Public.com review 2023
- Stock trade fee
- $0
- Minimum deposit
- $0
Our verdict
Diversify your portfolio with Public by trading stocks, ETFs, T-Bills, crypto, rare collectibles and more.
Consider Public.com if you’re looking for an uncomplicated, user-friendly investing platform that offers access to traditional and alternative assets. Look elsewhere for advanced charting capabilities or a robo-advisor.
Best for: Anyone who wants to invest in traditional and alternative assets from a single, user-friendly platform.
Pros
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Trade stocks, ETFs and T-Bills, but also crypto, collectibles and a growing list of alternative assets
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Decent offering of free research and analysis tools and insights
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Social feed, live events and educational resources
Cons
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No advanced charts
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$8 monthly fee to access advanced data and analyst research reports
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Limited account types, with no IRAs
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Finder is not an adviser or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.
How we rated Public.com’s features
| Fees | ★★★★★ | Commission-free trades on stocks and ETFs, but not T-Bills, crypto or alternative assets. |
| Available securities | ★★★★★ | Trade stocks, ETFs, T-Bills, crypto, collectibles and more. |
| Customer support | ★★★★★ | Contact Public.com by live chat or email, but expect delayed response times. |
| Mobile app | ★★★★★ | Both Android and iOS users give it high marks, but glitches are a common complaint. |
| Research and tools | ★★★★★ | Basic company and stock information, but no interactive charts or free in-depth research. |
| Reliability | ★★★★★ | No major outages have been reported. |
To learn how our star ratings are calculated, read our methodology at the bottom of the page.
Public.com is best for beginners and investors interested in alternative assets
Public.com is designed with the beginner in mind, with regards to feel, functionality and cost. It offers commission-free stock 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.
What you can trade on Public.com
- Stocks
- ETFs
- Treasury Bills (T-Bills)
- Cryptocurrency
- NFTs
- Collectibles
- Fine art
- Royalties
Account types available with Public.com
- Brokerage
Where Public.com shines
Public.com makes it incredibly easy to build a diversified portfolio. 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 portfolios of stocks, ETFs, T-Bills, crypto, NFTs, collectibles, fine art and royalties. Starting October 5, 2023, Public users can request shares of royalties, available for $10 apiece. Its first offering, Shrek Franchise Original Music, offers the potential to earn income from the use of 768 original music tracks from the film.
All of this through a simple, user-friendly platform with many modern broker features, including fractional shares for more accessible investing and instant buying power to get your money invested quicker.
Buying Treasuries on Public.com
Lock in and earn a current yield of 5.5% on 26-week Treasury Bills for as little as $100 and no deposit maximums. Treasury Bills are short-term US debt securities backed by the government’s full faith and credit. These fixed-income assets are one of the safest types of investments available and provide a steady rate of return if held through maturity.
T-Bills on Public.com are provided by Jiko Securities, Inc., a registered broker-dealer, member FINRA and SIPC, and are held in custody at The Bank of New York Mellon.
Where Public.com falls short
Public.com‘s platform lacks advanced charts, which is a must for many active investors and traders. And to gain access to more in-depth research tools and insights, you’ll need to join Public Premium for $8 per month. Meanwhile, Public only supports brokerage accounts at the moment — margin traders and investors looking for tax-advantaged retirement accounts need to look elsewhere.Public Premium
Public Premium is a paid membership tier that gives users access to advanced and proprietary stock research and insights for $8 per month. Members also have access to:
- Extended-hours trading: Access to pre-market (8–9:30 AM ET) and after-hours (4–8 PM) trading.
- Expert ratings, reports and insights: “Bull” and “bear” expert analysis for popular assets. Plus, expert insights and research from Morningstar analysts.
- Expanded portfolio management tools: Custom portfolio groups and self-directed price alerts.
- Subscriber-only content: Breakdowns of company earnings, key economic reports, and more.
- VIP customer support: Access to a Premium Support team.
Public.com’s fees
| Stock and ETF trade fee | $0 |
| 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 |
| Public Premium | $8 per month |
| Outgoing ACAT | $75 |
| Domestic wire transfer outgoing | $25 |
| Returned check, ACH, wire and recall/stop payments | $30 |
| Inactivity fee | $10 |
| Reverse split fee | $0 |
Public.com’s platform is easy to use
Here are some of the tools you can use to trade with on Public.com:
- Company info
- Key metrics
- News feed
- Basic chart
- Analyst ratings and price targets
Public.com app
Investors will find the Public app to be tidy, straightforward and easy to navigate. The app’s main tabs include a portfolio view, a section for exploring assets and other Public users, a feed with news, live events and educational resources and a tab for Public Premium.
Public.com app reviews
| App store | Rating | Total reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Google Play | 4.2 | Over 46,400 |
| Apple Store | 4.7 | Over 65,200 |
Public.com’s customer support
Reach Public.com‘s customer support in two ways:
- Live chat
- Email support
How to open an account with Public.com
- Select the “Sign up now” button below, download and open the Public.com app and enter your phone number. Note: use code FINDERUS when you sign up to get up to $300 in either stocks or crypto.
- Select your free stock or ETF.
- Enter your name and a Public.com username.
- Proceed through the application, providing any necessary personal info, including your full legal name, email address, date of birth, address, citizenship status and Social Security number.
- Enable crypto or skip for now.
- Agree to Public.com‘s terms and conditions.
Eligibility and required information
- At least 18 years old
- Valid US residential address and Social Security number
- US citizen, US permanent resident or have a valid visa
- Existing bank or brokerage account for funding
- Employer’s name
Is Public.com legit?
Yes, Public.com is a legitimate broker founded in 2019. It is registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC). If Public.com ever goes under, customers are SIPC-insured up to $500,000 for both their cash and securities.
How safe is Public.com?
Public.com is registered with FINRA and SIPC. If it were to run into major difficulty, Public.com customers’ cash and securities up to $500,000 would be protected under SIPC insurance. To secure its customer accounts, Public.com utilizes two-factor authentication and bank-grade security AES 128-bit encryption. It also protects sensitive banking data in transit using TLS.Compare Public.com to other platforms
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Available asset types
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Stock trade fee
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Minimum deposit
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Stock trade fee
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tastytrade
★★★★★
Finder rating 4.8 / 5
Available asset types
Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures
Stock trade fee
$0
Minimum deposit
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Frequently asked questions about Public.com
How we rate trading platforms
★★★★★ 5/5 — Excellent
★★★★★ 4/5 — Good
★★★★★ 3/5 — Average
★★★★★ 2/5 — Subpar
★★★★★ 1/5 — Poor
For a complete breakdown of how we score each category, read the full methodology of how we rate trading platforms.
Frequently asked questions
Your reviews
Matt Finder
Editor, Investments
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