How Ally Compares to Other Personal Loan Lenders

How Ally Compares to Other Personal Loan Lenders

Customer Service

Besides offering a convenient online account management system, Ally also has extended customer service hours to make it easier to find a time to call.

  • If you have billing or online account questions, you can call Ally’s lending department at 1-888-568-0186 between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET, Monday through Saturday.
  • For general lending questions, reach out to 1-800-427-9184 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET on weekdays or Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET.
  • To report fraud, call 1-833-226-1520 and choose option 5.

Customer Satisfaction

Ally has received mixed customer service reviews on third-party review sites. On ConsumerAffairs, Ally received an average 3.5- out of 5-star rating from more than 650 reviewers. Several reviewers reported difficulties reaching a real person to get the help they needed. However, satisfied customers mentioned competitive APRs, convenience, and fast response times.

Ally fared worse on Trustpilot, with an average rating of 1.3 out of 5 stars from 180 customers. Here, reviewers mentioned receiving slow service and talking to multiple departments before getting their issues resolved.

Account Management

Ally makes it simple to create and manage your account online. Each paper loan statement contains instructions on how to set up your online account if you haven’t already. And you can schedule automatic payments or create alerts or reminders online. There’s also a dedicated phone number for billing questions with extended customer service hours so you can get the help you need even if you have difficulty with the online dashboard.

Set up automatic payments installment loans in Louisiana as soon as you’re approved. While you won’t receive a discount, you’ll help ensure that your payments are on time, which could positively affect your credit score.

Ally personal loans are not as flexible as loans from other lenders, since they can only be used for specific purposes and with certain service providers. You can’t even apply with Ally directly. However, the advantage is that Ally charges few fees for its personal loans and may even offer interest-free financing with some service providers. Still, before you formally apply with Ally, it’s a good idea to compare loan options from other lenders.

Ally vs. SoFi Personal Loans

SoFi is a direct-to-consumer personal loan lender. But it’s similar to Ally in that it offers a convenient online application with a pre-qualification option, and it doesn’t charge any origination fees or prepayment penalties.

  • SoFi personal loans can be used for almost any purpose, including travel and debt consolidation, while Ally personal loans can only be used to pay specific service providers.
  • SoFi doesn’t charge any late fees. Ally doesn’t disclose its late fees.
  • SoFi offers unemployment protection, so you can pause payments if you lose your job. Ally doesn’t offer this feature.

SoFi wins here due to fewer fees and the unemployment protection feature, but it’s still worth comparing rates if you’re eligible for a loan from Ally, especially if you don’t meet SoFi’s credit standards. Should your service provider offer 0% financing with terms that work for you, Ally will be a less expensive option than SoFi.

Ally doesn’t provide personal loans directly to consumers, so borrowers who want flexibility with how they can use their loans will need to look elsewhere. But if you’re working with a service provider that offers point-of-sale financing through Ally, it could be a good option.

Certain providers may offer interest-free financing from Ally, and this lender doesn’t charge origination or prepayment penalties. However, Ally doesn’t disclose its rates or terms, which vary by service provider, so you’ll want to make sure to go through the pre-qualification process and compare loan options with other lenders.