I got this welcoming at the door and not after!
I have been with Ally Bank for 4 years now. I switched to it from Discover Bank primarily due to Ally Bank's more competitive interest rates. However, since moving there they took a hit. Still though the bank has one of the more competitive rates on savings account. I like the fact that transferring money to and from the bank is hassle free and free of charge. What I dislike a bit is that they limit the amount of outbound transaction to just six and that it is nearly impossible (or at least I haven't been able to figure it out) to wire money to and from international accounts. Ally Bank only works fine within the United States. And that can be a major drawback for those who would like to transfer money internationally.
To begin with, I'll say that the reason I chose Ally Bank was because my former bank was starting to charge me a 7 or 8 dollar monthly fee because I had a balance less than 1000 dollars. Ally has no minimum balance. Once you set up your account with Ally they send you a debit card by mail and some checks. One thing I really like about Ally is that when you login they provide you with easy access to your account and debit card number. With previous institutions I had to dig through their site for even my account number and then I'd have to look on google for their routing number. The worst thing about Ally has to be depositing cash. You can't do it easily. You would have to do a money order and send it to them, give cash to a friend and have them write you a check, or some other complicated and perhaps expensive method. If you had a physical bank account of course it would not be much problem but considering the fact that I got this online account because I wanted to get rid of maintenance fees, then that was not a viable option. Overall, I'd say I'm pretty satisfied with their service.
The thing that drew me to Ally Bank was their competitive interest rates on both their savings and checking account. Since they have no physical locations they are able to offer interest rates that are higher than any other bank that I researched. In some cases their savings interest rate was double what their competitors are offering. I also like the fact that since they are designed to serve completely online, they offer customer service 24/7. The customer service number is permanently displayed next to the Ally logo on the banner on every webpage. As an extra bonus it shows the estimated wait time. I have been a customer for over a year and I have never seen the wait time over 5 minutes. Whenever I have called the stated time has been accurate. Each time the representative has been friendly and helpful. Ally also just redesigned their account displays. It looks very modern and is easy to navigate. The feature that I like the most appears right after you sign in to your account. The total amount in your accounts is displayed in a colorized pie chart, with the different colors indicating what portion of your money is in which account. I would highly recommend Ally Bank to everyone.
Ally bank has better interest rates then your conventional mortar and brick banks. The website is easy to use and your ATM/Debit card and checks work the same way. I did deposits by mail which did create a delay. You can scan and send a picture through the APP but I have not done this. It is hard to build confidence when you don't actually see a building. I still have not moved a large amount of assets to Ally because if something happens, I have no place to go and actually see a human about it. I feel like someday the bank could go under and all I can do is make a phone call and no one will answer. Overall the bank interest rates are just a little higher so it is worth putting some savings or rainy day money in the bank for it to sit and grow. I would not use this bank for everyday banking. It just doesn't work me and my confidence.
My husband and I were trying to open a simple savings account. We spent an hour on the phone with them giving them all the info they asked for. The lady on the phone was profiling us from the get-go. Then there was a hold up. They called leaving messages to call them back. Every time we called back we were placed on hold for 10+ minutes. Only to find out they needed one of our phone numbers confirmed. After this they told us, "everything looks good." Only to receive another phone call that our Driver's license scan image is poor and they can't read it. What? At this point we went to Barclays website and applied for a savings account. The whole process was completed in less than 10 minutes, and our money transferred to them the next day! Ally bank has the worst customer service and cannot do a simple job, such as opening a savings account.
My Uncle passed away months ago. He left money in an Ally Bank account for me. I've been trying for months to have the money transferred to a new account without any luck. These people are brain dead. I can't wait until my money is out of there hands. Please do not consider banking with Ally.
For an older twenty-something looking to return to college in the near future, the traditional student savings and investment options can seem a bit out-of-touch. Tax-deferred 529 plans are great for long-term investment, but what if you're going back to school in 3-5 years and need to know that you'll be getting more out of your account than what went in? Investing in the stock market can be risky in the short term. I looked at guaranteed-return options, and found that Ally's 0.99% online savings was the best way to go, from not only a rates point of view but also having some of the best customer service around. I've yet to have a problem that required an advanced resolution, but they've been responsive for my needs so far.
High interest rates, no fees, no minimums, the ability to create additional savings accounts for kids, great apps with support for Windows Phone, phone deposits, great web site, reimburse for ATMs.
What more could I want? Maybe a Universal Windows 10 app. If they had small business accounts, my banking world would be set.
All I need is a simple lease transfer. The lease is completely paid, I just need the paperwork so I can get the plates and registration. It's been over 3 weeks and no one at this institution can tell me when it will be completed. Meanwhile, my car sits in the garage unusable. To add insult to injury, the bank charges $600 to change the ownership of a lease.
DO NOT do business with this bank. Tell anyone that will listen to decline leases or loans through the dealership with Ally Bank. This is GMs go to lease company, tell GM you will not buy their products if they continue to use Ally Bank.
Had a very frustrating experience with this bank. Was drawn to the better interest rates but trying to open an account was not worth the few potential additional dollars earned. First - each time I called the reps took about 10 minutes to find my pending account. Next, not sure if this is industry standard but we had to do a global lift on our credit freeze. Then, despite multiple calls reminding the bank to do the credit check during the 10 day lift, no credit check was done! At one point I was told by a rep that I would get information about my account via mail, but of course nothing ever arrived. 5 out of the 6 reps I spoke with were incompetent and gave me erroneous information. I recommend you take your business elsewhere.
I've had an Ally Bank account for about four years and have found that it meet my needs, which are; 1) no fees or avoidable fees, 2) easy use, 3) some interest payment. I don't bounce checks or overdraft so I can't speak to the fees but then again, since I manage my money, I don't really care about the fees. The only fee I could possible experience is ATM fees. Ally provides reimbursement on two withdrawal per months, which is fine with me. The interface is clean and easy to use. It was reworked about three months ago. The look changed but the functionality didn't. There was a little bit of searching within the new interface, but I figured everything out within a short time. Finally, the savings account pays a fair amount of interest - at least given today's market for money.
I opened a checking account with Ally after my regular walk-in bank started BSing me around with fees. The fees at Ally are reasonable and fair. Customer service has always been there for me, regardless of the problem.
When I was looking around for online banking options I wanted something simple and fast. A lot of the more traditional institutions and even some of the online only accounts had ridiculous fees associated with them. Ally has none of these. I was able to get my checking and savings accounts set up immediately and my debit card came in the mail a few days later. The interface is simple and I have yet to have an issue with them.
I've tried a number of internet banks--Synchrony, Incredible, Salem Five, UFBdirect--that offer high interest rates. Ally just makes my life easier. While their rates may not be the absolute highest, they don't have bizarre rules about accessing your money, don't nickel-and-dime you with fees, have solid web site/mobile apps and have 24/7 support with almost no wait time. With Ally, you feel like you are dealing with a large, experienced, competent bank. Other internet banks often seem like they are figuring out the business as they go along.
A couple other good things that are different from the other online banks I've tried:
1) When you use billpay, Ally deducts the money from your account when the check clears. Others deduct it when the check is sent.
2) ACH transfers are fast, and you have until 7:30 EST to request it. Other banks have deadlines earlier in the day.
We opened up our account almost a year ago. It hasn't been horrible, but it has been exceedingly frustrating at times. Especially those times when we need the bank's assistance, and can't seem to get it. Customer service is mediocre at best, almost like talking to an automated message. Their reps seem to have a script, and refuse to stray from it saying the same things over and over as if they haven't heard your response.
Some of our issues include a minimum 3 day hold on non-direct deposits (checks and/or transfers); Cashier's checks take 7-10 business days to receive; the sheer amount of information needed to verify your account and if your not the "Primary" - forget about getting anything done. We have a joint checking account but EVERYTIME I call I am told they need to speak to my husband, as he is the "Primary" on the account. I can't even access bank statements from my profile online or on my mobile, as these are only set up for the "Primary"!
Bottom line, some good rates and services, but their customer service skills leave ALOT to be desired.
My wife and I love Ally Bank because we can do everything online. Their mobile app is very easy to use, convenient, and compatible with iPhone. The layout on their mobile app is very easy to navigate and clear. Even though I have never been to an Ally Bank branch in person, I feel connected to the bank and I feel that they are honest. Their website includes a wait time estimator so that you can see how long you will wait if you were to place a call at that moment. They also have extended hours until around 11:00 PM on weekdays, as well as weekend hours. Their savings accounts are cool because they have no minimum, which is good for me because sometimes we withdraw our money for vacations, etc and we know our account will not be negatively impacted. If you are a Facebook user, you can follow Ally on Facebook!
Ally is a great internet bank. I have been with them for near 5 years now. I love the no fees and easy to understand accounts. I have had multiple CD accounts and an online savings account. Moving money between ally accounts and non ally accounts couldn't be simpler. I have a BoA checking account and link my Ally online account to it so I can easily transfer money between them. Ally also has a checking account option but I haven't needed to use it yet.
The CD's are nice. The rates are very competitive. There are many no fee options which I love. I don't think I've ever paid a single 'fee' for anything since i joined ally. When a CD hits maturity, it's auto moved into another CD with an improved rate. Also, online chat support is great and always available for me.
the only issue i can see is its not easy to make deposits since they dont have physical locations. you just have to mail it in so it takes a few days but works great. overall i strongly recommend ally!
I started using Ally as my regular bank account a little over two years ago and I am glad for the switch. Since then I have officially dumped my bank account with a national brand because the fees were unreasonable for what they were really offering me. I have had no issues with ally with no inconvenience of not having a brick and mortar bank.
Ally Bank is a good online bank with an easy-to-set-up account and a good interest rate on their savings accounts. Everything you do is online and if you need to call customer service, they tell you what the wait time is on the website. I've only had one issue with Ally Bank so far, and that was over a check I had deposited. To make a deposit, you scan the front and back of your check and upload it. Once it's reviewed and accepted, the funds are deposited into your account - usually the next business day. I get a weekly bonus check each week from my employer, so I deposit it in my Ally account online. After two months of this, I was told by Ally that my check was not accepted. So I gave the customer service number a call. The wait time listed on the website accurate, and I got a friendly fellow on the phone that asked me a few security questions. After I told him my problem, he told me that the check I received only had my first initial on it, and not my full first name. I told him the eight checks I had deposited before that were the same way, and they were accepted, so why was this one declined? He didn't have an answer for me, only saying, "I'm just telling you what it says here." So obviously he was of no help to me, and I felt no reason to continue asking him questions he had no answer to. So while Ally is good, don't go looking to them for answers, because they don't know what's going on themselves.
I was extremely skeptical when I first signed up for Ally. That changed after my first phone call. I had forgotten my password and couldn't log on so I had to call in. I don't think I even spent any time on hold. I was in touch with a representative immediately and he was able to resolve my issue within 5 minutes. The only incident where I had a single problem was when I was in rural Peru and had to report a lost/stolen debit card. I was working with 1 bar of shoddy WiFi to use Skype to call in to report it and check if any charges were made. It took about 20 tries until I was finally able to get it resolved and have a new card sent home. I tried to explain to each one of the operators that I was in a situation where I needed to get to the issue immediately instead of go through all the prompts. Each time I called, I got a new operator, I quickly explained my situation(lost/stolen card, calls keep dropping out, in a foreign country, etc), and each time they would insist on going through the prompts. Once the prompts were done, I would start explaining and then the call would drop and I'd have to repeat the process over and over. I know it's company policy but it was extremely annoying and frustrating. The operators themselves were polite as always. I have been recommending Ally to anybody in need of a new bank.
I initially decided to try Ally bank after reading several good reviews and seeing their high interest rates over my old bank which had a miserable 0.01% rate. Although I've turned to the internet for many services, I was hesitant to move all my banking online. But whenever I had a question (which was primarily in the beginning when setting up my accounts), I could reach someone through their easy to use website (chat feature) or by sending an email. And they had straight forward questions - I felt like It was a person and not a machine chatting with me. What I lose by switching to an online bank is the ability to deposit cash - but this day and age, how often do people carry cash? I've recommended Ally to many friends and colleagues who are stuck at the big banks that don't allow their money to work for them.
For the most part, the days of earning interest with a bank on a savings account are long gone. Ally Bank has brought that back though. I opened a savings account and a checking account with Ally. Even the checking account earns a bit of interest. Sure, it's not a huge percent but it's nice to see a return on giving your money to a bank to invest. Almost all banks these days like to act as though they're the ones doing you a service rather than you being the one giving them money to invest and profit from. The other unique thing about Ally is that you don't get charged for using ATMs anywhere--it's not just that Ally doesn't charge you, they actually reimburse you for service charges levied by other banks and ATMs.
Ally bank really let us down. We are supposed to close on our house Tuesday morning at 10:00 a.m. Today we finally get the HUD-1 statement outlining our closing costs. The only way to wire funds from Ally is to fax a form, which states at the top if the form is received and verified by 3:00pm your wire will be sent the same day. We faxed our form at 11:45 a.m. We called Ally around 2:00 to verify that it would be processed today - we were told yes, they had received it and would make sure it would happen today. We call again at 4:00 to verify that it went through and NOPE, it was not processed today and there is no longer anyone in the wire department. They were "extremely busy" so there was not even a supervisor for us to speak with. We were guaranteed a call back from a supervisor within an hour and that did not happen either. Our closing is now pushed until later in the day on Tuesday, with the hope that Ally will process it first thing on Tuesday- we'll see if that even happens. An online bank needs the staff to handle the quantity of requests they receive. Since Ally does not have physical banks, I cannot get my money any other way. As soon as this is settled we are closing our accounts at Ally. If you bank with Ally, don't count on anything happening in a timely manner.
Just had the misfortune of opening a Ally account as somewhere I couple keep 15-20K in short term savings and still earn some interest. Had my account frozen a week or so without explanation after opening. It's been a week and I've been calling every day trying to find out why it's been frozen. Directed to phone numbers by customer service and leave messages that are never returned. Try during business hours and no one answers. Absolutely aweful experience. What if I were to need access to this short term savings? There are plenty of other decent rates out there, and getting just a LITTLE bit higher is not worth it to deal with this level of incompetence.
I was an Ally customer for over 10 years. I had a savings account with them since I was in college and I always kept a nice balance in the account (over $10K). I didn't use the account much. I usually transferred money from checking to this savings account once a month or so. Everything was great for over 10 years then all the sudden I got a letter in the mail that said they were closing my account in 30 days. I had never caused them trouble, never once overdrew my account, never had any sort of problem. It must be a mistake! I called them right away and was willing to work out whatever problem they had with me. The customer service agent was surprised I received such a letter. He put me on hold for about half an hour then came back to say Ally doesn't want to do business with me anymore because they don't have to do business with me. Their way of treating a loyal customer made me speechless.
I've been an Ally banking customer for several years now and I have yet to find a comparable banking experience. Not only does Ally offer the best interest rates for savings and CD accounts, but the service is so easy to use. Transfers go through in no time and I've never had a problem navigating the site or setting up and interacting with my accounts.
With that said, I have certainly forgotten my password before, which required me to use Ally's customer service. Ally's customer service is just as reliable as their banking products. The agent I spoke with was friendly, understanding, and she resolved my problem within minutes. I didn't have to wait on hold for a representative, either.
Overall, I've been extremely pleased with my Ally service and would recommend this bank to anyone.
I really love this bank. I've used them for a few years and they have great support.
