Public App Withdrawal Methods
Getting your money out of Public is a simple process. The broker offers a helpful tool that guides you through it, and you can submit a withdrawal request from both the mobile app and the website.
While Public App’s ACH withdrawal process works for most investors, anyone looking for wire transfers and checks has a few extra steps to complete.
No matter which withdrawal method you want to use – ACH, wire, or check – Public offers straightforward ways to handle it.
Here’s how to get your money out of a Public.com account.
Withdrawal Options at Public App
ACH, wire transfers, and checks are commonly used for withdrawals in the brokerage industry. At Public, ACH is the preferred withdrawal method and the easiest one to use.
As mentioned above, withdrawals by wire transfer and check are available, although that is not obvious at first glance. Public does not provide built-in tools to set up withdrawals by wire transfer or check. Instead, the broker handles those withdrawal requests when they are submitted.
In this article, we’ll go through each of the withdrawal methods available at Public and explain how to start them.
ACH
Since ACH transfers are the default withdrawal method at Public App, there is no need to worry about how you will withdraw your funds (unless you want to, in which case additional withdrawal methods are outlined below).
ACH transfers are free, and that includes withdrawals. To set up your account for ACH transfers, you will need to link your bank using the popular Plaid service. Once your accounts are linked, you can move money out of your account in a few simple steps.
Withdraw Money by ACH at Public App
To get started, navigate to the menu icon on the webpage or app. On the app, scroll down and choose ‘Withdrawal.’ On the web, select ‘Withdraw’ from the dropdown menu.
If your bank account has already been linked, Public provides a pop-up window with fields to fill in. You can enter the amount of money you want to remove from the account, preview your selection, and send your request.
If your bank account has not been added, you will be required to add it before continuing the process.
Using the Plaid service is quick and easy. All you need to do to get your accounts linked is search for your bank, enter your bank credentials, and confirm your choice.
If Plaid does not work for any reason, it is also possible to link your bank account to Public using the micro deposit method.
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How Long Does It Take to Withdraw Money by ACH?
Standard withdrawals usually take 3-5 business days to arrive in your bank account. Transfers are sent after you submit the request, but the receiving bank has its own settlement process for ACH transfers.
Wire Transfers
Wire transfers are a good option for some investors and specific situations. Wires are secure, fast, and less restrictive in many cases than other forms of transfers.
At Public, you will pay a $25 fee for outgoing wires.
Withdraw Money by Wire at Public App
You won’t find any tools available for wire transfers at Public. Instead, you should contact the broker directly to make your request.
Although there is the added step of contacting support, the process is not more difficult than filling in the paperwork yourself. All you need to do is start a chat during U.S. market hours or send an email to the support team. In both cases, the broker responds quickly.
To save time, you can provide the information Public needs to complete your transfer request before they respond to your initial message.
Here is a message from the support team outlining the required information.
Limits to Money Withdrawals by Wire at Public
There are no caps on withdrawal amounts when using the wire transfer method, but a transfer could be stopped for several reasons.
As you would with all other withdrawal methods, you should be aware of settlement times and how the balance in your account is affected by them. See below for more information on settlement times.
How Long Does it Take to Withdraw Money by Wire Transfers?
Withdrawing from a Public account using wires is very fast. Within one business day, the broker sends the wire request to its clearing firm (Apex Clearing), which initiates the transaction. You can expect funds to show up in your account within three days.
Checks
If for whatever reason, you would like to withdraw funds using the check withdrawal method, you should request to have a check sent to you the same way you do for wire transfers.
The fee for a standard check withdrawal is $5, although the cost does go up for faster delivery and international addresses. For domestic overnight mail, you will pay $50. For international overnight mail, you will pay $100 per transfer.
Withdraw Money by Check
Since check withdrawals are requested the same way that wire transfers are, the only difference between the two processes is the type of information you give.
In chat or email, you should give your Public representative your name, address, account number, and the amount you want to take out of your account.
Limits to Money Withdrawals by Check
As with wire transfers, there aren’t any limits attached to the amount of money you can withdraw using the check method.
Settlement periods have the same effect on check withdrawals as wires and ACH.
How Long Does it Take to Withdraw Money by Check?
Check withdrawals take a bit longer than wires to process and send. The time you will wait for a check to arrive in your mailbox depends on processing times at Apex Clearing and your selection of delivery methods.
You can expect to wait from 3-10 days to receive your check in the mail.
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Why Can’t I Withdraw Money on Public App?
There are many reasons you wouldn’t be able to withdraw funds from your brokerage account at Public.
One reason is that funds from trading activity and deposits have not settled. Trade settlement and deposit settlement work a bit differently, but they are essentially similar.
Settlement Periods
When you earn money from selling securities, there is a one-business-day settlement period for the transaction to settle. During the settlement time, you will see (and be able to reinvest) that money in your brokerage account. However, the funds cannot be removed from the account until the trade settles. Public uses a T+1 settlement rule for trading activities. T+1 means ‘trade date, plus one business day.’
The length of settlement for new deposits depends on the type of deposit. Linked bank deposits settle after 3 business days once processing begins. Wire deposits settle the next business day, while debit card deposits settle within 3 business days.
Another consideration if you can’t withdraw your funds is the settlement period for promotional items. When you invite friends to Public or sign up for a new account, you are given free ‘slices’ of stock. The settlement period for these stocks (and the money earned from selling them) is 90 days.
Money Laundering Laws
You can also run into problems withdrawing your money if you are trying to use a different bank account than the one you used to fund the account. Due to anti-money laundering regulations, all brokers in the U.S. place restrictions on using multiple bank accounts.
The bank you used to fund your account should be the same as the one you send money to. According to the rule, there is a 90-day waiting period for funds in an account before they can be sent to other financial institutions. Once that period is complete, the restriction on those funds is lifted.
If you want to use another account, you’ll need to contact the customer service team at Public. They will likely ask you for additional information, and possibly a letter of acceptance from the receiving bank.
Updated on 4/6/2026.
I work in investment analytics and have been investing in the market since I was in high school. I enjoy anything that involves lots of strategy (i.e. a good game of chess), which is why I was naturally drawn to investing and researching companies. Outside of investing, I’m a big fan of the outdoors. In summer, you’re most likely to find me kayaking, camping, and hiking in the mountains.
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