Interactive Brokers vs Public.com 2025
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
In this head to head comparison of Interactive Brokers vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Interactive Brokers vs Public.com: Bottom line, Interactive Brokers offers the wider range of investments. It earns 5 out of 5 stars for Range of Investments and ranks #1 of 14 brokers at StockBrokers.com, while Public.com scores 3.5 stars and ranks #13. Both let you trade stocks, options, and crypto with margin and fractional shares, and both support Traditional and Roth IRAs. Interactive Brokers adds forex, futures, and mutual funds; Public.com stands out with more crypto coins (about 40 vs 11). Neither provides advisor services.
Interactive Brokers supports stock trading, options, margin, fractional shares, OTC stocks, mutual funds, forex, futures, and crypto (11 coins). You can also open Traditional and Roth IRAs. This mix fits investors who want many asset classes in one place, from mutual funds to currency and futures markets.
Public.com offers stock and options trading, margin, fractional shares, OTC stocks, and crypto with a larger lineup of around 40 coins, plus Traditional and Roth IRAs. It does not offer mutual funds, forex, or futures, and like Interactive Brokers it does not offer advisor services. If your focus is stocks and a wide choice of cryptocurrencies, Public.com covers the essentials.
Feature |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 11 | 40 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
When comparing Interactive Brokers and Public.com, Interactive Brokers stands out as the superior choice for traders seeking advanced tools and features. It offers a more versatile trading platform with both desktop and browser-based options, while Public.com only provides access through a browser. Interactive Brokers is particularly praised for its comprehensive charting capabilities, extensive technical indicators, and customization options, making it suitable for seasoned traders and those who value detailed analysis. In contrast, Public.com keeps things straightforward but lacks many of the advanced features found with Interactive Brokers.
Interactive Brokers is renowned for its extensive array of features, including paper trading, a trading journal, and the ability to customize watch lists with 659 fields. It also allows traders to manage open orders and view historical trades directly on its charts. With 155 technical indicators and 85 drawing tools available, users can conduct thorough market analysis. Additionally, features like showing corporate events, setting custom date ranges, and utilizing automated technical analysis further enhance its appeal to serious investors.
Public.com, on the other hand, is tailored for users who prefer a simpler trading experience. However, this simplicity comes at the cost of fewer features. Options such as paper trading, trading journals, and advanced charting tools are absent, limiting its appeal to more casual investors. As a result, Interactive Brokers rates 5 stars for its platforms and tools, while Public.com earns only 2 stars. According to StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers is ranked #2, in stark contrast to Public.com's #14 ranking, further reinforcing the clear advantage Interactive Brokers holds for those in search of a feature-rich trading experience.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
Paper Trading | Yes | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 3 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 0 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 0 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
Interactive Brokers and Public.com both offer beginner and investor education with content on stock education, ETF education, options education, and bonds. Interactive Brokers goes further with mutual fund education, paper trading to practice without risking real money, educational videos, webinars, quizzes, and the ability to track your learning progress. Public.com provides educational videos and webinars and covers stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds, but it does not include mutual fund education, paper trading, quizzes, or progress tracking.
According to StockBrokers.com, Interactive Brokers earns 5 stars for education and ranks 3rd out of 14 brokers, while Public.com earns 3.5 stars and ranks 11th. For a fuller learning path with practice tools and progress tracking, Interactive Brokers is the stronger choice; for straightforward videos and webinars on core topics, Public.com covers the basics.
Feature |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
Paper Trading | Yes | No |
Videos | Yes | Yes |
Webinars | Yes | Yes |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
Bottom line: For mobile stock trading, Interactive Brokers is the more feature-packed choice, earning 5 stars and a #2 out of 14 ranking from StockBrokers.com, while Public.com scores 3.5 stars and ranks #14. Both brokers offer iPhone and Android apps and support mobile options trading, but Interactive Brokers adds far more tools and flexibility that active traders and market watchers will appreciate.
App availability is strong on both platforms, yet Interactive Brokers goes further with an Apple Watch app, which Public.com lacks. Interactive Brokers supports mobile after-hours trading; Public.com’s mobile after-hours support isn’t specified in the data provided. Real-time market access and content differ sharply: Interactive Brokers offers streaming quotes, streaming live TV, and videos on demand, plus stock alerts; Public.com does not offer these features.
