Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Tradier 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 choosing an online broker, Tradier and Public.com offer a range of investment options, each catering to different investor preferences. If you're seeking extensive investment flexibility, Tradier garners a four-star rating and ranks 13th out of 18 brokers, thanks to its support for stock, margin, mutual funds, and options trading. Meanwhile, Public.com provides a more limited, yet modern approach with a three-star rating and a 15th-place ranking. Its standout features include fractional shares, OTC stocks, and crypto trading with 22 available coins, appealing to investors looking for alternative assets.
Tradier is ideal for traditional investors focused on stocks, options, and mutual fund investments, alongside offering both traditional and Roth IRA accounts for retirement planning. However, it lacks access to fractional shares, OTC stocks, and cryptocurrency trading, thereby restricting options for those interested in more contemporary or diversified portfolios. Tradier does not provide forex or futures trading, and like Public.com, it does not offer advisor services, emphasizing a self-directed approach for investors.
Conversely, Public.com shines in its offering of fractional shares and crypto trading, features popular among younger investors or beginners interested in diversifying with smaller capital. While it does support stock and options trading, it does not offer mutual funds or IRA accounts, which might deter those seeking long-term retirement investment opportunities. Additionally, Public.com provides access to OTC stocks, broadening the spectrum of available equity investments. Both platforms cover essential investment basics, but they diverge significantly in the specifics of their offerings, making the choice between them dependent on an investor’s individual needs and priorities.
| Feature |
Tradier
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares | No | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | No | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 22 |
| Investment Options |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms & Brokers, 5 Best Futures Trading Platforms of 2024
When evaluating trading platforms and tools, Tradier emerges as the superior choice over Public.com. Tradier scores an impressive 3.5 out of 5 stars compared to Public.com's 2.5 stars, and is ranked tenth out of eighteen brokers by StockBrokers.com for its offerings. One of Tradier's competitive edges is its paper trading feature, absent in Public.com, essential for traders who want to practice without financial risk. Furthermore, Tradier offers 95 technical indicators for charting, providing a robust analysis capability not available with Public.com, which offers none.
Both Tradier and Public.com lack desktop and Mac downloadable trading platforms, but compensate by providing browser-based platforms, ensuring easy access for users across different operating systems. Each offers three fields for watch lists, although neither platform allows the adjustment of open orders directly on a stock chart. Additionally, both platforms fall short in areas like displaying corporate events and the ability to set custom date ranges on charts. Notably, Tradier allows users to add notes to charts and shows historical trades, features Public.com does not offer. On the other hand, Public.com's unique capability to add index overlays to charts is a small advantage.
While Tradier provides seven customization fields for SMA studies, enhancing its charting options, Public.com does not offer this feature at all. Despite both platforms lacking in drawing tools, automated technical analysis, and the ability to save multiple chart profiles, Tradier's offerings in chart analysis tools and indicators are more comprehensive. Ultimately, Tradier's impressive array of charting capabilities positions it as a more attractive option for traders seeking advanced analytical tools.
| Feature |
Tradier
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 3 | 3 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 95 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
| Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2024, Best Paper Trading Platforms of 2024
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When it comes to beginner investor education, Public.com excels over Tradier by offering a more comprehensive suite of educational resources. Public.com provides stock, ETF, and options education, unlike Tradier, which lacks educational content in these critical areas. Further enhancing its educational offering, Public.com also features educational videos and webinars, providing dynamic learning experiences that Tradier does not. Paper trading is a feature available with Tradier, offering a practical learning tool for beginners, whereas Public.com does not offer this feature.
In terms of educational efficiency, Public.com earns a superior rating of 3 stars out of 5 for its educational resources compared to Tradier’s 2 stars. This is reflected in StockBrokers.com's rankings, where Public.com is placed at 15 out of 18 brokers, emphasizing its favorable position over Tradier, which is ranked 17. While neither platform offers educational quizzes or the ability to track learning progress, Public.com's diverse educational resources make it a more attractive option for those beginning their investment journeys.
| Feature |
Tradier
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | No | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | No | Yes |
| Education (Options) | No | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Bonds) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No |
| Videos | No | Yes |
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2024
When comparing the stock trading app capabilities of Tradier and Public.com, both platforms offer a solid mobile experience, each earning a four-star rating. However, there are key differences that may influence a trader's decision. Tradier edges ahead with features such as streaming quotes and the ability to create custom watch lists, useful for those who prioritize instant data and tailored tracking. On the other hand, Public.com, despite lacking streaming quotes, offers customizable watch list columns and stock comparison tools on charts, giving users more flexibility in data presentation. Overall, both brokers have their unique strengths, making the choice dependent on individual trading preferences.
