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Charles Schwab vs Public.com 2025

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025

In this head to head comparison of Charles Schwab vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

Charles Schwab
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5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65
Public.com
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $20.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00 info
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info

Range of investments

When comparing Charles Schwab vs Public.com for investment options, the big picture is clear: Schwab delivers a wider lineup for most investors, while Public.com stands out for crypto. Schwab earns 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #2 of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com; Public.com scores 3.5 stars and ranks #13. Choose Schwab if you want the broadest selection and advisory support. Choose Public.com if crypto access is important alongside everyday stock and options trading.

Both brokers offer stock trading, options, OTC stocks, margin, and fractional shares, plus Traditional and Roth IRAs. Key differences appear beyond the basics: Charles Schwab adds mutual funds, forex, and futures, which Public.com does not provide. For crypto, Public.com offers trading in about 40 coins, while Charles Schwab does not support crypto trading.

Charles Schwab is a fit for investors who want one account for mutual funds, forex, futures, stocks, options, fractional shares, and access to advisor services. Public.com suits investors who want an easy way to trade stocks, options, and fractional shares while adding cryptocurrencies, and who don’t need mutual funds, forex, futures, or advisor services.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Public.com logoPublic.com
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Mutual Funds info Yes No
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Futures Trading info Yes No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 40
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market

Trading platforms and tools

When comparing trading platforms and tools, Charles Schwab emerges as the clear leader, offering a comprehensive suite of features and receiving a five-star rating for its trading platforms from StockBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Public.com lags significantly behind with a two-star rating, ranking 14th out of 14 brokers for its offerings. Schwab provides a wide array of advanced tools, including desktop platforms for Windows and Mac, along with an impressive 374 technical indicators for charting. In contrast, Public.com offers a more basic experience, lacking desktop platforms and advanced charting tools and customization options.

Charles Schwab's trading platform is available as a downloadable application for both Windows and Mac users, as well as through a browser-based interface. In terms of charting, traders with Schwab benefit from the ability to use numerous drawing tools, display historical trades, corporate events, and create custom studies. Additionally, Schwab provides paper trading and a trading journal, which are absent in Public.com's offerings. The standout features like the capacity to adjust open orders directly on stock charts and an extensive watch list with 580 columns speak volumes about Schwab's capabilities.

In contrast, Public.com offers a more simplified, browser-based platform that serves basic needs but falls short on more sophisticated trading tools. It lacks many advanced features such as paper trading, a trading journal, and the ability to add notes to charts. The pared-down offering of three watch list columns and no technical indicators or drawing tools limits the customization available for traders. While Public.com caters to those seeking a minimalistic approach, Charles Schwab's extensive features cater to traders looking for comprehensive analytical tools for enhanced trading strategies.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Public.com logoPublic.com
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes No
Paper Trading info Yes No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 580 3
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 24 0
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025

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Beginners and education

Comparing online brokers Charles Schwab and Public.com for beginner investor education, both teach stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds, and both offer educational videos and webinars. Schwab goes further with mutual fund education (Public.com does not), plus paper trading to practice without risking real money, quizzes to test your understanding, and tools to track your learning progress—features Public.com doesn’t include.

For quality and depth, Schwab earns 5 stars for education and ranks #1 out of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Public.com holds 3.5 stars and ranks #11. If you want a structured learning path with practice and progress tracking, Schwab is the stronger choice; if you just need basic lessons through videos and webinars on core topics, Public.com can get you started.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Public.com logoPublic.com
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes No
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Education 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025

Stock trading apps

When it comes to stock trading apps, Charles Schwab and Public.com provide distinct offerings appealing to different types of investors. Charles Schwab excels with comprehensive features and high user ratings, topping rankings as the number one stock trading app by StockBrokers.com. Meanwhile, Public.com carves out a niche with simpler, more straightforward tools, achieving a middle ground with a 3.5-star rating. While Schwab is well-suited for seasoned investors seeking advanced functionalities, Public.com attracts users with a preference for uncomplicated and user-friendly platforms.

