Public vs. Robinhood: Head-to-Head Comparison

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Robinhood vs Public

Today, investing in the stock market is more accessible to retail investors (people like you and me) than ever before. Thanks to investment apps and online brokerages, you can easily place commission-free trades from your smartphone.

Two of the most popular investing apps are Robinhood and Public.com. If you’re unsure which one you should use, this article provides a comparison to decide which fits your needs better.

Of course, since both Robinhood and Public.com offer commission-free trades, you can easily try both for yourself and decide which one you like best. And to make it more enticing, each company currently offers a signup bonus for our readers. If you sign up for Robinhood through this link, you’ll get a free stock worth $2.50 – $225. And if you sign up for Public.com through this link, you’ll get a free slice of stock worth up to $300 when you make a deposit.*

Robinhood vs. Public Overview

The main difference between Robinhood and Public is that Public offers social features so investors can connect with and learn from others in the community. Additionally, Public is a more transparent company and does not participate in the controversial practice of Payment for Order Flow (PFOF).

There are also some differences in the investment products and account types offered.

Here’s an overview of the key similarities and differences.

  • Robinhood and Public.com offer similar options for commission-free trading of stocks and ETFs.
  • Both allow an individual investor to get started with fractional shares of stocks and ETFs.
  • Both support the trading of popular cryptocurrencies, although Public offers more than Robinhood Crypto.
  • Robinhood allows users to trade stock options, while Public currently does not.
  • Public offers a wide range of social features so investors can connect with and learn from community members.
  • Public offers alternative investments like fine art, collectibles, and NFTs.
  • Public offers an easy way to invest in US Treasuries.
  • Public stands out in terms of transparency and watching out for users’ best interests by not participating in payment for order flow (PFOF).
  • Robinhood halted trading of GameStop and other volatile stocks, while Public did not restrict its users.
  • Both brokerages are user-friendly and appropriate for new or experienced investors.

Robinhood
Public.com

Vital Dollar rating

User-friendly mobile app

Desktop access

Trade stocks and ETFs

Trade stock options

No

Trade cryptocurrency

Trade alternative assets

No

Invest in treasuries

No

No account minimums

Purchase fractional shares

Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRIP)

Retirement accounts

No

Advanced social features

No

Discover stocks by themes

No

No payment for order flow (PFOF)

No

Signup bonus

Pricing & Fees

There are no fees to create an account and start using the stock trading app for Robinhood or Public. Both offer commission-free trades as well. And not only can you make commission-free trades, but both Robinhood and Public.com allow you to purchase fractional shares. You can start investing in companies like Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and others, even if you don’t have enough money to purchase a full share.

Both Robinhood and Publice offer optional premium upgrades. These paid accounts are certainly not necessary to use the platforms, but the added features are appreciated by some investors.

Robinhood offers an optional upgrade called Robinhood Gold. For a cost of $5 per month, you’ll get several benefits like in-depth research reports from Morningstar, advanced market data from Nasdaq, up to $5,000 in instant deposits so you can access your money faster, and borrow from Robinhood for margin trading (risky investments). You’ll also earn interest on your uninvested cash.

Public Premium costs $8 per month and provides unique company KPIs, Morningstar research, detailed performance metrics, customizable price alerts, personalized portfolio insights, plus access to exclusive content.

Of course, Robinhood and Public charge fees in certain situations (like any brokerage). This may include fees for paper statements, overnight mail, wire transfers, etc. However, these fees are reasonable on both platforms and will not be a deciding factor for most users.

Winner: Tie

With commission-free trades and no account fees at both Robinhood and Public, we consider this area a tie. Both companies offer optional premium accounts at competitive prices.

Top Pick
Get Free Stock from Public.com Get Free Stock from Public.com

Public.com offers fractional shares so anyone can start investing. You'll love the social aspect that makes it possible to connect with other investors. Get a free stock slice worth up to $300 when you open an account through our link.

