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Robinhood vs Public.com 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025
  Fact Checked

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

Robinhood
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info
Public.com
3/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00 info
  • Stock Trades: $0.00 info
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info

Range of investments

Overall, Robinhood and Public.com both give everyday investors access to stock trading, margin trading, fractional shares, options, crypto, and retirement accounts such as traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts. Robinhood has a slight edge in investment variety because it also offers OTC stocks and futures trading, while Public.com does not. That wider mix helps explain why Robinhood is rated 4 out of 5 stars for range of investments and ranks #10 out of 14 brokers, compared with Public.com’s 3.5-star rating and #12 ranking.

When it comes to stock trading, both brokers let users buy and sell shares easily, including fractional shares for smaller budgets. Both Robinhood and Public.com also support options trading and margin trading, which may appeal to more active traders. For retirement investing, each platform offers both traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts, making them suitable for long-term investing as well as more hands-on trading.

One key difference is in crypto selection. Robinhood offers 22 cryptocurrencies, while Public.com offers 66, giving Public.com the larger crypto menu. Neither broker supports mutual funds or forex trading, and only Robinhood offers futures trading. Public.com does not provide advisor services, while Robinhood does, which may matter for investors who want extra guidance.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks Yes No
Mutual Funds No No
Options Trading Yes Yes
Futures Trading Yes No
Crypto Trading Yes Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 22 66
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms & Brokers for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026

Trading platforms and tools

For trading platforms and tools, Robinhood comes out ahead of Public.com overall. Neither broker offers a downloadable Windows or Mac desktop platform, and both support browser-based trading. But Robinhood gives traders much more to work with in the browser, including more chart tools, more watch list fields, the ability to adjust open orders right on the chart, and more options for chart customization. Public.com is simpler and easier to use, but it offers far fewer features for active charting and market analysis.

Robinhood’s charting tools are notably stronger for everyday traders who want more control. It offers 90 technical indicators and 26 drawing tools, plus chart notes, custom date ranges, and saved chart profiles. Public.com offers 15 technical indicators and no drawing tools, chart notes, or saved profiles, which makes its platform feel more basic by comparison. Neither broker includes paper trading or a trading journal, and neither supports custom studies, historical trades on charts, or event markers like earnings and dividends.

In third-party testing, Robinhood is rated 3 out of 5 stars for trading platforms and tools and ranks #8 out of 14 brokers at StockBrokers.com. Public.com is rated 1 out of 5 stars and ranks #14 out of 14. If you want a cleaner, more feature-rich online trading platform, Robinhood is the stronger pick between the two.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) No No
Paper Trading No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 34 3
Charting - Indicators / Studies 90 15
Charting - Drawing Tools 26 0
Advanced Trading 3/5 Stars 1/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts and Online Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps and Simulators for 2026

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Beginners and education

Robinhood and Public.com both offer beginner-friendly investor education, covering stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Neither broker provides mutual fund education. Each has educational videos to help you get up to speed, but neither supports paper trading, quizzes, or tools to track your learning progress. If you want a simple learning hub with clear explanations, both platforms check the boxes for core topics.

The biggest difference is webinars: Public.com hosts them, while Robinhood does not. In terms of quality, both are rated 3.5 out of 5 stars for education. According to StockBrokers.com, Robinhood ranks #7 out of 14 brokers for education, with Public.com close behind at #8. Choose Public.com if live sessions matter to you, or pick Robinhood if you want similar content paired with a slightly higher third-party ranking.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) No No
Education (Fixed Income) Yes Yes
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars No Yes
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Trading Platforms and Brokerage Accounts for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

If you want a simple takeaway, Robinhood is the stronger pick for stock trading apps overall. It earns a 4-star rating and ranks #7 out of 14 brokers from StockBrokers.com, while Public.com scores 3 stars and ranks #13. Both apps work on iPhone and Android, and both offer features like mobile options trading, stock alerts, custom watch lists, custom watch list columns, after-hours charting, and multiple time frame chart views. Robinhood, however, has the edge with an Apple Watch app, mobile after-hours stock trading, streaming quotes, and a much larger set of charting tools.

When it comes to day-to-day trading on mobile, Robinhood gives users a few more helpful tools. Its app includes streaming quotes and 90 technical studies for chart analysis, which can be useful for people who like to dig into price patterns. Public.com does not offer streaming quotes and lists 0 technical studies in its mobile charting tools. On the other hand, Public.com does offer stock comparison tools on charts, while Robinhood does not. That makes Public.com a decent choice for users who want that specific feature, even though its overall app package is lighter.