Charles Schwab offers extensive app compatibility, available on both iPhone and Android, plus a unique Apple Watch app. It supports features such as mobile after-hours trading, options trading, and streaming quotes. Investors can access streaming live TV, videos on demand, and set up stock alerts, making it easy to stay informed on the go. The app also allows for great customization, offering custom watch lists and the option to view charts in multiple time frames with 373 technical studies available.

In contrast, Public.com's app, while accessible on iPhone and Android, does not extend to the Apple Watch, reducing wearable accessibility. While providing necessary tools like mobile-options trading and customizable watch list columns, it lacks advanced offerings such as streaming quotes, live TV, or stock alerts. The simplicity in charting is notable, with the app lacking technical studies but allowing stock comparisons on charts. Public.com suits those who prefer a simplified, user-friendly interface without the complexity of additional features.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Public.com logoPublic.com
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes No
Stock Alerts info Yes No info
Charting - After-Hours info Yes No
Charting - Technical Studies info 373 0
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025

Fees

Bottom line: In the Charles Schwab vs Public.com fees comparison, Public.com stands out for $0 options contract pricing and much lower margin interest, while Charles Schwab shines with a $0 minimum deposit, no IRA closure fee, and cheaper ACAT transfers. Both charge $0 for stock trades and $0 for options exercise and assignment, so your choice likely comes down to how you trade options, use margin, and whether you plan to transfer or close accounts.

Trading costs: Schwab requires a $0 minimum deposit, while Public.com requires $20. Stock trades are $0 at both brokers. For options, Schwab charges $0.65 per contract, whereas Public.com charges $0 per contract. Both list $0 for options exercise and assignment fees.

Margin and account fees: For margin interest, Schwab is 12.58% below $25,000, 12.08% at $25,000–$49,999, and 11.13% at $50,000–$99,999; Public.com is 5.65% below $25,000, 5.65% at $25,000–$49,999, and 5.50% at $50,000–$99,999. IRA annual fees are $0 at both, but IRA closure is $0 at Schwab vs $150 at Public.com. For transfers, Schwab charges $0 for partial ACATs and $50 for full ACATs, while Public.com charges $100 for both partial and full ACAT transfers.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Public.com logoPublic.com
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $20.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00 info
Options (Per Contract) info $0.65 $0.00 info
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $150.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025

Day Trading

When comparing Charles Schwab and Public.com for day trading, Charles Schwab stands out with a comprehensive suite of features that cater to active traders. Schwab offers streaming time and sales for stocks, streaming live TV, direct market routing, and ladder trading, all crucial tools for serious day traders. Additionally, users can benefit from trading hotkeys for quick keyboard entry and access to level 2 quotes, which provide deeper insights into stock prices. Charles Schwab also supports both basic and advanced strategy backtesting, allowing traders to simulate strategies against historical data for more informed decision-making. The inclusion of a short locator tool offers real-time availability of shares for short-selling, enhancing the platform's appeal for those involved in more complex trading tactics. However, it's noteworthy that neither platform offers order liquidity rebates.

In contrast, Public.com provides a more simplified offering that might appeal to casual investors rather than those needing sophisticated trading tools. The absence of features like streaming time and sales, live TV, direct market routing, ladder trading, and trading hotkeys means that Public.com might not serve the needs of traders seeking immediate and precise trading execution. For those who prioritize access to level 2 quotes or want to test their trading strategies through backtesting, Public.com may not be ideal. Furthermore, without a short locator tool, traders who utilize short-selling strategies may find themselves at a disadvantage. Thus, for day traders requiring a variety of advanced features to maximize their trading efficiency and insights, Charles Schwab emerges as a more equipped choice compared to Public.com.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Public.com logoPublic.com
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes No
Streaming TV info Yes No
Direct Market Routing - Equities info Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info Yes No
Short Locator info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2025 for Beginners and Active Traders

Market Research

When it comes to market research capabilities, Charles Schwab clearly offers a more comprehensive suite of resources compared to Public.com. Ranked #1 by StockBrokers.com out of 14 brokers and rated 5 stars, Charles Schwab offers an extensive range of research options, including stock, ETF, mutual fund, and bond research. In contrast, Public.com, rated 2 stars and ranked #12, provides a more limited set of tools, focusing primarily on stocks and ETFs, with notable exclusions like mutual fund and bond research.