Ally Bank is my first experience with online banks and they have not disappointed so far. They have great interest rates, nearly almost one percent for a savings account. And opening an account, whether checking or savings or otherwise, just takes seconds. I could do it with a simple click of a button. It is so easy that I currently have all five of my accounts with them. They have the best customer service I have ever seen in a bank; when I call them weekly to unlock my account because I could not remember my password, they always help me change my password quickly and without shaming me. I wait for 15 seconds maximum for a representative to answer my call. They are amazing and they do make everything so easy. They even send me checks and everything else I would ever need. I will never go back to a location brick and mortar bank!
I have been an Ally Bank customer for almost 10 years, with an online savings account and several CDs. By every measure I have been very satisfied with this banking experience. While lots of online banks offer high interest accounts that are competitive with Ally, in my experience Ally distinguishes itself with customer service that is second to none. When I call Ally by phone, I speak to an actual human being very quickly. The customer service reps can quickly access my information and walk me through just about any transaction or issue. Of course, on a week to week basis the Ally website and mobile apps are sufficient to take care of all of my normal banking needs. So, if you are still earning an embarrassingly low savings rate at your brick and mortar bank, you need to head to Ally's website now and review their products. You will not regret moving your accounts.
I signed up for this account back in 2012. Did this as a way to divert online money payments that I make to an easy online place. I also wanted some kind of interest. The whole thing works great. I only need to make several clicks and I am sending my money to be saved. It also is very easy to link my checking account to it in order to transfer savings if I need it. I also have used the customer service several times and they are very helpful. They also have good security from what I can tell. I wish the interest was higher but it is better than my local credit union. They also have raised it since I have singed up. I also like how they have a calculator that shows how much interest you are getting per day, this provides good fuel to keep sending money. I have had no problems at all with this account and I have referred it to both family and friends. They have also been very happy with their use of their accounts.
If you get one. Their system flags your account with "excessive overdrafts" and holds ALL deposits for 5 days , and continues to do that for 6 months..
Only problem is, When you have deposits going in, and you have scheduled payments.... you guessed it, those will overdraft the account too. Someone isn't thinking too smart there at ally
I recently started banking with Ally bank and I am a fan. The thing I really like about this bank is that they are completely online. I am very busy and I don't have time to wait in lines to make a deposit so it makes banking very easy when I can just do it all online. When I opened my account with Ally it only took me about five minutes to fill out the application, which was great. One of my favorite things about Ally is that they don't charge a monthly fee. I will be honest and say that some of their fees are a little odd, but it's worth it for the customer service. When I have any questions I can usually find the answers online, but when I can't it's very easy to call and talk to a human.
I have several accounts with Ally and I have been very pleased with all of them. I was nervous about an online bank, but they had the highest CD rates of any bank I found so I gave it a try. The accounts were very easy to set up (just a matter of minutes) and the online web experience is very easy to use. I've since opened up two savings accounts with them as well. Also, I don't think I've ever had a wait when I called them!
I started a savings account with Ally a Bank 3 or 4 years ago and it was a great choice! They had one of those promotions going on at the time where they gave you $100 after you opened and kept open a savings account for a certain amount of time. I've never had a bit of problem with the savings account, either in regard to transferring money in or withdrawing money out, but my real praise is for their online customer service. I recently gave started doing research on opening a money market/CD account and had quite a few questions that I wanted answered to be able to compare to other banks. The service representative that I communicated with was extremely patient and knowledgeable and very forthcoming about their rates and (lack thereof) fees. They knew exactly what I was asking about in terms of rates and payouts and provided the information in very simple language - there was no confusing bank jargon that could have possibly been confusing or construed in any other way. They're fantastic!
I have travelled to Europe twice since last November. Both times I called 3 days before I left to leave a travel notice. Both times the CSR took down all my information and assured me my ATM card would work, and if I had any problems all I had to do was call their customer service # collect.
In November I went to Rome and immediately tried my card only for it to get rejected. When I asked the front desk of the hotel how I could call America collect, they had no idea what I was saying. It was impossible to do such a thing. I had to spend an hour trying to find a "phone center" where I ended up paying over 10 euros because apparently there is no such thing as collect calls in Italy???
After wasting an entire hour of my precious vacation I finally got an Allly CSR on the phone, and she said, "Oh, the lady you spoke to before didn't do it right." UNACCEPTABLE!
Then last week I went to London, and the exact same thing happened again. I called 3 days before I left and was assured my card would work. I mentioned the problem I had in Italy and was told oh no that's not going to happen again. Well, it most certainly did. And once again, I COULD NOT make a collect call from my hotel. I arrived late on a Friday night, and they were telling me I'd have to wait until Saturday morning to buy a BT calling card even to get an operator. Luckily they then allowed me to call directly from their phone, and this time the CSR saw absolutely no record of me calling to give my travel alert. And again, I wasted an entire hour of my precious vacation for this nonsense. UNACCEPTABLE!
I am looking into moving all my money to another bank because of this ridiculousness, and if you ever plan on using your ATM card in a foreign country I would highly recommend you do the same.
After getting tired of my local brick-and-mortar bank charging me "service" fees, I decided to try out online banking with Ally. I don't think I'll ever go back to normal banking. Free checking and savings accounts with competitive interest rates means I can save a lot more than I could have with my previous bank. The actual process of creating the account was very simple, and transferring money to the account from my previous bank was a breeze. People who normally deposit cash into their accounts wouldn't find online banking useful, but for someone like me who does everything online anyway it's quite convenient. There is also a mobile app that lets me find local ATMs, and Ally will even reimburse me for ATM fees.
I have been dealing with Ally Bank for a few years now. I use them for my business. They cannot be beaten when it comes to a good bank for business transactions. I opened a business checking account and it has been everything I hoped for. The low minimum balance requirements are great and allow me to shift money between banks without worrying about paying huge fees. I have called customer service a few times for some complicated transactions. I had no problem completing them and the banker walked me through all the steps. The bank is a breeze to use online. They have everything you would ever need including online access. Status and balance updates are great to receive and help you manage your money much better. Ally truly is a great bank. They work for you and they truly have your back.
I have had a checkings and savings with Ally for 5 years. Here is my experience.
In accurate transaction history - This is my most recent issue. I made a payment from my Discover credit card using my Ally account. Discover card says that the transaction failed because they could not locate the account. I then called Ally. I do not see the transaction debited from my account which is good as at least i didnt lose money. However, I DO see the transaction in my payment activity. Called Ally. Rep says they do not see the transaction in my payment activity. Another Ally rep called me the next day and still does not see the transaction. he told me to wait 2 days and it should show up. It's been 5 days. It still has not shown up. I find it very odd that I can see it in my payment activity, but they don't see it on their computer. This makes me question how accurate their systems are. I've seen other occasions where I see a payment in my payment activity, but no funds withdrawn.
Customer Service Not very knowledgeable - Ally has rated high on bank comparison sites b/c they have more ways to contact them than other banks. Question is what is the quality? The sales reps are nice and friendly. However, they have answered my question 20% of the times I have had to contact them. I'm in technology and seem to know more than they do about their systems. What's the use of being available 24/7 if you can't answer customer's q's?
Bill Pay is not reliable - I have had repeatable issues with their ebill and bill pay. One time the account number changed. I edited the account number on the existing payee and got confirmation. Later I find I didn't get an ebill. since payment is triggered by the ebill, i missed the payment and got charged a $25 fee by the other company. After multiple attempts trying to figure out the issue myself, I called them. The rep seemed confused. After 30 minutes on the call, rep says, delete and recreate the payee. The system shouldn't let you change the account number of the payee if payments do not work after you change the account number right? Really poor design. I also have been charged missed payments due to payments not getting sent from Ally. And it is NOT due to not being enough money. Sometimes payments don't go through, like the example I mention below with Discover card. Now, I have given up using Ally as my central payment tool. I have had to set up a bank account at the 8 credit card and other accounts to pay from my bank account - this was what i was hoping to avoid.
Some Banks do not recognize Ally bank - I've tried to link my money market account with Ally and they could not recognize the bank. I should not have a doubt that other banks can recognize my primary checkings account right?
Depositing checks on Android does not work well - They've had mobile check depositing since 2013 i believe. It worked fine the first year. Then I got a Samsung S4 which has a better camera than my previous phones. Once I switched to this phone, it became very difficult to upload a check. IF it worked it would take 4 to 5 attempts to get the app to accept the picture. Most of the time it simply would not. Would keep on getting blurry image error. Due to this, I ended up having to open another checkings account with a different bank so that I could deposit checks. Ridiculous. Finally yesterday, I asked them about this issue. They say they solved it. Can't say they made any updates to the mobile app itself, but at least now they recognize the issue and gave me instructions. Haven't tried it yet. I've used other mobile apps that did not have these problems.
Very slow Website - Ever since they did a make over of their website, it has been extremely slow. Some days it takes 12 seconds for each page to load.
If you don't use their bill pay, especially their automatic payment based on bill pay, you should be fine. Due to these issues, I am looking for a bank that is more reliable.
I have been with Ally for almost two years now, and I am liking them a lot. Customer service was excellent in setting up my account. I was very nervous about switching to an online back, because I thought I would feel uncomfortable not having a local branch if I needed something. But, they walked through the entire process. My only negatives are that when they did a system update it lasted most of a Saturday morning and I that was really a huge problem for me- not having access to your account with no warning on a weekend morning was a negative. I encourage everyone to check them out.
I got with this bank four years ago. I had to cancel my account to my dismay because I got laid off and I just didn't have any money coming in. But they had really low fees, and they didn't nickle and dime me every time I used my card. Also the customer service was very nice to me whenever a problem came up.
I have had an online savings account with Ally Bank for about a year. It is the best savings account I have ever had. The account was very easy to set up through the online interface, which was a big consideration because I failed to open an account at a couple banks because I couldn't prove my own identity through their procedures. Advantages of the account are the fact that deposits post sooner than at other banks I have used, the fact that they refund all ATM fees, and the fact that I've never had to pay any fee for anything. Additionally, almost everything can be done through the online interface. I've only had to call once and their customer service was very helpful. The only disadvantage I experienced is the fact that the web site seems to be down for maintenance a little more often than I would like. I have a tendency to check the account at odd hours and it's always up during business hours, but it's down on more late nights than I would like. I initially expected the lack of physical branches to be a disadvantage, but I really don't miss them at all.
Update - glitch causing missing running balance went away. Everything I normally use is well hidden, but found. Still don't like a merged 'both PC and Mobile" web design.
Prior:
They seem to have stripped the site so it could work well on a mobile phone.
Now (apparently) missing:
Running balance along side transactions.
Ability to search transactions.
Ability to download transactions.
I've been banking with Ally Bank for a few years now and I really love it. In fact, if my mortgage weren't tied to another local land bank, I would do all my banking with Ally. As it is, I have a money market savings account and 3 retirement accounts with Ally. Savings interest rates at Ally are higher than at the land-based banks that I am familiar with. If you have a checking account with Ally, they will reimburse you for any ATM fees you incur when using local ATMs. Also, there are truly no hidden fees. Everything is spelled out in the website, clearly and concisely, including interest rates, fees, limits on transfers, types of accounts available, etc.
The website is easy to use and seems very secure. I can make transfers among my various Ally accounts and from and to my non-Ally account, or transfer money to another person with just a few clicks of the mouse.
I've only had occasion to speak to customer service once--when I wanted to close another on-line account to transfer the balance to Ally (the other bank offered less interest on savings)--and the representative was knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, in short, excellent. I would not hesitate to contact customer service again if needed (they have phone contact and on-line chat, plus you can secure email them or even send snail mail), however, the website is so complete and easy to use that it really hasn't been necessary in the two or three years I've been with the bank.
I have been an Ally customer for just over a year now. This is my first bank account. When i was looking for a bank i thought I wanted a brick and mortar bank. I don't make a lot of money so I needed a bank that didn't have a ton of fees. Looking into other banks I found fee's, taxes. all kinds of excuses to take your money. So I saw ally had no fees. Not only do they have no fee's they give you money back. You gain interest, They refund ATM fees charged by other banks. I also get free checks and smart-phone check deposits. You can also scan checks for deposits. The website as well as the app is simple to use, Clear and concise. I could not be more happy with my choice.
My experience with customer service has always been amazing as well. I never wait longer than a minute or less to speak with a real English speaking person. They always seemed to have a genuine interest in solving my problems and answering my questions. They have always been extremely friendly even when i felt like my question was stupid.
I would recommend Ally to anyone, and in fact I have. A friend of mine just recently opened an Ally account. He is really happy with it.
I have an account with Ally Bank. They are not available locally in my state, however, I wouldn't chance to give this bank up for anything else. I had no problem updating my information when I moved to another state. I had no problems with the security codes being delivered via mobile phone or via email. If there was potentially a problem, I always had an adequate experience with a live chat representative or a customer service representative over the phone. There was a maximum of a 1-2 minute wait time to get a real person to talk to which I value very much. I haven't had the best time with other banks because of that reason. Ally Bank also reimburses you at the end of each month for any ATM fees that accrue. Even more impressive, anytime I transfer money from any online account to my Ally Bank, it takes less than 3 days for the deposit to post. Ally also has competitive interest rates. Like anything else, the higher your average/maintained daily balance is, the more interest you will receive. Just overall, I am a happy customer. I am sure that other Ally Bankers know exactly what I am talking about.
I've been with Ally Bank for about a year and a half, and so far all of my experiences have been positive. When I joined, there was either no minimum deposit or a very minimal one (I don't recall exactly, but I know I didn't need to make a large deposit.) My first set of checks were free, and the most appealing thing is that all ATM withdrawals are free. Not only does Ally not charge me a fee, but they also refund the charge that the ATM charges me at the end of my billing cycle. ATM fees these days can be pretty outrageous, so Ally refunding the fees is a huge perk.
I haven't had to deal with customer service too many times, but both times I did, they were very helpful. The first time, I had trouble activating my new debit card because I wasn't sure which code I was supposed to enter, but the person who spoke to me when I called customer assistance was very helpful. Another time, I'd forgotten my password for the website and had to call to get it reset, and the process was fairly simple. I just had to verify few secret questions and my information, and they were able to reset it for me.
My experiences with Ally Bank have all been good, and based on my experiences, I can recommend them to others.
My boyfriend and I have had a checking and savings account through Ally for a few years, and we just can't take it anymore. We've gone back with Suntrust and are in the process of switching over our funds and direct deposits, which Ally is not making easy for us.
They are SLOW at everything. We used to have Bank of America, and their application for mobile deposits was great and the money was available the next business day. With Ally, we almost always have to wait several days. And now, as a punishment for overdrafting our checking a couple times in the past year (we had overdraft protection from our savings but I guess Ally still takes it personal) Ally is holding any check we deposit randsom for 5 business days. Since I am switching, I had changed my direct deposit info through work, and because the process takes a while, my work sent me a paper check until direct deposit into my new account was ready. We used the app to deposit it into our Ally account (since we didn't have debit cards yet for our Suntrust account), and it is showing that check included in our balance... however, our "available balance" does not include the check. There's a note that the check is being held due to "excessive overdrafts." (two... in a year... that were paid from my own savings account!) Now for a week we don't have access to MY PAYCHECK! This is one of the most BS practices I've ever heard of and it's infuriating.