Both Tradier and Public.com provide comprehensive app support across both iOS and Android platforms, ensuring accessibility for most smartphone users. While neither offers an Apple Watch app, Tradier distinguishes itself with mobile after-hours stock trading and options trading, advantages for those who trade beyond regular market hours. In contrast, Public.com has a similar offering for mobile options trading but does not currently support after-hours trading via its app, which could be a limitation for some traders.
Regarding charting capabilities, both apps allow viewing multiple time frames, but neither offers after-hours charting or technical studies. Tradier lacks the ability to view charts in landscape mode and display stock comparisons, whereas Public.com compensates slightly by allowing customization of watch list columns and offering stock comparisons on its charts. In terms of rankings, Public.com narrowly surpasses Tradier, ranking 14th out of 18 brokers compared to Tradier's 15th, reflecting a slightly more favorable reception among users and critics.
| Feature |
Tradier
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 of 2024
When considering opening a brokerage account, both Tradier and Public.com offer compelling features, but their fee structures present distinct differences. For investors seeking an entry with no initial cost, Tradier shines with a $0 minimum deposit requirement, compared to Public.com's $20 minimum. Both platforms offer commission-free stock trading, but Tradier charges $0.35 per options contract while Public.com offers options trading without any contract fees. Furthermore, when it comes to margin balances, Public.com tends to offer more competitive rates, especially for balances over $50,000, with charges at 6.75% compared to Tradier's consistent 9.5% rate across various tiers.
Tradier provides a traditional IRA service but includes a $30 annual fee and a $60 closure fee, costs that are absent with Public.com accounts. Investors who prioritize flexibility in moving their assets will find the ACAT transfer fees to be identical between the two brokers, set at $75 for both partial and full transfers. However, Public.com offers an advantage for options traders with no fees for options exercises or assignments, which are priced at $9 each on Tradier.
Ultimately, the choice between Tradier and Public.com will largely depend on an investor's specific needs and financial strategies. Tradier may appeal to those who value a no-cost entry point alongside a straightforward trading experience, while Public.com might attract those seeking full transparency with zero fees on options and a more favorable margin interest rate for large balances. Each platform has unique advantages that can cater to different investment profiles, making it essential for users to align their choice with their trading and financial goals.
| Feature |
Tradier
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $20.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.35 | $0.00 |
| Options Exercise Fee | $9.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | $9.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Annual Fee | $30.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $60.00 | |
| Commissions & Fees |
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Dive deeper: Best Brokers for Free Stock Trading of 2024
When evaluating day trading capabilities between online brokers Tradier and Public.com, both platforms offer a streamlined experience, but neither provides advanced tools or features that may be critical for experienced day traders. Neither Tradier nor Public.com offers streaming time and sales for stocks, streaming live TV, or direct market routing. Additionally, both platforms lack ladder trading and trading hotkeys for keyboard trade entry, which can be drawbacks for those seeking rapid execution and real-time data visualization.
Furthermore, Tradier and Public.com do not provide level 2 quotes, basic or advanced strategy backtesting, nor a short locator tool for real-time share availability, potentially limiting traders who rely on in-depth analysis and short-selling opportunities. Order liquidity rebates are also absent from both brokerages, making it essential for traders to carefully consider these factors when choosing the right platform for their day trading activities.
| Feature |
Tradier
|
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 of 2024
When considering Tradier and Public.com for market research capabilities, Tradier holds a slight edge over Public.com with a 2.5-star rating compared to Public.com's 2-star rating. Despite both platforms offering stock and ETF research, Tradier doesn't offer mutual funds, pink sheets, OTCBB, bonds research, or ESG data, similar to Public.com’s limitations. However, Public.com does provide research for Pink Sheets/OTCBB, reflecting a unique area it covers that Tradier neglects.
Both Tradier and Public.com offer limited research utilities such as downloadable PDF reports and screeners, with both lacking downloadable reports for stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds, and neither providing screeners for trade ideas across asset classes. Additionally, neither platform offers the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class or leverage social media sentiment data to enhance stock research. The absence of ESG research on both platforms also showcases their shared deficiencies in providing comprehensive market intelligence.
