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Public.com vs eToro 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025
  Fact Checked

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.

Public.com
3/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00 info
  • Stock Trades: $0.00 info
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info
eToro
3/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $50.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00

Range of investments

Public.com comes out ahead overall for investors who want a wider mix of account choices and a slightly better range of investments. Both Public.com and eToro let users trade stocks, fractional shares, options, and crypto, but Public.com also offers margin trading and both Traditional and Roth IRA accounts. eToro, on the other hand, does not support margin trading or IRA accounts. For range of investments, Public.com is rated 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranked #12 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, while eToro is rated 2.5 stars and ranked #14.

When it comes to stock trading, both online brokers give investors access to standard stock trades, and both also support fractional shares trading, which can make it easier to start with smaller amounts of money. Neither Public.com nor eToro offers OTC stocks, mutual funds, forex trading, or futures trading. That means their product lists are more focused on stocks, options, and crypto rather than a full-service menu of every market type.

Crypto investors may also notice a difference in coin selection. Public.com offers 66 cryptocurrencies, while eToro offers 104, giving eToro the larger crypto lineup. Even so, Public.com may appeal more to retirement-focused investors because it supports Traditional and Roth IRA accounts, which eToro does not. Neither broker offers advisor services, so both are better suited for self-directed investors who want to manage their own portfolio.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
eToro logoeToro
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes No
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks No No
Mutual Funds No No
Options Trading Yes Yes
Futures Trading No No
Crypto Trading Yes Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 66 104
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms & Brokers for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026

Trading platforms and tools

Overall, eToro has the edge over Public.com for trading platforms and tools, mainly because it gives traders more charting features, more watch list fields, and paper trading, while Public.com keeps things simpler and easier to use. That said, both brokers offer browser-based platforms and neither provides a downloadable Windows or Mac desktop app, so the biggest difference comes down to how much depth you want in your trading tools.

Public.com offers a web-based trading platform with a basic setup that includes 3 watch list columns and 15 technical indicators for charting. It does not offer paper trading, a trading journal, drawing tools, chart notes, or the ability to save multiple chart profiles. Public.com also does not let users adjust open orders directly on a stock chart, and it provides no custom study tools or custom fields for an SMA setting.

eToro also offers a browser-based platform, but its trading tools are more feature-rich. It includes paper trading, 7 watch list fields, 46 technical indicators, and 48 drawing tools, plus chart notes and the option to save multiple chart profiles. Even so, eToro still lacks some advanced chart features like custom date ranges, historical trade markers, and corporate event overlays. Based on StockBrokers.com, Public.com is ranked #14 out of 14 brokers for trading platforms and tools with a 1-star rating, while eToro is ranked #11 with a 1.5-star rating.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
eToro logoeToro
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 15 46
Charting - Drawing Tools 0 48
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Accounts and Online Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps and Simulators for 2026

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Beginners and education

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 logoPublic.com
eToro logoeToro
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 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Trading Platforms and Brokerage Accounts for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

Overall, eToro has the edge for stock trading app features, mainly because it offers streaming quotes, video content on demand, and a much wider set of charting tools than Public.com. That said, both brokers do well on the basics: each has iPhone and Android apps, stock alerts, custom watch lists, options trading, after-hours charting, and stock comparison tools. If you want a simple mobile trading experience with strong core features, either app can work, but eToro is the better pick for investors who want more built-in market data and charting depth.

Public.com and eToro both provide apps for iPhone and Android, but neither offers an Apple Watch app or live TV in the mobile app. Public.com stands out for mobile after-hours stock trading and the ability to customize watch list columns, while eToro does not offer watch list column customization. Public.com also supports mobile options trading, stock alerts, custom watch lists, after-hours charting, and multiple chart time frames, making it a solid choice for everyday investors who want a straightforward app.

The biggest difference comes down to charting and market content. Public.com offers no technical studies in its mobile charting, while eToro includes 103 technical studies, along with streaming quotes and on-demand videos. Public.com is rated 3 stars and ranked #13 out of 14 for stock trading apps by StockBrokers.com, while eToro is rated 4 stars and ranked #11 out of 14. For app users who want more advanced tools, eToro has the stronger feature set.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
eToro logoeToro
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App No No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 0 103
Mobile Trading Apps 3/5 Stars 4/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps of 2026

Fees

For most everyday investors, Public.com comes out ahead on cost because it has no minimum deposit, while eToro requires a $50 starting deposit. Both platforms offer $0 stock trades and $0 options contract fees, so neither charges extra for placing those standard trades. The main differences show up in other account costs: Public.com charges margin interest on eligible balances, with rates starting at 4.90% below $50,000 and dropping to 4.75% for balances from $50,000 to $99,999, while eToro does not offer margin. Overall, Public.com is the better pick if you want a lower entry point, but eToro may appeal more if you want to avoid margin-related charges entirely because the service is not available.