Also, the savings account we used to have through Ally was suddently closed without warning because we were transferring money too often throughout the month. We had both our paychecks set up to put 10% into savings, and if we wanted to make a large purchase that month or splurge on something, we would transfer from savings. Apparently there is a limit on the number of transactions you can make from a savings account (all banks may have this?) and because we exceeded that limit, we were fined... and because it happened again months later, Ally closed the account and gave no notice. One day we logged on and the account just said CLOSED. We had to call to find out why. They eventually mailed a check for what was in the account when it was closed (that you have to use the app to deposit so they can hold it randsom!), and both my and my boyfriend's direct deposits got screwed up and 10% of our paychecks went who knows where... I think mine was added to my next paycheck and he got a paper check in the mail weeks later.
For being an online bank, Ally sure does have a lot of technical issues. I use their Popmoney service to pay rent, and it takes about 5 business days to process the payment... not impressive. Sometimes this service isn't working, and we have to make other arrangements with the landlord because who knows when Ally will fix it. Then occassionally their online banking site and the mobile application will have an error message when you try to log in saying they are having technical issues with their online banking services and to check back later. But you're an online bank Ally... if you're having issues with your online services, you're JUST HAVING ISSUES. It's not like there's a branch your customers can go to to make transfers or check their balances. This saturday their site had that message for most of the day. Rediculous. They want to punish you with fees and inconveniences for your mistakes but just give you an "oops, sorry" for theirs.
Another HUGE problem with this bank is that without branches, you can't deposit cash if you ever need to, and you can't deposit certain kind of checks through the app. You have to MAIL these checks to Ally and then wait for them to process... My boyfriend got an insurance payment check for his car that was totaled and we needed to start looking for a new one so he could get to work. Before we even tried the app he called to make sure it would work so we didn't get stuck waiting for a deposit that was never going to happen. The customer service rep said we'd have to mail the check to Ally for it to be deposited... almost two weeks later we finally had the money in our account. Likewise, if you are ever paid in cash for something, or receive gift money, there's no way for you to use that money to pay online bills(without going to Amscot), shop online, add it to savings, etc. When we were with BOA and I was making tip money I could pop it into an ATM and it would be available in my account immediately. You're just screwed with Ally, unless you have someone you can give the money to who will write you a check, and then you want to wait 5 business days to access it.
Ally is just a really crappy bank. It starts out seeming really convenient and nice because of the low fees(other banks still have lower fees), but it's just not worth it. There are far too many inconvenient things about it and the way they treat you like a child who can't manage your money responsibly so they have to punish you... it just doesn't give you any warm, fuzzy feelings for them. I'm so glad we're switching. I have some student loan money I'm expecting to be deposited from my grad school soon, and I'm looking forward to what a fiasco it will be to transfer that to my new bank.
Do yourself a favor, and even if you don't think you'll ever need a physical branch for your banking, go with a bank that has one anyways. It's so easy for Ally to treat its customers like shit because they never have to see any of them face-to-face. They're not people, they're just customer numbers. There is value in having an in-person customer service option. It may seem like this value is lost in the age of technology, but I've learned the hard way never to take it for granted.
I had been an Ally customer for over 10 years, never had a problem. It was a savings account, so I didn't use it much, just a few deposits a year. One day they sent me a letter and gave me 30-day notice to close my account. I called and asked what I had done wrong. They couldn't tell me anything only that they were closing my account.
When I was recently looking online for a good bank to open a savings account, I came across Ally Bank and was pleasantly surprised!
After comparing Ally Bank with some other options, I decided to open a checking account with them. The process was EASY! There were NO maintenance fees, NO opening minimum and they have a nationwide network of ATMs to withdraw money and make deposits. This is the perfect bank account for the 21st century and (fingers crossed) the perfect bank for me! I have yet to open the original savings account I went in search of because their checking seemed that great! But I am planning to do so in the next week.
I have already started to tell my friends of Allybank and will continue to do so as long as they stay this awesome and easy to use.
I have been a long-time Capital One 360 customer (formerly ING Direct) but am moving most of my business to Ally. Ally has the highest interest rates, live chat (fast response) and the ability to have multiple accounts so you can have one for vacation, one for home improvement, emergency fund, etc. Just be sure to open the welcome packet they send you, there's a signature card that you have to return.
Ally is the best online bank if your only needs are checking and savings accounts. For my other banking needs, I maintain a small second account at a local Credit Union. Ally has the most competitive interest rates, and since I keep more than $15K in my checking account it has a higher interest rate than most savings accounts. I enjoy not paying for my checks, since I use exactly one check a month for rent. My credit union wants to charge me $30 for a package of 300. Why would I need that many? Ally makes it easy for me to transfer money to my credit union accounts (for free) or to friends (also for free via PopMoney.) The only time I use Ally's mobile app is when I am depositing a check. That mobile check deposit is a really convenient feature, but doesn't let me control my camera flash, so it can take some lighting setup. For Andorid, they have not updated the app in quite some time, so I tend to avoid it. My girlfriend uses the iOS app and it's really sleek. Whether online or on mobile, they have their call center wait time listed, and I have never waited more than two minutes before reaching an actual human. There are a couple of negatives. For one, they do not do loans unless it's for a GM branded car. They do not do mortgages. And to deposit cash requires sending in an envelop. But these are not everyday banking needs in my life, and why I maintain a small second account with my local credit union. In summation, high interest rates, an easy to use website, and quick customer service are the three reasons that I am super happy with Ally as my primary bank. Oh, and I almost forgot one of the best parts! I rarely use cash, but in the rare instance that I need some (Vegas!) I can rest easy knowing that any ATM fees I run into will be reimbursed to me at the end of the month. Thanks Ally!
After banking with Chase for years I decided to make the switch over to Ally National bank. I couldn't be more thrilled with my decision, I am now able to withdraw money from any ATM without a fee, I can easily transfer money between accounts, and there are basically no fees at all. I would recommend them over any other bank. The only downside is they don't offer VISA cards so you'll have to have an account with another bank if you want a VISA card.
I use Ally Bank for much of my banking. Their site is easy to navigate, and they process transactions without error. They have a cool feature: If you need to call them on the phone, they post the "wait time" to reach a live operator. That way, if I have to call, I know how long it will take. More often than not, the "wait time" is a minute or less!
Buyer Beware we recently returned our car to dealer after 39 mo. lease in which we purchased 2500 extra miles as a precaution of overage as it turns out we were well within the lease miles not even close to useing extra miles dealer stated we would be refunded the amount we paid for miles that were not used but ally says no refuned is comming Really!!! i will look else where for my next bank!!!!
I've had nothing but success working with Ally Bank since I switched over last year. The fact that they have interest checking was a huge plus over the local bank I had been using. In addition, they reimburse any and all ATM fees, since they have no branches themselves. This really came in handy when I was on a trip to New Orleans, and needed money on Bourbon Street. The ATM fee as $6, but it was reimbursed by Ally at the end of the month. In addition, their customer service is second to none. They advertise and market themselves as a bank where you're able to talk to a real person at any time, and it's very true. I was preparing for an overseas trip not too long ago, and was able to reach someone immediately to let them know that I would be in 2 different countries over the next several weeks. It really helped having the ability to get in touch with someone right away. Their system for ordering new checks is also really convenient, and they allow customers to order 50 at a time for free. I love Ally!
I really like Ally Bank! Upon signing up and funding my account, I promptly received my debit card within a week. I have no had issues with my debit card or with my bank account thus far. I like that I can use Ally Bank to help verify my PayPal account. Customer service is also very prompt. I wrote to them about wanting to receive checks and had a reply within a day saying the checks were on their way. The Ally mobile app is not the most appealing app when it comes to attractiveness, but it is extremely simple and easy to use and does not use much data. I like that Ally Bank has no fees on the checking account, whereas many comparable banks do have fees. Overall, I would say that Ally Bank is well worth it if you are looking for an online bank and looking to save money on bank fees.
I can use any ATM's. My bank will reimburse the fees. They have good and fast website. Their phone service is very good too. Go Ally!
My husband and I have been banking with Ally for about five years. I recently called customer service to ask a question about one of our accounts. The representative was a young gal who was polite, very knowledgeable, and able to answer my question in a satisfactory manner. I only have positive things to say about Ally Bank and have told my family and friends that they should be doing their banking at Ally. I still have a checking account with Chase, but am looking into closing it and getting a checking account with Ally.
HAS ANYONE HAD TROUBLE WITH ALLY TAKING OUT MORE THAN WHAT YOU SCHEDULED TO BE WITHDRAWN???
Just before the Thanksgiving holiday I made a payment on line as I usually do, but this time the amount I typed in and confirmed on my end was different from the amount that Ally emailed to me in the confirmation email. By the time I found out this had over drafted my account and left me in a terrible fix while I was traveling to see my family.
I figured it was just a glitch in the system and they would correct it. That did not happen.
After many phone calls and even speaking with about FIVE different "supervisors" they were not going to put the money back any time soon, nor were they going to cover even one of the over draft fees. Ally suggested I ask my bank not to pay the large amount and then I could make another payment for the CORRECT AMOUNT. So that is what I did.
THEN TO MY ASTONISHMENT THEY DEBITED THIS SAME LARGE AMOUNT FROM MY BANK ACCOUNT AGAIN YESTERDAY. At this point I'm wondering if there is something really crooked going on here.
Ally Bank is an online only bank which will probably scare some people away. However, I urge anyone to look at what they offer and the minimal fees associated with their online checking account. Where to begin? Well, for one there are no monthly fees, reimbursement on ATM fees, if you do have an overdraft on your account they only charge you a $9 fee. On top of that? Free debit card replacements, free checks, fast and friendly customer support, apps on iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.
It is a great online bank that should be tried for those looking a new bank. They also offer online savings accounts and CD accounts. I have been with them for years and I am glad I gave them a shot, best decision I have ever made when it comes to choosing a bank.
When I invest my money no matter how big or little the investment is, I have to be able to trust the institution!
Unfortunately I had hit a financial rough spot last year, but kept in constant contact with Ally. Ally customer service had led me on to believe that everything was good since I wasn't too far behind and making constant payments.
Two weeks after making a payment, Ally repossessed my vehicle. Turns out they had been stringing me along the whole time, seeing just how much money they could get out of me because ultimately they were going to always take the car.
I believe in Karma, Ally will get theirs one day for dishonesty and predatory lending.
Ally told me it would close my account if I did not provide a physical street address. I value my privacy, and I have a post office box which receives all my mail. This is a common practice in the United States and has been so for a very long time. Anyway, I told Ally to go ahead and close the account. There was no attempt to transfer me to an account recovery specialist, no understanding of privacy; it was goodbye to the customer, full stop. This is a despicable bank. That must be the reason why so much official effort is being made online and elsewhere to portray Ally as "number one," as if this bank is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It isn't. To Ally, the customer is an adversary.
Ally told me it would close my account if I did not provide a physical street address. I value my privacy, and I have a post office box which receives all my mail. This is a common practice in the United States and has been so for a very long time. Anyway, I told Ally to go ahead and close the account. There was no attempt to transfer me to an account recovery specialist, no understanding of privacy; it was goodbye to the customer, full stop. This is a despicable bank. That must be the reason why so much official effort is being made online and elsewhere to portray Ally as "number one," as if this bank is the greatest thing since sliced bread. It isn't. To Ally, the customer is an enemy.
I was nervous about getting a CD at Ally bank. They don't have any physical branches, so I was worried it was a scam or I would have some trouble and not be able to get my money back. However, I was really pleased with how they handled my 1 year CD. I sat it up online and then had to mail them a check from current bank as a deposit. Then they called me and sent me some stuff in the mail.
They are a good bank as far as interest rates go, but they cannot replace your local bank, and that's not good.
I signed up with Ally in 2010. At first, I just used my Ally checking as a secondary account. But I was so happy with their interest rates and service that a few months ago, I gave up my other checking account and made Ally my primary account.
I'm learning that this was a mistake. The rates and service are still good, but the bill pay has been a thorn in my side. Twice, they've sent utility payments in a different amount than what I requested - they were only a few cents off each time, thankfully, but it was still unnerving. What if they make a bigger mistake someday?
More worrisome is that I am typing this review on November 3rd, and my landlord still doesn't have my rent payment that was scheduled to arrive on October 31st. Ally debits on the scheduled delivery date, too - so the money isn't in my account, but my landlord doesn't have it either. Which just stinks for everybody involved. This is the second time this has happened since I switched to Ally as my primary account.
I could blame USPS, but this never happened once in all the years I did autopay with my previous checking account. Suddenly it happens with Ally twice in a few months? This is unacceptable, and definitely not worth the few bucks I get from those nice interest rates.
On this surface, this bank promotes themselves as being friendly and easy to work with. That is true until you have your first problem with them. When you try to contact customer service regarding your problem, you will be lied to. The customer service rep will tell you that they can help you with your problem, that they will notate your account, and that the solution you and they came up with will be fine. They've just lied to you. The bank will start sending you threatening letters at least once a week. When you call back and talk to a supervisor about the problem and tell them what the previous customer service representative said, they will tell you that nobody at the bank has the authority to make an agreement regarding your problem. They then will tell you there are no notes or anything on your account to show you even called in previously. They will tell you that the problem has to be solved now, right that second, no matter what the other customer service representative said. If you can't solve it that second they will become rude. The bank will place holds on accounts that family members have with this bank for MORE than the amount in question. (In my case, the amount in question was $48. I paid part of it back and was waiting on my check for the rest of it. They placed a hold on my mother's account for $48 and refused to remove it.) It was a nightmare trying to deal with this bank for a problem that they started by double debiting a funds transfer. I had banked with this bank for over 3 years and as soon as this issue was cleared up I closed my accounts and my mother closed her accounts. This bank will treat you like trash.
Ally Bank offers a lot of great stuff. I saw it online and thought I'd give it a shot. After a few months of using it I've come to the conclusion that it's a decent alternative to regular banking as long as you understand it's shortcomings.
Like most online banks it's very difficult to make a deposit, aside from direct deposit from your place of employment. Also, since the risk of fraud are so much higher, they are extremely tight about overdrafts and will hold your checks for 5 days if you are negative once on your account.
If that is alright, the benefits are great. Using any atm comes in handy more often than you'd imagine. Also, they've got great rates on savings accounts, which I highly recommend.
I have a savings account with Ally bank. They were the only online bank that I could find that gave me a savings account that had a debit card to go with it and I also get 0.85 interest per year and my interest rate grows every year to. All the other online banks that I looked at did not have savings accounts like this. The other banks only offered a debit card and checkbook with a 0.10 interest rate checking account. With the Ally account I get a 0.85 interest rate,debit card and a checkbook and I get the interest rate of a savings account. Also they have no ATM fees at all and if I get charged a fee they refund it at the end of the month. I called customer service and ask them about it and they said " We wont charge you to get your money thats not right" so even if I do get an ATM charge they will refund it at the end of the month. All of my experiences with customer service have been great and very reassuring. The customer service representatives were more than helpful and they know what they are doing. Ally bank is great. You wont find a better deal.
I saw that Ally was offering a better savings rate than my credit union so I thought I would give them a try. They are so easy to work with. Their website is very easy to use and if you have a question you can actually call them. They actually answer the phone. Their customer service is fantastic.
I have been a customer of Ally for several years now. I first opened an account at a branch in 2009. Since then my experience with Ally has been at a minimum satisfactory. I have always been able to easily perform transactions such as deposits and withdrawals. It is also extremely quick and easy to transfer money to one account to another. One of my issues with the bank is a shortage of ATM and branch locations. If this were improved upon I would be very happy with Ally.