Ranked 16th and 17th respectively in market research out of 18 brokers in analysis by StockBrokers.com, Tradier and Public.com clearly have room for improvement in research offerings. Though Tradier takes a higher ranking slightly above Public.com, users of both platforms should consider supplementing their market research needs with additional resources to bridge the gaps present in their current offerings.
| Feature |
Tradier
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | No | 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 comparing the banking capabilities of online brokers Tradier and Public.com, neither platform offers traditional banking services such as checking accounts, savings accounts, or CDs, nor do they provide debit cards, credit cards, or mortgage loans. This similarity in banking offerings means that whether you choose Tradier or Public.com, you will need to look elsewhere for your personal banking needs, as these brokers focus solely on trading services without integrating standard financial products common in traditional banks.
| Feature |
Tradier
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | No | No |
| Savings Accounts | No | No |
| Debit Cards | No | No |
| Credit Cards | No | No |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| CDs | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Brokerages of 2024
After opening live accounts and testing 18 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Tradier is better than Public.com. Tradier finished with an overall score of 77.0%, while Public.com finished with a score of 72.9%.
If you’re trying out advanced charting applications and want to trade from them, Tradier Brokerage is a very logical choice, though as a stand-alone broker it trails the offerings of industry leaders.
When comparing online brokers, Tradier does not provide crypto trading, while Public.com offers access to 22 different cryptocurrencies.
Dive deeper: Best Crypto Trading Platforms of 2024
When comparing Tradier and Public.com, Tradier offers both traditional and Roth IRA accounts with annual fees of $30.00 and a closure fee of $60.00, while Public.com does not offer IRA accounts and therefore does not charge any associated fees.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts of 2024
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Tradier | Public.com | |
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| Review | Tradier Review | Public.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Tradier | Public.com | |
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| Trading Fees | Tradier | 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 | $30 | n/a | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.35 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $10 | n/a |
| Margin Rates | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 9.5% | 8.75% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 9.5% | 8.75% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 9.5% | 6.75% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 9.5% | 6.75% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 9.5% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 9.5% | 5.75% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 9.5% | 5.75% |
| Account Fees | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $30.00 | ||
| IRA Closure Fee | $60.00 | ||
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $75.00 | $75.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $75.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $9.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $9.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractional Shares | No | 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 | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 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 | Tradier | 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 | No | No | |
| Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
| Beginners | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | No | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Bonds) | No | No | |
| Education (Retirement) | No | Yes | |
| Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | No | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
| Videos | No | Yes | |
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Webinars (Archived) | No | Yes | |
| Progress Tracking | No | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Yes | |
| Trading - Complex Options | Yes | No | |
| Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Ticket SRT Quotes | No | No |
| Stock App Features | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | No | |
| Stock Alerts | No | No | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watch List (Streaming) | No | No | |
| Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | No | |
| Watch Lists - Column Customization | No | Yes |
| Stock App Charting | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | TradeHawk | n/a | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
| Trade Journal | No | No | |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 3 | 3 |
| Stock Chart Features | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 95 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Index Overlays | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | 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 | 7 | 0 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | No | Yes | |
| 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 | No |
| Stock Research | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | No | No | |
| Stock Research - Social | No | No | |
| Stock Research - News | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | No | No | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | No |
| ETF Research | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Strategy Overview | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | No | |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | No | |
| 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 | Tradier | 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 | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Basic View | Yes | No | |
| Option Chains - Strategy View | No | No | |
| Option Chains - Streaming | No | No | |
| Option Chains - Total Columns | 8 | 4 | |
| Option Chains - Greeks | 1 | 5 | |
| Option Chains - Quick Analysis | Yes | Yes | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | No | Yes | |
| Option Probability Analysis | No | No | |
| Option Probability Analysis Adv | No | No | |
| Option Positions - Greeks | No | Yes | |
| Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | No | No | |
| Option Positions - Adv Analysis | No | No | |
| Option Positions - Rolling | No | No | |
| Option Positions - Grouping | No | No |
| Banking | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
| Checking Accounts | No | No | |
| Savings Accounts | No | No | |
| Credit Cards | No | No | |
| Debit Cards | No | No | |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Customer Service | Tradier | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | No | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | No | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | No | No |
| Overall | Tradier | Public.com | |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Tradier Review | Public.com Review |
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