Features:
  • Commission-free trades of stocks and ETFs
  • Buy and sell 27 different cryptocurrencies
  • Fractional shares
  • Access to alternative investors
  • High-yield Treasury accounts
  • Easy to use and beginner-friendly
  • Connect with a supportive community of investors
  • "Themes" help you to find investments that interest you
Offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. This is not a recommendation. You can lose money with any investment. Open To The Public Investing is a member of FINRA & SIPC. Regulatory and firm fees apply. New customers receive free stock with value $3-300; 0.3% receive the max value. Cryptocurrency trading provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849). Apex Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. See Public.com/disclosures/

Getting Started

Both Robinhood and Public make it easy to get started. First, you’ll need to create a free account and fill out your details, but it will take just a few minutes in each case.

It doesn’t matter how much money you have right now. You can get started with both Robinhood and Public Even if you have only a small amount to invest, you can create an account and place a trade. With no minimums, commission-free trades, and an easy signup process, both Robinhood and Public are excellent options for beginners.

Winner: Tie

It’s easy for a retail investor to start with either investment app.

Related: The Best ETFs for Long-Term Growth

Investment Options

Robinhood allows users to trade individual stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and others. You can also purchase a fractional share for as little as $1. You can still invest with fractional shares if you don’t have enough money to buy a full share of Amazon or another high-priced stock.

Public allows users to trade stocks, ETFs, and cryptocurrencies but does not currently support options (crypto is managed by Apex Crypto). Like Robinhood, Public.com also supports fractional shares (called “slices”).

However, Public stands out from other stock trading app by also offering alternative investments. Currently, you can invest in fine art, collectibles, and NFTs, but additional options may be coming soon.

Also, Public recently announced the addition of treasuries. Investing in treasuries traditionally has been inconvenient and cumbersome, but Public makes it easy. Essentially, investing in treasuries with Public is an alternative to a traditional savings account. It’s important to note that there’s a fee of 0.05% per month for investing in treasuries.

Neither investing app currently supports mutual funds.

Both Robinhood and Public offer automatic dividend reinvestment (DRIP). If you own a stock or ETF that pays dividends to shareholders, you can have those dividends automatically reinvested to purchase more shares. Taking advantage of DRIP is an ideal way to grow your investment portfolio.

Robinhood offers instant access to up to $1,000 when you contribute new cash. If you’re transferring $500 from your bank account to Robinhood, typically, Robinhood will allow you to access that money immediately rather than waiting a few days for the transfer to complete. If you’re transferring a larger amount, like $5,000, Robinhood will typically allow you to immediately access up to $1,000 of the funds.

Public has a similar offering, but you’ll need to deposit money from a debit card to take advantage of it. If you fund your Public account with a debit card, you’ll get instant “Buying Power” up to $1,000. Deposits from bank accounts (through ACH) do not have instant Buying Power.

Winner: Public

Public comes out ahead in this area by offering various alternative investments and treasuries. It’s possible to build a portfolio of stocks, ETFs, crypto, fine art, collectibles, NFTs, and treasuries all from one account. No other Robinhood alternative offers the same range of investments.

Get a Free Stock from Robinhood! Get a Free Stock from Robinhood!

Robinhood offers commission-free trades of stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrency. There are no account minimums and you can buy fractional shares for as little as $1. Right now you can get a free stock just for creating an account through the button below.

Features:
  • Commission-free trades
  • No account minimums
  • Buy fractional shares for as little as $1
  • User-friendly platform
  • Invest in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum

Account Types

One of the most significant limitations of Public is in regards to account types. The currently only offer individual taxable brokerage accounts. That means there are no joint accounts, custodial accounts, or retirement accounts.

Robinhood also does not offer joint account or custodial accounts. However, they recently added retirement accounts. Robinhood users can open Traditional IRAs and Roth IRAs with no account or trading fees.

When you open an IRA with Robinhood, you can select your own investments or use their Portfolio Builder. Robinhood also offers a 1% match on your IRA contributions.

Winner: Robinhood

But platforms are somewhat limited by not offering joint or custodial accounts, but Robinhood’s recent addition of retirement accounts gives it a clear edge.