Ally Bank is the first online bank that I ever used. It was a big deal at the time as not many banks didn't have brick and mortar fronts. I thought I would miss the security of being able to go into a bank. What I realized is that I hate going to banks. It's almost never a positive experience and Ally has provided me with that, a positive experience.
The best thing you can say about a bank is that they never make mistakes. Ally has never made a mistake with me. I would recommend them to anyone.
Ally Bank provides one of the best interest rates for savings accounts and certificate of deposit accounts. As an Internet bank, the money you can earn on your savings is far better than what you would earn at a traditional bank. There are almost no fees at Ally Bank. I have had an account at this bank for many years, and have never received a fee for anything. There is no minimum amount necessary to keep the account open, and no transfer fees. So if you want to transfer money in and out of your checking account, they will not charge you anything. They have the best customer service as well. If you call them, they quickly answer the phone, and give you an estimate of your waiting time. The 'chat' feature of their online banking is especially helpful, quick, and convenient.
I recently signed up for a savings account. So far, the experience has been great. I chose my savings account on their website and signed up pretty quickly for the account. The interest rate for the account is great-one percent-and I deposited two dollars to open it. They didn't specify a deposit amount requirement to open the account.
A couple weeks later I received a packet in the regular snail mail that I needed to send back regarding my signature card. This was required so the IRS didn't require the bank to withhold money from my account for interest.
The online experience with this bank has been great so far. I haven't interacted with customer service representatives yet. I noticed that this bank offers the option to send money to others via their email, which I thought was a nice benefit too. I haven't looked into all the "perks" they offer, but overall, I'm very pleased with this bank.
Setting up my new account was fast and easy, and linking my new account to my existing account was also a simple process. The website is secure and reliable, and transfers only take a day or two. I love the convenience of having an Internet account. I'd highly recommend Ally bank to anyone!
I loved this bank, I told all my friends about it, even had a few switch to Ally. I over-drafted my account twice, once in Jan., and once in March. My fault I know, pay the fee and move on, no big deal! Until I made a deposit by phone in late March, they held the deposit for 5 business days quoting "excessive overdrafts"???? Two??? Then again in May same thing with no additional overdrafts . That was enough for me. I figured I over drafted I pay the fee as my punishment and it was over, not with Ally!
After a decade of dealing with Bank of America I am so glad that I finally made the dive into online banking. Ally bank has been nothing but a pleasure to work with since I first opened an account with them. I really felt nickel and dimed with Bank of America but with Ally Bank there are practically no fees. They even have an interest rate on a checking account, not much but better than the nothing most brick and mortar banks give you. I can withdraw my money from a host of ATM's easily and free and with their mobile app I can deposit checks, so I literally have no reason to go inside a bank again. I love Ally!
Basically I have a free checking account & savings account with ally, this is a great honest internet banking site, very reputable. One of the things that really attracted me was the 0 monthly fees not a lot of internet banks offer that free option. Today with banks there is no need to have to go to a branch technology is allowing you to do all your bills and banking via online. The ally app I use daily to check my balances and see when my deposits hit the bank, very good app, and whenever I've needed information there support is awesome and responds back in a timely manner.
Ally bank is an incredible bank to do online banking with! It is easy to transfer to/from other bank accounts. There is also a cool feature that allows to deposit a check by uploading a picture of the check to the website. It is seamless and easy. There is a great interest rate on the savings account and the website is easy to use and appealing to the eyes! This bank is highly recommended!
I've been using Ally bank for about two years now, and have never had any bad experiences. When I first setup my account, I was offered a $50 account opening bonus, which I received less than a week after my account was activated. I've never had any issues with inexplicable fees showing up -- in fact I don't believe I've ever been charged a fee by Ally. The interface is clean and easy-to-use. Everything with Ally is simple and straight-forward. Overall, I feel that Ally's one of the best banks around.
I have been a member of Ally Bank for 3 years and I love banking with them. No fees and easy to transfer money from my checking account. The website is easy to navigate through. I've had to call customer service a few times to request a cashiers check and the rep has been very polite and responsive and I got my check in the mail within a few days.
I chose to bank with Ally after having searched the internet for a while for the best reviews of banks and their products. Ally had appealing interest rates-which are extremely hard to come by lately-and their reviews boasted of their great customer service and quality of products. I like using Ally because it is convenient to use online and has the features I like. It is not complicated at all. The only thing that I don't like (which is the same with most banks) is that when I initiate a transfer to or from my other accounts at a different bank, it takes days to complete. That is a bit inconvenient. But their customer service line is great, they send me anything I need or request right away, and they take a great interest in their customers and how they can be of assistance. The card is fantastic and has never given me any problems, and, again, the interest rate is great on this checking account compared to rates on accounts at my other bank. I'm very pleased with Ally, and will continue to explore and use their services. I would recommend them to a friend or family member.
We signed up about a month ago for a savings account through Ally. The rate right now is the best for an average family, and we've been very happy with the service we've received. Online interface is easy and intuitive, and transfers between Ally and non-Ally accounts are quick. Would definitely recommend as a bank!
We signed up about a month ago for a savings account through Ally. The rate right now is the best for an average family, and we've been very happy with the service we've received. Online interface is easy and intuitive, and transfers between Ally and non-Ally accounts are quick. Would definitely recommend as a bank!
Ally Bank has the best interest rates for online savings accounts that I have seen anywhere. I originally signed up for an account with Ally because of their rates, but eventually I really began to appreciate how easy Ally was to use. When I set up my account, customer service representatives reached out to me to assist me with learning how to use their site. Whenever I have a question, they have a live chat option which is very convenient. When calling customer service, I have never had to wait more than a minute or two for my call to be taken. Overall, Ally is a great bank and I highly recommend them.
I've been using Ally Bank for a few years for products for my children and my husband and I. We have both regular CD's and retirement accounts. They are always easy to reach by phone at any time of day. I haven't found any better rates for what I am looking for. Whenever we renew a cd we get .25% extra for continueing with them, which is nice, since I haven't found any rates with banks I trust higher lately. When we do IRA's rollovers there haven't been any tax reporting problems with them, but in the past we have had with other banks.
I've been using Ally Bank for a few years for products for my children and my husband and I. We have both regular CD's and retirement accounts. They are always easy to reach by phone at any time of day. I haven't found any better rates for what I am looking for. Whenever we renew a cd we get .25% extra for continueing with them, which is nice, since I haven't found any rates with banks I trust higher lately. When we do IRA's rollovers there haven't been any tax reporting problems with them, but in the past we have had with other banks.
I have had an account with Ally for over 4 years now and I have been incredibly happy working with them. Their website is easy to navigate and I am always able to find the information that I want, I love that I can go paperless and they have copies of my statements going back to when I first opened the account. I had a great experience with the staff when I applied for a car loan with them, they were friendly and knowledgeable about the different rates and helped work with me to qualify for the lowest interest rate. I will definitely work with them again in the future.
Ally Bank is the best bank that I have ever worked with! I have been a member there for less than a year, however in comparison to other banks, their services and customer service are far superior, and their mobile website is the best. There is 24 hour customer service by phone or by chat, and they are very friendly and helpful in every aspect of the business. I can not give this bank enough stars, they go above and beyond the call of duty in everything that I have experienced, I'm so glad I found them and recommend them to everyone I know.
I got sick of my original bank because I kept getting charged outrageous fees. For example, I was overdrawn in my checking account though my savings account had plenty of money. I was over by $2.00 and got charged a $30 fee. With Ally as long as you're overdrawn less than $10 you don't get charged anything. And I believe the fee for overdrawing is a a small percentage of what other banks charge. Plus, I was hit by fraud during Christmas time. So enough was enough. I decided signing up for Ally was easy enough. I absolutely love the mobile check deposit. They also have a program called Pop Money where you can transfer money to your bills or even personal accounts. I sent some money to my mom and it worked great free of charge. Also you get a certain number of fee reimbursements for ATMs every month which makes it very convenient though they do not have their own ATMs as far as I know. Customer service has been awesome when I had to call them, I was connected with a person immediately. Online banking is simple and reliable. So far I'm impressed with this bank.
Our car note is with this bank. While it's easy to login online and make a payment, it is very inconvenient to pay extra towards our principal without calling and being on hold to speak to a person. Other banks make it easy to include an extra amount towards our principal in order to pay off our loan quicker.
This bank has good telephone customer service. The website is fairly good, and ease of use is reasonable online. There are no big drawbacks. People on the phone who help you are friendly and pleasant, and they can answer questions. It is easy to get someone to assist you by phone. Products are in line with those offered by other banks.
I was referred to Ally Bank from a coworker. I was looking for a checking account that offered a non-zero APY and had plenty of ATMs in my city. After looking at Ally's website I was instantly hooked. I called up customer service and they were very helpful and friendly. They helped me create a checking account and helped me move money into that account from my current bank. I was very happy with their prompt support and everything was completed in under 30 minutes. I received my debit card and checks about 4 days later and everything was ready to go. I highly recommend Ally to anyone looking for an online bank with excellent service.
I've banked with Ally for over two years, holding a variety of accounts, but mostly a high-interest savings about. My interest rate on the savings account started at around 2% but is now down to less than .5%. I think this is beyond lame, given the relationship I've built with the bank. That being said I love Ally's customer service, it's 24/7 and I've always had zero issues in regards to wait times.
Ally bank is an online bank wth very competitive interest rates that makes saving very easy. They reimburse you for ATM fees which makes accessing your money not a problem. Although they have a dedicated customer hot line it can be a wait sometime and it doesn't have the convience of a physical bank. Still if you don't need a physical bank it is a great bank to go with.
I am also a TD customer and one thing I need to mention to Ally customers is that TD bank seems to block Ally from using their ATM's Every time I go into a TD bank after placing my Ally card in, suddenly the ATM is out of service and spits my card out. It stays that way for a few minutes then goes back to normal. I think its because Ally doesn't let them charge us fees. anyway Ally has ben 100% accurate and 100% friendly and eager to help. Its great to finally have a bank that isn't looking for ways to steal my money.
I have a savings account with Ally bank. I have to say initially it scared me to just give all in my information over the internet and make transfers. I usually prefer to have confirmations with people so I'm 100% sure where my money is going. After the initial skepticism I found myself to really enjoy online banking, it was extremely easy to get my money transferred to other accounts and I enjoyed the ease of being able to do it from work or home. I received multiple confirmations and was able to track progress on the website. I contacted customer service once because my account was locked due to incorrect password attempts and they were efficient and I didn't wait on hold forever. They also have an estimated wait time on the home page which is very helpful.
I have banked with Ally Bank since 2010. I was initially attracted by their CD and interest checking account rates, as these were higher than the national average at the time. While they have come down significantly during the recession, they still have rates that are competitive with or better than what you will find at a Big Four bank.
Ally has 24 hour customer service online, which is great. Ally also has a secure email system within your account portal for direct questions that cannot be resolved by an attendant. The few times I've had to use this feature, I received a response within a business day.
Ally is an internet-only bank, which means there are no physical locations to go to to deposit checks, talk to representatives or handle any problems. Most of the time, this isn't a problem, as the online experience is great and you can deposit checks by mail. However, the mobile experience was initially terrible. The iPhone app that was available was buggy and crashed routinely. Until recently, it didn't even have a direct deposit of a check by photo, which many other banks do have. Thankfully, that was fixed and it is a feature on the app.
Ally provides free standard checks, which is great, and reimburses all fees at all ATMs nationwide - from a competing bank or from a standalone ATM at a gas station, it does not matter. This feature is one of the best things about my account and one of the reasons I don't want to leave.
Overall, Ally has many more positives than negatives. I'd give it a solid 4/5, with a 5/5 if the app ever gets up to where it could be.
Ally has been a great bank to work with. They are always accessible (chat, email, or phone) and bend over backwards to please their customers. They have on many occasions waived fees or charges if I simply call and have been very fair. I would recommend their services to most people that use traditional brick and mortar banks that CHARGE you to be an account holder.
My auto loan is through Ally. I've had not trouble working with them as of yet. Their fees are moderate. When I was hurt at work, fell down some steps, broke my finger, and sprained my knee... they worked with me on late payments, and allowed me to delay two. I find them understanding, and not annoying. Some banks, when you are late one day call three times/day. Any problems I've had, I've just called them, and they've help me set something up, or taken care of it. Pleasure to do business with.
Ally Bank's philosophy is to ensure the consumers' banking satisfaction. Even though they are an online bank -- meaning no physical branch, They have free ATM access (you can call them to reimburse if charged) and 24 hour customer service. The representatives are very friendly and helpful. The ease of application is very welcoming. Also, they do not have a minimum amount required when opening an account. The best thing is their interest rates are the highest in the United States. I think if you are to apply for an online bank, you should consider this wonderful institution.
Ally banking has been a breath of fresh air with regard to my personal finance. The products are a lot better than any banking products I have ever used, including Credit Unions's products. The ability to move money around is really easy and the support staff is really friendly and useful.
I have been a customer of Ally Bank for close to three years now. I sought out their services at a time when I was in need of a new bank and needed a new account practically immediately. I searched several different banks that offered online banking until I finally met my match with Ally. I was able to apply for an account and it was approved and opened within one day. For the two types of accounts that I currently utilize, checking and savings, there is no initial deposit required which was a very big plus for me. It can get hard finding an ATM at times that you can use with Ally but I mostly do cash back with my purchases, though the ATM Finder is a nice tool to help compatible ATM's and establishments that offer cash back. Cash back does incur a charge at certain places but Ally will reimburse you for such charges.
I usually deposit my checks on my computer, I used the app when I had an Android phone. It was very easy and convenient to deposit my checks with the Ally app for Android. I miss that ability now that I am using a Blackberry and it would be nice if there was an app available for that platform. Ally is very generous about overdraft fees as well, i have over-drafted my account about three times within the past year, each time my account was replenished in about a day and I wasn't charged for the mistake. Overall Ally has been very convenient and reliable, I have never been charged a fee since I've used this bank, it is very user friendly and provides a great experience. I doubt that I would be as happy with any other bank.
I switched to Ally about a year ago, because I was moving to a new city due to work and wasn't sure what local banks existed. I am so happy I went with Ally - competitive rates on my Savings account, and interest Checking for one thing. Also, all ATM fees are refunded completely, and the phone number you call for customer service leads to a real person. I went overseas for a business trip, and they were extremely courteous on my call to them. I had no problems at all using my card in 2 different countries. The turnaround from submitting a deposit via smartphone app to seeing the money show up in my account is under 48 hours. This is a great bank, and I couldn't imagine switching to another online bank company.
After being with a small local bank in my hometown since I was 16, a cross country move prompted me to look for a new bank. I was very pleasantly surprised to see the awesome option of online banking. I love to be able to check my balance online, make transfers, and so on. My Ally account is FREE! In addition to that, I have had ZERO problems with anything since opening the account 6 months ago. I can check on my money anytime, anywhere. I thought I would switch to an "in person" bank after moving but I changed my mind -- sticking with Ally!
I have been with ally for roughly 2 years as of now. They offer very competitive interest rates while not blindsiding you with excessive fees like many banks that charge low balance fees. I have found their customer service to be extremely help, but definitely a little chatty. Their website is very easy to use, depositing checks online can sometimes have a few hiccups depending on your browser and scanner. I found the mobile app for android to be of disappointing quality because it is merely a port of the iPhone version.
