Tweed
Calculators →

Public review: Is it worth it in 2026?

Nicolas StrautBy Nicolas StrautPublished 5 min read

Affiliate disclosure: Tweed is an independent publisher. We may receive compensation from our partners for links on this page. Read our editorial guidelines to learn how we keep our research objective.

Key takeaways

  • Public holds a 4.7 out of 5 rating across roughly 85,000 App Store reviews, a stronger app-store reputation than most discount brokers see.
  • Public charges $0 commission on stocks, ETFs, options and crypto trades, and its Bond Account layers in direct Treasury and corporate-bond access most competitors don't surface as cleanly.
  • Public's edge is bonds, Treasuries and fractional shares in one account, but a trader chasing the largest brand and an IRA match gets that at Robinhood instead; read our full Robinhood review.
In this article

Public built its name on commission-free trading and social features, then expanded into bonds, Treasuries and a high-yield cash account. This review examines Public's current fee schedule, whether its cash and securities are actually protected, and what its bond access buys you that a typical discount broker doesn't. You'll learn how Public makes money without charging you a commission and whether that model changes what you should expect from it.

Who is Public for?

Three groups get real value out of Public: investors who want bond access alongside stocks, beginners who want fractional shares across asset classes, and savers weighing Public's cash account against a bank.

Investors who want bond and Treasury access alongside stocks

Few commission-free apps surface individual bonds and Treasuries as directly as Public does. It's the one feature in our best brokerage accounts roundup that Public alone owns.

Beginners who want fractional shares across asset classes

Fractional investing extends to bonds as well as stocks on Public, which is unusual even among the picks in that same roundup.

Savers weighing Public's cash account against a bank

Public's high-yield cash account is not a full checking product, so don't expect physical branches or check printing from it.

Public pros and cons

Scroll horizontally to see more columns.
FeatureProsCons
Trading costs$0 commission on stocks, ETFs, options and cryptoOptions trades aren't covered by the no-PFOF claim; Public runs a separate PFOF-funded rebate program for those instead
Bonds and TreasuriesDirect access most competitors don't surface as cleanlyBond Account carries a $3.99/month fee unless you have Public Premium
Cash accountUp to $5 million in aggregate FDIC coverage across partner banksAPY floats with short-term rates and isn't locked in
Fractional sharesAvailable across stocks and bondsSmaller overall brand and platform footprint than Schwab or Robinhood
Premium tier$10/month, or free above a $50,000 balance; adds extended-hours trading and waives the Bond Account feeAdds a subscription cost most competitors on this list don't require

Is Public safe and legitimate?

Regulatory oversight and SIPC protection

Public's broker-dealer entity is Open to the Public Investing, Inc., an SEC- and FINRA-registered broker-dealer and SIPC member.3SIPC covers securities up to $500,000, including $250,000 for cash claims, the standard SIPC limit rather than something Public added itself.1

Cash account FDIC insurance

Public's cash sweeps across a network of partner banks, each covered up to $250,000, for up to $5 million in aggregate FDIC coverage.4

Crypto sits outside SIPC and FDIC

Public's crypto assets are held by third-party custodian Zero Hash LLC, not by Public itself. Neither crypto nor any prediction-market product carries SIPC or FDIC protection, the same distinction our Robinhood review draws for its own crypto offering.

Public detailed review

How Public makes money without charging commissions

Public doesn't accept payment for order flow on standard equity trades placed in its app or website, a real structural difference from most commission-free brokers.2That claim doesn't extend to options, where Public instead runs an Options Order Flow Rebate program funded by the same kind of payment-for-order-flow revenue, shared back with traders. The rest of Public's revenue comes from Premium subscriptions and margin lending.

What you can actually trade on Public

Stocks, ETFs, options, crypto, bonds and Treasuries, plus a high-yield cash account.

Public's bond and Treasury account

You can buy corporate bonds, municipal bonds and US Treasuries directly, with low minimums that make fixed-income investing accessible to a smaller portfolio than a typical bond desk allows. The account carries a $3.99/month fee unless Public Premium waives it.

Is Public Premium worth it?

Public Premium costs $10/month, or is free above a $50,000 account balance. It adds extended-hours trading from 4am to 8pm ET with unlimited fee-free trades, analyst-sentiment insights, custom price alerts, automated fee-free Investment Plans, and waives the $3.99/month Bond Account fee.

