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Firstrade vs Public.com 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

March 11, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Firstrade vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Firstrade
4/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00
Public.com
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $20.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00 info
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info

Range of investments

When it comes to investment options, Firstrade and Public.com present distinct advantages based on what investors are seeking. Firstrade scores higher in its range of investments, offering more comprehensive options such as mutual funds and IRA accounts, securing its position as a preferred choice for diversified investment strategies. In contrast, Public.com excels in the cryptocurrency arena, providing access to 22 different coins, an area where Firstrade currently offers no service. As a result, Firstrade is ranked #6 by StockBrokers.com for its range of investments, outperforming Public.com, which is ranked #14.

Both Firstrade and Public.com facilitate essential trading avenues like stocks and options while supporting fractional shares and over-the-counter stocks. Investors interested in margin trading and a seamless stock trading experience will find both platforms on equal footing. However, those keen on exploring beyond traditional investments might find Public.com's crypto offerings more aligned with their interests.

While neither broker offers futures or forex trading, Firstrade distinguishes itself by offering mutual funds and IRA accounts, making it suitable for those planning long-term financial growth. Conversely, Public.com attracts users focused on more contemporary assets like cryptocurrencies, although it lacks traditional retirement account options. Ultimately, the best platform depends on the investor’s priorities—whether they seek the assurance of established financial instruments or the allure of digital currencies.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Public.com logoPublic.com
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info No No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 22
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025

Trading platforms and tools

When comparing Firstrade and Public.com, Firstrade emerges as the more feature-rich platform, earning a slightly higher ranking and star rating for its trading platforms and tools. It boasts a greater number of technical indicators and drawing tools, which can be particularly valuable for more seasoned traders looking to perform in-depth analysis. While both platforms lack downloadable desktop applications for Mac or Windows, they offer convenient browser-based access for traders. Despite some shared limitations, such as the absence of paper trading and trading journals, Firstrade stands out for offering significantly more fields for watch lists, promoting an enhanced user experience.

Both Firstrade and Public.com do not provide paper trading capabilities or trading journals, which might be a drawback for beginners looking to practice or track their trades comprehensively. Though none of the platforms offer the ability to adjust open orders directly on stock charts, Firstrade compensates with an extensive list of 102 technical indicators and 8 drawing tools, compared to Public.com's complete lack of these features. This makes Firstrade a more appealing choice for traders who rely heavily on technical analysis for decision-making.

In terms of charting tools, neither Firstrade nor Public.com offers the ability to display corporate events, historical trades, or automated technical analysis on charts. However, both platforms allow the addition of index overlays, providing some level of insight into market trends. While customization options are limited on both platforms, Firstrade allows for a higher degree of customization for standard moving average (SMA) studies. These differences reflect in their respective ratings, with Firstrade achieving 3 stars and a #11 ranking, while Public.com has a 2-star rating and ranks #14 out of 15 brokers for trading platforms and tools.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Public.com logoPublic.com
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No No
Paper Trading info No No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 50 3
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 102 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 8 0
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokerage Accounts for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025

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Beginners and education

When it comes to supporting beginner investors, both Firstrade and Public.com provide valuable educational resources for stock and options trading. Firstrade offers a solid selection of educational videos and webinars, giving users a platform to learn about stock and options trading comprehensively, though it lacks resources for ETF, mutual fund, and bond education. Public.com, on the other hand, goes a step further by offering ETF education in addition to stocks and options. Both platforms, however, fall short in offering mutual fund and bond education, do not provide paper trading for practice, and lack interactive learning tools like quizzes or progress tracking.