Transparency

In early 2021, Robinhood was involved in controversy as it temporarily froze new purchases of a few stocks, including GameStop, experiencing extreme volatility. Robinhood wasn’t the only brokerage to take similar action. However, the move angered many users who weren’t able to sell. As a result, many investors moved their money to other investment platforms.

Robinhood has also received negative publicity for other reasons. They paid $65 million to the SEC to settle charges related to misleading customers about revenue sources. There was also an incident in 2018 when Robinhood announced it would offer checking and savings accounts insured by the SIPC. A few days later, news broke that Robinhood had not contacted the SIPC about these accounts, and the SIPC said they would not be insured.

As you can see, there have been some transparency issues related to Robinhood. On the other hand, Public has not had similar problems. In early 2021, pay for order flow (PFOF) began to get more publicity. Brokerages like Robinhood generate revenue with PFOF by directing orders to different parties for trade execution. It’s a somewhat controversial practice, and Public made changes to stop generating revenue with PFOF. Instead, Public.com instituted an optional tipping functionality so users can leave a tip if they choose when placing a trade.

Winner: Public

Overall, Public seems to be more committed to transparency. As a result, the company’s goals seem more aligned with users, and it’s simply easier to like and trust Public as a user.

Community and Social Features

Possibly the most significant difference between these two investing platforms is the social aspect offered by Public. Robinhood, like most other brokerages, does not include a social platform. However, Public is essentially a cross between an trading platform and a social network.

As a Public user, you can:

  • Connect with other investors, participate in community discussions
  • See what stocks and ETFs others are buying and selling
  • Learn from the community

These social features are perfect for new investors who want to learn from others.

Public also offers what they call “Town Halls,” where a founder or executive of a publicly traded company is available for questions and answers. Users can submit questions through the app and get an answer. This can be highly valuable access, and it’s ideal for learning more about companies you might want to invest in.

Overall, Public has a strong community feel. When you open the app, you’ll see trending discussions you can browse through or participate in. Users have a strong sense of community, and most are willing to help others. It’s an encouraging community where people want to see others succeed.

Winner: Public

Public’s social features are a big advantage for new investors who want to learn more. Experienced traders and advanced investors who enjoy connecting with others may also appreciate this functionality.

For more details, please read our Public review.

Ease of Use

Robinhood and Public were created to make investing more accessible to everyone. Beginners and new investors are essential to both platforms, so they’ve made substantial efforts to keep things simple.

While Robinhood is generally easy to use, I find Public slightly more user-friendly. The app design and user interface are very logical, and there’s no learning curve needed.

Winner: Public

Both of these platforms offer an excellent user experience, but Public has a slight advantage, in my opinion.

Data and Research

Both Robinhood and Public offer access to data, research, and educational resources on specific companies and investments. However, the available data is limited. Since both platforms prioritize ease of use, they do not offer advanced reporting and analysis functionality with free accounts.

Robinhood provides market news, analyst ratings, candlestick charts, and users can create a watchlist.

Public offers reviews of fundamentals, lists of top movers, plus the ability to learn through town halls and other social features.

Public also makes it easy to research stocks by discovering companies according to themes. Themes are essentially lists of companies that fit into a particular category. For instance, if you’re interested in investing in companies with a female CEO or eco-friendly businesses, you can find ideas through the themes lists.

Users who want access to extensive data for research and analysis may interested in Robinhood Gold ($5 per month) or Public Premium ($8 per month).

Winner: Public

Both Robinhood and Public.com offer some data for researching investments, but Public.com comes out slightly ahead thanks to the themes and the ability to see what other users are investing in.

Support and Customer Service

Ideally, you won’t need help from customer service with either of these brokerages. However, there may be a time when you have a question or need assistance. Support is often something that gets overlooked until it becomes a problem.

Public offers support by email (support@public.com) as well as by chat. The live chat functionality is available directly in the app from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern, Monday through Friday. Phone support is not currently available.

Robinhood users can get support 24/7 by phone or chat. Contact options are available through the app or website.

Winner: Robinhood

Robinhood is the clear winner regarding customer service, with 24/7 service available by phone or chat.