I switched to Ally four years ago after moving to an area where my previous bank didn't have any branches. I wasn't sure how working with an online bank would go, but it's been great! No real fees for anything, reimbursed ATM fees, helpful customer service available via phone and online chat 24/7, and amazing web and mobile features. I love being able to deposit a check by taking a picture of it with my phone. The only downside is not being able to deposit cash, but we have cash so rarely that it's not really an issue for us at all.
The worst customer service in my life. One department doesn't know what the other is doing. Added extra charges to my car payments and no one could tell me what the charges were for. I wrote letters(3) and got no reply until I wrote a fourth letter. Customer service was poor, very poor. I know they say my account is behind. Pay every month before time. This is a sorry company. Need to retrain your reps. I was QA for GE for 10 years, I would fire over half of them. Don't use this to get a car. No one ever says SORRY. Never send me a notice as to what the charges were for. I was told we don't do that. Why? should I pay for something I don't know what it's for. Especially when my payments are on time. This is no way to run a business
I have been an Ally customer since 2011 or 2012. I have had bad experiences with other banks and this is why I am with ALLY.
A few of the features they serve help you from being overdrawn and saves time.
I am able to call Ally Bank anytime of the day which is so convenient for me since I travel for business internationally. I am uncertain if other banks allow customers to have a new card for any reasons, but My bank does and there is NEVER a charge.
I really love my savings account! For beginners, you don't need a minimum deposit to even open an account with them. This really helped me get a jump on savings because I was able to open the account before I got the money. There are no crazy fees and they make it easy to deposit and transfer money online. The interest rate isn't so bad. The only thing I wish was better was that it takes 3-5 days to transfer funds out of the savings account. Then again, this might be to deter you from withdrawing ;) I would recommend this bank to anyone!
I love banking online with Ally! Compared with brick and mortar banks, its been a god sent. More efficient, much lower fees, attentive staff and so much more convenient. I think the max convenience and the higher returns on acct interest are what really sold me. I'll never go back to traditional banking. I wish I had begun online banking a lot sooner than I actually did. It would have saved me lots of time and made me lots more money!
It appears that Ally has trouble in the "new accounts" dept. I applied for one on July 2nd, and was told that they would respond in three to five days. Still no word from them. I tried to get an update from them a few times, then gave up.
What a lousy bank!
I've had an Ally Bank saving account for almost two years and it's the place for saving money. Their interest rates are the best I've found. The customer service is excellent. I try to do everything myself online but the times I've needed them they are there no matter the hour. My only regret is I did not start saving with them sooner.
I have a Checking and a Savings account with Ally and I have not had any issues. Great rates, no hidden fees, every time I have had to call about something the customer service has been great. I really like the way their website and mobile app is set-up. If you're a person that does a lot of banking having to go inside then of course this bank is not for you but for me it is the best bank I have used and I will never change banks as long as they keep it up!
I recently opened a Money Market Savings account. On Friday, I tried to deposit a large check using my cel phone. I got no quick feedback as to whether the check was deposited or not. Still no sign on Monday, so I phoned. They said the check was not in their system and the deposit hadn't gone through. I tried to deposit the check again Monday p.m. and the system told me the check had already been deposited. I phoned again and they confirmed that the check had been deposited. They couldn't explain why I was told it wasn't in the system, and said I would receive email confirmation at 11 pm.
Do not use ally!! Very displeased. Something happens every week, and never get any proper assistance. I'm moving on.
As a multiple account holder, I recommend Ally as my main bank. I also use a credit union, but ally covers everything my credit union does not. It allows me transfer money to another person using popmoney for free! Although all major banks have it, no credit union has this feature. I also enjoy the fact that they use a simple interface to make it easy on the eyes. They also have convenient features like depositing checks using the smart app and the support is literally 24/7 and they give awesome answers right to the point. I recommend you to use this bank if you haven't already!
opened an account, got my card & checks them 1 week a later they closed my account.
mailed me a check taken over 6 day for me to get my money. So why did they just close my account? because i used my business address ...
WHAT IS WRONG with that i use it for everything just don't like giving out my home address. Chase bank allows it, all my credit cards allow it, 3 car loans allow it but ALLY closed my account holding up my money and leaving checks out making it look like i wrote check on closed account
would never use this bank
Been with Ally for over 2 years and couldn't be more pleased with the experience. I have a MMA and while the rate has dropped it has overall been fairly steady. I actually saw it increase once.
Ally Bank is the best bank out there, by far. Not only do they offer the most competitive rates on their deposit accounts but they also refund any ATM fees you are charged from other banks! The only suggestion I would have would be to update the online banking web page. I have been banking with Ally for several years now and I am truly satisfied!
Their customer service is all outsourced. Horrible! I will never do business with this bank again!
Today is Jan 30, 2014.
In the past, I was a very pleased with Ally Bank services and phone service agents. This afternoon, I had to call for service as my online account access was blocked due to no contact for "quite a while". It took two calls to get the access unlocked. Both service agents were courteous. However, during the conversation, the first rep called mentioned that each of my accounts was FDIC insured for the $250 k amount. I have several accounts with Ally including CD/s, checking and savings accounts. The total for all accounts is more than $250 k. All accounts have identical account ownership. I mentioned to rep one that I thought that he was in error and that I was partially uninsured. No, rep one was very certain. The dialog continued and then he reread a "Guide" he had, out loud to me, and then when parsing the words and more dialog, he recanted his prior statements that all of my six accounts had $250 k each for a total of 1.5 million dollars. Later, still working on the lockout, I had to call Ally again to resolve the problem. Rep 2 did accomplish the unlock, and I asked rep 2 how much FDIC insurance coverage did I have, and he came back with the same initial response as rep 1 - $250 k for each of my six identically registered accounts. I suggested a different interpretation, but unlike rep 1, rep 2 stayed firm and mentioned that the FDIC had a worksheet I could run. End if ALLY contacts. I ran the FDIC tool and yes, I was uninsured for all amounts greater than $250 k. Just to make sure, I called the FDIC and that rep confirmed that the worksheet was correct.
Bottom Line for readers with accounts at Ally with amounts greater than $250 total - I recommend that you confirm your FDIC insurance coverage with the FDIC worksheet and a call to the FDIC if necessary. Granted a sample of two account reps at Ally this afternoon is just two, but there is a problem there at Ally - 2 for 2 misstatements re: FDIC coverage.
Be aware! The link for the FDIC tool was at http://www.fdic.gov/EDIE/calculator.html
Cheers!
I've had so many issues in the past with Ally's bank cards and various IT issues. Everytime I go out of town my card gets blocked and I have to call some 3rd party security outfit and verify transactions...uggg. Two days ago, I found 2 fraudulent transactions (from Bangladesh - go figure) and notified Ally immediately. They refused to take the complaint because the transactions were not fully complete and elected to make me re-contact them two days later (guess it was just way too much trouble to take down the information and act on it in 2 days). I called back in 2 days to *finally* get the 'investigation' started and was told Ally will snail mail me forms within TEN business days to return. As far as the funds? Well, they will be 'provisionally' returned when the 00'investigation' officially starts (hopefully in 10 days assuming they actually mail them and I don't have to call back in to start the process all over again).
I asked the csr if it was ok, then, for me to overdraft my accounts by $800 (the amount of the bad transactions) and just respond to Ally that I would make a provisional deposit withing 10 business days to cover the amount.
Ally should stop wasting all of the millions they are spending on 'how great their customer service is' if this is how they truly treat their customers. The money would be better spent in Bangladesh...
When the letters come a month before the end of each batch of CDs, the phrase "RE: Certificate of Deposit Maturity Notice" is displayed in the giant window of each window envelope. Not very privacy conscious!
For an internet only bank, their mobile app is terrible. When I can sign in without an error (errors on sign in are frequent for me), the app is very slow and won't let you back out with the back button on Android like all other apps. The few app updates I've received for it have just broken more things. Check deposit process is very slow both via phone and via computer scanner. The phone/chat support is not helpful for technical issues.
Never had any issues with the accounts, transfers, or money management, and the website is generally good, particularly the money transfer abilities. But because of the problems with the mobile app, I'm considering moving to another bank.
i am very disappointed with Ally Bank. They have not followed through with my requests. When setting up accounts for my neices and nephews, there was not consistency in the information needed to set up the accounts. With some accounts they kept asking for SS cards, drivers liscense, marriage liscenses, ect, but with other accounts nothing was requested. They couldn't get the joint account information address correct and I would not recieve anything at my address it went to the addresses of my neices and nephews, with my SS on it. Not very secure!! it was very time consuming to get the accounts set up and when the CD's mature, I will move them somewhere else!!
I gradually trusted them with my funds, increased the amount of bills a paid, and moved 100% of my payroll direct deposit. And then . . . they cancelled my account leaving my payroll and other deposits in limbo. The loophole, they said I linked my paypal account which is categorized as a business account. I said to the person on the phone, can I just remove the link to the PayPal account? She said "no, you will not use this account again" why I asked myself, they want me to open a new account with them in which the terms and conditions are different. To me, that is the most unprofessional way to treat a customer, I will never do business with Ally.com, that is the only thing I can do, because I can never take back the sleepless nights after they left me with late bills and wondering when I would get my payroll paper check instead of the direct deposit I had entrusted to them. :-(
I am a fairly new customer with Ally. This is the worse Checking Account I have ever had. I diverted from the big banks (BofA, Wells Fargo, etc) due to their malicious practices of labeling low-balance customers and taking advantage of their lack of cash flow. A vendor erroneously debited my account. I contact the vendor and Ally and the Ally refunded the overdraft fee and the vendor agreed to return the funds. The vendor took over a month to return my funds. When I did received the refund, Ally decided to hold it for 7 days stating the hold was due to me having a recent overdraft. WAIT, the same d*** overdraft you refunded? And also, the deposit is for that same d*** transaction? Really??? So I chat online, and "Rihanna" was obviously the singer, and not banking associate as she refused to understand the case and help me further. So I called the 800 number and at first, was labeled with stereotypes that "a lot of people have holds because they have multiple overdrafts". I had to encourage the associate to review my account before labeling me as a repeat offended. There, she found that the only overdraft fee I had received was for THIS incident, which was refunded by the bank and original debit was returned. FINALLY got her to enter a request to remove the hold from my account. She also found that Ally had my account labeled as having received 6 or 7 overdrafts, of which she was unable to locate any others accept the one refunded. It would behoove them to take the necessary steps to review the customer's account before assuming their situation fits the punishment. So disgusted. I am dropping my payroll direct deposit with the checking account and will only use it to transfer funds to/from the MMA to avoid delays with transferring between banking institutions.
Signed, Disgruntled and Turned Off
I have appreciated everything about my Ally accounts except for their eDeposit system. Sometimes I can make a deposit in less than a minute, but often, it can take an hour to make a deposit because of glitches in their online deposit system, having to call to report a problem, and waiting to speak to someone. Never are they able to explain why the problem is occuring or how to correct it, but indicate someone from tech support will need to call back. Tech support never calls back. Today, I made a deposit of one check with no problems and attempted to make a second deposit. It went through seamlessly until the final step where the deposit is confirmed and gave me a message "Oops, the deposit could not be made for the following reason." There was nothing stated as to the reason. It instructed me to start over. When I did and got to the confirmation, I got a message it could not be deposited because I had already made the deposit. I called to see whether the deposit actually went through. The Ally rep stated this cannot be confirmed for 2 working days. Because today is Saturday, and Monday is a holiday, that means I won't get confirmation for 5 days, during which I will not know whether the deposit went through or not. When I complained about the ongoing problems with the eDeposit system, I was told that eDeposit is a new service for Ally and that they are aware of many problems with the system but they are working out the details. As I've been making deposits for a year, I don't consider this a new service, and finid it terrifying that in a year, they cannot get the system oprerational and that they began the system when it was not operational.
I'm sorry to say that, after being a customer for over two years and singing Ally's praises to groups of friends and on social media, I'm leaving Ally Bank within the next two weeks. I had great service when they first launched, but recently I was attempting to get a larger sum of money out of my account (because I needed to put a deposit down on an apartment). After picking numerous touch tone options and speaking to three people, I was moved to Phil, a supervisor.
He was awful. Absolutely awful.
I was clearly upset and stressed, but Phil showed about the level of empathy as a desk fan. Rather than trying to talk through different options, Phil chose to repeat the same terms and service information over and over again. At no point did he apologize for the inconvenience or explain why my limit could not be raised. He just kept being exceptionally rigid and condescending.
Look, I get that there are fraud protections in place for cash withdrawals. I do, and I appreciate the concern. Yet, for some reason when I called back and spoke with Katelyn the story was completely different. All of a sudden there were options. We could go through the fraud department, but we could also wire the money, figure out a debit arrangement, set up a transfer to another bank for certified checks, among others.
To make matters worse, Phil then did what I can only assume is an act to get me off the phone, claiming that reception had been lost. Funny how reception is lost when I had full 4G bars and could actually here my echo in the Ally phone system (I make calls from the same location all day, every day - never a problem). I then heard him announce that the connection must have been lost and that he was hanging up, which then lead to the last straw - he didn't try to call me back.
If someone is upset and you lose a connection, the sign of great customer service is you calling someone back and not forcing them to go through the phone tree again. If Ally wants to treat me like a number, because they're growing, then that's fine, but don't claim to be my "ally" and all about service.
To summarize, the product is great and you do get good rates (relatively), but when it counts, Ally is awful. You should use another bank.
I am here trying to post a fair review. Some people's experiences with Ally just differ completely from mine. For me, they have been nothing but great. Their checking accounts are simply great, since they have no fees, ATM rebates, high rates, and free checks and bill pay. I also like their savings account. Whenever I have needed customer service, I just called their phone number and was on the phone with someone usually in less than 5 minutes. They even post the wait time on their website. I was a little skeptical of switching from a brick and mortar bank to Ally, but a year into this transition, I have no regrets at all.
If you do not need to talk to a teller or frequently make deposits, you can't do much better than Ally. Rates are great, customer service is pretty good, and free external transfers are a really nice feature, as are ATM reimbursements and free, unlimited checks.
There are two main reasons they don't get 5 stars from me:
1. I had a pervasive issue with my debit card PIN not functioning and getting rejected about once a month, but that has since been resolved through customer service.
2. No remote check deposit in their android app. I figure it'll only be a matter of time, but for now it's detrimental when their customers primarily bank almost exclusively online. They do provide postage-paid deposit envelopes in lieu of this, but remote deposit would just be better.
Our son is deployed in the Marines in the Persian Gulf. We received a "welcome packet" from Ally Bank and emailed him that it had arrived. He said he doesn't do business with Ally Bank and asked that we open the envelope. He said to toss it if it's advertising. It wasn't advertising. It was two accounts that been opened using his social security number. I called Ally and spoke with Dustin Price who told me my son has to call to report identity theft. I explained he's in the Persian Gulf and couldn't they lock up the account until he can reach them. He literally laughed when I asked to speak with a supervisor when he told me there's nothing they can do. The supervisor, Jason Parker, said I "might be the fraudster" calling in to report the problem. I told him I wish they'd been this cautious when they opened this fraudulent account. And how many "fraudsters" call in to close accounts, know the address of record and the date of the letter they just sent out. I am outraged that they will not take any preventive action, even temporary, to protect the identity of a service member overseas. I hope you are outraged too and will consider alternative banks and credit unions before working with Ally.
