Interactive Brokers vs Public.com 2026
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.
Bottom line: For the broadest range of investments, Interactive Brokers wins. It supports stocks, options, mutual funds, forex, futures, crypto, OTC stocks, margin, fractional shares, and both Traditional and Roth IRAs. That scope helps it earn 5 stars for Range of Investments and the #1 ranking out of 14 brokers from StockBrokers.com. Public.com covers many essentials—stocks, options, margin, fractional shares, OTC stocks, crypto, and IRAs—but skips mutual funds, forex, and futures. It does lead on crypto choice with 40 coins versus 11 at Interactive Brokers. Neither broker provides advisor services.
Where they match: both Interactive Brokers and Public.com let you trade stocks and options, use margin, buy fractional shares, and access OTC stocks. Each offers crypto trading and supports tax-advantaged retirement saving through Traditional and Roth IRA accounts.
Key differences: Interactive Brokers adds mutual funds, forex, and futures, making it better if you want to branch into more markets from one platform. Public.com lacks those categories but appeals to crypto-minded investors with its larger coin list. On overall range, Public.com holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks #12 out of 14, while Interactive Brokers stands at the top.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
Bottom line: Interactive Brokers clearly outperforms Public.com for trading platforms and tools. Interactive Brokers earns 4.5/5 stars and ranks #2 out of 14 brokers for platforms and tools (StockBrokers.com), while Public.com scores 1/5 stars and ranks #14. If you want deep features, analytics, and control, choose Interactive Brokers. Public.com is better suited to very simple, browser-based investing.
Platform access and core tools favor Interactive Brokers. It offers downloadable desktop platforms for both Windows and Mac plus a browser-based platform; Public.com only offers a browser-based platform. Interactive Brokers also includes paper trading and a built-in trading journal; Public.com offers neither. Watch lists are far more detailed at Interactive Brokers (up to 659 columns/fields versus 3 at Public.com), and you can adjust open orders directly on a stock chart with Interactive Brokers, which Public.com does not support.
Charting and analysis is another clear win for Interactive Brokers. It provides 155 technical indicators, 85 drawing tools, the ability to add chart notes, show historical trades, display corporate events, set custom date ranges, run automated chart pattern recognition, and save multiple chart profiles; even a basic SMA study has six customization fields. Public.com offers none of these charting features (0 indicators, 0 drawing tools, and no customization). Neither broker supports creating custom studies.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
| Paper Trading | Yes | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 659 | 3 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 155 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 85 | 0 |
| Advanced Trading |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
Both Interactive Brokers and Public.com offer beginner-friendly education on stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Interactive Brokers also teaches mutual funds, which Public.com does not. Each provides educational videos and live webinars. The big differences show up in hands-on learning: Interactive Brokers includes paper trading, knowledge quizzes, and tools to track your learning progress. Public.com does not offer paper trading, quizzes, or progress tracking.
If you want structured practice and a clear way to build skills, Interactive Brokers stands out: it earns 4 stars for education and ranks #3 out of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com. Public.com works well for simple, watch-and-learn content; it earns 3.5 stars and ranks #8 of 14. Prefer practice accounts and feedback while you learn? Go with Interactive Brokers. Want straightforward videos and webinars without extras? Public.com can fit the bill.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
Bottom line: Interactive Brokers delivers a feature-packed stock trading app with the highest marks—5 stars and ranked #2 of 14 by StockBrokers.com—while Public.com offers a simpler experience at 3 stars and ranked #13. If you value deep market data, advanced charting, alerts, and extras like Apple Watch support and streaming market media, Interactive Brokers stands out. Public.com can handle core trading needs, but its toolkit is leaner.
Both Interactive Brokers and Public.com have iPhone and Android apps, and both support mobile options trading. Interactive Brokers also supports an Apple Watch app, which Public.com does not. Mobile after-hours stock trading is available with Interactive Brokers; the data provided does not confirm whether Public.com supports mobile after-hours trading. For live data, Interactive Brokers includes streaming quotes, while Public.com does not.
Charting is a key separator. Interactive Brokers offers after-hours charting, landscape mode, multiple time frames, and 97 technical studies; Public.com provides multiple time frames but no after-hours charting and 0 technical studies. Both let you compare stocks on charts. For watchlists, Interactive Brokers supports custom lists and column customization, while Public.com only supports column customization. Media and alerts also favor Interactive Brokers, which includes streaming live TV, videos on demand, and stock alerts; Public.com offers none of these.
| 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 2026
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 |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 2026
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 |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
Overall takeaway: For market research, Interactive Brokers clearly outclasses Public.com. StockBrokers.com rates Interactive Brokers 4.5/5 stars (ranked #5 of 14) versus Public.com’s 2.5/5 stars (#12 of 14). If you want wide coverage, screeners, and downloadable reports to guide decisions, choose Interactive Brokers; if you mainly need quick checks on stocks and ETFs, Public.com can be enough.
Coverage and reports: Both Interactive Brokers and Public.com offer stock and ETF research and even Pink Sheets/OTCBB research. Only Interactive Brokers adds mutual fund research and bond research. It also supplies 17 downloadable PDF research reports for stocks plus PDF reports for ETFs and mutual funds, while Public.com provides no downloadable research reports. Interactive Brokers lets you see your portfolio allocation by asset class; Public.com does not.
Tools and data: Interactive Brokers includes screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds to help find trade ideas. It also offers stock research that factors in social media sentiment and provides ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) research. Public.com lacks these screeners and does not offer sentiment or ESG research. In short, Interactive Brokers fits investors who want comprehensive research and planning tools; Public.com suits those with simple, lightweight research needs.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 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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Comparing the banking capabilities of online brokers Interactive Brokers and Public.com, both lack traditional bank accounts: neither offers checking or savings accounts, and neither provides debit cards or mortgage loans. The key difference is that Interactive Brokers offers a credit card and access to certificates of deposit (CDs), while Public.com does not offer credit cards or CDs. If you need everyday banking like a checking account, savings account, or debit card, you’ll need a separate bank for either platform; but if having a credit card and CDs through your brokerage matters, Interactive Brokers has the edge over Public.com.
| Feature |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | No | No |
| Savings Accounts | No | No |
| Debit Cards | No | No |
| Credit Cards | Yes | No |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Brokerage CDs | Yes | 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 Interactive Brokers is better than Public.com. Interactive Brokers finished with an overall score of 90.6%, while Public.com finished with a score of 56.0%.
Interactive Brokers is a go-to choice for professionals because of its institutional-grade desktop trading platform, high-quality trade executions and low 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 2026
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 2026
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0 of 5| Overall Rating | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
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| Customer Service |
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| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Public.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
| Trading Fees | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Research - Market Movers | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | Yes | No | |
| Videos on Demand | Yes | No | |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No | |
| Option Chains Viewable | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Real-time) | Yes | Yes | |
| Watchlist (Streaming) | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage | Yes | No | |
| Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization | Yes | Yes |
| Stock App Charting | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | IBKR Desktop and 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 | |
| Watchlists - 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
| Banking | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank (Member FDIC) | No | No | |
| Checking Accounts | No | No | |
| Savings Accounts | No | No | |
| Credit Cards | Yes | No | |
| Debit Cards | No | No | |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Customer Service | Interactive Brokers | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Interactive Brokers Review | Public.com Review |