Public is an investing application for stocks and ETFs in taxable accounts that focuses on the social side. From the feed you can view what others on the platform are investing in, or share your own investment decisions. This focus on discovery through popularity and others on the platform offers another avenue to research beyond the facts of a company.
Minafi Rating
8 /10
Usability Rating
9 /10
Cost Rating
3 /10
Trust Rating
9 /10
Company Age Score
5 /5
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Public Alternatives
All comparisons:
Just The Facts
Here’s everything you want to know about Public.
Who Manages Your Money?
Public is categorized as a Self-Guided Account.
What Features Does Public Offer?
Public allows you to invest using at least 1 different account type, over at least 2 platforms.
Accounts Offered
How to Accesses
Key Features
How Much Does Public Cost?
Public charges no advisor fees, and offers no custom funds. A portfolio with an expense ratio of 0.25% is used for fees.
Current Promotions
Fees & Expenses View all fees
- Public charges no fees for any services.
How Do I Sign Up?
Open an AccountPros
- Follow other investors and see what they’re investing in – including experts.
- Get feedback on your trades by making your trade history public.
- Community members offer recommendations and advice through the main feed.
Cons
- Only available through the native app for iOS and Android. There is no website to access your investments from.
- Limited Accounts - Public only offers brokerage (taxable) accounts. Minafi recommends people start investing using a 401(k), IRA or Traditional IRA first before moving on to taxable accounts.
- Encouraging sharing for additional free stock grants. Those who you share with might not have enough investment platform background to understand the tax consequences of trading in a brokerage account.
- Social features and news may be informative but may cause you to make more trades than you might otherwise.
Public Screenshots
We have 17 screenshots of Public.
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Public iOS - Home
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Public iOS - Home 2
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Public iOS - Search
Public Alternatives
Here's a look at how Public compares with it's closest competitors.
| Rating Type | Rating |
|---|---|
| Minafi Rating | 8 /10 |
| Usability Score | 9 /10 |
| Cost Rating | 3 /10 |
| Trust Rating | 9 /10 |
| Company Age Score | 5 /5 |
| JD Power Score | - |
| Overview Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 |
| Min Investment | $0.00 |
| Classification | |
| Accounts Offered | |
| How to Access | |
| Allows Investors from |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Automatic Investing | |
| Automatic Rebalancing | |
| Automatic Tax-Loss Harvesting | |
| Checking Account | |
| Fractional ETF Shares | |
| Free Trades | |
| Good for Beginners | |
| Good for Day Trading | |
| Good for Retirement | |
| Sign Up Bonus |
| Fee Type | Included |
|---|---|
| Management Fee | - |
| Monthly Fee | - |
| Options Fee | - |
| Trade Fee | - |
| Rating Type | Rating |
|---|---|
| Minafi Rating | 10 /10 |
| Usability Score | 5 /10 |
| Cost Rating | 9 /10 |
| Trust Rating | 10 /10 |
| Company Age Score | 5 /5 |
| JD Power Score | 10 /10 |
| Overview Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1975 |
| Min Investment | $1,000.00 |
| Classification | |
| Accounts Offered | |
| How to Access | |
| Allows Investors from |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Automatic Investing | |
| Automatic Rebalancing | |
| Automatic Tax-Loss Harvesting | |
| Checking Account | |
| Fractional ETF Shares | |
| Free Trades | |
| Good for Beginners | |
| Good for Day Trading | |
| Good for Retirement | |
| Sign Up Bonus |
| Fee Type | Included |
|---|---|
| Management Fee | - |
| Monthly Fee | - |
| Options Fee | - |
| Trade Fee | - |
| Rating Type | Rating |
|---|---|
| Minafi Rating | 10 /10 |
| Usability Score | 8 /10 |
| Cost Rating | 10 /10 |
| Trust Rating | 8 /10 |
| Company Age Score | 5 /5 |
| JD Power Score | - |
| Overview Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 |
| Min Investment | $100.00 |
| Classification | |
| Accounts Offered | |
| How to Access | |
| Allows Investors from |
| Feature | Included |
|---|---|
| Automatic Investing | |
| Automatic Rebalancing | |
| Automatic Tax-Loss Harvesting | |
| Checking Account | |
| Fractional ETF Shares | |
| Free Trades | |
| Good for Beginners | |
| Good for Day Trading | |
| Good for Retirement | |
| Sign Up Bonus |
| Fee Type | Included |
|---|---|
| Management Fee | - |
| Monthly Fee | - |
| Options Fee | - |
| Trade Fee | - |
| Feature by | Public | Vanguard | M1 Finance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | Open An Account | Open An Account | Open An Account |
| Minafi Rating (out of 10) | 8 /10 | 10 /10 | 10 /10 |
| Usability Score (out of 10) | 9 /10 | 5 /10 | 8 /10 |
| Cost Rating (out of 10) | 3 /10 | 9 /10 | 10 /10 |
| Trust Rating (out of 10) | 9 /10 | 10 /10 | 8 /10 |
| Company Age Score (out of 5) | 5 /5 | 5 /5 | 5 /5 |
| JD Power Score (out of 1,000) | - | 10 /10 | - |
| Overview | |||
| Year Founded | 2015 | 1975 | 2015 |
| Min Investment | $0.00 | $1,000.00 | $100.00 |
| Classification | |||
| Accounts Offered | |||
| How to Access | |||
| Allows Investors from | |||
| Features | |||
| Automatic Investing | |||
| Automatic Rebalancing | |||
| Automatic Tax-Loss Harvesting | |||
| Checking Account | |||
| Fractional ETF Shares | |||
| Free Trades | |||
| Good for Beginners | |||
| Good for Day Trading | |||
| Good for Retirement | |||
| Sign Up Bonus | |||
| Fees & Expenses | |||
| Management Fee | - | - | - |
| Monthly Fee | - | - | - |
| Options Fee | - | - | - |
| Trade Fee | - | - | - |
| Fee Table (100% = lowest fees) |
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| View Full Comparison | Full Comparison | Full Comparison | |
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