Public.com Review

Public.com is one of the most frequently recommended platforms in the financial influencer space, and after spending time using it myself, I get the appeal. The app is sleek, intuitive, and designed in a way that makes investing in stocks and ETFs feel almost effortless. It’s one of the cleanest user experiences I’ve seen.

But as someone who digs into platforms and the markets for a living, I quickly hit limitations. Many tools I consider essential, like analyst ratings, earnings forecasts, and key fundamental data, are locked behind a premium subscription. While Public shines as a beginner-friendly space to build a simple portfolio, it doesn’t offer enough depth for anyone who wants to analyze investments or trade beyond the basics.

Pros & Cons

Overall summary

Range of investments

Public.com offers access to a range of investment options like stocks, ETFs, options, crypto, corporate bonds, and even alternative assets. On paper, the list is impressive. But in practice, I found the experience to be a mix of thoughtful innovation and frustrating gaps.

Portfolio accounts

Let’s start with what works. Public’s portfolio-style accounts, the High-Yield Cash Account, Bond Account, and Treasury Account, are genuinely interesting, with the Treasury Account standing out most to me. It lets you build a portfolio of U.S. Treasury bonds with maturities ranging from 3 months to 30 years, and you get to choose the structure. You can even set up automatic reinvestments, which feels like a modern spin on a traditional treasury ladder. But here’s the catch: there’s a monthly fee based on your balance, plus a markup/markdown on trades.

While the feature itself is solid, you can build a similar ladder on platforms like Fidelity or Schwab with lower fees and far more built-in education around interest rates, yield curves, and Fed policy. Public has an opportunity here to bridge that educational gap but so far, they haven’t.

Limited disclosures

The Bond Account, however, is where I started to feel uneasy. I’ve seen it recommended by more than a few financial influencers, and frankly, I’m concerned. I couldn’t find any disclosures about whether they were being paid to promote it, but what really bothered me was what they weren’t saying. The account is built using corporate bonds and is marketed as having an “average” investment grade. But when I looked closer, I found below-investment-grade bonds in the mix. These are speculative-grade, or companies with poor credit ratings.

There’s no warning on the trade screen, and unless you know to click into each bond and check the ratings manually, you’d have no idea. As someone who’s worked in the industry for years, it took me a few steps to spot it. That’s a red flag. Recommending these accounts without proper context is irresponsible, and makes me question how many of these influencers understand the products they’re promoting.

Alternative asset investments

Public also offers alternative assets like fractional shares of art, collectibles, and luxury handbags. Items that, in some cases, can act as inflation hedges (not investment advice, of course). I was curious enough to try the luxury handbag investing feature, but after nearly two hours of back and forth with a customer service rep, I gave up. The feature is only available on the mobile app, and even then, the rep couldn’t walk me through how to enable it. If I can’t get this resolved as someone with years of platform experience, I can only imagine how confusing it must be for a new investor.

Public is clearly trying to build something unique. But when it comes to investment options, execution and transparency matter just as much as innovation, and that’s where this platform still has work to do.

Commissions and fees

Like most modern brokerages, Public.com offers commission-free trading on stocks and ETFs, which is great. But dig a little deeper, and the pricing structure gets more complex. Extended hours trading will cost you $2.99 per trade unless you’re a premium member, and many research tools that come standard elsewhere are locked behind a paywall.

Premium subscription: Public has carved out a unique, if unusual, pricing model. You’re nudged toward a premium subscription to access basic features — things like analyst reports and reinvestment options that other brokers offer for free. A Public Premium subscription costs $10 per month (or $96 annually) after a 7-day free trial, although this cost is waived if you maintain an account balance over $50,000 (subject to terms and conditions). There’s also a fee for small, inactive accounts, which feels a bit out of step with the low-cost brokerage trend.

Options rebate program: They return up to 50% of order flow revenue to traders, depending on activity levels. It’s a clever and more transparent approach to payment for order flow (PFOF), which I don’t mind when done right. If there are regulations in place to protect order quality, the cost savings can be meaningful. But the rebate tiers are clearly built to incentivize frequent trading, which is something newer investors should approach with caution.