Neither broker offers streaming live TV or videos on demand in the app, and neither supports landscape chart viewing. Still, Robinhood’s broader mobile feature set and higher app rating make it the better choice for most stock traders looking for a more complete app experience. Public.com can still work well for basic trading needs, especially if stock comparison charts matter to you, but Robinhood is the clearer winner for mobile stock trading capability.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App Yes No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 90 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps of 2026

Fees

Robinhood and Public.com are both low-cost choices for basic investing, since neither broker charges a minimum deposit, stock trade commission, or options contract fee. They also both charge the same for partial and full account transfers at $100 each, and neither charges IRA annual fees or options exercise or assignment fees. The biggest cost difference comes down to margin borrowing: Public.com is cheaper than Robinhood at every balance tier shown, while Robinhood charges $5.25% on balances below $50,000 and $5.05% on balances from $50,000 to $99,999.

For everyday stock and options trading, the two platforms are tied at $0.00, so either one can work well for investors who want to avoid trading commissions. If you plan to use margin, Public.com offers the lower rate across the listed account sizes, including 4.90% on balances under $50,000 and 4.75% on balances from $50,000 to $99,999. That makes Public.com the more affordable pick for margin users, while Robinhood remains competitive for fee-free trading.

The main tradeoff is in IRA closure fees: Robinhood charges $0.00, while Public.com charges $150.00 to close an IRA. So if you are comparing these brokers mainly on account fees and other charges, Robinhood may be the better fit for retirement account flexibility, while Public.com is the better deal for lower margin rates.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.00 $0.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $0.00 $150.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Stock Trading Platforms and Commission-Free Apps for 2026

Day Trading

Comparing Robinhood vs Public.com for day trading, both platforms skip several pro-style tools. Neither offers streaming time and sales, streaming live TV, or direct market routing. Both also lack basic and advanced strategy backtesting, a short-locate tool to check real-time borrow availability, and maker/taker rebates. If you rely on those features, you won’t find them on either app.

Where they differ: Robinhood provides ladder trading, trading hotkeys for quick keyboard entries, and Level 2 quotes to see deeper order book activity. Public.com does not offer these. As a result, active day traders who want faster order entry and deeper quote data may lean toward Robinhood, while anyone needing direct routing, time and sales, backtesting, or a short-locate tool will find that neither platform fits those needs.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
Streaming Time & Sales No No
Streaming TV No No
Direct Market Routing - Equities No No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator No No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms and Apps for 2026

Market Research

Robinhood and Public.com both cover the basics of market research, and each earns the same 2.5-star rating for this category. They both let users research stocks, ETFs, and pink sheets/OTCBB securities, and both show portfolio allocation by asset class. Neither broker supports mutual fund research, downloadable PDF research reports, social media sentiment tools, ESG research, or ETF and bond screeners. The main difference is that Public.com offers bond research while Robinhood does not, while Robinhood stands out with a stock screener for trade ideas that Public.com does not have.

When it comes to deeper research tools, both platforms feel limited compared with brokers that offer more advanced analysis. Robinhood includes a stock screener, which can help investors find trade ideas more easily, but it does not extend that screening feature to ETFs, mutual funds, or bonds. Public.com offers bond research, but it does not provide a stock screener, which may matter for users who want more help narrowing down investment ideas.

Overall, Robinhood ranks slightly higher for market research, placing 10th out of 14 brokers compared with Public.com’s 12th-place finish. Even so, neither platform is especially strong in this category, and both are better suited to investors who only need simple research tools rather than detailed market analysis.

Feature Robinhood logoRobinhood
Public.com logoPublic.com
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks Yes No
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs No No
Research - Mutual Funds No No
Screener - Mutual Funds No No
Research - Fixed Income No Yes
Screener - Fixed Income No No
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking capabilities of online brokers Robinhood and Public.com, there are some clear differences in their offerings. Both Robinhood and Public.com do not provide checking or savings accounts, nor do they offer CDs or mortgage loans. However, when it comes to card services, Robinhood holds an advantage. Robinhood offers both debit and credit cards to its users, which can enhance the convenience of managing your finances. On the other hand, Public.com does not provide either debit or credit cards. This distinction makes Robinhood a more versatile choice for those seeking some traditional banking-like features in an investment platform.

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

Dive deeper: Best Brokers with Checking Accounts for 2026

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 14 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 69.6%, while Public.com finished with a score of 56.0%.

Robinhood is best known for its commission-free trading, modern mobile and desktop platforms, and low-cost access to options, margin, and futures trading.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Robinhood or Public.com?

Robinhood and Public.com both offer crypto trading, but Public.com provides a much wider selection with 66 coins compared to Robinhood’s 22, making it the better choice for traders seeking more variety. Both platforms let users buy and sell crypto, so the main difference is the breadth of available assets.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does Robinhood or Public.com offer IRAs?