Charles Schwab excels in providing a diverse array of research materials, which includes the ability to download numerous PDF reports for stocks and ETFs, ESG insights, and stock research enhanced by social media sentiment data. Its users can also benefit from portfolio allocation tools by asset class and a variety of screeners for trade ideas. Public.com, however, lacks many of these features, forfeiting downloadable reports, ESG research, social media insights for stocks, and trade idea screeners, which can limit an investor's market research depth and breadth.

While both platforms offer fundamental research capabilities for stocks and ETFs, Charles Schwab goes the extra mile by offering mutual fund research, reports for Pink Sheets/OTCBB, and bond research — areas where Public.com falls short. For those looking to delve deeper into the market with varied research methods and comprehensive data analysis tools, Charles Schwab stands out as the superior choice. Public.com may suit those looking for basic stock and ETF research but lacks the extensive tools and resources provided by Charles Schwab.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Public.com logoPublic.com
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Fixed Income info Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes No
Research 5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing the banking capabilities of online brokers Charles Schwab and Public.com, Schwab provides a much broader range of services. Charles Schwab offers checking and savings accounts, catering to those looking for traditional banking options alongside investing. Additionally, Schwab supplies customers with debit and credit cards, adding more convenience for everyday transactions. Moreover, Schwab includes mortgage loans and certificate of deposits (CDs) in their offerings, giving users an opportunity to diversify their financial strategy. In contrast, Public.com focuses solely on investment services and doesn't offer banking features like checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, mortgage loans, or CDs. Therefore, for users seeking comprehensive banking and investment services from one platform, Charles Schwab presents a more complete solution, while Public.com remains a choice for investment-only purposes.

Feature Charles Schwab logoCharles Schwab
Public.com logoPublic.com
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info Yes No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Credit Cards info Yes No
Mortgage Loans info Yes No
Brokerage CDs info Yes No

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Charles Schwab is better than Public.com. Charles Schwab finished with an overall score of 99.2%, while Public.com finished with a score of 69.6%.

With the addition of TD Ameritrade's thinkorswim platforms and the enhancement of several features, Schwab is now a vigorous competitor with thought-provoking research and commentary and a client experience to fit any preference.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Charles Schwab or Public.com?

Comparing online brokers for crypto, Charles Schwab offers no cryptocurrency trading (0 coins), while Public.com supports crypto trading with 40 coins available.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025

Does Charles Schwab or Public.com offer IRAs?

Both Charles Schwab and Public.com offer Traditional and Roth IRA accounts with a $0 annual fee. Charles Schwab charges $0 to close an IRA, while Public.com charges a $150 IRA closure fee, making Schwab the more cost-effective option.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025

