Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Public.com vs eToro, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Here’s the quick takeaway: Public.com offers a broader mix for most investors than eToro thanks to margin trading, OTC stocks, and both Traditional and Roth IRAs, while eToro stands out if you want a bigger crypto lineup. Both let you trade stocks, options, and fractional shares, and both support crypto, but only eToro lists more coins (104 vs 40). Neither platform offers mutual funds, forex, futures, or advisor services.
Public.com vs eToro—investment options: Stock trading is available on both. Public.com includes margin trading and OTC stocks; eToro does not. Fractional shares and options trading are available on both. For crypto, Public.com supports 40 coins, while eToro supports 104. Neither broker offers mutual funds, forex, or futures, and neither provides advisor services. Account types differ too: Public.com offers Traditional and Roth IRA accounts; eToro does not offer IRAs.
Independent scores back this up. For Range of Investments, StockBrokers.com rates Public.com 3.5 out of 5 stars (ranked 12th of 14 brokers) and eToro 2.5 out of 5 stars (ranked 14th of 14).
| Feature |
Public.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | No |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | No |
| Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 40 | 104 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
Bottom line: In a head-to-head look at trading platforms and tools, eToro offers more capability than Public.com, but both are limited. Neither broker provides a downloadable desktop platform for Windows or Mac, and both are web-only. eToro earns 1.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 11th out of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Public.com earns 1 star and ranks 14th. If you want stronger charting and a practice account, eToro is the better pick; if you only need a simple web experience, either will cover the basics.
Platform access and core features: Public.com and eToro each offer a browser-based trading platform, with no trading journal and no ability to adjust open orders directly on charts. eToro stands out by offering paper trading (a demo account) so you can practice before risking cash. Watchlists are more flexible on eToro (seven data columns) than on Public.com (three).
Charting and analysis: Public.com’s charts are bare-bones, with zero technical indicators, zero drawing tools, no notes on charts, and no option to save multiple chart layouts. eToro supplies 46 indicators, 48 drawing tools, the ability to add notes, and the option to save multiple chart profiles, plus five fields to customize a simple moving average (SMA). Both brokers lack historical trade markers, corporate events on charts, custom date ranges, automatic chart pattern detection, and the ability to create custom studies.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | No | Yes |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 3 | 7 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 46 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 48 |
| Advanced Trading |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
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Public.com and eToro both offer beginner-friendly education on stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Neither covers mutual funds education. You’ll find educational videos on both platforms, but only Public.com adds live webinars for real-time learning. eToro stands out with paper trading (a practice account) to test strategies without risking money, while Public.com does not. Neither platform includes quizzes or tools to track your learning progress.
In head-to-head scores, Public.com earns 3.5/5 for education versus eToro’s 3/5. According to StockBrokers.com, Public.com ranks #8 out of 14 brokers for education, while eToro ranks #9. Choose Public.com if live webinars matter to you; pick eToro if you want hands-on practice through paper trading.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Webinars | Yes | No |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
For most stock traders, eToro’s mobile app will feel more feature-packed for analysis and alerts, while Public.com keeps things simpler with a few handy touches. Both offer iPhone and Android apps and support mobile options trading, but neither supports Apple Watch. In third-party testing by StockBrokers.com, Public.com earned 3 stars and ranked #13 of 14, while eToro scored 4 stars and ranked #11, signaling a slight advantage for eToro overall.
eToro stands out for streaming quotes, videos on demand, stock alerts, and the ability to create custom watch lists. Public.com lacks those, but it does let you customize watch list columns, which eToro does not. Public.com supports mobile after-hours stock trading; the provided data did not specify whether eToro offers mobile after-hours trading. Neither app includes streaming live TV.
Charting is where eToro pulls ahead: it offers after-hours charting and 103 technical studies, compared with no after-hours charting and 0 studies on Public.com. Both apps support multiple time frames and let you compare stocks on charts, and neither supports landscape charting. If you value richer chart tools and alerts, eToro is the better pick; if you want a straightforward experience with configurable watch list columns and mobile after-hours trading, Public.com may suit your needs.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | No | No |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes |
| Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 103 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026
Overall, Public.com and eToro both offer $0 stock trades and $0 per options contract, but Public.com stands out for its lower minimum deposit ($20 vs. $50) and access to margin borrowing, while eToro does not offer margin. Public.com is also transparent on IRA charges, with a $0 annual fee but a $150 IRA closure fee; eToro’s IRA fees aren’t specified. If you want a lower entry point and the option to use margin, Public.com is the better fit; if you don’t need margin and care about cheaper outgoing transfers, eToro’s ACAT fees are lower.
Core trading costs are similar: both brokers charge $0 for standard stock trades and $0 per options contract, with $0 fees for options exercise and assignment. Minimum deposits differ—Public.com requires $20, while eToro requires $50. For margin, Public.com lists rates of 5.65% for balances under $50,000 and 5.50% for $50,000–$99,999; eToro does not offer margin borrowing.
Account and transfer fees show more contrast. Public.com has a $0 IRA annual fee but charges $150 to close an IRA; eToro’s IRA fees are not listed. For account transfers, eToro’s ACAT fees are lower at $75 for partial or full transfers, compared with Public.com’s $100 for partial or full transfers. Both platforms keep options exercise and assignment at $0.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20.00 | $50.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $150.00 |
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When evaluating the day trading capabilities of Public.com and eToro, both platforms offer simplicity, but they differ in a few key features. eToro has a slight edge with its streaming time and sales feature for stocks, which Public.com lacks. This feature can be valuable for traders looking for real-time data on stock transactions, helping them make informed decisions quickly. Despite this, neither platform provides tools such as live TV streaming, direct market routing, or ladder trading, which might be important for those seeking comprehensive day trading functionalities.
