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Robinhood vs Public
Robinhood vs Public.com—which app is better in 2025? Compare investing accounts, online
trading fees, stock broker extended hours, and differences.
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Public.com vs. Robinhood Introduction
If you want a brokerage with very low trading costs, Robinhood and Public.com are two good options.
Extra features do have a fee, so it’s best to know in advance what services you’ll need.
Public and Robinhood Cost
| Broker Fees |
Stock/ETF
Commission |
Mutual Fund
Commission |
Options
Commission |
Maintenance
Fee |
Annual IRA
Fee |
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Robinhood
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$0
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na
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$0 per contract
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$0
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$0
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Public
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$0
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na
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$0.50 per contract
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$0
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$0
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Public and Robinhood Services
| Broker Review |
Cost |
Investment Products |
Trading Tools |
Customer Service |
Research |
Overall Rating |
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Robinhood
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Public
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Investing and Trading
Both brokerage firms in this comparison have self-directed accounts only. There’s no ongoing advisory service at either one, though Robinhood (and only Robinhood) offers a one-time advisory feature that recommends an ETF portfolio for retirement. There’s no continuous management, but it’s free.
Self-guided traders at Robinhood can buy and sell stocks, options, ETFs, futures, and cryptocurrencies.
Public offers the same assets except futures, but adds closed-end funds. In the crypto department, Public has 7 digital coins, while Robinhood offers 28.
For more unusual assets, Public has a program where you can buy fractional pieces of items like sneakers or paintings.
In terms of account types, Robinhood and Public offer taxable accounts or IRAs.
Winner: Robinhood
Banking
Robinhood clients can enroll in a helpful cash management program called Cash Card. As the name implies, it includes a debit card (along with the ability to send checks in the mail). You can also earn fractional crypto or fractional stocks, plus there’s a cash-back feature.
Robinhood also offers an FDIC sweep for uninvested cash, which currently pays up to 4% APY with a premium plan. Public has a similar FDIC service paying 4.1% APY without needing a premium plan. However, Public doesn’t have any other perks like a debit card.
Winner: Robinhood
Premium Services
Robinhood has Gold, its premium service, costing $5 per month. It comes with Morningstar research, Level II quotes, and a $1,000 margin loan at no interest.
Public’s premium plan is called Premium, which costs $10 per month. It includes charting tools (unavailable to free customers), VIP support, and better research features.
Winner: Robinhood
Promotions
Robinhood: 3% deposit match and up to $200 FREE stock at Robinhood.
Public:
Get $20 of an asset of your choice when you deposit $1,000 at Public.
Margin
Both firms only have self-directed accounts, but you can set them up as margin or cash, or convert from cash to margin.
Robinhood clients who want margin can pick one of two price structures. The first is a typical structure of paying interest on borrowed amounts. Currently, it’s 5.75% per year on balances under $50,000.
Public's margin rates are from 9.5% to 5.5%.
Winner: Robinhood
Computer Trading
Robinhood’s website is basic, focusing on simplicity. It’s easy to learn, and it’s the only platform for Robinhood’s account (there’s no desktop or separate browser program).
Robinhood’s site has an order form with multiple types (stop, trailing, limit). It also has an option called Recurring Investing, letting you set up ongoing buys of stocks or ETFs.
Its charts are quite simple. Expanded mode fills the screen with a few indicators and two styles.
Public.com’s website has even simpler charts for free users. Premium users get full-screen charts with tools.
Public’s order form has three types (stop, market, limit), fewer than Robinhood’s. Like Robinhood, there is no desktop or separate web platform. However, Public has something Robinhood doesn’t: a community forum. Public traders can discuss trends and assets.
Winner: Robinhood
Mobile Trading
The only other way to trade at both firms is on their mobile apps. Robinhood’s app mirrors its website for order forms and charting, though this time, a chart can’t go horizontal.
The Public app also doesn’t let charts rotate horizontally. It has watchlists and alerts, similar to Robinhood’s. The social network from the Public website is on the app too.
Winner: Robinhood
Supplementary Services
IRAs: Both brokers offer tax-advantaged accounts (Roth or Traditional).
Fully-Paid Stock Lending: Both do it.
Fractional-share Trading: Both let you buy whole-dollar shares.
DRIP: Both offer it.
Extended Hours: Both have pre-market and after-hours stock trading, though Public requires
Premium for it. Crypto is 24/7 at both. Robinhood offers 24/7 trading on some securities.
IPO Access: Only Robinhood.
Winner: Robinhood
Promotions
Robinhood: 3% deposit match and up to $200 FREE stock at Robinhood.
Public:
Get $20 of an asset of your choice when you deposit $1,000 at Public.
Our Recommendations
Small Accounts: There’s no minimum at either firm, so either is fine.
Long-Term Investing and Retirement Planning: Robinhood is the only one with 1% free IRA match, so that’s the easy pick.
Beginning Traders: New investors with IRAs should try Robinhood’s one-time ETF ideas. For taxable
accounts, neither one has real advisory services.
Active Stock Trading: Robinhood now offers an advanced trading platform.
Public vs Robinhood Verdict
Public does have alternative assets, but they aren’t enough to beat Robinhood.
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Updated on 6/3/2025.
Chad Morris is a financial writer with more than 20 years experience
as both an English teacher and an avid trader. When he isn’t writing
expert content for Brokerage-Review.com, Chad can usually be found
managing his portfolio or building a new home computer.
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