Ally Bank vs. Valley Direct
High-Yield Savings Account Comparison
By Aviel Fahl|Last Updated: October 16, 2025
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Summary of Ally Bank vs. Valley Direct
Key Metrics at a Glance
| Feature | Ally Bank | Valley Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Top Savings APY | 3.40% Savings Account | 4.10% High-Yield Savings Account |
| Minimum to Open | $0 | $1000 |
| Minimum Balance for Top APY | $0 | $0.01 |
| Note | Promo. Eligibility restricted to new customers. |
Ally Bank
Strengths
- No minimum deposit or balance requirements for the Savings Account.
- Ally Bank has a strong BBB rating of A+.
- Ally Bank's App Store rating is 4.7.
Potential Drawbacks
- Current APY is lower than 30 days ago at 3.40%.
- No physical branches available for in-person service.
- Ally Bank's Google Play rating is lower at 4.3.
Valley Direct
Strengths
- Valley Direct offers a higher APY of 4.10%.
- Accounts can be serviced at branches in NJ, NY, FL, and AL.
- Valley Direct has a higher Google Play rating of 4.5.
Potential Drawbacks
- Requires a minimum deposit of $1,000 for the High-Yield Savings Account.
- Current APY has decreased from 4.30% in the last 30 days.
- Not BBB accredited despite an A+ rating.
→ As of October 16, 2025 Ally Bank offers an APY of 3.40% for its Savings Account, with a minimum balance of $0, compared to Valley Direct's 4.10% APY for its High-Yield Savings Account, with a minimum balance of $0.01.
→ Valley Direct yields $70 more than Ally Bank on a $10,000 balance after one year. Ally Bank pays $340, while Valley Direct pays $410 - an APY advantage for Valley Direct.
Calculate Savings Growth for Ally Bank vs Valley Direct
Ally Bank
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,050.5 (10.23%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (64.84%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.94%)
Your total balance
$20,050.50
Total balance: $20,050.5
Earnings: $2,050.5
Bank OverviewValley Direct
Total savings breakdown:
- Interest earned: $2,499.4 (12.19%)
- Total contributions: $13,000 (63.42%)
- Initial deposit: $5,000 (24.39%)
Your total balance
$20,499.40
Total balance: $20,499.4
Earnings: $2,499.4
Bank OverviewWith a $5,000 initial deposit and $13,000 in total contributions over 5 years, Ally Bank's total earnings would be $448.9 lower than Valley Direct's total earnings.
The Banksparency Savings Calculator provides estimated savings growth based on user input and our latest data.
Compare Ally Bank's vs Valley Direct's Savings Accounts
| Ally Bank | Valley Direct | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Savings Account | vs | High-Yield Savings Account |
| APY | 3.40% (as of 10/16/2025) | 4.10% (as of 10/16/2025) | |
| Bundled Account | No | No | |
| FDIC-insured | Yes | Yes | |
| Online Only | Yes | Yes | |
| Compound Frequency | Daily | Daily | |
| Minimum Deposit | $0 | $1000 | |
| Minimum Balance for APY | $0 | $0.01 | |
| Maintenance Fee | $0 | $0 | |
| Direct Deposit Required | No | No | |
| Eligibility | United States | Only for new customers. Existing Valley Bank or Valley Direct customers may open a savings account with a somewhat lower rate. | |
| Note | Promo. Eligibility restricted to new customers. | ||
| App Store Rating | 4.7/5 | 4.8/5 | |
| Google Play Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.5/5 | |
| BBB Rating | A+ | A+ |
Comparative Historical APY Insights (Last 9 Months)
| Ally Bank | Valley Direct | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Savings Account | vs | High-Yield Savings Account |
| Latest APY | 3.40 % | 4.10 % | |
| Trend | Sideways | Sideways | |
| Slope (bps/mo) | -3.8 | 3.0 | |
| Rate Changes / Mo | 0.46 | 0.80 | |
| Days Since Last Change | 20 | 20 | |
| High (-9 m) | 3.80 % | 4.40 % | |
| Low (-9 m) | 3.40 % | 3.75 % | |
| Draw-down from High | -10.5 % | -6.8 % | |
| Volatility (CV) | 0.029 | 0.046 |
APY Insights Glossary
- Latest APY
- Most recent advertised annual-percentage yield.
- Trend
- Direction over the last 9 months (regression slope).
- Slope (bps/mo)
- Average monthly change; 10 bps = 0.10 pp.
- Rate Changes / Mo
- Typical number of APY moves per month.
- Days Since Last Change
- Recency of the latest APY adjustment.
- High (-9 m)
- Highest APY in the last 261 days.
- Low (-9 m)
- Lowest APY in the last 261 days.
- Draw-down from High
- How far today sits below the 9-month peak.
- Volatility (CV)
- Coefficient of variation = stdev ÷ mean.
Why Track Savings-Account APYs?
- See how quickly a bank reacts to Fed moves or competition.
- Gauge “twitchiness” - frequent moves can annoy savers.
- Spot if you're buying near a peak (draw-down) or riding a rise.
- Slope (bps/mo) shows speed of change.
- Volatility (CV) scales jumps by average level.