Public.com review 2024
- 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
-
Trade stocks, options, ETFs, T-Bills, crypto, art, collectibles and royalties
-
Decent offering of free research and analysis tools and insights
-
Cash account with competitive APY
-
Social feed, live events and educational resources
Cons
-
$8 monthly fee to access advanced data and analyst research reports
-
Limited account types, with no IRAs
-
No margin trading
How we rated Public.com’s features
| Investment options | ★★★★★ |
|
| Trading platforms and technology | ★★★★★ |
|
| Trading costs | ★★★★★ |
|
| Account fees | ★★★★★ |
|
| Customer support | ★★★★★ |
|
| Mobile app rating and security | ★★★★★ |
|
| Features and amenities | ★★★★★ |
|
| Cash sweep rates | ★★★★★ | Earn 5.1% APY on your cash, but you’ll need to open a high-yield cash account and make manual transfers from your brokerage account |
| Account types and minimums | ★★★★★ |
|
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
- Options
- Treasury Bills (T-Bills)
- Cryptocurrency
- NFTs
- Collectibles
- Fine art
- Royalties
Account types available with Public.com
- Brokerage
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.
Where Public.com shines
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 portfolios of stocks, ETFs, T-Bills, crypto, NFTs, collectibles, fine art and royalties. Public will be launching bond investing soon and recently introduced 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.
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 5.1% 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.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
ACATS transfer: How to transfer your brokerage account to Public.com
Transfer your brokerage account to Public.com and get a cash bonus and reimbursement for the delivering brokerage firm’s transfer fee:
- Select the Go to site button below, and enter your email.
- Select your existing brokerage account and import your account data.
- Select the US-listed stocks and ETFs you’d like to transfer and the amount of each asset you’d like to transfer.
- Get your custom offer amount. Increase your offer by adding additional transfers, or claim your offer as-is.
- Open a brokerage account with Public and finalize your transfer.
ACATS transfer with Public.com
- Transfer cash, US-listed stocks and ETFs and receive a custom bonus offer depending on your transfer.
- Offers begin at $25 and have no cap.
- Get up to $100 as reimbursement for the delivering brokerage firm's transfer fee when you transfer over $1,000.
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 | 4.15 | 47,098 |
| Apple Store | 4.70 | 69,233 |
Public.com’s customer support
Reach Public.com‘s customer support in two ways:
- Live chat
- Email support
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.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.
Compare Public.com to other platforms
Public.com
★★★★★
Finder rating 4.1 / 5
Available asset types
Stocks, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Art, Treasury Bills, Collectibles
Stock trade fee
$0
Minimum deposit
$0
Complete signup bonus
SoFi Invest®
★★★★★
Finder rating 4.2 / 5
Available asset types
Stocks, Mutual funds, ETFs, Alternatives
Stock trade fee
$0
Minimum deposit
$0
Complete signup bonus
Get up to $1,000 in stock when you fund a new account within 30 days.
Tastytrade
★★★★★
Finder rating 4.6 / 5
Available asset types
Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Futures, Treasury Bills
Stock trade fee
$0
Minimum deposit
$0
Complete signup bonus
Get $100-$5,000 when you open and fund an account with $5,000 to $1,000,000+
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.
Your reviews
Matt Finder
Editor, Investments
Hi there, looking for more information? Ask us a question.
You are about to post a question on finder.com:
- Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
- finder.com is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
- We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
- Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked
Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our finder.com Terms of Use and Privacy and Cookies Policy.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.