Fixed-income pricing: Their bond and Treasury accounts, while innovative, come with markups, markdowns, and a monthly fee based on your balance. You can build similar structures on other platforms for less. Plus, competitors offer much stronger educational support to help you understand what you're buying.

In short: Public’s pricing looks simple at first but quickly reveals itself as a maze of paywalls. For a platform that markets itself as accessible, the cost structure can feel surprisingly gated.

Other platforms and tools

Public’s browser platform mirrors the mobile app almost exactly. It’s clean, easy to use, and approachable. But as someone who’s used a lot of platforms, it feels limited. There’s no advanced trader platform, no custom screeners, and no way to really dig into technical analysis or build out complex strategies. If you're looking for depth, you'll hit a ceiling fast.

That said, one thing I do appreciate is how seamlessly Public integrates community features across both desktop and mobile. Users can follow each other, share commentary, react to trades, and discuss financial news articles in a built-in feed. It adds a social element that’s unique, and for new investors, that kind of collaboration can be encouraging.

But here's my caveat: community doesn’t equal credibility. It’s important to be mindful of who you're following and where advice is coming from. Just because someone posts confidently about a trade doesn’t mean it’s sound investment advice. As always, do your own research and make sure the tools you’re using are helping you make informed decisions, not just popular ones.

Research

Public has clearly put effort into making research feel accessible, and I genuinely appreciated the thought behind some of the tools. But after testing nearly every corner of the platform, I walked away feeling like most of the research features were more flash than function.

Fixed income

Let’s start with fixed income. I liked how the platform displays bond prices alongside their yields which is an elegant way to visualize the inverse relationship between price and yield, an element often confusing for new investors. The interface made that lesson click. But when I tried to screen for fixed income products, the default was high-yield (i.e., below investment grade) bonds and included a portfolio labeled “speculative.” No brokered CDs, no investment-grade filters, and no real risk disclosures. One portfolio even automatically reinvests your income once it hits $1,000, but I wasn’t shown bond ratings up front. A deeper dive revealed mostly junk bonds, and there’s a $3.99 monthly fee for that without a Premium subscription, by the way.

Individual stocks and funds

Across the board, research on individual stocks and funds is minimal. Most ETFs show only the top 10 holdings and there’s no tracking error, sector exposure breakdown, or comparison tools. The “investment plans” feature (essentially baskets of stocks) has potential, but I wasn’t able to analyze them meaningfully. No benchmark comparisons, no sector weightings, just a list of tickers and a vague description.

Options data

Options data was even more disappointing. The chain was missing basic info like bid-ask spreads unless manually selected, and the strategy builder had me previewing the wrong side of a trade. I tried placing a cash-secured put on QQQ, and the tool tried to route a buy order instead. I wouldn’t trust this tool to execute even the simplest strategy.

Macro research

Macro research is another blind spot. There’s no economic calendar, and while the AI chatbot was eager to help, it didn’t have real-time data. I asked about PCE, the day’s biggest market mover, and was told there was no data. When I reworded the question, it gave me a general market summary, but by then, I’d already checked a second platform. It has promise, but it’s not ready to stand on its own.

Education

I was pleasantly surprised by Public’s education center, especially after its major revamp in March 2025. The content is comprehensive, well-written, and easy to follow. There are articles on everything from how short squeezes happen to how interest rates impact Treasury prices, all broken down in plain English. The visuals are sharp, and the tone strikes that perfect balance between informative and approachable.

What impressed me most wasn’t just the volume of content but the quality. Topics like market mechanics, options basics, retirement strategies, and alternative investments are all covered in depth. The information is up-to-date and thoughtfully categorized. Whether you’re looking to learn about IPOs, fixed income, or crypto, there’s a section for that.

My only real feedback is that the education center feels a bit detached from the rest of the platform. While I loved seeing a carousel of timely articles on the homepage, the actual educational experience lives in its own corner. It’s not deeply integrated into the flow of using the app. For example, if I’m researching a stock or placing a trade, I’d love to see educational callouts or “learn more” links in context, especially for newer investors.