To open an online savings account titled under a trust you must mail them an application because their website can't handle it. Then once the account is opened, you have to call them to get a user ID for the website because their website can't do that either. When we tried to link our external checking account to our Ally savings account it was denied despite the fact that it was the same checking account used to open the savings account. When I called their customer service department to complain, their representative intentionally hung up on me.
I HATE this bank, period. Since I have an an Ally account, nothing but issues. I have closed all my accounts today and will be moving to back to Wells Fargo and Chase. I have learned to love banks that have a face to face option, and, that doesn't hide behind its "policies". If that means I have to pay fees then so be it. Its worth it to me to have something Ally is missing, CUSTOMER SERVICE. For those of you who love Ally and have had no problems, great. However, its only a matter of time.
I'd always been happy with Ally -- until I had some complicated wires to send out. All I can say is, What a mess! I suggest that if you anticipate needing a wire, get in touch with them at least a week in advance and then make sure you get their security call within the next 48 hours; if you don't receive the call, start agitating. Understand that it may take them 24 hours or more AFTER they call you to get the wire going. I wish that, instead of depending on wiring, I'd written checks and had them overnighted to the receiving institution. Not only would I have saved fees and hours of my time, but the sending institution would have received the funds the day I designated, not two days later.
I have had 3 savings accounts with Ally for just over a year. I have the accounts set up to do transfers to and from three accounts at other banks (checking and brokerage). Never had any issues. Transfers take one day if I initiate the transfer through my USAA account, 2 days if I do the transfer from Ally. Never had a reason to call customer service so cannot comment on that side of things. The website is very easy to use and laid out well.
Only complaint is the fluctuating interest rates. In the year I have been there they have been all over the place. They do still remain competitive though so it has not been worth the effort to move my money elsewhere.
If you just need a simple savings account, where you can wait a couple of days to get your money, Ally is great.
I have descended into a black hole of chaos. Never use this bank. Tried to open up an IRA because the interest rates were the best. Two full weeks of multiple conversations with supervisors who promised a return call within 24 hours 'without fail'. Never a call back. Finally, after two weeks, the long-awaited return call with message: "Please call back ASAP. Everything resolved." We call back the next day, and the same story: spoke to a manager who had no information, couldn't tell us anything, and promised a call back in 24-48 hours. Over two weeks of this nonsense. Called the CEO of ALLY bank, Barbara Yastine (646)781-2521. She is out of town, her assistant is out of the office, and the assistant's assistant who answered the phone knows nothing and promises a call back. All of this to open an IRA. Imagine trying to get my money out!
Michael Carpenter (CEO of Ally Bank) should do an internal audit and fire more than half of his people in management positions. Seriously, some of the policies this bank has are ridiculous. It's almost as if they want you to come in and close your account. Ally just lost my account, baited me into making a deposit through their check app, then proceeds to hold that check for over 10 business days! 10 BUSINESS DAYS!
Nothing the reps could do on the phone. When I try and talk to a manager or a supervisor, all I get is half-assed answers about how policies are policies and no-one can do anything about them. Why even have management if policies can't change. I don't see this bank lasting. Alll that money they waste on commericals, they could just open a few branches around the country with and prevent dumb things like this happening.
Don't bank with them, you'll be sorry.
I wish I could give them zero stars. My husband and I have been trying for OVER 5 MONTHS NOW, from Ally to a brokerage firm. They keep coming up with reasons why they won't release our funds. Be forewarned, the incompetance runs rampant here!!!
I had a direct deposit go into my account at Ally, from a depositor that had sent funds there before. I needed those funds and couldn’t wait the week or more normally required to transfer funds to my brick and mortar bank. So the only option left was to pay the $20.00 they demanded to do a wire transfer. I initiated this transfer in the morning and while repeatedly checking with them throughout the day, providing whatever they asked for in the way of verification, even so far as to have the depositor contact them directly to ask them to release the funds, it still ended up in the fraud department just before the fraud department went home for the day, so much for 24 hour a day service. At best, you can reach a non-empowered employee who will wring their hands an feel really bad for you, but can do nothing to help. Don’t believe the ads, that’s all they are, ads, there is no real connection between the empty promises and actual experience. I regret the day I ever applied for an account, I should have never left my local bank.
Bank transfers from other banks are slow to deposit in your account. Same for checks mailed or uploaded online. No fees were nice and reimbursement of any ATM fees anywhere, but my last straw came when they put $1000 of my money on hold with no explanation and after 3 phone calls couldn't fix it or tell me why it had been done. Then my debit card was cancelled without any warning. Customer service was less than helpful.
Spent 2 weeks setting up account, sending in signature cards, etc. After my employer direct deposited my first check ally closed down our account claiming we had "business activity" because of the direct deposit! Then the lady Nicole in the fraud department was absolutely rude to us and treated us terribly. She wouldn't listen, continued to talk over us, etc. These people are insane! Avoid at ALL costs!
I opened an account with Ally bank and asked them to do an ACH transfer from TD Bank for $241,000.00. They told me that they would send two small deposits to my TD bank account and not until I verified the amounts of the two deposits would they fund the account. Instead here is what they did. They immediately sent an ACH transfer to TD Bank without ever sending the two small deposits. In the interim I read of all the poor reviews so I decided to not open the account and closed the Ally account. In the meantime my $241,000.00 was in limbo I had no access to it and still do not. I placed a stop payment on the transfer but won't know until today if it was successful. I talked to a supervisor who refused to allow me to record the call, and told me that in the notes it said nothing about the two small deposits having to be verified before they requested the money from TDbank. I called him a liar and know that the opening of the account is recorded by the bank. I intend to file a complaint with the Department of Banking and Finance in Utah today.
Stay away from these liars like the plague. If I could have put a zero in the review I would have Ally Bank is less than zero. ALSO read the terms and conditions they will scare the heck out of you!!!!!
I attempted to open a new checking and savings account with Ally Bank recently. After completing the application though I was given an error page and it stated I must call Ally along with a reference number given. This is where my first impression was shot about Ally...
The Ally rep asked multiple questions, several of them he asked atleast two times. I understand that they need to verify the identity of the caller but it was getting ridiculous. During this 20+ minute call, I was placed on hold 4 separate times, lasting from 2-5 minutes each. The rep seemed to be confused at times, unable to answer my questions, and just seemed not that familiar with any of the procedures of the bank he was "working" for. This made me alittle uneasy as I was really confused about why this new account was being held and investigated further? The rep said I would have to wait 3-5 business days for a "Specialist" to contact me... I questioned what this was about or what kind of "specialist" this was, none were answered by this rep.
Finally I just was fed up and unsure if I'd made the right decision to even submit my personal information to these people... seemingly they are either unsure of what they are doing or just incompetent. So I told the rep just to cancel my application and I would find another bank to deal with.
After thinking about it more, I decided to call back, hoping to get another more knowledgeable rep that could atleast help me understand what they were doing and why a "specialist" needed to investigate my information in the first place. This second rep decided he did not want to listen to my concerns and hung up on me!
I was upset at this point, so called back a third time and demanded to speak with a supervisor. The rep asked what the issue that I needed a supervisor for and I told him what had happened from the beginning. He explained everything they needed and I still don't understand what they need to investigate. I would stay away from Ally Bank!
I've been using Ally for five years now, and I've never had a problem. I'm connected via ACH to two other banks, and transfers have always been smooth, in both directions. I have two Ally accounts and use one for tax holding and one for general purposes. I had a CD at one time and that was fine too. Their rates are generally good; not the best, but definitely better than average.
I switched to Ally from Wells Fargo since they claimed the were not going to scam me or rob me of my own money. Last month I overdrew on my account by $8.00. I was in the negative and literally had no money to my name. I was in a really bad place and was unable to pay my bills. Within a week, I finally received and deposited a check for over $4000. I received notice that Ally will not allow me to access my deposit for over 7 business days saying I have overdrawn on my account repeatedly. This is infuriating. This is a lie. I have overdrawn ONCE! it has been over a week since my deposit and I am STILL unable to access my money- MY money. I have called Customer Service and have been informed it is out of their control and it was the "computers" doing. Yes, they were serious. Customer service actually blames the computers. I am now late on my rent, electric bill, car insurance, and school tuition. After I get access to my money I am closing the account and never looking back. Thanks for nothing.
I have a hard time believing some of the reviews in this thread, especially the ones about phantom withdrawals. In all my years banking and knowing people who bank, I've never heard of something like that actually happening. It sounds more like the kind of thing a person would make up if they wanted to tell some banking horror story. The facts about Ally are: free checks, reimbursement of all ATM fees, good rates, a user friendly website, and 24/7 customer service for which I, personally, have never had to wait more than thirty seconds. Plus, funny commercials!
Stand by for a real screwin' when it comes to edeposit. They WILL put a hold on it for at least 7 days. TERRIBLE SERVICE. Upper management is a computer. I believe they're owned by an airlines.....ya know the ones charging a $100.00 fee for a carry on bag. BEWARE of HIDDEN Charges. LOOK at ALL their policies in GREAT detail. BEWARE....stay with your current bank !!!!
The reason I start off with Beware of companys or banks that change there names Is that this is gereral motors old bank... GMAC with some make up !
You can change a name does not mean a better bank. They will never ever be a good bank.
Absolutely, absolutely 0 stars if I could.
Out of all my experiences dealing with banks and financial services, I can tell you that Ally bank is by far the worst experience I've ever had. Do NOT be deceived by their seemingly high interest rates and clever marketing of putting customers first. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is further from the truth. I opened a savings and checking account with them, and because of the high interest rate, I recommended my wife and dad to do the same. A week later, my dad's account was locked without any notification. When my dad called, the customer service rep refused to tell him why they locked the account, and referred him to a "fraud" specialist. The problem is, the "fraud" specialist could never be reached nor would this person return his voicemails. A few days later, both my account and my wife's accounts get locked - again, without notification or warning of any kind. To make matters worse, I made the mistake of already putting in my hard-earned savings - over 10K worth - into the Ally account. Now these money robbing "allies" basically locked out my money, all WITHOUT telling me why. Again I called, and after waiting on the phone forever, was given the same run around as my dad - nobody can tell me why the account is locked, I need to talk to the fraud department, and of course, nobody from the department is available. Left a voicemail and..surprise surprise, no callbacks. I'm still trying to reach them so I can get my money back!
Keep in mind we're just a regular hard working family with absolutely no credit problems or criminal backgrounds. I have investment relationship or accounts with most major banks, both physical and online, and was never treated this way. I mean there were bouts of bad service, but nobody has ever denied me money that's literally mine. I've never felt so abused by a company in my lifetime. Do you know any other bank that will lock your account and freeze all your assets WITHOUT telling you? I feel like I'm some sort of a drug dealer, and the FBI is cracking down on me. It's one of the worst feelings ever. To top of all off, the customer service representatives on the phone were incredibly rude, and they like to transfer your call without telling you that they're doing so. Literally, they told me "I'm going to put you on hold," and the next second, I'm getting "you have reached the loss prevention unit, please leave a message." Absolutely infuriating when you're trying to recover money that's yours in the first place! "Loss prevention unit," why does a bank need this when I'm the one who's putting in the money while they're holding it hostage? And I need to convince them I'm not some sort of the criminal so I can get the money out!!?
Again, do not ever, ever bank with this company. Don't be like me, do some searches online first and read all the complaints. A bank like this deserves to go under.
I had quite a few negative experiences with Ally, but none of them were deal breakers. They were more like annoyances such as telling me I didn't have enough money to cover an automatic bill payment, whereas, I did and Ally paid it despite the message. Anyway, I plan to stay with Ally.
The whole point of the online banking system is to be able to deposit checks online. A few weeks ago I was suddenly unable to deposit checks using their software. All of my equipment was the same, but I was suddenly forced to manually upload my checks. That worked a few times, but now that I'm trying to deposit my last paycheck, an error message pops up saying to make sure the image I'm uploading contains the check image, and it does! I called up and was told they were aware of this issue and would get back to me within 48 hours. TWO DAYS. I told them I needed the money ASAP and as a bank they should be providing me access to my money. I live paycheck to paycheck.
After I got off the phone, things started to get worse. I got an email saying my "telephone pin" had been changed and if I hadn't changed it, to contact Ally immediately. Genuinely sick of their unknowledgeable customer service reps, I decided to run errands. I went to a store and my card was DECLINED. THAT got my attention, so I called them immediately and asked if someone had access to my card. I was told that "someone would get back to me within 48 hours" about my card being potentially hacked! Two days! I asked that they call back at least the next day, and I was told they would "put in that request for me."
I just tried to access my online banking to monitor it for the possibility that someone was using my card, and MY ACCOUNT WAS BLOCKED from my access! I called back (the next day) to ask if I could have access but was told that I had to wait for a representative to contact me in order to get it unblocked! I have ZERO access to all of my money right now and ZERO answers. I have to somehow EAT today and also make a deposite on my new apartment by the end of the month. Are they even legally allowed to take these actions? It's horrifying! Save yourself.
If you start to set up a CD and don't fund it... a couple of months later you get this email from Ally: "Your Ally Bank account is now closed." Long after you have forgotten that you didn't complete the CD.
Have had a savings account with them for over 3 years. I don't know what others are complaining about. I opened my account easily and move money between accounts all the time and never had a problem. Just wish the rates were a little higher but who doesn't.
I recently opened an acct with this bank. They told me my initial deposit is not available until 10 business days. I said I needed my money to live on and they said that it was their policy and it was stated on page 35 of the pdf file of acct information. you can go to facebook and like the page I Hate ALLY BANK
I have both CD's and an an online savings account at Ally. Due to low interest rates, I'm closing CD's as they mature and "doing something else" with the money.
A few months ago, an Ally CD matured. Through secure email, I set things up in advance to have the CD closed and all funds deposited into my Ally online savings account upon maturity. The money was available either the maturation day, or the day after (I no longer remember). That's reasonable. I initiated a transfer to my own bank, and two or three days later the money was available to me. That's also reasonable.
I now have another Ally CD about to mature. I've been told that "due to security reasons" they can no longer arrange for CD closures through secure email. That's a PITA, but okay, it just means I have to call them on the day it matures.
What really burns my butt, though, is their new policy for internal transfer times: 3-6 days to close my Ally CD and transfer the money to my Ally online savings account. What?!?! That's a rip-off; considering the amount of the CD, that's about $40 in interest I'll lose waiting for them to transfer my money from one Ally account to another Ally account. Ally might as well send someone to my house, kick me in the ****, and steal $40 from my wallet while I'm lying on the ground.
I'm now deciding if I should close all my CD's, in case Ally decides to change their 60-day early withdrawal fee language. Ally's change in internal transfer time doesn't bode well; I might be better off eating the 60-day fee, which I could expect to (though not guaranteed) make up with the "something else" I'm doing with my CD money.
I tried using ally bank for several months. The features were nice, but it is NOT worth the hassle.
They constantly treat you like a criminal and make little things like depositing a check made out to your middle name instead of your first name a huge hassle.
The final stray was when I tried to make a wire transfer. The whole process took 3 days, which had me continually scanning and faxing forms and documents (this is not how a wire transfer should be handled). Eventually they told me they didn't like my signature on one of the forms and 3 days of time was wasted.
I just recently opened up an account with Ally Bank. Everything went smooth on opening up the account and transferring money from my regular bank. I also did the same with ING Direct. I wanted to open up 2 small accounts and see which bank had the best experience to deal with before I transferred larger amounts. I had three criterias that I wanted to test, easy of transferring money between accounts, customer service, and mobiile banking solutions (Rates are important but let's be honest they all suck so other criterias are more important in todays financial markets). Ally won the first two criterias. Ally transferred the money faster, Ally has outsanding customer service. A real customer service person was a real nice surprise. However, their Mobile banking solution is horrible and is just not acceptable.
