Ally Bank vs. Capital One 360: Which Is Best for You?

Ally Bank and Capital One 360 are two online banks that offer higher annual percentage yields, or APYs, than most traditional banks. If you’re looking to earn more on your savings (and pay fewer fees), they’re both worth a look — and you’ll still find a variety of accounts and easy access to customer service. But which is for you? Our head-to-head comparison can help you decide.

Snapshot comparison

	Ally Bank	Capital One 360
Checking accounts	Ally Interest Checking Monthly fee: None. Minimum deposit: None.	Capital One 360 Checking Monthly fee: None. Minimum deposit: None.
Savings accounts	Ally Savings APY: 3.75% APY on all balances. Monthly fee: None.	Capital One 360 Performance Savings APY: 3.40% APY on all balances. Monthly fee: None.
Certificates of deposit	Ally CD interest rates 1 year: 4.50% APY. 5 years: 4.25% APY. Minimum deposit: None.	Capital One 360 CD interest rates 1 year: 4.15% APY. 5 years: 4.10% APY. Minimum deposit: None.
Overdrafts, ATMs, customer service	Ally Bank details Overdraft fee: $0. Overdraft protection transfer fee: $0. Branches: 0. ATMs: Over 43,000. Customer service: Available 24/7 by phone.	Capital One 360 details Overdraft fee: $35, up to four times per day, but customers enrolled in Next Day Grace service have one business day to bring their account out of the red and avoid the fee. Overdraft protection transfer fee: $0. Branches: Limited support at about 380 Capital One branches and access to over 40 Capital One 360 Cafés across the country. ATMs: Over 40,000. Customer service: Available by phone 8 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.
	NerdWallet rating Read review	NerdWallet rating Read review

Choose Ally if:

You want monthly fee reimbursements for out-of-network machines.
You'd make use of 24/7 live help.

Choose Capital One 360 if:

You're looking to receive some assistance at a branch.

Ally vs. Capital One 360: Checking accounts

	Ally Interest Checking	Capital One 360 Checking
Monthly fees	$0.	$0.
Minimum opening deposit	$0.	$0.
APY	0.10% APY on balances of less than $15,000. 0.25% APY on balances of $15,000 or more.	0.10% APY.
ATM fees and network	Free access to more than 43,000 Allpoint ATMs. No charge for using out-of-network ATMs (but ATM owner may charge); reimburses up to $10 per month for domestic out-of-network ATM fees.	Free access to over 40,000 ATMs. No charge for using out-of-network ATMs (ATM owner may charge a fee).
Sign-up bonus	None.	None.

+ Click here for analysis of Ally and Capital One 360's checking accounts

These accounts are better than most, but Ally has a slight edge for its ATM fee reimbursement policy. It also offers a higher interest rate if you can keep your balance at $15,000 or more, though most people should keep larger amounts of cash in savings.

» See more options on our list of best checking accounts

Ally vs. Capital One 360: Savings accounts

	Ally Savings	Capital One 360 Performance Savings
APY	3.75% APY on all balances.	3.40% APY on all balances.
Monthly fees	$0.	$0.
Minimum deposit to open	$0.	$0.
Sign-up bonus	N/A	N/A

Click here for analysis of Ally and Capital One 360's savings accounts

Both banks' rates are significantly higher than the national average, and neither bank charges a monthly maintenance fee. This one’s a draw.

» Want to compare? Explore NerdWallet's list of top online savings accounts

Ally vs. Capital One 360: Certificates of deposit

	Ally	Capital One 360
Minimum opening deposit	$0.	$0.
APY on one-year term	4.50% APY.	4.15% APY.
APY on three-year term	2.25% APY.	4.30% APY.
APY on five-year term	4.25% APY.	4.40% APY.
For more details:	See our post on Ally CD rates	See our post on Capital One CD rates

+ Click here for analysis of Ally and Capital One 360's CDs

Both have competitive APYs across the board, but Ally offers more CD types. Ally has an 11-month no-penalty CD and two Raise Your Rate options that let you increase your APY if the bank’s rates go up. Capital One 360’s CDs, on the other hand, only have fixed rates and no options for raising rates or no-penalty early withdrawals.

» To compare, see the latest top CD rates

Ally vs. Capital One 360: Banking experience

	Ally Bank	Capital One 360
Branches	0.	Limited support at around 380 Capital One branches and access to over 40 Capital One 360 Cafés across the country.
Banking apps (current ratings from app store users)	4.7 out of 5 stars for iOS. 3.8 out of 5 for Android.	4.8 out of 5 stars for iOS. 4.6 out of 5 for Android.
Customer service	Available 24/7 by phone. Live chat support available. Social media support available.	Available 8 a.m.-11 p.m. daily by phone. Social media support available.

+ Click here for analysis of Ally and Capital One 360's banking experience

Both options make it easy to bank on the go. Along with user-friendly websites, Ally and Capital One 360 have mobile apps with features such as check deposit and bill pay. But Ally has 24/7 live help, while Capital One 360 allows for in-person assistance.

Ally vs. Capital One 360: Overdraft fees

	Ally Bank	Capital One 360
Overdraft fee	$0; you have six business days to bring your balance back to positive to avoid your account being limited.	$35, maximum of four times per day; Next Day Grace service gives you one business day to bring your account out of the red to avoid a fee.
Overdraft protection fee	$0.	$0.
Extended overdraft fee	None.	None.

+ Click here for analysis of Ally and Capital One 360's overdraft fees

Both banks provide flexibility, but Ally offers more time. Ally offers free transfers from an Ally savings or money market account if you opt in to the service. Otherwise, if the bank approves a transaction that overdrafts your account, you'll have six business days to bring your balance back to positive.

Capital One 360 options include enrolling in Next Day Grace (detailed above) and free transfers from a linked Capital One 360 savings account. The default option is simply having your transaction declined.

Two excellent options

Ally and Capital One 360 are both strong options, but your specific needs should dictate which bank you choose. If, for example, you prefer occasional in-person customer service, go with Capital One 360. If you're looking for 24/7 phone assistance, Ally would be a good fit. If neither sounds quite right, check out NerdWallet's other favorite banks and credit unions.

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