Robinhood vs Public.com 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.
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.
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
|
Public.com
|
---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes |
OTC Stocks | No | Yes |
Mutual Funds | No | No |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 20 | 22 |
Range of Investments |
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025
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
|
Public.com
|
---|---|---|
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 3 | 3 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 16 | 0 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 23 | 0 |
Platforms & Tools |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025
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
|
Public.com
|
---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
Education (Bonds) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Videos | No | Yes |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Education |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
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
|
Public.com
|
---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No |
Charting - Technical Studies | 6 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
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
|
Public.com
|
---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $20.00 |
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 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | |
Commissions & Fees | N/A | N/A |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
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
|
Public.com
|
---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
Streaming TV | No | No |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
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
|
Public.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 - Bonds | No | No |
Screener - Bonds | No | No |
Research |
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
|
Public.com
|
---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | No | No |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | Yes | No |
Credit Cards | No | No |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
CDs | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025
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.
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
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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0 of 5Overall Rating | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall | |||
Commissions & Fees | N/A | N/A | |
Range of Investments | |||
Platforms & Tools | |||
Mobile Trading Apps | |||
Research | |||
Customer Service | N/A | N/A | |
Education | |||
Ease Of Use | |||
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 | $0.00 | $20.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | N/A | $2.99 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | N/A | n/a | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | N/A | n/a |
Margin Rates | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 6.25% | 8.75% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 6.05% | 8.75% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 5.8% | 6.75% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 5.75% | 6.75% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 5.75% | 5.75% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 5.75% | 5.75% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 5.5% | 5.75% |
Account Fees | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | ||
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | ||
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $100.00 | $75.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $100.00 | $75.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | No | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 0 | |
Futures Trading | No | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 20 | 22 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | 0 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | 0 | 0 | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | No | Yes | |
Bonds (Corporate) | No | Yes | |
Bonds (Municipal) | No | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | No | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | No | |
Advisor Services | No | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 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 (Bonds) | No | No | |
Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Videos | No | Yes | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars (Archived) | 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 | No | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | No |
Stock App Features | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | No | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Charting | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 6 | 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 | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 3 | 3 |
Stock Chart Features | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 16 | 0 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 23 | 0 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 1 | 0 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
Streaming TV | No | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Hotkeys | No | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | 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 - Bonds | No | No | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Screener - ETFs | No | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
Screener - Bonds | No | No | |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation | No | No |
Stock Research | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Insiders | No | 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 - Strategy Overview | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
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 - Strategy Overview | 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 - Basic View | Yes | No | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | Yes | No | |
Option Chains - Streaming | Yes | No | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 17 | 4 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes | |
Option Probability Analysis | No | No | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | No | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks | Yes | Yes | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | No | No | |
Option Positions - Rolling | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Grouping | Yes | No |
Banking | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
Checking Accounts | No | No | |
Savings Accounts | No | No | |
Credit Cards | No | No | |
Debit Cards | Yes | No | |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
Customer Service | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | No | No | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | No | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | Yes | No |
Overall | Robinhood | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Overall | |||
Commissions & Fees | N/A | N/A | |
Range of Investments | |||
Platforms & Tools | |||
Mobile Trading Apps | |||
Research | |||
Education | |||
Ease Of Use | |||
Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Robinhood Review | Public.com Review |