I have an Android Tablet and found out that Ally's Mobile Banking Android application does not work on Android tablets (only Phones) and was told by their tech support that the app will not work on android tablets until the end of 2012. This is unacceptable for an internet banking company. As they say or ESPN "C'mon Man", you got to be kidding!!!! It only shows me that they are not capable of competing in this market and one would have to question investing one's money in a bank that is not ready for "Prime Time" in the Mobile App Market. They may have a slightly better rate than ING but ING seems to have their act together with their internet and mobile solutions. It just makes me more trusting in ING at this time. I am bitterly disappointed in Ally that they are taking so long in coming up with a mobile solution. If I was CEO of Ally I would appoint a team to get this accomplished immediately --- no excusses accepted!!!!
I do not understand how they can get such glowing reviews when their Mobile Banking Solution is so terrible. And I am trying to be kind here. It is just awful and Ally Management better take steps to bring them into today's mobile banking environment or they will be out of business soon!!!!
If Mobile Banking capabilities is important to you I would stay away untile they get their act together!!!
Disappointed new customer and transferring funds to ING or some other Bank who understands Mobile Banking solutions.
I have used ally CDs and savings account for 3 years. I never had a single problem. At one point I closed 5 CDs early since I needed money quickly. I was surprised how smoothly and promptly this transaction was executed. It seems that this forum attracts negative reviews, which is somewhat understandable.
I'm not a fan of the banking industry, but thus far I have not had a single issue with Ally CDs. With the renewal bonus I've found their rates have been very competitive in the U.S.
Rich P.
Rochester, NY
I have been banking with Ally for over a year. They asked me to provide a street address and said cannot accept PO Box address. I gave the required street address. Few days later I got these emails from ally bank that said my accounts were closed. When I call the customer service, they realized that the address is not updated on my account and because of that all accounts were closed. I was not even informed a minute ahead that my accounts including CDs are going to be closed. They said they cannot restore it and I was charged early withdrawal fees on my accounts. Had I not opted for email communication, I would have not found out that my accounts were closed until couple of days later. I would never bank with someone who close my accounts without informing me.
This bank has got to be the worst bank ever. I tried to open an account online and was told they needed additional information and to call a toll free number and give them some reference number that was something like 25 digits long. After I gave them that info it took about 10 minutes for them to locate my information. Once they found it they told me that they couldn't let me know what information they needed and that I would be contacted in about 3-5 business days. Even though, the reps were friendly and trying to help I found it rather ridiculous that they couldn't tell me what info they needed to complete the process. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS BANK. THEY ARE NOT PROGRESSIVE ENOUGH FOR THE 21ST CENTURY APPARENTLY.
I have quite a lot of experience opening accounts with various banks around the country, but have never been subject to the red tape I was exposed to at Ally Bank. Before opening a $250,000 money market account for me, they wanted a copy of my social security card and told me they would have to run a credit report on me. Never had to supply a social security card anywhere.....only the number. As to the credit report, I told them they had it wrong! I was loaning them money, NOT the reverse.
I opened a Savings and Checking account with Ally Bank. It was very simple for I insured that the information was right. I was looking for free checking and could not find a bank locally without having to have a required balance amount. I was with Chase Bank who has been charging me 12 dollers each month. I easlily trasferred money to both Ally Account from my Chase accounts. I than closed my Chase accounts got a check and scanned it to my Ally account. All transactions went smoothly. You people having problems seem to be the ones making the mistakes and blaming Ally for it. Ally needs to be wary of fraud and protect your accounts from others who say they are you.
I like using checks for I want to update my account as I use it to keep my balance current. NO MORE PAYING FOR CHECKS they give them to you free with what ever number you want them to start with. NO MORE CREDIT CARD for I get points for using there's deposited right into my account. NO MORE FEES I can use any ATM in the USA..
Ally great job and you all looking for a great bank you found one here with Ally, I would ignor those complainers looking to justify there mistakes.
It's no surprise that Ally's rates, features, and (lack of) fees are pretty great, but their customer service is awful. Sure, after going through an annoying menu, you can get to a real, live, friendly person. The problem is that those live people are unable to solve most problems, answer most questions, or really do anything but have a conversation about the weather (which they always try to work in... must be on the script). Their limits and rules are so confusing that when I call to ask about them, each employee gives me a totally different story! There are many better banks out there that offer better rates and hire competent people.
Ally offers a superior product, but their customer service and bank processes are lacking. I opened an Online Savings account with $20,000. I received a call the next week from Ally notifying me that they accidentally withdrew the $20,000 twice from my account, and asked me to call my other bank to try to stop the transaction. My other bank told me that Ally was the only entity that could stop the transaction since they were the side that was initiating the withdrawal. I called Ally back and the agent told me that Ally's system is not able to stop an initiated transaction. The entire time they treated me like it was my fault and I received no apology. I contemplated closing my Ally account in frustration, but decided that it would be counterproductive. My other bank charged me a $25 insufficient funds fee that Ally only refunded once I sent them a scan of my other account statement and after several calls. The credit shows up as a "Goodwill Credit" in my Ally account. It should have said, "Refund due to Ally mistake." Now I have spent several hours and have a returned check status at my original bank due to an Ally mistake and have yet to get an apology or anything for my trouble from Ally.
I have nothing negative to report about my experiences with Ally. Whenever I need to talk to someone, be it by online chat or phone, I always reach someone quickly. Best of all, they are in the US and are easy to understand. I'm not against talking to outsourced employees, but it makes explaining things much easier talking to someone from the US.
I have multiple CDs, an IRA, and a savings account. To date, I've not had problems with any of them, although I haven't withdrawn any funds at this point. Hopefully, though, my positive experience to date will remain so.
I will stay with Ally because of their competitive rates, great customer service, and easy to use Web site features. Should that ever change, I'll let you know!
I had the most frustrating experience with Ally. After completing my application, I was asked to give them a call to finalize some things. Their systems were "down" for several hours and, on my sixth call to them, they told me that I needed to fax a copy of my driver license to verify my address. I told them that my driver license has an old address on it because, like many other states, New York does not issue a new driver license when you move; they simply have you write the new address on the back. The representative then asked me to fax a copy of my utility bill, which I did. After two days of hearing nothing, I called back and asked for a status update. The representative said that they received a fax of my utility bill but no one knew why I was sending it in and they closed my application. She then told me that I needed to fax a copy of my driver license --- I, of course, repeated the story for the tenth time. She put me on hold and then came back and suggested that I go to the DMV and request a new driver license. When I told her that New York doesn't requrie this, she then told me that I am not able to open an account until I move to a new state. I was furious! I ended up going to Charles Schwab Bank, which opened the account for me without any problem and has been providing me with EXCELLENT service!
I've had a really good experience with Ally Bank until recently. A couple weeks ago I had a CD mature so I called to have it transferred to my Ally Savings acct (ideally this would be done on-line but Ally does no allow this). The rep told me that the transfer would occur in 1 - 2 business days. I checked four days later and the transfer had not been done. I called and they said there had been "confusion" cc: the transfer so they performed the transfer while I was on the phone. I thought the whole thing strange but everything was handled to my satisfaction.
Then a week a later the same thing occurred with another CD that matured where I was told the transfer would take 1 - 2 days. When it did not occur I followed up and the response was that they were busy and it could take 5 - 7 days to complete the internal transfer of the CD to savings (both at Ally). I objected to this so again they did the transfer while I waited on the phone. I appreciate the fact they were honest with the reason but "being too busy" is a very bizarre answer.
I have had CDs with two other online banks and the redeeming could be done on-line. With Ally requiring a personal contact to do this plus this hassle of actually getting a transfer done plus Ally's very low rates I would not recommend getting a CD with them. However my experience with the savings part of their business has been very good although most new savings now goes to ClearSky Accts (Chesapeake Bk) since their rate is higher than Ally.
Jack Brown
I can transfer my money into my Ally Account in a matter of minutes. When I want to get it out, "well that'll be a few business days" or you can send them a form by fax for a wire transfer but I tried that twice and they just say we never received it. I ask if I can email it to someone and they say we can't give out our email addresses it has to be faxed. I ask how can I get confirmation it was received and they say "call us after a few hours and we'll check to see if we got it". Guess what! I call and "Please hold" "please hold" "please hold" and an hour later "no we can't find it" STAY AWAY!!!
Transfered my money out of ING in a matter of minutes
My two partners and I tried to set up an account with Ally. we were not able to enter all the information to set up the account online and had to call customer service. Then, because there were three of us on the account, they had to review it (5 additional days) before they called to request additional verification of ID for the other two account holders. We sent this and heard nothing. To top it off, we were unable to check the status of the account online, everytime we received a message to call and talk to a customer service rep. Today, I was told they sent a letter a week ago with information about the decision on the new account. No letter has been received and they could not provide any information over the phone. I would not recommend this bank based on the slow turnaround and lack of customer service. We get better service at a traditional bank.
I wouldn't consider them for any product, based on my experience from them managing my car lease.
1) You call to ask questions, and are immedialy routed to india.
2) Fees galore. I wanted to change my due date to the end of the month, they wanted to charge me $17 per DAY. I have moved due dates for most things, including previous car leases and loans without a problem. That's a $391 fee to change my due date from the 5th to the 28th. You would expect this from a crappy bank that services people with bad credit.
Fast & friendly service. Always a real person to talk to. Had a problem with a transfer & the customer service rep when above & beyond the call of duty.
Here's why leaving my local bank and transferring my account to Ally Bank was a HUGE mistake. I was scheduled to close on my home refinance this past Friday, and on Thursday I was told how much I needed to bring to closing and to get a cashier's check or money order. I tried to get a money order or cashier's check with my Ally debit card but was declined at three stores because my daily debit card limit was $500. I called Ally Bank three times, spoke with four representatives, and all said there was nothing they could do and to wait until Tuesday or Wednesday of next week to find out if I'm "approved" to raise my debit card limit. Really? I told them over and over I needed my money in hours, not days. Then they said to use my debit card "as a credit card" or "point of sale transaction" at Walmart. I went to Wal-Mart and was laughed at when I explained to them what Ally Bank told me I could do. Apparently their cash registers specificly disallow this kind of transaction. I wasted my entire Friday trying to get a cashier's check or money order with my Ally Bank debit card and was completely unsuccessful. I can't believe there's not someone in the entire Ally Bank organization at any given time that can immediately approve a short-term increase in my debit card limit. Needless to say, my refinance closing didn't happen and the earliest I might be able to close again is next week, but guess what ... my interest rate lock will expire before then. Ally Bank has effectively forced me to surrender my locked financing terms. If I hadn't left my local bank, I could have just walked in, got a cashier's check and been done. Just as I told all four Ally Bank representatives on Friday, if I can't get access to my money by the time I was scheduled to close, I will close all my accounts and withdraw all my funds on the first business day I can, and that's exactly what I plan to do now. This is a cautionary tale for those of you who may be considering the "internet bank" approach to banking. No matter how convenient or customer-friendly an internet bank like Ally will try to present themselves as, there are simply limitations that apparently not even Ally Bank themselves can overcome to ensure their customers are getting the same level of service they can get at a traditional brick-and-mortar bank.
I just spent so much time setting up my Ally account. I switched over since ING is going to Capitol One soon. BIG mistake. Problem after problem. It seems they have only been opened for a week. I could not even activate my debit card and when I called about the problem, the customer service person could not help me. She said she would send me over to a survey after the call, but instead hung up on me. How convenient! I also called about a bug in the Perks portion of your website - the system will not retain multiple zip codes. They told me it was a known problem and they would look into it. Well that was a week ago. I am a programmer and know that problem would not take long to fix. Also, their chat disconnected me multiple times. There are so many problems already, I do not want to take a risk that next time the problem will be with my money disappearing. I just pray that all my money will make it out of Ally intact. I will never bank with them again.
Closed Ally accounts after they put a fraud freeze on my accounts and would not tell me what was going on even after going through all the verification and wanted me to wait till the next day to talk to someone in fraud department. Finally that evening I got to a supervisor who revealed only the joint account was blocked because the other signer had reported correspondence came from Ally unsealed by their mailing service. They never told the other signer they were blocking that account. It's not acceptable to deny access to liquid funds without notifying the account owner and explaining what to do about the freeze.
0 fees at all. Super good customer service 24/7. You can chat, email and call them any day any time. Unlimited atm refunds. Competitive rates, nationwide. Free checks, free deposit slips, free postage paid envelopes, free online billpay, free ebill, you can deposit your checks by scanning them with your home printer and send them using the Ally webpage software, you can transfer money between your various Ally accounts, other banks accounts and you can even send money to people with Popmoney service by just using that person's cell phone number or email! They even offer free antimalware protection for their customers coputers (all your computers) They have the Ally perks, a great savings tool by using your debit card with participating retailers instore or online. Ally bank, just makes a lot of sense! I definitely recommend this bank. The only thing that keeps them from getting a perfect score is that they have not develop an android, Iphone , tablet app yet. But, Ally already stated that they are working on it. 4 stars out of five for Ally bank.
Most of the online banks are interchangeable. Although the Fed rates have remained stable (close to zero), the online bank rates have dropped. Still, it's better to earn 0.84% or 0.9% than nothing, which is what brick-and-mortar banks pay, especially commercial banks.
I've found Ally to be just as solid as ING (which my sister uses) and Emigrantdirect (which I stopped using when their interest rate plummeted.)
On quibble: They post the monthly interest payments on the 5th of the month rather than the 1st. But they're consistent about it.
Another quibble: They're no longer the highest-paying online bank, but not by much.
Ally insists on running a credit report for ANY new account opening, even for existing customers with other active accounts with them.
This is an unnecessary requirement from both the FDIC and federal reserve, and a hard cost to justify for those of us with a credit freeze in place. I'm not spending $5 every time i need a savings or a new CD account opened. No other bank I've done business with has had this requirement for existing customers.
I tried to open a savings account with Ally because I thought an online account would be a good way to start to create a little financial security after my recent bankruptcy. Ally denied my attempt because of the bankruptcy.
After maintaining an exceptional credit history for 30 years, my divorce put me in a position where I could no longer manage my debt. I still have a mortgage and car loan that are paid on time every month. I'm not sure how Ally thought I would be irresponsible with a savings account... but that's fine, ING Direct didn't seem to have a problem with it, so that's where my savings will grow!
I've been with Ally for some time now, but I'm dropping them because 1, they decided to hold a deposit for an extended period without telling me; 2, bounced a check because of that; 3, charged me a fee; 4, refused to refund that fee. And get this: I had plenty of money in the account to cover the check even without that deposit!
This is on top of the many errors they have made over the last year (which all got corrected, eventually). I overlooked them, because I knew that Ally had just set up their web site and an entirely new system, and were still working out the bugs. But this is just too much. What good is a relatively high interest rate on deposits (still well below 1%) if they can steal an undeserved "fee" equal to six months interest any time they feel like it?
I've had it with Ally. I'm closing my accounts and won't be back.
Ally has overdraft protection, which will automatically transfer funds from your savings to your checking. While it does protect against bouncing a check or having a transaction declined, Ally flags this as a negative mark on your account. This will lead to your deposits being held for "extended periods", sometimes up to 12 days! Also, they do NOT communicate this you, even though their Deposit Agreement says they will.