Still, if you’re the kind of investor who likes to read and learn independently, this is one of the stronger educational libraries I’ve seen from a mobile-first platform. I just hope Public eventually weaves this content more directly into the investing experience because it deserves to be seen.

Banking services

Public doesn’t offer traditional banking products, no checking, no debit card, but it does offer a high-yield cash account, launched in December 2023. And for what it is, it’s surprisingly solid.

The account currently pays 4.1% APY on uninvested cash (as of March 28, 2025), and funds are swept to a network of partner banks offering up to $5 million in combined FDIC insurance which is far above the typical $250,000 cap you'd get from a single bank. That’s a strong feature for those looking to park cash securely.

That said, it’s important to remember that APYs are variable. So while 4.1% sounds great today, it could look different tomorrow.

Final thoughts

Public.com is one of the most visually appealing platforms I’ve used. It’s clearly designed with the modern investor in mind — clean, approachable, and community-driven. But beneath the sleek surface, there are some important limitations worth noting.

Here are three key takeaways from my time on the platform:

1. It’s a great place to start, but not always stay. Public makes basic investing easy, especially for stocks and ETFs. But once you want to analyze, diversify, or dig deeper into your research, the tools fall short.
2. Innovative features need stronger guardrails. Whether it’s AI-driven research, fixed income portfolios, or alternative assets, Public is trying new things. But innovation needs transparency, especially when risk is involved. Investors shouldn’t have to be experts to spot what’s missing.
3. The education is excellent but needs to meet you where you are. The revamped learning center is full of value, but it lives separately from the platform. Integrated, in-the-moment education could transform how people learn and invest at the same time.

Public has a lot of potential and it’s clear they’re listening to feedback. For newer investors who value simplicity and community, it’s a compelling place to begin. But for anyone looking to grow into a more active, informed investor, there’s still work to be done.

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Does Public.com give free stocks?

Not anymore. Public.com used to offer a free stock promotion for new users, but that program has been phased out. These days, the incentive is aimed at larger investors: you can earn up to $10,000 if you transfer your assets to Public.com, though the bonus is tiered based on how much you bring over. For example, a $5,000 transfer earns you $150, while hitting the full $10,000 reward requires a $5 million transfer.

Is Public.com safe?

Yes, Public.com is a legitimate, regulated brokerage. It operates under the name Open to the Public Investing, Inc. and is a member of FINRA, the regulatory body that oversees U.S. brokers. Like other brokerages, accounts are protected by SIPC insurance up to $500,000, which covers losses in the event the brokerage fails, not if your investments lose value. Public uses Apex Clearing Corporation to hold customer assets and execute trades, a well-known custodian in the industry. So while no investment is risk-free, the platform itself is operating under all the standard protections for U.S. brokerage firms.

How much does Public.com cost per month?

Opening a Public.com account is free, but many of the more useful features like advanced data, better pricing on certain services, and premium research, require a subscription to Public Premium, which costs $10 per month (or $96 annually) after a 7-day free trial. That said, if your account balance is $50,000 or more, the premium tier is complimentary. So while you can get started at no cost, unlocking the full experience often comes with a price tag.

Is my money safe on the Public app?

As noted, Public is a member of FINRA and accounts are insured against broker insolvency for up to $500,000 by the SIPC. This, however, doesn’t protect you against losses from either your investment decisions or defaults from individual investments, as is true for all brokers.

About Public.com

Public.com is the trade name for Open to the Public Investing, Inc., a brokerage firm headquartered in New York City. While the company was originally registered back in 2004, the Public brand as we know it today really took shape in 2019 with a mission to make investing more inclusive, transparent, and community-driven.

Public.com 2025 Results

For the StockBrokers.com 2025 Annual Awards, announced on Jan. 28, 2025, all U.S. equity brokers we reviewed were assessed on over 200 different variables across seven areas: Range of Investments, Platforms & Tools, Research, Mobile Trading, Education, Ease of Use, and Overall.

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In addition to meticulous annual data collection by our in-house analyst, every broker that participates in our review is afforded the opportunity to complete an in-depth data profile. We then audit each data point to ensure its accuracy.

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