Other significant trading features such as trading hotkeys for keyboard trade entry, level 2 quotes, and strategy backtesting are absent in both Public.com and eToro. Additionally, neither platform offers a short locator tool for checking the availability of shares to short, nor do they provide order liquidity rebates. While both platforms can serve casual traders well, those looking for advanced day trading features may need to consider other options.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | Yes |
| Streaming TV | No | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
| Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
Bottom line: For market research, Public.com has a slight edge over eToro. Public.com earns 2.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #12 of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while eToro scores 2 stars and ranks #14. Both platforms keep things basic: they cover stocks and ETFs, offer no screeners or downloadable PDF reports, and don’t show portfolio allocation by asset class. Public.com stands out for offering OTC/Pink Sheets research, while eToro’s advantage is access to social sentiment and ESG data.
Coverage is similar across most assets. Public.com and eToro both provide stock and ETF research, but neither supports mutual fund or bond research. Only Public.com includes research for Pink Sheets/OTCBB, which eToro lacks. When it comes to downloadable research, both have zero PDF stock reports and offer no PDF reports for ETFs or mutual funds.
Idea tools and extras are limited on both platforms. Neither broker offers stock, ETF, mutual fund, or bond screeners for trade ideas. Portfolio tracking by asset class is also missing on both. For added signals, eToro includes social media sentiment and ESG research, while Public.com does not.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | No | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | No | No |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | No |
| Screener - Fixed Income | No | No |
| Research |
|
|
Comparing the banking capabilities of the online brokers Public.com and eToro reveals that neither offers traditional banking products like checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, mortgage loans, or certificates of deposit (CDs). This means users looking for comprehensive banking and investment solutions might consider other financial institutions. Both platforms serve primarily as entry points into investing, rather than full-service banks, making them ideal for those focused on trading and investing rather than day-to-day banking needs.
| Feature |
Public.com
|
eToro
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | No | |
| Savings Accounts | No | |
| Debit Cards | No | |
| Credit Cards | No | |
| Mortgage Loans | No | |
| Brokerage CDs | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2026
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Public.com is better than eToro. Public.com finished with an overall score of 56.0%, while eToro finished with a score of 51.4%.
Public.com is a modern investing platform best known for its clean, user-friendly design, thematic investing features, and simple access to stocks, ETFs, and other assets.
Both Public.com and eToro offer crypto trading. eToro currently supports 104 cryptocurrencies, while Public.com offers 40, giving eToro a broader coin selection.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026
Public.com offers Traditional and Roth IRA accounts with a $0 annual fee but charges a $150 closure fee. eToro does not offer Traditional or Roth IRA accounts.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
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| Customer Service | N/A | N/A | |
| Education |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Public.com Review | eToro Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Public.com | eToro | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Trading Fees | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $20.00 | $50.00 | |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $2.99 | N/A | |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | n/a | N/A | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | n/a | $0 |
| Margin Rates | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 5.65% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 5.65% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 5.50% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 5.25% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 5.25% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 5.25% | Not offered | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 5.05% | Not offered |
| Account Fees | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | ||
| IRA Closure Fee | $150.00 | ||
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $100.00 | $75.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $100.00 | $75.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | No | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | No | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 0 | |
| Futures Trading | No | No | |
| Forex Trading | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 40 | 104 | |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | No | |
| Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | No | No | |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes | No | |
| Roth IRAs | Yes | No | |
| Advisor Services | No | No | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
| Order Types | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Limit | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - After Hours | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Type - Trailing Stop | No | Yes | |
| Order Type - OCO | No | No | |
| Order Type - OTO | No | No | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | No | No |
| Beginners | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | No | |
| Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | No | |
| Paper Trading | No | Yes | |
| Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Webinars | Yes | No | |
| Progress Tracking | No | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | No | No | |
| Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
| Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
| Trading - Complex Options | No | No | |
| Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
| Order Ticket SRT Quotes | No | Yes |
| Stock App Features | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Research - Market Movers | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | Yes | |
| Stock Alerts | No | Yes | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Streaming) | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | No | Yes | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
| Stock App Charting | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 103 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | n/a | N/A | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | Yes | |
| Trade Journal | No | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 3 | 7 |
| Stock Chart Features | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 46 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 48 | |
| Charting - Notes | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
| Charting - Corporate Events | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Date Range | No | No | |
| Charting - Custom Time Bars | No | No | |
| Charting - Automated Analysis | No | No | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | No | Yes | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | Yes | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 0 | 5 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | Yes | |
| Streaming TV | No | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No | |
| Ladder Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Hot Keys | No | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
| Short Locator | No | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | No | |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | No | |
| Screener - Stocks | No | No | |
| Screener - ETFs | No | No | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | No | No | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | No | No |
| Stock Research | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Social | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | No | Yes | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | No | Yes |
| ETF Research | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | No | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | No | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | No | |
| ETFs - Risk Analysis | No | No | |
| ETFs - Ratings | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
| Mutual Fund Research | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | No |
| Options Trading | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 4 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No |
| Banking | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | No | ||
| Checking Accounts | No | ||
| Savings Accounts | No | ||
| Credit Cards | No | ||
| Debit Cards | No | ||
| Mortgage Loans | No |
| Customer Service | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | No | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | No | No | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | No | No |
| Overall | Public.com | eToro | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall |
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| Range of Investments |
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| Advanced Trading |
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| Mobile Trading Apps |
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| Research |
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| Education |
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| Ease of Use |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Public.com Review | eToro Review |
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