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Compare

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Overall Rating Charles Schwab Public.com
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.5/5 Stars N/A
Education 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review Public.com Review
Broker Screenshots Charles Schwab Public.com
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Charles Schwab Public.com
Minimum Deposit info $0.00 $20.00
Stock Trades info $0.00 $0.00 info
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) info $6.95 $2.99
Mutual Fund Trade Fee info Varies n/a
Options (Per Contract) info $0.65 $0.00 info
Futures (Per Contract) info $2.25 (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee info $25 n/a
Margin Rates Charles Schwab Public.com
Margin Rate Under $25,000 info 12.58% 5.65%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 info 12.08% 5.65%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 info 11.13% 5.50%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 info 11.08% 5.25%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 info 10.83% 5.25%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 info Varies info 5.25%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 info Varies info 5.05%
Account Fees Charles Schwab Public.com
IRA Annual Fee info $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee info $0.00 $150.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) info $0.00 $100.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) info $50.00 $100.00
Options Exercise Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee info $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options Charles Schwab Public.com
Stock Trading info Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading info Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) info Yes Yes
OTC Stocks info Yes Yes
Options Trading info Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs info 4 4
Futures Trading info Yes No
Forex Trading info Yes No
Crypto Trading info No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins info 0 40
Fixed Income (Treasurys) info Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) info Yes Yes
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) info Yes No
Traditional IRAs info Yes Yes
Roth IRAs info Yes Yes
Advisor Services info Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) info 12 0
Order Types Charles Schwab Public.com
Order Type - Market info Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit info Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours info Yes Yes info
Order Type - Stop info Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop info Yes No
Order Type - OCO info Yes No
Order Type - OTO info Yes No
Order Type - Broker Assisted info Yes No
Beginners Charles Schwab Public.com
Education (Stocks) info Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) info Yes Yes
Education (Options) info Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) info Yes No
Education (Fixed Income) info Yes Yes
Education (Retirement) info Yes Yes
Retirement Calculator info Yes No
Investor Dictionary info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes No
Videos info Yes Yes
Webinars info Yes Yes
Progress Tracking info Yes No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes info Yes No
Stock Trading Apps Charles Schwab Public.com
iPhone App info Yes Yes
Android App info Yes Yes
Apple Watch App info Yes No
Trading - Stocks info Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours info Yes Yes
Trading - Simple Options info Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options info Yes No
Order Ticket RT Quotes info Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes info Yes No
Stock App Features Charles Schwab Public.com
Market Movers (Top Gainers) info Yes Yes
Stream Live TV info Yes No
Videos on Demand info Yes No
Stock Alerts info Yes No info
Option Chains Viewable info Yes Yes
Watch List (Real-time) info Yes Yes
Watch List (Streaming) info Yes No
Watch Lists - Create & Manage info Yes No
Watch Lists - Column Customization info Yes Yes
Stock App Charting Charles Schwab Public.com
Charting - After-Hours info Yes No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally info Yes No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames info Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies info 373 0
Charting - Study Customizations info Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons info Yes Yes
Trading Platforms Charles Schwab Public.com
Active Trading Platform info thinkorswim info n/a
Desktop Trading Platform info Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) info Yes No
Web Trading Platform info Yes Yes
Paper Trading info Yes No
Trade Journal info Yes No
Watch Lists - Total Fields info 580 3
Stock Chart Features Charles Schwab Public.com
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart info Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies info 374 0
Charting - Drawing Tools info 24 0
Charting - Notes info Yes No
Charting - Historical Trades info Yes No
Charting - Corporate Events info Yes No
Charting - Custom Date Range info Yes No
Charting - Custom Time Bars info Yes No
Charting - Automated Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Save Profiles info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis info Yes No
Charting - Study Customizations info 35 0
Charting - Custom Studies info Yes No
Day Trading Charles Schwab Public.com
Streaming Time & Sales info Yes No
Streaming TV info Yes No
Direct Market Routing - Equities info Yes No
Ladder Trading info Yes No
Trade Hot Keys info Yes No
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting info Yes No
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv info Yes No
Short Locator info Yes No
Order Liquidity Rebates info No No
Research Overview Charles Schwab Public.com
Research - Stocks info Yes Yes
Research - ETFs info Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB info Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income info Yes No
Screener - Stocks info Yes No
Screener - ETFs info Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds info Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income info Yes No
Portfolio Asset Allocation info Yes No info
Stock Research Charles Schwab Public.com
Stock Research - PDF Reports info 7 0 info
Stock Research - Earnings info Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders info Yes No
Stock Research - Social info Yes No
Stock Research - News info Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG info Yes No
Stock Research - SEC Filings info Yes No
ETF Research Charles Schwab Public.com
ETFs - Investment Objective info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets info Yes Yes
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings info Yes Yes
ETFs - Sector Exposure info Yes No
ETFs - Risk Analysis info Yes No
ETFs - Ratings info Yes No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap info Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports info Yes No
Mutual Fund Research Charles Schwab Public.com
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus info Yes No
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation info Yes No
Mutual Funds - StyleMap info Yes No
Options Trading Charles Schwab Public.com
Option Chains - Total Greeks info 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts info Yes Yes
Banking Charles Schwab Public.com
Bank (Member FDIC) info Yes No
Checking Accounts info Yes No
Savings Accounts info Yes No
Credit Cards info Yes No
Debit Cards info Yes No
Mortgage Loans info Yes No
Customer Service Charles Schwab Public.com
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) info Yes No
Phone Support (Current Customers) info Yes No
Email Support info Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) info No Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) info Yes Yes
24/7 Support info Yes No
Overall Charles Schwab Public.com
Overall 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Range of Investments 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Platforms & Tools 5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Research 5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Education 5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 5/5 Stars 4.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Charles Schwab Review Public.com Review
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