Not entirely sure about the majority of these reviews over a year ago, but I opened an Interest Chacking accoung and a Money Market account over the summer and could not be happier (Note: coming from BOA). The only gripe that I have with Ally so far is that I try to check my account balance on occasion and sometimes (3-4 times since June this year) the website is down. Typically this is resolved, at worst, by the next day. While annoying, it's not been a huge deal for me just yet as I use credit cards for all of my purchases anyway. One other thing, I really wish they had a smart phone app. I would appreciate being able to at least check my balances on my phone and would appreciate being able to deposit checks through my phone even more. Other than those two concerns, I love this bank.
I have a CD, savings, and decided to open a checking account with Ally because of the echeck deposit service they offer. I tried to make a deposit using their echeck service into my checking account, but couldn't do it. I disabled pop up block like they told me, I turned off the firewall and antivirus, called them, chatted online with 2 reps and was still not able to make the deposit. I am wondering if somebody is able to use their echeck deposit. The only reason why I opened a checking account with them was because I was going to be able to deposit it online instead of mailing it.
I have 3 CDs and a savings account at Ally. I've had no issues with the CDs to date and was given a great rate with a low early withdrawal penalty should I one day need access to the funds. I also have a savings account with them that I used to like and use regularly, but currently I only have $1 sitting in it. The reason for that is that several months ago when randomly logging in to check my balance, low and behold, my account mysteriously was showing a NEGATIVE value of nearly $49,000! When I called Ally to figure out what was going on, the rep had no idea how a negative balance could even be possible (nor did I!). After much wrangling and cursing with a manager, a few days later Ally finally determined that they had made an internal error and had mistakenly deducted $50,000 from my account that should have been deducted from some other customer's account that had a similar account number. I respect the fact that Ally did ultimately resolve the issue properly and they did provide a written letter apologizing for the error. However, one would think their system would be properly designed to catch when a deduction is taking an account $49,000 into the HOLE. That I simply can't live with. I'm happy to let them keep my CDs since (I hope) they can't screw those up, but I have no desire to use the savings account anymore after such a debacle... trust is difficult to restore once broken.
I went into a local bank and opened up an account on 8/19/11. As of today I have cleared out all but $20 of a total of $55,000 between checking and savings.
Why? Because their website was down.
When I contacted Ally on 8/18 I was told they were having problems and could not estimate when the issues would be resolved. I told Ally this was unforgivable for Internet banking -- with no brick and mortar locations to visit to resolve any issues. They gave no apology and no estimated time when the problems would be resolved. Good bye Ally -- even with the higher interest rates--they need to realize that we need to take care of business.
I can't get to my checking account NOR anybody that will tell me why. All I am getting that I will be contacted within 48 hours. I have MONEY in that account.
WHAT's UP!!!!
I was disappointed to discover that, at this time, Ally has terminated rebating ATM fees outside the US. This motivated me to find another online bank that does rebate ATM fees worldwide, as I travel in Europe. My activity with Ally is limited. I park some money in a MM, and use the ATM card when I travel. My customer service experience is mixed.
these imbeciles denied my application for trying to open a checking account because my FIS score is not high enough. I wouldn't recommend this bank to anyone because of their ridiculous credit check system.
Ally is an excellent bank. I've been with them since they were GMAC Bank. Great service, knowledgable reps who are willing to actually talk to you instead of just following a script, 24/7 service, willing to reverse fees caused by customer mistake, good ACH functionality... what else could you want? Oh yeah, a better interest rate would be nice and to be honest I don't keep much money there because of the low rate. But the service is top-notch and I have occasionally kept money there longer than I normally would just to support them.
Ally Bank is really a good bank, I have a savings and CDs with them. I will open a checking once they release their electronic check deposit. On CD renewal day, they offered me a 25% bonus. The only con is that they now use Cashedge system for ACH so it takes an extra day. Good interface online and 24h customer support.
I recently did an early closure of two CDs at Ally Bank. Before I closed them I was able to look at the accounts online and see how much I was supposed to receive for an early closure (principal plus interest minus penalty).
Much to my surprise, after I closed them I got a LOWER amount deposited into my checking account. It was about 1% off of where it should have been, which is actually less than the amount I had originally deposited in the CDs!! (They hadn't been open long)
I emailed them to complain and in a day or two they reversed that deposit and then deposited MORE money into my checking than I thought I was due. There was never any explanation given for how they came up with this amount, how they had come up with the previous amount, or how the error had happened in the first place. Nor did they apologize for screwing up.
I have used Ally for several years but this is the last straw. I just do not trust them anymore. I am closing all my accounts and moving to Alliant CU for my hub account.
Have had CDs and savings account with Ally for over two years now; every time I've needed to move, open, or close something, Ally customer service has been friendly and efficient. High rates are good; low frustration is even better.
I was convinced by customer service to let Ally Bank transfer $25,000 out of my local bank account to open up a new CD as they said this would be the easiest and fastest way to fund my new account. Surprise, surprise, they transferred it TWICE. $50,000 gone from my account instantly. When I called customer support they said "oops, our bad, we will reverse the mistake within 48 hours". Well, two weeks later, and no money had transferred back. Luckily I was able to talk to my local bank president and she transferred it back because it was an unauthorized transfer. I would not trust Ally Bank, ever.
I have a CD that is maturing in a few weeks and Ally sent me an email that stated I'd get a .25% bonus if I renewed it with them. Last year they offered the same .25% bonus but I was able to get .5% simply by asking for this on the phone. Has anyone else been able to get higher than .25% recently?
My CD is maturing this month and Ally sent me an email in advance offering a 25% bonus if I renew it with them. Last year when I renewed I was able to get a 5% bonus (although I had to request this on the phone). I will try again to get the 5% bonus. Anyone else get more than 25%?
We opened an account with ally bank for a 5 year CD. They transferred the amount we wanted to fund the account with twice on the same day. We have called 5 times trying to get the second amount returned to us and each time they are very nice but the money has yet to be returned. It has been 13 days at this writing. We don't know what to do. So far we feel they are not to be trusted and we want to put the word out about it. When and if we get our money back we will amend this review.
This bank is the best bank out there. They don't have any physical locations but other than that.. its great. The customer service is available 24/7 and their website is easy to navigate. They offer free accounts when every other bank is charing you fees or making you do certain things to keep the account free.
Everyone should look at their bank and the interest they are being paid. I know that ally has rates that went down over the past few months but so has every other bank. Can't blame them for a downed economy.
I've tried every product and i'm happy. the 11month no fee cd is great!
First there is a problem with their bill pay system. The system does not verify account numbers of electronic payees. One of their CSR said the account would be verified when a payment was made. Well it's a little late if the payment wont go through. Wonder if Ally would pay the late fees? Ally is aware of this problem.
Second their "New" service provider for external transfers seems to have issues. I had linked an external bank account with my Ally account back in 2007. When they changed to CashEdge for a provider suddenly the name of this bank was changed. It was changed to the name of the bank in 2004. Although the account and routing number seemed to be correct I'm not sure I can trust Cash Edge.
I hate to see Ally messing things up like this. They have been good to work with in the past.
Oh berore these problems I would have given them 5 stars.
I opened an account with Ally a few months ago and overall it has been great.
Initially depositing money in my newly opened account took 2 tries, although Ally was undergoing maintenance during this period so I don't know if they are fully to blame Their phone and chat customer service has been very good all but one time and has helped solve all of my problems Their interest rates are great compared to my Bank of America account What I really love is their ATM fee reimbursement, which means that you can withdrawal money from any ATM and Ally will refund the service fee that you are charged. It really makes my life easier knowing I do not have to worry about going out of my way to find certain ATMs that won't charge me a fee. Derek, College Student
I expect banks to have rock solid, secure service. Service with Ally has been spotty over the course of the 6 months I've had them. One recent example was a double transfer of funds that happened between my Chase account and Ally. I had initiated a transfer of $500. Ally inexplicably transferred an additional $500. I called and was told that the glitch was caused by the installation of new system software. It has taken a week to resolve. Much of it having to do with lack of communications between the people in the back-end operations and the customer service reps. (even supervisor level). I wish they would get their act together because I really like the concept of a virtual bank, and not being charged for ATM use.
Ally Bank is now using the Cashedge system for ACH transfers instead of whatever system they were using before. The look and feel of the website is totally different; transfers take several additional clicks to accomplish, and everyone knows that Cashedge is notoriously slow.
I filled out the survey and told them I thought this was a major disappointment.
I went with Ally bank about 1 year ago. The reason why is because of the awesome 5 year cd rates and the fact that the CD withdrawal penalty is only 2 months interest.
So, do the math. If you can get a 5 year cd rate for even 14 months and then withdraw and get penalized 2 months interest, that is still one full year at a 5 year cd rate.
I also have really like their customer service, website, branding, and consistency.
Hooray for Ally bank!
Seems ally has started charging $10 as per description “FEE-ACHDW: Service Fees” if there are 6 or more transactions per statement cycle. You can call them on phone to have the charges reversed
FEE-ACHDW: Service Fees
$10.00
I have the online savings account and 2 CD accounts with Ally Bank. I have been a customer of theirs for a little under a year.
I have not experienced any problems with their accounts, website, nor customer service. I follow CD rates and notice that theirs are always in the top few percentage points of what is available on the market, with the exception of some of the credit union rates.
I have contacted customer service on a few occasions, generally through their online chat; and have always received accurate information and the support people seem to be knowledgeable.
What attracted me to Ally in the first place was their simplicity; the accounts and rates they offer, as well as their website interface (works perfect with linux). Very simple and uncluttered.
Still pleased with Ally bank.
I set up a bank to bank transfer at Ally.com at the same time I did with another online bank, using the schedule in the future option for the following day instead of the immediate now option. A few minutes later I caught a mathematical error I made when I was trying to re-balance my accounts among 4 online banks. I was able to cancel the first transfer set up at the other bank, but when I marked the pending transfer at Ally.com, the EDIT and DELETE buttons became inactive. I called Ally on the phone to find out what was wrong. I was informed once the transfer has been set up, it can not be changed 3 days prior to the start of the transfer.
I'm aware there is a cut off time on these types of transactions, but 3 days lead time to modifying transactions is ridiculous, give me a break! The other institutions let me cancel the transfer online with no problems. I'll stay with them as a customer simply due solely for their rates. It's not a good feeling to not be able to to control your own money!
After setting up an acct with ally, I then initiated a fund transfer to ally (using ally's online system). I called ally beforehand to make sure it would be ok since the 30 day time frame to deposit was approaching. I was ASSURED that as long as I initiated the transfer before 30 days, it was fine. I waited patiently for several days but received nothing from ally.. no e-mail, no phone call. I signed onto my ally acct. and now my balance showed a NEGATIVE dollar amount instead of zero. When I called them, they said my acct had been closed because I didn't deposit money in time! BUT.. they had taken my money from my other bank! Incredulously though, they said at the same time that since the acct. was closed that they DIDN'T really have my money! My "old" bank confirmed the monies had been sent to ally. MORE calls to ally.. they have NO idea where my money is or how to get it back! I go into my "old" bank and they actually spend a LOT of time helping me figure it out although they had NOTHING to do with the problem. With the information (ACH tracking numbers that ally wouldn't bother looking for) from my "old" bank, I call ally AGAIN ( I don't even know how many times I called ally). This time (after mentioning perhaps banking authorities might be notified) they miraculously are able to find the money! I am STILL waiting for the money to be returned to my "old" bank. Funny.. their claim to fame.. being an ultra modern, high-speed, web-based bank.. sure seems like BS when you consider it has been over TWO WEEKS and I STILL don't have my money back and they weren't able to find, track, or identify ANYTHING! I had to go into an old-school, brick and mortar bank and have a REAL PERSON help me! So, an online bank may give you a little interest and allow you to use ATMs nationwide, but JUST WAIT until something goes wrong! THEN you will wish you had a REAL PERSON to help you! The winner here is oddly enough.. BANK OF AMERICA (my "old" bank)! haha! Caveat Emptor!
I've been an Ally Bank money market checking/online savings/CD customer for a few years (longer than any other institution since rates have been declining). They have always been in the top 5% of those paying the most interest. Although I have moved money away from them for short periods when other banks offer more, their consistency has brought me back when the special rates vanished.
When a CD matured recently, I called and asked them to transfer it to my Ally Bank savings account, as I planned to use the money in the next few weeks. The customer service rep offered up their no penalty CD, which paid more than their checking or savings. It could be closed after 6 days with just a call, so I said okay (after looking at ALL the details on their website). They also offered a .25% interest rate bonus to keep the CD with them. When I called to close it a few weeks later, they were more than accommodating, and it was moved to my checking account promptly.
I also like the fact that they give you a rebate for all ATM charges at the end of each month, and there are no fees for their checks or for maintaining your account. The only thing I have to watch out for is the 6 withdrawals per month limitation, which is not problem for me (ATM withdrawals are unlimited).
The good thing about Ally Bank CD is that it only has 60 day penalty if you withdraw the CD before the matural date. If you go with 5 year CD, the interest rate is now 2.95%.
The account opening process is very easy. You will receive a letter of confirmation about your CD term and rate. They should be able to reserve your rate for 10 days. Please pay attention and make sure it is the rate when you opened the account. The Ally Bank CD rate changed after I opened the account, I got the new rate instead of the one when I opened. I called the CSR and they were able to confirm my CD opening date and give me back the correct rate.
Even though there was a little hick up, the overall customer service is good. I called to open the CD, and called again about the wrong rate. They said they will investigate and they called me back after 2 days.
I agree totally with #4’s assessment of Ally. I’m extremely disappointed in their continual conflicting and erroneous information … their failure to carry out my written instructions … their slowness to respond until deadlines have passed -- mistakes which always help their bottom line and hurt mine. It’s happened so many times that it’s difficult to believe it is simply incompetence … rather than deliberate orchestration.
Here’s an example. Last summer I opened a number of accounts which I planned to fund by having my broker wire the money to Ally. One day around 2:30 I called Ally and asked for their wiring information … telling them my broker had a 3:00 deadline in order to get the money to Ally that day.
The rep advised me that I shouldn’t wire the money … that ACH transfers were faster … even though I had not set up any ACH links! It took me a while to convince her otherwise, and get her to agree to give me the wire instructions. I asked her to please hurry because of the 3:00 deadline. Again it took her quite a while; she put me on hold several times. I had a strong sense that something was “off” but assumed it was honest incompetence.
A few minutes before 3:00 she finally gave me the wire instructions. I rushed to my broker’s website but missed the deadline. No big deal, I thought … the money will be there tomorrow … what’s one day.
You’ve probably guessed the ending -- Ally had known they were making significant rate drops the next day for all of my accounts. The amount I invested was in the six figures … so the loss in earnings was significant. I’ve never been naïve about Ally’s seeming incompetence and slowness since.
I don’t phone them … I get everything in writing … I print all live chats before they disappear … I print all emails in my Ally mailbox lest they disappear. It’s slow and tedious -- and still full of errors. At this moment there are three “mistakes” I’m trying to iron out. Naturally I’m considering leaving.
Ally is the LEAST “straightforward” bank I have dealt with in my very long life.
Great bank, fast ACH. Offered a .5% loyalty bump on their CD at maturity (after first offering a .25% bump). Was also willing to modify the term (from 12 mos to 9 or 6 mos - although I chose to stay with 12 mos). Highly recommended.