Public.com review 2024

Public.com at a glance

To learn how our star ratings are calculated, read our methodology.

Public.com is best beginner-to-intermediate investors looking to build a diversified portfolio.

Public.com is designed with the beginner in mind, with regards to feel, functionality and cost. It offers commission-free stock, option and ETF trades, fractional shares and a straightforward trading process, all on a clean, user-friendly platform.

Public is one of just a handful of brokers we review that offers access to both traditional and alternative assets, and it’s the only mobile-first broker we review that lets you invest in Treasury Bills (T-Bills). Its user-friendliness and diverse lineup of investment options makes Public a no-brainer for tech-savvy investors looking to diversify their portfolios with traditional and alternative assets.

Latest Public updates

January 23, 2024: Public has launched options trading. Activate options trading on the platform by March 31, 2024, to receive a lifetime rebate of 50% of Public’s options order flow revenue to reduce your trading costs.

December 14, 2023: Public introduced a high-yield cash account that pays 5.1% APY, with no minimum balance requirements and no subscription needed.

December 8, 2023: Public is gearing up to launch bond investing. In addition to T-Bills, Public users will be able to buy corporate, Treasury and municipal bonds, using intuitive filters to help you explore bonds based on today’s highest yielding, highest coupon, shortest term or most popular. Select the Notify me button in the bond section of your Public account for Public to let you know when bonds are available for purchase.

What we like about Public.com

Public.com stands out for its broad investments lineup, low trading costs and transparency.

Invest in traditional and alternative assets

Public.com makes it incredibly easy to build a diversified portfolio without needing multiple accounts at different brokers. Its growing list of asset classes is one of its biggest differentiators compared to similar brokers, giving investors access to a range of traditional and alternative assets — all from one trading platform.

Build a portfolio of stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, Treasuries, crypto, royalties and more. Public also offers a high-yield cash account that pays 5.1% APY. No subscription required, no minimum balance requirements to get the APY and it comes with unlimited transfers and withdrawals. Public also partners with 20 FDIC-insured banks, which gives you up to $5 million in combined coverage.

Low trading costs

Trade stocks, options and ETFs without commission. Public.com also doesn’t charge per-contract options fees. What’s more, it offers rebates on options trades. Earn up to 18 cents per contract traded.

Transparency

Public.com is one of the only mobile-first trading platforms that doesn’t use the controversial practice known as payment for order flow (PFOF) on standard equities trades. This can minimize conflicts of interest since it doesn’t have an incentive to route orders to market makers that offer higher payment. It also lets Public focus on executing orders at the best available price.

Public’s platform is easy to use

Public.com offers a simple, user-friendly platform, which makes it incredibly easy to invest.

Here are some of the tools you can use to trade with on Public.com:

• Company info
• Key metrics
• News feed
• Basic chart
• Advanced charts
• Earnings and financials
• Analyst ratings and price targets
• Morningstar research reports
• AI-powered insights through Public’s natural language interface, Alpha

Where Public.com falls short

While Public.com offers advanced research and analysis tools, they sit behind a $8 monthly paywall. Customers must subscribe to Public Premium to access advanced charts, extend hours trading and expert reports and insights. Investors also have to be sure to maintain at least $70 in total account value and be active in their accounts every six months to avoid a $3.99 monthly inactivity fee.

Meanwhile, Public only supports self-directed brokerage accounts at the moment — margin traders and investors looking for tax-advantaged retirement accounts or a robo-advisor need to look elsewhere.

Public.com’s fees

Type of fee	Fee details
Minimum deposit	$0
Minimum investment	$5
Annual fee	$0
Stock trading fee	$0
Options trading fee	$0 contract fees; Earn up to $0.18 per contract traded
Alternative asset trade fee	2.5% per transaction
Crypto fee	1.25% of order amount
Treasury account management fee	.05% per month based on the average daily balance of your Treasury account
Margin annual interest rate	N/A
Account transfer fee	$75
Wire transfer out	$25
Inactivity fee	$3.99
Public Premium	$8 per month

Is Public.com legit?

Yes, Public.com is a legitimate, registered broker founded in 2019. It’s a member with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC).

In terms of platform and account security, Public.com utilizes two-factor authentication and bank-grade security AES 128-bit encryption. It also protects sensitive banking data in transit using TLS.

Customer experience

While there are no customer reviews on Trustpilot, Public has a Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile with an A+ rating. It’s been BBB accredited since 2020. Public has a rating of 2.54 out of five stars based on over 90 reviews. Positive reviews highlight Public’s responsive customer support and user-friendly and transparent investing platform. However, some negative reviews mention issues with withdrawal delays and delisted cryptocurrencies. Reviews on Reddit are mixed, with some praising the platform’s ease of use and others highlighting its lack of retirement accounts.

Compare Public.com to other platforms

Compare similar platforms by available asset types, trade fees and minimum deposit requirements. Select Go to site to sign up for an account.

Frequently asked questions

How does Public.com make money?

Public.com makes money in several ways. It charges a fee of up to 2% to process instant withdrawals. Revenue from interest comes from its securities lending program and interest on cash balances. And its Public Premium account has a $10 monthly membership fee. The company has also implemented an optional tipping feature for its services in lieu of the much-debated practice of payment for order flow (PFOF).

What is optional tipping?

Public.com‘s optional tipping feature lets investors choose whether to tip the company for its services. The option to tip appears when an order is placed, and the tip amount — which the investor can also choose — is deducted. There’s no obligation to tip to benefit from commission-free trades.

How do I place a trade on Public.com?

Once you find a security you want to buy, select “Buy,” then enter the dollar amount you wish to invest. Select the order type and then submit your order. This is where you’ll have the opportunity to tip Public.com, which is completely optional.

Public.com offers the following order types:

• Market orders in fractional shares
• Market orders in whole shares
• Limit orders
• Stop orders

What is Pulse partnerships?

Public.com Pulse is a product Public.com offers that connects publicly-traded companies with Public.com investors. Companies can syndicate live earnings calls, host Town Hall events and distribute company news and information with Public.com investors. Public.com makes money from its partnerships with these companies.

In which countries is Public.com available?

Public.com is only available to US citizens, US permanent residents or individuals with a valid visa who reside at a legal US residential address.