Interactive Brokers also shines in customization and charting. It lets you create custom watchlists and customize watchlist columns (Public.com only supports column customization, not custom lists). For charts, Interactive Brokers supports after-hours charting, landscape mode, multiple time frames, stock comparisons on charts, and 97 technical studies. Public.com supports multiple time frames and stock comparisons on charts but lacks after-hours charting, landscape mode, and technical studies (0). For traders who value detailed analysis on mobile, Interactive Brokers clearly leads.
Feature |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No |
Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
Bottom line: Public.com is cheaper for options traders and borrowers, while Interactive Brokers is friendlier for account flexibility. Public.com charges $0 per options contract and offers lower margin rates, but it has a $20 minimum deposit and steep exit costs. Interactive Brokers has a $0 minimum deposit and $0 fees for transfers and IRA closures, though it charges $0.65 per options contract and higher margin rates.
Core trading costs are similar for stock investing: both Interactive Brokers and Public.com have $0 commissions for regular stock trades, and both charge $0 for options exercise and assignment. The biggest trading difference is options pricing—Interactive Brokers is $0.65 per contract, while Public.com is $0. Minimum deposit also differs: Interactive Brokers requires $0; Public.com requires $20.
Margin and account-level fees favor Public.com on borrowing but favor Interactive Brokers on account changes. Margin interest rates: below $25,000, Interactive Brokers 6.83% vs Public.com 5.65%; $25,000–$49,999, 6.83% vs 5.65%; $50,000–$99,999, 6.83% vs 5.50%. IRA annual fees are $0 at both brokers, but IRA closure is $0 at Interactive Brokers vs $150 at Public.com. For account transfers (ACAT), Interactive Brokers charges $0 for partial and full transfers, while Public.com charges $100 for partial and $100 for full transfers.
Feature |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $20.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $150.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to day trading, Interactive Brokers stands out with a comprehensive set of tools and features that cater to active traders. It offers streaming time and sales for stocks, allowing users to monitor transactions in real time. It also provides streaming live TV to keep traders informed with up-to-date financial news. Interactive Brokers supports direct market routing, ladder trading, and trading hotkeys for quick trade entries, enhancing the overall trading experience. Additionally, the platform provides level 2 quotes, which give traders a deeper insight into market movements. For those interested in testing and refining their strategies, Interactive Brokers offers both basic and advanced strategy backtesting. A short locator tool is available to help users identify the availability of shares for shorting. Lastly, the platform provides order liquidity rebates that incentivize effective trading practices.
In contrast, Public.com might appeal to newer investors or those seeking a simpler experience, as it does not offer the advanced day trading features that Interactive Brokers does. The absence of streaming time and sales, live TV, or direct market routing can limit a trader's ability to engage deeply with market dynamics. Public.com also lacks ladder trading and trading hotkeys, which are beneficial for executing trades quickly and efficiently. Without level 2 quotes, detailed strategy backtesting, a short locator tool, or order liquidity rebates, active day traders might find Public.com less suited to their needs when compared to the more feature-rich Interactive Brokers.
Feature |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No |
Streaming TV | Yes | No |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms for 2025
Bottom line: Interactive Brokers is the stronger pick for market research. Both brokers offer stock and ETF research, but Interactive Brokers adds mutual fund and bond research, 17 downloadable PDF stock reports plus PDF reports for ETFs and mutual funds, and screeners across stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. It also shows portfolio allocation by asset class and includes ESG and social media sentiment data. StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 5 stars (ranked #4 of 14) versus Public.com’s 2 stars (ranked #12).
Coverage and content differ notably. Interactive Brokers supports research on stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, OTC/Pink, and bonds. Public.com supports stocks, ETFs, and OTC/Pink, but not mutual funds or bonds. For downloadable research, Interactive Brokers provides 17 stock research PDFs and offers PDFs for ETFs and mutual funds; Public.com offers none. If you want alternative data, Interactive Brokers includes ESG and social sentiment signals, which Public.com does not.
