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Robinhood vs Public.com 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

January 23, 2025

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

Robinhood
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

Investment options

When it comes to comparing online brokers Robinhood and Public.com, both offer robust investment platforms with comparable ratings of 3.5 stars for their investment options. Each platform caters primarily to stock, options, and cryptocurrency enthusiasts, providing users with modern trading tools but omitting offerings like mutual funds, forex, and futures trading. Despite both being positioned as innovative trading solutions, Robinhood holds a slight edge in StockBrokers.com's ranking, securing the 13th spot compared to Public.com's 15th place among 18 brokers reviewed for investment options.

Robinhood provides a comprehensive selection of investment opportunities including stock, options, and margin trading, alongside a range of 20 cryptocurrencies. The platform also offers both traditional and Roth IRA accounts, making it a versatile option for users interested in retirement savings. However, it lacks access to OTC stocks and does not provide advisory services, which could be a limitation for some investors.

Similarly, Public.com impressively matches Robinhood's investment options by supporting stock, margin, options, and fractional shares trading. It even slightly surpasses Robinhood with access to 22 cryptocurrencies, including OTC stocks. However, the absence of IRA accounts and advisory services could be crucial factors for users seeking comprehensive wealth management support. Despite these differences, both platforms maintain a strong foothold in offering dynamic and user-friendly trading experiences.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info No Yes
Mutual Funds info No No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info No No
Crypto Trading info Yes info Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 20 22
Range of Investments 3.5/5 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 Robinhood and Public.com’s trading platforms and tools, it's clear that Robinhood stands out for its more robust features, earning it a rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars and a ranking of 9th out of 18 brokers by StockBrokers.com. In contrast, Public.com receives a rating of 2 stars and a ranking of 15th out of 18 brokers, indicating it offers fewer features and tools for traders. Both platforms do not provide downloadable desktop applications for Windows or Mac, opting instead for browser-based services. However, Robinhood's offerings are more diverse when it comes to charting and trading options, providing users with enhanced capabilities that Public.com lacks.

Both platforms allow users to create watch lists with three fields, but Robinhood provides significant charting capabilities with 16 technical indicators and 23 drawing tools, while Public.com offers none in these areas. Additionally, Robinhood allows users to adjust open orders directly on stock charts, add notes, include index overlays, set custom date ranges, and save multiple chart profiles—features that Public.com does not support. Furthermore, while both platforms lack paper trading, trading journals, and the ability to showcase historical trades or corporate event data, Robinhood's ability to customize charts with one field in an SMA study gives it a slight advantage.

Overall, for traders interested in more comprehensive charting and trading tools, Robinhood proves to be the superior choice. Its wider range of technical indicators and charting functions are complemented by the ability to make adjustments and additions directly on stock charts, offering a user-friendly experience for analyzing investments. On the other hand, Public.com's limited toolkit may suit beginners or those looking for a simpler platform, but it falls short for users who require more detailed market analysis capabilities.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
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 3 3
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 16 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 23 0
Platforms & Tools 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025

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Beginners and education

When it comes to investor education, both Robinhood and Public.com provide robust resources for beginners who are eager to learn about stocks, ETFs, and options. However, neither platform extends their educational offerings to mutual funds or bonds, and both currently lack paper trading functionality for a risk-free learning experience. Robinhood offers webinars, but falls short with no educational videos, quizzes, or progress tracking features. Meanwhile, Public.com enhances user learning with educational videos and webinars, yet similarly does not include quizzes or progress tracking capabilities.

In the education rankings of StockBrokers.com, Robinhood stands at the #9 spot out of 18 brokers, with a solid 4-star rating for its educational services aimed at beginner investors. Public.com, although slightly lesser rated at 3.5 stars, remains a worthwhile option by securing the #12 rank. Both platforms have valuable offerings, but Robinhood does have a slight edge in the realm of investor education as per these rankings and ratings, making it potentially a more favorable choice for some learning-oriented investors.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info No No
Education (Bonds) info No No
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info No Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025

Stock trading apps

When it comes to choosing between Robinhood and Public.com for stock trading apps, Robinhood clearly has the edge based on its comprehensive features and high user ratings. With a 4.5-star rating, Robinhood ranks #7 out of 18 brokers on StockBrokers.com, compared to Public.com's 3.5-star rating and #15 ranking. This suggests that Robinhood offers a more robust and user-friendly experience for stock trading enthusiasts.

Both Robinhood and Public.com offer iPhone and Android apps, but Robinhood goes a step further by providing an Apple Watch app as well, an option not available on Public.com. Robinhood also stands out with its capability for mobile after-hours stock trading, a feature not clearly stated for Public.com, and provides streaming quotes and stock alerts, which Public.com lacks. Moreover, Robinhood supports the creation of custom watch lists, offering a more tailored approach for its users.