Both Firstrade and Public.com receive an equal rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars for their educational offerings, indicating a moderate level of investor support. Their learning tools such as webinars and videos are on par, perhaps making them equally viable for those new to investing. However, rankings from StockBrokers.com place Public.com slightly ahead, with a #12 position compared to Firstrade's #13 among 15 evaluated brokers. This subtle difference may reflect Public.com's edge in providing broader educational content, particularly for ETFs, suggesting it as a slightly more rounded choice for beginners eager to delve into various investment options.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Public.com logoPublic.com
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info No Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info No No
Education (Bonds) info No No
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025

Stock trading apps

Both Firstrade and Public.com provide stock trading apps for iPhone and Android devices, yet Firstrade holds a distinct edge with added features that enhance the trading experience. Rated at 4.5 stars compared to Public.com's 3.5 stars, Firstrade stands out, particularly due to its ability to offer mobile after-hours stock trading and the inclusion of streaming quotes, which Public.com does not support. Firstrade's app also comes equipped with stock alerts and the facility to create custom watchlists, features that are absent in Public.com’s app.

Firstrade and Public.com both facilitate mobile options trading, and while they share common ground in not offering Apple Watch apps or streaming live TV, they diverge significantly in terms of charting capabilities. Firstrade supports viewing charts in landscape mode and viewing multiple time frames with a more comprehensive offering of 81 technical studies, whereas Public.com lacks these advanced features but does provide the ability to display stock comparisons on charts.

Customizability is another area where Firstrade surpasses Public.com, allowing users to not only create custom watchlists but also to customize watch list columns. Despite these strengths, Public.com holds a competitive advantage for users seeking simple, straightforward stock comparison features on their charts. Ranked #9 among 15 brokers by StockBrokers.com, Firstrade surpasses Public.com’s more modest placement at #14, showing a broader approval among traders for its overall app functionality-driven offerings.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Public.com logoPublic.com
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info No No
Stock Alerts info Yes No info
Charting - After-Hours info No No
Charting - Technical Studies info 81 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025

Fees

When considering an online broker, both Firstrade and Public.com offer appealing features for those looking to maximize their investments without incurring high costs. Firstrade stands out with its $0 minimum deposit requirement, making it an attractive choice for beginners or those looking to start small. On the other hand, Public.com requires a $20 minimum, which is still relatively low for those investing with a bit more capital upfront. Both brokers shine in cost-effectiveness when it comes to regular stock trades and options contracts, as neither charges a fee in these categories.

However, the differences become more apparent when looking at margin account charges. For margin balances below $25,000, Public.com offers a more competitive interest rate of 8.75%, compared to Firstrade’s higher rate of 13.75%. This trend continues in other margin balance tiers, where Public.com maintains lower rates, particularly in the $50,000 to $99,999 range, where the rate is nearly cut in half at 6.75% versus Firstrade’s 13.00%. Moreover, when it comes to additional fees like IRA closures, Firstrade charges $0, although Public.com’s fees for this service are not specified.

For those planning to transfer their accounts, Firstrade charges slightly less for partial transfers at $55 compared to Public.com's $75 charge, though both firms charge $75 for full transfers. Importantly, both brokers offer fee-free services for options exercises and assignments. Therefore, investors should gauge these key points, alongside their personal financial goals, to determine the best fit between Firstrade and Public.com based on fee structures and deposit requirements.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Public.com logoPublic.com
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $20.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00 info
Options (Per Contract) info $0.00 $0.00 info
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025

Day Trading

When evaluating Firstrade and Public.com for day trading, neither firm provides specialized features often sought by active traders. Both platforms lack streaming time and sales for stocks, which can offer insights into market activity. They also don't provide streaming live TV, direct market routing, or ladder trading, which can be crucial for traders looking for market depth and various order execution options. Additionally, neither broker supports trading hotkeys, level 2 quotes, or basic and advanced strategy backtesting, all tools that can enhance a day trader's analysis and execution capabilities.