Robinhood vs Public.com: both online brokers offer traditional and Roth IRA accounts with $0 annual fees. The key difference is in closure costs—Robinhood charges $0 to close an IRA, while Public.com charges $150.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

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Overall Rating Robinhood Public.com
Overall 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 3/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Customer Service N/A N/A
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Robinhood Review Public.com Review
Broker Screenshots Robinhood Public.com
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Robinhood Public.com
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $0.000 $2.990
Mutual Fund Trade Fee N/A n/a
Options (Per Contract) $0.00 $0.00
Futures (Per Contract) $0.75 (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee N/A n/a
Margin Rates Robinhood Public.com
Margin Rate Under $25,000 5.25% 4.90%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 5.25% 4.90%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 5.05% 4.75%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 4.75% 4.50%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 4.75% 4.50%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 4.75% 4.50%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 4.50% 4.25%
Account Fees Robinhood Public.com
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $0.00 $150.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) $100.00 $100.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) $100.00 $100.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Robinhood Public.com
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks Yes No
Options Trading Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs 4 4
Futures Trading Yes No
Forex Trading No No
Crypto Trading Yes Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 22 66
Fixed Income (Treasurys) No Yes
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) No Yes
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) No No
Traditional IRAs Yes Yes
Roth IRAs Yes Yes
Advisor Services Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) 1 0
Order Types Robinhood Public.com
Order Type - Market Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours Yes Yes
Order Type - Stop Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop Yes No
Order Type - OCO No No
Order Type - OTO No No
Order Type - Broker Assisted No No
Beginners Robinhood Public.com
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) Yes Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) No No
Education (Fixed Income) Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator No No
Investor Dictionary Yes Yes
Paper Trading No No
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars No Yes
Progress Tracking No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes No No
Stock Trading Apps Robinhood Public.com
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App Yes No
Trading - Stocks Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours Yes Yes
Trading - Simple Options Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options Yes Yes
Order Ticket RT Quotes Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes Yes No
Stock App Features Robinhood Public.com
Mobile Research - Market Movers Yes Yes
Stream Live TV No No
Videos on Demand No No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Option Chains Viewable Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) Yes No
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization Yes Yes
Stock App Charting Robinhood Public.com
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally No No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 90 0
Charting - Study Customizations Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons No Yes
Trading Platforms Robinhood Public.com
Active Trading Platform Robinhood Legend n/a
Desktop Trading Platform No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) No No
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Paper Trading No No
Trade Journal No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 34 3
Stock Chart Features Robinhood Public.com
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies 90 15
Charting - Drawing Tools 26 0
Charting - Notes Yes No
Charting - Historical Trades No No
Charting - Corporate Events No No
Charting - Custom Date Range Yes No
Charting - Custom Time Bars Yes No
Charting - Automated Analysis No No
Charting - Save Profiles Yes No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis No No
Charting - Study Customizations 6 0
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day Trading Robinhood Public.com
Streaming Time & Sales No No
Streaming TV No No
Direct Market Routing - Equities No No
Ladder Trading Yes No
Trade Hot Keys Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting No No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv No No
Short Locator No No
Order Liquidity Rebates No No
Research Overview Robinhood Public.com
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds No No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income No Yes
Screener - Stocks Yes No
Screener - ETFs No No
Screener - Mutual Funds No No
Screener - Fixed Income No No
Portfolio Asset Allocation Yes Yes
Stock Research Robinhood Public.com
Stock Research - PDF Reports 0 0
Stock Research - Earnings Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders Yes No
Stock Research - Social No No
Stock Research - News Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG No No
Stock Research - SEC Filings No No
ETF Research Robinhood Public.com
ETFs - Investment Objective Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings Yes Yes
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings Yes Yes
ETFs - Sector Exposure Yes No
ETFs - Risk Analysis No No
ETFs - Ratings No No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap No No
ETFs - PDF Reports No No
Mutual Fund Research Robinhood Public.com
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective No No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart No No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis No No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus No No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings No No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown No No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings No No
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation No No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation No No
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation No No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap No No
Options Trading Robinhood Public.com
Option Chains - Total Greeks 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes Yes
Banking Robinhood Public.com
Bank (Member FDIC) No No
Checking Accounts No No
Savings Accounts No No
Credit Cards Yes No
Debit Cards Yes No
Mortgage Loans No No
Customer Service Robinhood Public.com
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) No No
Phone Support (Current Customers) Yes No
Email Support Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) No Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) Yes Yes
24/7 Support Yes No
Overall Robinhood Public.com
Overall 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 3/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Robinhood Review Public.com Review
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