In terms of charting and analytical capabilities, Robinhood again showcases its superiority, offering 6 technical studies for mobile app charting, compared to Public.com's absence of technical studies. Both platforms allow users to view multiple time frames for charting, but only Public.com supports displaying stock comparisons on charts. While neither app allows viewing charts in landscape mode, Robinhood's after-hours charting ability provides it with an additional advantage for detailed trading analysis.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes No
Stock Alerts info Yes No info
Charting - After-Hours info Yes No
Charting - Technical Studies info 6 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025

Fees

When comparing the account fees and charges of online brokers Robinhood and Public.com, several key differences become apparent. Both platforms offer commission-free trading for regular stocks and options, attracting many investors. However, Robinhood stands out with a more competitive edge in margin rates, particularly when balances fall between $50,000 and $99,999, where the rate is significantly lower than that of Public.com. Additionally, Robinhood does not require a minimum deposit, which may be appealing to new investors looking to start with smaller amounts, contrasting with Public.com's $20 minimum deposit requirement.

Robinhood and Public.com offer fee-free services for options exercises and assignments, making them attractive options for traders interested in options trading. While Robinhood has a slight advantage in terms of IRA-related costs, offering no fees for annual maintenance or closure, Public.com does not specify their fees in these categories. One important cost aspect to note is account transfers; Robinhood has higher fees for both partial and full ACAT transfers, pricing at $100, while Public.com charges $75, making the latter more cost-effective for investors looking to transfer accounts.

In terms of margin trading fees, Robinhood provides a more attractive environment for smaller investors with balances below $100,000. The interest rates vary with balance brackets, but even at their highest, they are still lower than those of Public.com, especially notable in balances below $25,000 and between $25,000 to $49,999. This makes Robinhood a preferable choice for margin-enthusiast investors looking to minimize costs. Overall, Robinhood offers more favorable terms regarding account-related every day and special scenario charges, although individual preferences may vary based on specific features sought by the investor.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
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
Commissions & Fees N/A N/A

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025

Day Trading

When examining the day trading capabilities of Robinhood and Public.com, there are notable similarities and a few key differences. Neither platform provides streaming time and sales data, streaming live TV, direct market routing for stocks, or support for level 2 quotes. Both platforms also lack trading hotkeys for keyboard trade entry and do not offer basic or advanced strategy backtesting features. This limited feature set can be a drawback for day traders seeking comprehensive tools to inform and execute trades swiftly.

One standout feature of Robinhood is ladder trading, which is absent in Public.com, offering a slight edge for traders who may leverage this capability. However, like Public.com, Robinhood does not furnish a short locator tool for viewing real-time share availability for shorting specific securities. Additionally, neither platform provides order liquidity (maker/taker) rebates, a feature that could benefit frequent traders. Overall, while both platforms present an accessible entry point for trading, day traders might find their feature sets insufficient compared to more robust, specialized trading platforms.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
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 info 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, both Robinhood and Public.com provide fundamental resources for stocks and ETFs but fall short in other areas. Neither platform offers research for mutual funds, bonds, or allows users to see portfolio allocation by asset class. Additionally, both brokers lack downloadable research reports and tools for advanced ESG research or utilizing social media sentiment data. With their limitations in market research, Robinhood and Public.com are rated equally at two out of five stars, with Robinhood slightly ahead in the rankings by StockBrokers.com at #10 compared to Public.com at #12.

Robinhood offers stock, ETFs, and Pink Sheets/OTCBB research, but users looking for detailed analysis in downloadable formats won't find any PDF reports available. Despite this, Robinhood stands out slightly by providing a stock screener to aid in generating trade ideas, a feature absent from Public.com. Unfortunately, Robinhood does not extend this capability to ETFs, mutual funds, or bonds, much like Public.com.

Public.com similarly supports basic research for stocks, ETFs, and Pink Sheets/OTCBB but doesn't venture beyond these into more sophisticated or specialized investment research areas. Like Robinhood, Public.com is missing downloadable reports and does not offer any screeners to facilitate trade ideas, which could hinder informed decision-making for investors seeking comprehensive tools for portfolio diversification and strategy development.

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

Banking

When evaluating the banking capabilities of online brokers Robinhood and Public.com, both platforms do not offer traditional checking or savings accounts, making them less ideal for users seeking comprehensive banking services. Additionally, neither Robinhood nor Public.com provides certificates of deposit (CDs), credit cards, or mortgage loans. However, Robinhood distinguishes itself by offering a debit card, thus providing users a degree of convenience for everyday transactions that Public.com lacks. Overall, while both platforms are primarily tailored for brokerage and investment purposes, Robinhood's offering of a debit card may better serve those seeking additional flexibility in managing their spending. Public.com, on the other hand, does not support any form of banking card, focusing entirely on investment services without extending into the realm of personal banking.

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

Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 18 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Robinhood is better than Public.com. Robinhood finished with an overall score of 77.3%, while Public.com finished with a score of 69.6%.