Furthermore, Firstrade and Public.com fall short in offering a short locator tool, which is useful for traders interested in short selling. Both platforms also do not offer order liquidity rebates, which could otherwise help in reducing trading costs for high-frequency traders. Given these limitations, traders who prioritize these specific tools and features for day trading might need to explore alternative platforms that cater more closely to their trading style and needs.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Public.com logoPublic.com
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info No No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025

Market Research

When it comes to market research capabilities, Firstrade emerges as a more comprehensive option compared to Public.com. Firstrade excels by offering research across a wide array of investment types including stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, alongside specific insights into Pink Sheets and OTCBB. Additionally, Firstrade provides tools such as stock screeners and reports that leverage social sentiment data, adding depth to investment analysis. This extensive versatility is reflected in its high market research rating of 4.5 stars and a robust #6 ranking from StockBrokers.com, compared to Public.com’s 2 stars and #12 ranking.

In terms of specific feature comparisons, Firstrade shines with its ability to offer detailed mutual funds and bond research, areas where Public.com falls short. Firstrade also surpasses in portfolio analytics, offering insights into portfolio allocation by asset class, a feature not available with Public.com. Moreover, Firstrade provides downloadable PDF reports for both stocks and ETFs, while such resources are absent from the Public.com platform.

Lastly, Firstrade's advantage extends to screening tools where investors can explore trade ideas for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, consolidating its capabilities as a well-rounded platform for detailed market research. In contrast, Public.com lacks these screeners, limiting its appeal to users seeking deep analytical tools. This broad spectrum of features and insights makes Firstrade a preferred choice for investors needing varied market research options.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Public.com logoPublic.com
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Screener - Bonds info Yes No
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking capabilities of Firstrade and Public.com, it's clear that Firstrade provides more options for users seeking basic banking services alongside their investment needs. Firstrade offers checking accounts, which Public.com does not, providing an added layer of convenience for users who want to manage their transactions. Furthermore, Firstrade provides debit cards, allowing for easy access to funds, whereas Public.com does not. Both platforms do not offer savings accounts or credit cards, keeping their focus primarily on investment services. Additionally, neither offers mortgage loans, which can be a consideration for those looking to integrate a wider array of financial services. Notably, Firstrade offers certificates of deposit (CDs), which can be appealing for those looking for a secure savings option, unlike Public.com, which does not offer CDs. Overall, Firstrade outshines Public.com in terms of banking offerings, making it a more versatile choice for those interested in an online broker with added banking features.

Feature Firstrade logoFirstrade
Public.com logoPublic.com
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info No No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Credit Cards info No No
Mortgage Loans info No No
CDs info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 15 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Firstrade is better than Public.com. Firstrade finished with an overall score of 81.8%, while Public.com finished with a score of 69.6%.

Firstrade scored well for penny stock trading in our 2024 Annual Awards, and is a great choice for Chinese-speaking investors. However, it lags behind the competition in certain areas, especially platforms, tools and education.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Firstrade or Public.com?

While Firstrade does not support crypto trading and offers zero coins, Public.com provides access to crypto trading with a selection of 22 different coins, offering a more diverse trading experience for cryptocurrency investors.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025

Does Firstrade or Public.com offer IRAs?