Free Stock Bonus

Both Robinhood and Public.com offer an exciting signup bonus for new users. When you create a free Robinhood account through this referral link, you’ll get a free stock worth $2.50 – $225.

When you create a free Public.com account through this referral link, you’ll get a free slice of stock worth up to $300.

Public.com allows you to choose the stock you want to receive, while Robinhood gives you stock at random. Still, there’s no reason not to sign up for both to get two bonuses. And if you like free stock, please see our article with many more ways to get free stock.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Robinhood and Public at the same time?

Yes, you can have accounts with both companies. Many people decide to try both to see which one they like better.

What is everyone using instead of Robinhood?

Public is one of the most popular Robinhood alternatives. Other options include Webull, Moomoo, Interactive Brokers, and M1 Finance. Robinhood users who have been turned off may appreciate Public’s transparency and user-centered approach to trading.

Is Robinhood good for beginners?

Yes, Robinhood is a good option for new investors. It requires no minimum balance, supports fractional shares, and charges no commissions on trades. However, we like Public as a better option for beginners because of their investing themes and the social features that are great for learning.

Is Public just like Robinhood?

Public is similar to Robinhood in that it offers commission-free trades of stocks and ETFs. The primary difference between the two is the social features offered by Public. Also, Public offers far more crypto tokens, plus alternative investments, and treasuries.

Does Robinhood charge monthly fees?

There are no monthly fees (and no stock trading fees) for a basic Robinhood account. They offer Robinhood Gold, a premium account with additional features, for a small monthly fee ($5).

How trusted is Robinhood?

Robinhood uses bank-level security and is just as safe as its competitors.

Is Robinhood only for US citizens?

You must be a US citizen or resident or have a valid visa with a US address to open a Robinhood account.

Final Thoughts

Both Robinhood and Public are excellent options for investors, particularly new investors. If you’re interested in trading options, we recommend Robinhood. (Please note, options trading is risky and should only be attempted by experienced traders.) Otherwise, Public is our top choice. The social features, better transparency, and more types of investments contribute to our recommendation of Public over Robinhood for those who want to trade in the stock market or digital currencies.

*Public.com offer valid for U.S. residents 18+ and subject to account approval. This is not a recommendation. You can lose money with any investment. Open To The Public Investing is a member of FINRA & SIPC. Regulatory and firm fees apply. New customers receive free stock with value $3-300; 0.3% receive the max value. Cryptocurrency trading provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849). Apex Crypto is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. See Public.com/disclosures/


Investment Platforms

 
 
 
  • Commission-free trades of stocks and ETFs
  • Buy and sell 25+ different cryptocurrencies
  • Fractional shares
  • Access alternative investments
  • High-yield treasuries accounts
  • Social community of investors
  • User-friendly interface
  • Commission-free trades of stocks, ETFs, options, and ADRs
  • Powerful screening and charting tools
  • Free real-time level 2 data
  • User-friendly mobile app
  • AI monitoring
  • AI-powered price forecasts
  • Free investing courses
  • Commission-free trades of stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrency
  • Buy fractional shares for any amount
  • Extended trading hours
  • Advanced reporting tools
  • Schedule recurring investments
  • IRAs now available
  • 24/7 customer service
  • Commission-free trades of stocks and ETFs
  • Buy and sell 25+ different cryptocurrencies
  • Fractional shares
  • Access alternative investments
  • High-yield treasuries accounts
  • Social community of investors
  • User-friendly interface
  • Commission-free trades of stocks, ETFs, options, and ADRs
  • Powerful screening and charting tools
  • Free real-time level 2 data
  • User-friendly mobile app
  • AI monitoring
  • AI-powered price forecasts
  • Free investing courses
  • Commission-free trades of stocks, ETFs, options, and cryptocurrency
  • Buy fractional shares for any amount
  • Extended trading hours
  • Advanced reporting tools
  • Schedule recurring investments
  • IRAs now available
  • 24/7 customer service

Disclosure: Information presented on Vital Dollar and through related email marketing is intended for informational purposes only and is not meant to be taken as financial advice. Please see our Disclosure for further information.