ALLY vs AFRM Comparison

Formerly the captive financial arm of General Motors, Ally Financial became an independent publicly traded firm in 2014 and is one of the largest consumer auto lenders in the country. While the firm has expanded its product offerings over time, it remains primarily focused on auto lending, with more than 70% of its loan book in consumer auto loans and dealer financing. Ally also offers auto insurance, commercial loans, credit cards, and holds a portfolio of mortgage debt, giving the bank a diversified business model, which includes brokerage services.

Founded in 2012, Affirm is a market leader in the buy-now, pay-later space with around $36 billion in transaction volume in fiscal 2025. Affirm offers both zero-interest financing, which is merchant subsidized, and interest-bearing loans, which function as personal loans that are approved on a per-transaction basis. Over 70% of Affirm's transaction volume comes from its interest-bearing loans, which also comprise the majority of its revenue. Affirm operates in the United States, which accounted for more than 95% of its revenue in 2025, but the firm has also expanded to Canada and the United Kingdom.