Public.com Review 2026: High-Yield Cash, Direct Indexing and More

Public.com at a glance

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Public.com is best for low-cost, multi-asset investing

Public.com offers an intuitive and accessible platform for new and intermediate investors. With fractional shares, users can start investing with minimal capital. Meanwhile, the absence of stock, exchange-traded funds (ETF) and options trading commissions ensures cost-effectiveness.

Public.com’s supported investment options span stocks, options, cryptocurrency and fixed income, as well as a high-yield cash account so your idle cash is at work earning money. All this with a straightforward trading process that simplifies investing.

What we like about Public.com

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

Invest in a variety of 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 assets — all from one trading platform.

Build a diverse portfolio with access to stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, Treasuries and crypto. Public also offers a high-yield cash account with a 3.3% APY and Bond Account that lets you lock in a competitive 5.5% yield.

Suite of yield accounts

Public’s high-yield cash account, Treasury account and bond account give customers three ways to earn competitive yields depending on their investment objectives and timeline.

Earn a 3.3% APY on your cash with Public’s high-yield cash account, featuring no subscription fees, no minimum balance requirements and unlimited transfers and withdrawals, along with up to $5 million in combined FDIC coverage.

Invest in short-term Treasury Bills through a Public Treasury account with as little as $100 while enjoying the benefit of no state or local taxes on your earnings.

Diversify further with a mix of investment-grade and high-yield corporate bonds in a Public bond account. With a minimum deposit of $1,000, lock in a competitive 5.5% yield and enjoy monthly interest payments over four years, until the first bond matures in 2028.

Custom strategies

Public goes beyond basic buy-and-hold by offering custom strategies, including direct indexing, generated assets and a trading API.

Direct indexing

Direct indexing lets you build a personalized version of a benchmark index by owning each underlying stock, choosing your weights and exclusions, and taking advantage of automated tax-loss harvesting to potentially improve after-tax returns. Pick from over 100 indexes — all with a competitive annual fee and lower minimums than many traditional providers.

Generated assets

Public also introduced Generated Assets, an AI-driven tool that turns your own investment ideas — entered as plain-language prompts — into custom investable indexes you can backtest and hold alongside your other positions. This blends the flexibility of thematics with the simplicity of index investing.

For example, you might prompt “US companies with accelerating revenue growth and strong free cash flow” to screen for for growth and financial strength.

Trading API

Public makes it surprisingly easy to automate your trading. The API is available to all members — no approval process required — and offers full read and write access, so you can pull real-time data and place trades programmatically. It supports stocks, ETFs, options — including multi-leg strategies — and crypto, with fractional trading and access across cash, margin and IRA accounts.

A nice bonus for active traders is that API trades qualify for Public’s equity options rebate program, which can help lower costs if you trade frequently. With commission-free execution, strong uptime and instant buying power, the API feels built for serious traders and developers who want flexibility without jumping through hoops.

Low trading costs

Trade stocks, options and ETFs without commission. Public.com is also one of just a few brokers that doesn’t charge per-contract options fees, which are typically 65 cents apiece. What’s more, Public stands out as the only broker we review that offers rebates on equity options trades. Earn up to 18 cents per contract when you trade options with Public.

Transparency

Public.com stands out for its transparency around how trades are executed. Unlike most mobile-first trading platforms, Public lets customers choose how their stock and ETF orders are routed, clearly disclosing when payment for order flow (PFOF) is used and when it isn’t. Investors who want to avoid PFOF can opt into paid routing options that send orders to exchanges and other venues instead of wholesalers, helping reduce potential conflicts of interest and giving users more control over execution quality.

Public’s trading app 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

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.

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, while Public supports brokerage accounts and IRAs, investors looking for a robo-advisor need to look elsewhere.

While Public offers transparent order routing and the ability to avoid payment for order flow, doing so requires paying a per-share fee. Free trades are routed through wholesalers that pay for order flow, meaning investors who want non-PFOF execution must opt into a paid routing option — a shift from Public’s earlier approach.

Public.com’s fees

Is Public.com legit?

Yes, Public.com is a legitimate, registered broker founded in 2019. It’s a member of 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

Reviews across the major review sites lean negative. Dissatisfied customers on Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) mostly complain about withdrawal issues and Public’s inactivity fee. Satisfied customers praise Public’s user-friendly platform and customer service.

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.

Public.com

9 Excellent

Go to site

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Available asset types

Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account

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Minimum deposit

$0

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Signup bonus

Earn a 1% match

SoFi Active Invest

9 Excellent

Go to site

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Available asset types

Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs, Alternatives

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Minimum deposit

$0

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Signup bonus

Get up to $1,000 in stock

eToro

8.2 Great

Go to site

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Available asset types

Stocks, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Investments

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Minimum deposit

$0

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Signup bonus

N/A

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.

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.

Public.com offers the following order types:

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

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.

Finder Scores: What they mean

If you want peace of mind, this rating will give it to you. These products offer the best value and outcomes considering various product features, terms, conditions and price.

Well-balanced products that provide what you need, offering a healthy mix of competitive features at a good price. However, they're not quite the best in class.

Bottom line: You can find better, but these products still offer reasonable value and have the basics sorted.

These products may not offer much value in the long run, and there are better options available.