Public.com vs SoFi Invest® 2025
In this head to head comparison of Public.com vs SoFi Invest®, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of Public.com vs SoFi Invest®, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When weighing your options between Public.com and SoFi Invest®, it's crucial to consider what each platform offers. Both online brokers provide stock, margin, options, fractional shares, and OTC stock trading. However, SoFi Invest® distinguishes itself with mutual funds and IRA accounts, making it a more comprehensive choice for long-term investment strategies. In contrast, Public.com shines in the crypto arena, offering trading in 22 cryptocurrencies, which SoFi Invest® does not support. Ultimately, your investment needs and goals will guide you to the right platform.
Public.com is recognized for its straightforward approach to investing, enabling investors to trade a range of assets, including stocks, options, and cryptocurrencies, without the complexity of mutual funds or traditional and Roth IRAs. Its unique appeal lies in the ability to trade fractional shares and access to OTC stocks, catering to both novice and experienced investors alike. While it lacks advisory services, Public.com offers a platform tailored for those keen on managing their own investments, including a notable selection in the cryptocurrency space.
On the other hand, SoFi Invest® provides a more diverse suite of investment options, appealing to those interested in traditional financial growth vehicles. Apart from offering the standard stock, margin, and options trading, SoFi Invest® gives access to mutual funds and supports traditional and Roth IRA accounts, facilitating a comprehensive retirement planning experience. Additionally, SoFi Invest® offers advisor services, assisting investors in navigating their financial landscape with expert insights, though it falls short in not providing cryptocurrency trading, which might deter crypto enthusiasts.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 22 | 0 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025
When deciding between Public.com and SoFi Invest® for trading platforms and tools, it's important to note that both have notable limitations. Public.com narrowly edges out SoFi Invest® in terms of ratings, earning 2 stars compared to SoFi's 1.5 stars. Additionally, in a ranking of 16 brokers, Public.com is placed at #15, while SoFi Invest® ranks at #16, pointing to a slight preference for Public.com regarding the trading experience offered.
In terms of platform accessibility, both brokers lack downloadable desktop options for Windows and Mac users, but they do offer browser-based platforms. Neither offers a trading journal or paper trading options, which can be essential for beginners looking to track or simulate trading strategies. Both platforms provide limited watchlist customization with just three fields, and neither allows for adjustments on stock charts or offers technical indicators and drawing tools. This can be a setback for traders seeking to perform detailed technical analysis.
Charting capabilities also highlight differences between the two platforms. Public.com stands out by allowing index overlays on charts, a feature absent in SoFi Invest®. However, neither can show historical trades or corporate events on charts, nor can they set custom date ranges or display automated technical analysis, highlighting a shared limitation. While customization in chart studies like SMA is non-existent for both, the overall offerings suggest that users seeking more comprehensive tools may need to consider alternatives. Nonetheless, Public.com provides slightly better charting functionalities overall compared to SoFi Invest®.
Feature |
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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 | 0 | 0 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: 7 Best Brokerage Accounts for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to investor education and resources tailored for beginners, both Public.com and SoFi Invest® offer a range of tools to help you get started. Pubic.com provides educational materials on stocks, ETFs, and options, along with the option to engage in educational webinars and access a library of videos. However, they do not cover mutual funds or bonds, nor do they offer paper trading or learning progress tracking features. SoFi Invest®, on the other hand, presents a slightly broader educational spectrum, encompassing stocks, ETFs, options, mutual funds, and bonds. Although lacking in educational videos and quizzes, SoFi Invest® matches Public.com with its webinar offerings.
Public.com enjoys a respectable educational ranking, earning 3.5 out of five stars and placing 12th among 16 brokers according to StockBrokers.com. Comparatively, SoFi Invest® boasts a higher rating of 4.5 stars and secures a top-six position on the same list. While both platforms serve novice investors well, SoFi Invest® edges out as a more comprehensive choice, especially for those interested in mutual funds and bonds education.
Feature |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | Yes |
Education (Bonds) | No | Yes |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Videos | Yes | No |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
Public.com and SoFi Invest® are both highly accessible for mobile trading with apps available for both iPhone and Android users. However, they differ in specific functionalities. Public.com stands out by offering mobile after-hours stock trading and mobile options trading, which SoFi Invest® lacks. Moreover, Public.com provides the option to customize watch list columns, whereas this feature is not available with SoFi Invest®. Both platforms allow viewing multiple time frames for charting, but only Public.com supports displaying stock comparisons on mobile app charts.