For an active bond investor under $50,000, the math favors paying for it or working toward the balance threshold. For someone who never trades outside regular hours or touches individual bonds, it's an easy pass.

Model how a bond-and-Treasury ladder fits into a longer-term income plan with the Tweed Annuity Calculator.

The verdict: Is Public worth using in 2026?

Public holds a strong 4.7 out of 5 rating from roughly 85,000 App Store ratings5, and a solid 4.3 out of 5 from over 51,000 Google Play reviews.6Its Trustpilot score sits lower at 1.5 out of 5, but that figure comes from just 26 total reviews7, too small a sample to weigh evenly against the app-store numbers.

Tens of thousands of app-store raters describe a reliable daily-use experience, while a handful of Trustpilot reviewers skew that aggregate hard negative. Treat the Trustpilot number as noisy, not disqualifying.

Public is worth using if you want bond access in the same account as stocks and value a clean interface. Skip it if you want the largest brand, an IRA match, or the deepest research tools; Robinhood or Schwab serve those better, and a fully automated, hands-off pick fits better at SoFi Invest.

Public vs the alternatives

Scroll horizontally to see more columns.
FeaturePublicCharles SchwabInteractive Brokers
Commission (stocks/ETFs)$0$0$0
Bond/Treasury accessDirect, consumer-friendlyAvailable via Schwab's bond desk, less consumer-facingAvailable for active and professional traders, steeper learning curve
Research and analysis toolsModerate, retail-focusedDeep, industry-leading, 24/7 supportProfessional-grade, overwhelms a first-time investor
Fractional sharesStocks and bondsStocks only (Schwab Stock Slices)Stocks
Premium/subscription tier$10/month, free above $50,000NoneNone

Public vs Charles Schwab

Schwab wins on research depth and its broader bond desk for anyone managing a bigger, more active portfolio. Public wins on simplicity and fractional access to the same asset classes for a smaller account.Full review: Charles Schwab review.

Public vs Interactive Brokers

Interactive Brokers wins for an active or global trader who wants professional-grade tools and tiered margin rates. Public wins for a beginner-to-intermediate investor who wants bond and Treasury access without the learning curve.Full review: Interactive Brokers review.

Model your own numbers before you open an account

Project how a lower-cost brokerage account compounds over 10, 20 and 30 years using the Tweed Retirement Calculator.

Frequently asked questions about Public

Is Public.com safe and SIPC insured?

Public's broker-dealer entity is Open to the Public Investing, Inc., an SEC- and FINRA-registered broker-dealer and SIPC member, and SIPC covers securities up to $500,000, including $250,000 for cash claims, if the brokerage itself fails. That protection doesn't extend to market losses or to crypto held on the platform.

Does Public.com charge commission fees?

No, Public does not charge commission on stock, ETF, options or crypto trades. Its optional $10/month Premium tier, free above a $50,000 balance, adds extended-hours trading and other perks, but it doesn't change the base commission-free structure.

How does Public make money if trades are free?

Public makes money through Premium subscription revenue, margin lending, and payment for order flow specifically on options trades. Its no-PFOF policy covers only standard equity trades placed in the app.

What is the interest rate on Public's cash account?

Public's cash account rate floats with short-term interest rates and changes without notice, so check the current rate directly on Public's site rather than relying on a fixed figure. It's not a full checking product and sits separate from the brokerage account.

Can you trade options and crypto on Public?

Yes, Public supports options and crypto trading alongside stocks, ETFs, bonds and Treasuries. Crypto assets are held by third-party custodian Zero Hash, not Public itself, and neither crypto nor any prediction-market product carries SIPC or FDIC protection.

Nicolas Straut

Nicolas Straut

Personal finance writer, former Forbes contributor and This Week in Fintech writer

Tweed provides educational estimates, not financial advice. Confirm your specific situation with a qualified financial professional.

Sources

  1. https://www.sipc.org/for-investors/what-sipc-protects
  2. https://help.public.com/en/articles/6097323-public-premium
  3. https://brokercheck.finra.org
  4. https://help.public.com/en/articles/8708005-how-can-public-offer-5m-fdic-insurance
  5. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/public-invest-trade/id1204112719
  6. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.public.app
  7. https://www.trustpilot.com/review/public.com