For idea generation and portfolio insights, Interactive Brokers supplies screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, and it lets you see your portfolio allocation by asset class. Public.com does not offer these screeners and does not show allocation by asset class. If you need a complete research toolkit, Interactive Brokers delivers more; if you only need basic stock and ETF research with OTC research, Public.com covers the essentials.
Feature |
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
Research |
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When comparing the banking capabilities of the online brokers Interactive Brokers and Public.com, neither offers traditional checking or savings accounts, nor do they provide debit or credit cards, which means users might need to consider other alternatives for these services. Both platforms also do not offer mortgage loans, keeping their focus away from typical banking products. However, Interactive Brokers differentiates itself slightly by providing Certificates of Deposit (CDs), giving users a modest option to earn interest on their holdings, whereas Public.com does not offer CDs at all. This aspect might appeal to investors seeking a low-risk investment option within their brokerage account. Ultimately, for those primarily looking for integrated banking features alongside their investment activities, other financial institutions might be better suited to meet their needs.
Feature |
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---|---|---|
Checking Accounts | No | No |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | No | No |
Credit Cards | No | No |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
Brokerage CDs | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Brokerage Checking Accounts for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Interactive Brokers is better than Public.com. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall score of 96.9%, while Public.com finished with a score of 69.6%.
Interactive Brokers is a go-to choice for professionals because of its institutional-grade desktop trading platform, high-quality trade executions and rock-bottom margin rates.
Comparing online brokers, both Interactive Brokers and Public.com offer crypto trading, but Public.com provides a wider selection.
Interactive Brokers supports 11 cryptocurrencies, while Public.com supports 40.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Interactive Brokers vs. Public.com: both brokers offer Traditional and Roth IRA accounts with $0 annual IRA fees.
The key difference is closure costs—Interactive Brokers charges $0 to close an IRA, while Public.com charges $150.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service |
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Education |
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Ease of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Public.com Review |
Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $20.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $0.01 | $2.99 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | $14.95 | n/a | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | $0.85 | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | Varies | n/a |
Margin Rates | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 6.83% | 5.65% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.65% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.50% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.25% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.25% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 6.83% | 5.25% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 6.83% | 5.05% |
Account Fees | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | $150.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $0.00 | $100.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $0.00 | $100.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 6 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
Forex Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 11 | 40 | |
Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | Yes | |
Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | Yes | Yes | |
Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | Yes | No | |
Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
Advisor Services | No | No | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 36 | 0 |
Order Types | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Order Type - Market | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Limit | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - After Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Stop | Yes | Yes | |
Order Type - Trailing Stop | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
Beginners | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No | |
Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | Yes | No | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | Yes | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Simple Options | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - Complex Options | Yes | No | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | Yes | No |
Stock App Features | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
Videos on Demand | Yes | No | |
Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
Watch List (Streaming) | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | Yes |
Stock App Charting | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 97 | 0 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | No | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | Yes |
Trading Platforms | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Active Trading Platform | Trader Workstation (TWS) | n/a | |
Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
Paper Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 659 | 3 |
Stock Chart Features | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 0 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 0 | |
Charting - Notes | Yes | No | |
Charting - Historical Trades | Yes | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Date Range | Yes | No | |
Charting - Custom Time Bars | Yes | No | |
Charting - Automated Analysis | Yes | No | |
Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | Yes | No | |
Charting - Study Customizations | 6 | 0 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No | |
Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Equities | Yes | No | |
Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
Trade Hot Keys | Yes | No | |
Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
Short Locator | Yes | No | |
Order Liquidity Rebates | Yes | No |
Research Overview | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | Yes | No | |
Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | No |
Stock Research | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Stock Research - PDF Reports | 17 | 0 | |
Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - Social | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No | |
Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | No |
ETF Research | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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ETFs - Investment Objective | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | Yes | Yes | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | Yes | |
ETFs - Sector Exposure | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Ratings | Yes | No | |
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | Yes | No | |
ETFs - PDF Reports | Yes | No |
Mutual Fund Research | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | Yes | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | Yes | No |
Options Trading | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
Banking | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
Checking Accounts | No | No | |
Savings Accounts | No | No | |
Credit Cards | No | No | |
Debit Cards | No | No | |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
Customer Service | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | No | Yes | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
24/7 Support | Yes | No |
Overall | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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Platforms & Tools |
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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 | Interactive Brokers Review | Public.com Review |