Firstrade offers traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual or closure fees, while Public.com does not provide IRA account options at all.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating Firstrade Public.com
Overall 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Customer Service 3.5/5 Stars N/A
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Firstrade Review Public.com Review
Broker Screenshots Firstrade Public.com
Trading Platform & Tools Gallery (click to expand)
Research Gallery (click to expand)
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand)
Education Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Firstrade Public.com
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $20.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00 info
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $0.00 $2.99
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info $0 n/a
Options (Per Contract) info $0.00 $0.00 info
Futures (Per Contract) info (Not offered) (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info $19.95 n/a
Margin Rates Firstrade Public.com
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 13.75% 8.75%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 13.50% 8.75%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 13.00% 6.75%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 12.50% 6.75%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 12.50% 5.75%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info 12.50% 5.75%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info 12.50% 5.75%
Account Fees Firstrade Public.com
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $55.00 $75.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $75.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Firstrade Public.com
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 0
Futures Trading info No No
Forex Trading info No No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 22
Mutual Funds (No Load) info 15460 0
Mutual Funds (Total) info 19666 0
Bonds (US Treasury) info Yes Yes
Bonds (Corporate) info Yes Yes
Bonds (Municipal) info Yes No
Traditional IRAs info Yes No
Roth IRAs info Yes No
Advisor Services info No No
International Countries (Stocks) info 0 0
Order Types Firstrade Public.com
Order Type - Market info Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit info Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours info Yes Yes info
Order Type - Stop info Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop info Yes No
Order Type - OCO info Yes No
Order Type - OTO info Yes No
Order Type - Broker Assisted info Yes No
Beginners Firstrade Public.com
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info No Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info No No
Education (Bonds) info No No
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator info Yes No
Investor Dictionary info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Webinars (Archived) info Yes Yes
Progress Tracking info No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info No No
Stock Trading Apps Firstrade Public.com
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info No No
Trading - Stocks info Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Trading - Simple Options info Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options info Yes No
Order Ticket RT Quotes info Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes info Yes No
Stock App Features Firstrade Public.com
Market Movers (Top Gainers) info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info No No
Videos on Demand info No No
Stock Alerts info Yes No info
Option Chains Viewable info Yes Yes
Watch List (Real-time) info Yes Yes
Watch List (Streaming) info Yes No
Watch Lists - Create & Manage info Yes No
Watch Lists - Column Customization info Yes Yes
Stock App Charting Firstrade Public.com
Charting - After-Hours info No No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info Yes No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 81 0
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info No Yes
Trading Platforms Firstrade Public.com
Active Trading Platform info N/A n/a
Desktop Trading Platform info No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info No No
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Trade Journal info No No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 50 3
Stock Chart Features Firstrade Public.com
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 102 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 8 0
Charting - Notes info No No
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades info No No
Charting - Corporate Events info No No
Charting - Custom Date Range info No No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info No No
Charting - Automated Analysis info No No
Charting - Save Profiles info No No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations info 6 0
Charting - Custom Studies info No No
Day Trading Firstrade Public.com
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info No No
Ladder Trading info No No
Trade Hotkeys info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info No No
Short Locator info No No
Order Liquidity Rebates info No No
Research Overview Firstrade Public.com
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info Yes No
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Bonds info Yes No
Misc - Portfolio Allocation info Yes No info
Stock Research Firstrade Public.com
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 1 0 info
Stock Research - Earnings info Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders info Yes No
Stock Research - Social info Yes No
Stock Research - News info Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG info Yes No
Stock Research - SEC Filings info Yes No
ETF Research Firstrade Public.com
ETFs - Strategy Overview info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info Yes No
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
ETFs - Sector Exposure info Yes No
ETFs - Risk Analysis info Yes No
ETFs - Ratings info Yes No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports info Yes No
Mutual Fund Research Firstrade Public.com
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info Yes No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info Yes No
Options Trading Firstrade Public.com
Option Chains - Basic View info Yes No
Option Chains - Strategy View info Yes No
Option Chains - Streaming info No No
Option Chains - Total Columns info 8 4
Option Chains - Greeks info 5 5
Option Chains - Quick Analysis info No Yes
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes Yes
Option Probability Analysis info No No
Option Probability Analysis Adv info Yes No
Option Positions - Greeks info No Yes
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming info No No
Option Positions - Adv Analysis info No No
Option Positions - Rolling info Yes No
Option Positions - Grouping info No No
Banking Firstrade Public.com
Bank (Member FDIC) info No No
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info No No
Credit Cards info No No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Mortgage Loans info No No
Customer Service Firstrade Public.com
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) info Yes No
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes No
Email Support info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info No No
Overall Firstrade Public.com
Overall 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 4.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 4/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Firstrade Review Public.com Review
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