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Robinhood vs Public in 2026
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Key Points
• Robinhood and Public.com are two low-cost brokerage firms with a lot to offer.
• Public has the most exotic assets, like artwork and sports cards.
• Both firms offer premium services that cost a little extra but deliver additional features.
Public.com vs. Robinhood Introduction
If you’re looking for a brokerage firm with very low trading fees, Robinhood and Public.com
are worth a look. Premium features can cost extra, though, so it helps to know ahead of time which
services you’ll actually want.
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 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 focus mainly on self-directed accounts. Robinhood also has Robinhood Strategies, which is an ongoing managed service, while Public offers direct indexing through Public Advisors. Those services are separate from the regular self-directed brokerage accounts discussed here.
Self-directed traders at Robinhood can buy and sell equities, option contracts, exchange-traded funds,
futures, and cryptocurrencies.
Public offers many of the same asset classes, minus futures, and it also has access to bonds and treasuries. For cryptocurrencies, Public traders can access 40+ coins, while Robinhood also offers a larger crypto lineup than it did in the past.
For the most unusual assets, Public has an alternative-investment program that lets investors buy fractional shares of some very unique items, like sneakers and paintings.
For taxes, Robinhood and Public customers can open either taxable accounts or Individual Retirement Accounts.
Winner: Robinhood
Banking
Robinhood customers can sign up for a useful cash-management service called Cash Card. As
the name suggests, it includes a free debit card (and the ability to mail paper checks).
It’s also possible to earn fractional crypto and fractional shares of stocks. Plus, there is a cash-back
program.
Robinhood also has an FDIC-sweep program for uninvested cash that pays up to
3.6% APY right now (with a premium subscription).
Public has a similar FDIC-insured cash program that pays 3.3%
annually without a subscription. However, Public does not offer the other perks Robinhood provides,
including a debit card.
Winner: Robinhood
Premium Services
Robinhood traders can sign up for Gold, the broker’s premium service. It costs $5 per month and includes extra benefits like Morningstar research, Level II quotes, and $1,000 of free margin borrowing.
Public’s premium service is called Premium. It provides charting tools that standard customers don’t get. Premium also includes VIP customer service and improved research tools. The cost is $10 per month.
Winner: Robinhood
Margin
Even though self-directed accounts are the main option at both firms, you can still set an account
up as either margin or cash, and an existing cash account can be upgraded to margin on either
broker’s website.
Robinhood clients who want to use margin can choose between two pricing methods. The first is
the standard approach of paying interest on borrowed funds. The current cost is
5.25% per year on debit balances under $50K.
Public.com margin rates range from 4.9% to 3.95%.
Winner: Robinhood
Computer Trading
Robinhood’s website is fairly basic, but that simplicity does make it easy to use. Robinhood also offers Robinhood Legend, a separate desktop platform with more advanced charts and analysis tools.
The Robinhood website includes an order ticket with several trade types like stop, trailing, and limit. There is also a feature called Recurring Investing, which sets up repeat purchases of stocks and ETFs.
Charts on Robinhood’s site are very basic. A chart can be expanded to the full width of the screen. In that view, there are a few technical indicators and two chart styles.
Public.com has even simpler charting. Standard customers only see a small chart with one style. Premium customers get full-screen charts with tools.
Public’s order ticket supports three trade types (stop, market, and limit), which is simpler than Robinhood’s. Like Robinhood, Public has no desktop platform or separate browser platform. While that is disappointing, Public does offer something Robinhood does not: a community forum. Public traders can discuss market news and specific assets with other users.
Winner: Robinhood
Mobile Trading
Another platform available at both firms is the mobile app. Robinhood’s app includes the same order form and charting tools found on its website. However, charts cannot be rotated horizontally in the app.
Public’s app also does not allow charts to rotate horizontally. It does include watchlists and alerts, which are also available on Robinhood. The community bulletin board from the website is included as well.
Winner: Robinhood
Supplementary Services
IRAs: Tax-sheltered accounts are available at both brokers in Roth and Traditional formats.
Fully-Paid Stock Lending: Both brokerage firms offer it.
Fractional-share Trading: Robinhood and Public.com both offer whole-dollar trading.
DRIP: Both firms have it.
Extended Hours: Both firms offer pre-market and after-hours trading, although some Public extended-hours features depend on account tier. Cryptocurrencies trade 24/7 at both firms.
IPO Access: Only at Robinhood.
Winner: Robinhood
Promotions
Robinhood:
Get a FREE stock worth up to $200 + a 1% transfer match + a 2% IRA match when you sign up using a Robinhood referral link!
Public: Earn $0.06–$0.18 options trading rebate per stock or ETF contract at Public.
Our Recommendations
Small Accounts: Neither firm has account minimums, so either one can work well.
Long-Term Investing and Retirement Planning: Since both firms offer IRAs, either one can work here, although Robinhood still has the edge for traders who want futures and a broader product lineup.
Beginning Traders: New traders may like Robinhood’s simple layout and its additional planning tools. Public can also work well, especially for investors who want bonds, treasuries, or alternative assets in the same ecosystem.
Active Stock Trading: Robinhood has the more advanced platform.
Public vs Robinhood Verdict
Even with alternative assets, Public still falls short compared to Robinhood.
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Updated on 9/4/2026.
Chad Morris has been analyzing investment firms for Brokerage-Review.com since 2015. Backed by FINRA Series 65, 66, and SIE credentials, his work reflects a deep knowledge of the retail brokerage industry and digital trading tools.
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