When it comes to retirement accounts, Public.com charges $0 in annual IRA fees, but it does charge a $150 IRA closure fee. eToro’s IRA fee details are not clearly listed in the information provided. If you plan to move your account, eToro is cheaper for both partial and full ACAT transfers at $75 each, compared with Public.com’s $100 fee for either type of transfer.

For options-related account charges, both brokers are tied: Public.com and eToro each charge $0 for options exercise and $0 for options assignment. That makes the two platforms similar for basic options users, but the bigger fee differences are in account setup, margin, IRAs, and transfers.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
eToro logoeToro
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $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

Dive deeper: Best Free Stock Trading Platforms and Commission-Free Apps for 2026

Day Trading

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 logoPublic.com
eToro logoeToro
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 and Apps for 2026

Market Research

For market research, Public.com has a slight edge over eToro overall. Both brokers let you research stocks and ETFs, and neither offers mutual fund research, downloadable PDF research reports, or screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, or bonds. Public.com also stands out for offering research on pink sheets/OTCBB and bonds, plus the ability to view portfolio allocation by asset class. Even so, eToro counters with tools Public.com does not have, including social media sentiment data for stock research and ESG research.

Looking at the details, Public.com covers the basics well for everyday investors who want simple stock and ETF research, along with some extra coverage in areas like OTCBB and bonds. eToro offers the same core stock and ETF research, but its research set is more limited in some important areas because it does not include pink sheets/OTCBB research, bond research, or portfolio allocation by asset class. On the other hand, eToro may appeal to investors who want sentiment-driven insights or ESG information.

In third-party scoring, Public.com is rated 2.5 out of 5 stars for market research and ranks #12 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com. eToro is rated 2 out of 5 stars and ranks #14 out of 14. That makes Public.com the stronger choice for research tools overall, though neither broker is a top pick if deep market research is your main priority.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
eToro logoeToro
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 Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income No No
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars

Banking

When comparing Public.com and eToro for banking features, both platforms offer very limited traditional banking services. Neither Public.com nor eToro provides checking accounts, savings accounts, credit cards, mortgage loans, or CDs. The main difference is that eToro does offer a debit card, while Public.com does not. If you are looking for a broker with basic banking tools, eToro has a slight edge because of its debit card option, but neither platform functions like a full-service bank.

Feature Public.com logoPublic.com
eToro logoeToro
Checking Accounts No No
Savings Accounts No No
Debit Cards No Yes
Credit Cards No No
Mortgage Loans No No
Brokerage CDs No No

Dive deeper: Best Brokers with Checking Accounts for 2026

Winner

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.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with Public.com or eToro?

Public.com and eToro both offer crypto trading, making each platform a viable choice for investors who want access to digital assets. However, eToro provides a wider selection with 104 coins compared with Public.com’s 66, which may appeal to traders looking for more variety.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does Public.com or eToro offer IRAs?

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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Compare

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Overall Rating Public.com eToro
Overall 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 3/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Customer Service N/A N/A
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Public.com Review eToro Review
Broker Screenshots Public.com eToro
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees Public.com eToro
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $50.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $2.990 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 4.90% Not offered
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 4.90% Not offered
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 4.75% Not offered
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 4.50% Not offered
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 4.50% Not offered
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 4.50% Not offered
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 4.25% 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 No 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 66 104
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 Yes 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 Yes Yes
Option Chains Viewable Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) No Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization Yes No
Stock App Charting Public.com eToro
Charting - After-Hours Yes 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 15 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 Yes No
Screener - Stocks No No
Screener - ETFs No No
Screener - Mutual Funds No No
Screener - Fixed Income No No
Portfolio Asset Allocation Yes 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 No
Checking Accounts No No
Savings Accounts No No
Credit Cards No No
Debit Cards No Yes
Mortgage Loans No 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 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1.5/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 3/5 Stars 4/5 Stars
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2/5 Stars
Education 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review Public.com Review eToro Review
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