Robinhood is very easy to use and its educational content is a joy to read. But, in today’s competitive market for your investing dollars, there are several more compelling options among brokerages.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Robinhood or Public.com?

Both Robinhood and Public.com provide crypto trading options; however, Public.com offers a slightly wider variety with 22 coins compared to Robinhood’s selection of 20 coins.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025

Does Robinhood or Public.com offer IRAs?

Robinhood provides both traditional and Roth IRA accounts with no annual or closure fees, while Public.com does not offer IRA accounts, positioning Robinhood as a more comprehensive choice for users seeking diverse retirement investment options.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025

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Compare

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Overall Rating Robinhood Public.com
Overall 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees N/A N/A
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 2/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Customer Service N/A N/A
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Robinhood Review Public.com Review
Broker Screenshots Robinhood 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 Robinhood Public.com
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $20.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00 info
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info N/A $2.99
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info N/A n/a
Options (Per Contract) info $0.00 $0.00 info
Futures (Per Contract) info (Not offered) (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info N/A n/a
Margin Rates Robinhood Public.com
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 6.25% 8.75%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 6.05% 8.75%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 5.8% 6.75%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 5.75% 6.75%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 5.75% 5.75%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info 5.75% 5.75%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info 5.5% 5.75%
Account Fees Robinhood Public.com
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $100.00 $75.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $100.00 $75.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Robinhood Public.com
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info No 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 Yes info Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 20 22
Mutual Funds (No Load) info 0 0
Mutual Funds (Total) info 0 0
Bonds (US Treasury) info No Yes
Bonds (Corporate) info No Yes
Bonds (Municipal) info No No
Traditional IRAs info Yes No
Roth IRAs info Yes No
Advisor Services info No No
International Countries (Stocks) info 0 0
Order Types Robinhood 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 No No
Order Type - OTO info No No
Order Type - Broker Assisted info No No
Beginners Robinhood Public.com
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info No No
Education (Bonds) info No No
Education (Retirement) info No Yes
Retirement Calculator info No No
Investor Dictionary info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info No No
Videos info No Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Webinars (Archived) info No Yes
Progress Tracking info No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info No No
Stock Trading Apps Robinhood Public.com
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes 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 Robinhood 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 Robinhood Public.com
Charting - After-Hours info Yes No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info No No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 6 0
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info No Yes
Trading Platforms Robinhood Public.com
Active Trading Platform info Robinhood Legend 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 3 3
Stock Chart Features Robinhood Public.com
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 16 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 23 0
Charting - Notes info Yes No
Charting - Index Overlays info Yes Yes
Charting - Historical Trades info No No
Charting - Corporate Events info No No
Charting - Custom Date Range info Yes No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info Yes No
Charting - Automated Analysis info No No
Charting - Save Profiles info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info No No
Charting - Study Customizations info 1 0
Charting - Custom Studies info No No
Day Trading Robinhood Public.com
Streaming Time & Sales info No No
Streaming TV info No No
Direct Market Routing - Stocks info No No
Ladder Trading info Yes No
Trade Hotkeys info No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info No info 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 Robinhood Public.com
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info No No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes Yes
Research - Bonds info No No
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Screener - ETFs info No No
Screener - Mutual Funds info No No
Screener - Bonds info No No
Misc - Portfolio Allocation info No No info
Stock Research Robinhood Public.com
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 0 info 0 info
Stock Research - Earnings info Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders info No No
Stock Research - Social info No No
Stock Research - News info Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG info No No
Stock Research - SEC Filings info No No
ETF Research Robinhood 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 No No
ETFs - Ratings info No No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info No No
ETFs - PDF Reports info No info No
Mutual Fund Research Robinhood Public.com
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview info No No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info No No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info No No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info No No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info No No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info No No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info No No
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info No No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info No No
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info No No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info No No
Options Trading Robinhood Public.com
Option Chains - Basic View info Yes No
Option Chains - Strategy View info Yes No
Option Chains - Streaming info Yes No
Option Chains - Total Columns info 17 4
Option Chains - Greeks info 5 5
Option Chains - Quick Analysis info Yes Yes
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes Yes
Option Probability Analysis info No No
Option Probability Analysis Adv info No No
Option Positions - Greeks info Yes Yes
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming info Yes No
Option Positions - Adv Analysis info No No
Option Positions - Rolling info Yes No
Option Positions - Grouping info Yes No
Banking Robinhood Public.com
Bank (Member FDIC) info No No
Checking Accounts info No No
Savings Accounts info No No
Credit Cards info No No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Mortgage Loans info No No
Customer Service Robinhood Public.com
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) info No No
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes No
Email Support info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) info No Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info Yes No
Overall Robinhood Public.com
Overall 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Commissions & Fees N/A N/A
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 3.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 2/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease Of Use 4.5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Robinhood Review Public.com Review
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