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Public is an investing platform that provides stock market information and advice to help you become a better investor. On the app, you can access stock market analyses from other investors and analysts, discover new stocks to invest in, and learn more about stocks and the stock market. Users can also start investing with any amount of money with the platform’s real-time fractional investing tech.
Pros
Fractional investing – buy stocks from just $1. You don’t have to buy an entire share but can just buy a fraction of a share based on your capital.No transaction fees – the app does not charge any commission or membership fees and you pay $0 in fees when you buy and sell stocks on the app.Learn more about investing – Public offers over 100 free articles to teach new investors about aspects of the stock market, such as IPOs and crypto.Low commission for crypto trades – crypto trades are processed by Apex Crypto, which charges a commission rate of between 1% to 2% for every trade.
Cons
Long waiting time for withdrawals – if you want to withdraw your cash from the platform, you will need to wait up to 5 days for the payment to clear.Only available on mobile – there is only 1 way to trade stocks on Public – via the mobile app. Hence, you cannot view your investments from a desktop.
Jump to: Full Review
Compare to Other Investment Apps
Fundrise
Invest in real estate properties with a $10 minimum initial investment
Historical annual return varies from 8.8% to 12.4% (2019 – 9.47%)
Low annual fees: advisory – 0.15%; management fee – 0.85%
Public App
Manage your portfolio of stocks, ETFs, and crypto investments – all in one place
Over 5000 stocks and ETFs to choose from (dividend stocks available)
Follow other investors, see their portfolios, and exchange ideas
Acorns
Invest your spare change in a diversified portfolio built by experts
Expect up to 7.5% annually returns with plans starting from $3 a month
Earn bonus investments from 350+ Acorns Earn partners
How Does Public Work?
Commission-free trading that allows you to buy and sell shares with no extra fees
An easy-to-use dashboard that can help you organize your investments.
Educational resources to help you make better financial decisions.
Fast and friendly customer support.
Fractional investing allows you to diversify your portfolio by investing in different assets.
How Much Can You Earn With Public?
Who is Public Best for?
Public Fees: How Much Does it Cost to Invest With Public?
Regulatory FeeFee AmountSEC Regulatory Fee$5.10 per $1,000,000 of principal (sells only)Trading Activity Fee (TAF)$0.000119 per share (equity sells), no greater than $5.95Instant WithdrawalsUp to 2% of the amount withdrawn, subject to a minimum of 50 cents and a cap of $50Domestic Wire Transfer out of Public (ACH withdrawals are free)$25
You can visit the Public website to browse the full list of additional fees you might incur. The platform is very transparent, so you do not need to worry about hidden fees.
Public Features: What Does Public App Offer?
Social features
User-friendly categorization
High-interest cash accounts
Built-in chat support
Cryptocurrency investing
Social Features
User-Friendly Categorization
New Kids on the Block (recently IPO-ed companies)
The Future is Female (S&P companies with female CEOs)
Cannabis
BioTech
Self-Driving Cars
And many more
High-Interest Cash Accounts
However, note that this 2.5% interest rate only applies to the first $10,000 in your account.
Built-in Chat Support
Cryptocurrency Investing
Bitcoin
Ether
Cardano
Shiba Inu
Dogecoin
And many more
Public Requirements
Be 18 years of age or older
Have a valid Social Security number
Have a legal U.S. residential address
Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. resident, or have a valid visa
Public App Payout Terms and Options?
Select your Profile Icon in the top left corner
Scroll down and select the Account Settings Icon
Scroll down to Banking and select Withdraw Funds
If you have received free bonus stocks from promotions, the cash value of those stocks can only be withdrawn after 90 days.
Public Risks: is Public Safe to Invest With?
How Does Public Protect Your Money?
Public uses AES 128-bit encryption and TLS 1.2 to secure data in transit. This ensures that your funds is well-protected, so you do not need to worry about your funds or data getting stolen. The platform uses similar protection methods as other brokerage platforms.
Public Reviews: is Public Legit?
However, there have been some complaints from users who stated that the company’s customer support can sometimes be a bit slow. Users also reported problems they encountered when attempting to manage their cryptocurrency investments.
What Are the Public Pros & Cons?
Public Pros
It is free to join and use the platform, and there are no commission or transaction fees
You can interact with other investors to improve your investing skills using the platform’s social features
You can earn a high annual interest rate of 2.5% on any uninvested cash.
If you do not want to invest in expensive stocks, you can opt to purchase a fraction of it from just $5
Public Cons
Public only allows you to invest in different assets via the mobile app
The platform may not be suitable for beginner investors since you will need to have investing knowledge to choose the right stocks
How Good is Public Support and Knowledge Base?
Public Review Verdict: is Public Worth It?
How to Sign Up With Public?
Step 1: Download the Public Mobile App
Step 2: Apply for an Account
Once you submit your application, you will usually receive approval for your account within less than one week. If you do not receive approval for your account within a week, you can contact the company via email to check on the status of your application.
Step 3: Fund Your Account
Once your account has been approved, you can fund it by connecting your bank account and transferring funds directly.
You will also be able to browse the different public markets available on the app and issue buy and sell orders.
Sites Like Public
ComparisonPublicAcornsFundriseStashService FeesNo feesFrom $3 per month1%$1 to $9 per monthMin. Investment$1$5$10$5Best ForStocks and ETFsSpare changeReal estateFractional investing
Public vs. Fundrise
Fundrise Summary
Low minimum starting investment of $10High historical returns of 8.8% to 12.4%0.15% advisory 0.85% management feesDiverse portfolios of up to 16 investments
Fundrise also pays dividends to investors using the profits from its rental incomes, making the platform ideal for creating a source of passive income.
Public vs. Acorns
Acorns Summary
Low account fees from just $3 per monthGet $5 in your account for referralsLow minimum starting investment amountHigh average return on investments of 7.5%
Unlike Public, Acorns also charges a monthly fee starting from $3.
Public vs. Stash
Stash Summary
Start investing with any dollar amountBuy fractional shares from just $0.05Low monthly fee starting at $3Insurance coverage of up to $10,0001
Stash is one of the most popular alternative brokerage platforms to Public. Both platforms allow users to invest in fractional shares so they can diversify their portfolios. Both platforms also offer users a wide range of different stocks and ETFs that they can choose from.
However, unlike Public, Stash is not free to use. The platform charges a monthly fee of between $1 to $9. Stash also does not allow you to automatically reinvest any dividends you earn. Nonetheless, Stash still offers a variety of useful and unique features that you can use to improve your investing and earn greater returns.
Other Sites Like Public
Public FAQs
What is Public?
Unlike some financial management platforms, Public also allows you to trade NFTs and art.
Does Public have a web platform?
No, you can only access your Public account and portfolio from the mobile app.
You can use Public App’s limit or stop orders to automatically set up your buy and sell price points. Thus, you can automate your trades directly from your phone.
Can you trade mutual funds on Public?
At present, you cannot trade mutual funds and bonds with Public. To trade those assets, you will need to try another brokerage platform.
Do I need a phone number to download Public?
Yes, Public uses your phone number to help you create an account and for two-factor authentication.
How does Public make money?
Why does Public need my social security number?
The platform uses your social security number to verify your account details and approve your account for trading. This requirement is imposed by the SEC and will apply regardless of which brokerage platform you use.