Despite their distinctive features, neither Public.com nor SoFi Invest® provides streaming quotes, live TV, videos on demand, or stock alerts, which might limit real-time information access for traders. They both also lack the ability to create custom watch lists and view charts in landscape mode, which might be appealing to some advanced users. Furthermore, neither app offers any technical studies for chart analysis, potentially reducing their attractiveness for technical traders looking for in-depth analytical tools.
When ranked by StockBrokers.com, Public.com holds a slight edge over SoFi Invest®, being ranked 15th compared to SoFi Invest®’s 16th in stock trading apps. Despite this, they score equally with a 3.5-star rating out of five, indicating a moderate level of customer satisfaction. Both brokerages cater well to novice investors looking to trade on-the-go, but may need further enhancements in app features to attract more experienced traders seeking comprehensive trading functionalities.
Feature |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | No | No |
Stock Alerts | No | No |
Charting - After-Hours | No | No |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When comparing online brokers Public.com and SoFi Invest®, both platforms provide zero commission trading for regular stock trades and options contracts. The major differentiators lie in their account fees and charges. Public.com requires a higher minimum deposit of $20 compared to SoFi Invest®'s $5, but generally offers lower fees for services such as margin borrowing and account transfers. SoFi Invest® stands out with no charges for IRA annual fees but imposes certain fees for IRA closures and options exercises.
For investors who plan on using margin, Public.com's rates are generally more competitive, with a 6.75% rate for balances between $50,000 and $99,999 compared to SoFi Invest®'s consistent 11.25% across similar balance tiers. However, Public.com does charge $75 for both partial and full Account Transfers (ACAT), which is slightly cheaper than SoFi’s $100 charge for the same service. Additionally, Public.com does not charge options exercise or assignment fees, which can make a difference for active options traders.
SoFi Invest® waives the IRA annual fees, making it potentially more appealing for retirement-focused investors despite its $20 fee for closing an IRA account and $5 charges for exercising or assigning options. Public.com, on the other hand, shines for those looking for a lower-cost margin investing experience and who prefer to avoid fees on basic trading operations. Overall, the choice between the two platforms might hinge on what specific services an investor prioritizes.
Feature |
|
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Minimum Deposit | $20.00 | $5.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $5.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $5.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $20.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
If you're considering day trading with Public.com or SoFi Invest®, it's essential to understand the capabilities they provide. Both platforms are designed for ease of use but don't offer specialized day trading tools. Neither Public.com nor SoFi Invest® provides streaming time and sales for stocks, streaming live TV, or direct market routing. Additionally, they lack ladder trading features, trading hotkeys for quick trade entry, and more advanced capabilities like level 2 quotes or strategy backtesting. This means that more complex day trading strategies might be hard to implement on these platforms.
For traders interested in using specialized tools for more strategic trades, both Public.com and SoFi Invest® might not meet all your needs. They don't offer a short locator tool to check real-time availability of shortable shares, nor do they provide order liquidity rebates. Potential users seeking these components for day trading should consider this aspect carefully. While both platforms have their strengths, such as low fees and user-friendly interfaces, dedicated day traders may find the lack of advanced features limiting.
Feature |
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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 comparing the market research capabilities of Public.com and SoFi Invest®, it's clear that Public.com provides a more comprehensive research suite. Public.com supports stock, ETF, and Pink Sheets/OTCBB research, earning a rating of 2 stars for market research and securing the 12th spot out of 16 brokers. Meanwhile, SoFi Invest® falls short, offering only the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class. It earns a modest 0.5 stars, placing it at the bottom, ranked 16th among its peers.
Public.com stands out for investors looking to explore a broad range of assets, as it delivers insights into stocks, ETFs, and more obscure markets like Pink Sheets and OTCBB. However, it lacks mutual fund and bond research, downloadable PDF reports, and screeners for trade ideas. While it doesn't offer ESG research, it remains a viable option for those who prioritize stock and ETF analysis.
Conversely, SoFi Invest® primarily focuses on providing tools for portfolio allocation by asset class but falls short on market research. It doesn't deliver research on stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, or bonds, and lacks screener tools for generating trade ideas. Like Public.com, it does not support ESG research or downloadable PDF reports, limiting its appeal to investors seeking in-depth market insights. As a result, investors may find greater value in Public.com's offerings when research functionality is a priority.
Feature |
|
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Research - Stocks | Yes | No |
Screener - Stocks | No | No |
Research - ETFs | Yes | No |
Screener - ETFs | No | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
Research - Bonds | No | No |
Screener - Bonds | No | No |
Research |
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When it comes to banking options, SoFi Invest® stands out with a comprehensive range of services, making it a one-stop shop for users. Unlike Public.com, which does not provide any banking services, SoFi Invest® provides checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, as well as mortgage loans, offering better flexibility for managing your finances. While neither platform offers certificates of deposit (CDs), SoFi Invest® covers almost all other essential banking needs, making it a better choice for those seeking integrated financial services alongside their investment platform.
Feature |
|
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Checking Accounts | No | Yes |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes |
Debit Cards | No | Yes |
Credit Cards | No | Yes |
Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
CDs | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 16 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Public.com is better than SoFi Invest®. Public.com finished with an overall score of 69.6%, while SoFi Invest® finished with a score of 64.6%.
Public is easy to use and offers a fascinating array of investment options. Along with stocks, ETFs, and crypto, there are managed Treasury bill accounts and alternative investments, such as shares in comic books and Banksy art. On the downside, Public uses its refusal to accept payment for order flow as justification for some startlingly high fees and spreads.
When comparing online brokers, Public.com stands out by offering crypto trading with access to 22 different coins, while SoFi Invest® does not provide any crypto trading options, which may influence the decision-making process for investors interested in cryptocurrency markets.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Public.com does not offer traditional or Roth IRA accounts, whereas SoFi Invest® provides both types of IRA accounts with no annual fee but charges a $20.00 closure fee.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service | N/A |
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Education |
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Ease Of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Public.com Review | SoFi Invest® Review |
Broker Screenshots | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
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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 | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
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Minimum Deposit | $20.00 | $5.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $2.99 | N/A | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | n/a | $0 | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | $0.00 | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | n/a | N/A |
Margin Rates | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 8.75% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 8.75% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 6.75% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 6.75% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 5.75% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 5.75% | 11.25% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 5.75% | 11.25% |
Account Fees | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | ||
IRA Closure Fee | $20.00 | ||
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $75.00 | $100.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $100.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $5.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $5.00 |
Investment Options | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares | Yes | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 0 | 0 | |
Futures Trading | No | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 22 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | 0 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | 0 | 6000 | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Corporate) | Yes | No | |
Bonds (Municipal) | No | No | |
Traditional IRAs | No | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | No | Yes | |
Advisor Services | No | Yes | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | No | No | |
Order Type - OCO | No | No | |
Order Type - OTO | No | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | No | No |
Beginners | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | Yes | |
Education (Bonds) | No | Yes | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Videos | Yes | No | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars (Archived) | Yes | Yes | |
Progress Tracking | No | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | No | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Simple Options | Yes | No | |
Trading - Complex Options | No | No | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | No | No |
Stock App Features | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | No | |
Stock Alerts | No | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | No | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
Stock App Charting | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | No | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | No | No | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | No |
Trading Platforms | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | n/a | 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 | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 0 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
Charting - Notes | No | No | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | No | |
Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | No | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | No | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | No | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | No | No | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | No | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 0 | 0 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
Streaming TV | No | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No | |
Ladder Trading | No | 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 | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | No | |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | No | |
Research - Bonds | No | No | |
Screener - Stocks | No | No | |
Screener - ETFs | No | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
Screener - Bonds | No | No | |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation | No | Yes |
Stock Research | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | No | |
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 | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Strategy Overview | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | Yes | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | No | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | No | No | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
Mutual Fund Research | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Basic View | No | Yes | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | No | No | |
Option Chains - Streaming | No | No | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 4 | 0 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 5 | 0 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No | |
Option Probability Analysis | No | No | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | No | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | No | No | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | No | No | |
Option Positions - Rolling | No | No | |
Option Positions - Grouping | No | No |
Banking | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Bank (Member FDIC) | No | Yes | |
Checking Accounts | No | Yes | |
Savings Accounts | No | Yes | |
Credit Cards | No | Yes | |
Debit Cards | No | Yes | |
Mortgage Loans | No | Yes |
Customer Service | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | No | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | No | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | No | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | No | No |
Overall | Public.com | SoFi Invest® | |
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Overall |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease Of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Public.com Review | SoFi Invest® Review |