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J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing vs Public.com 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.65
Public.com
3/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00 info
  • Stock Trades: $0.00 info
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info

Range of investments

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Public.com both give investors access to the basics, including stock trading, margin trading, fractional shares, options, traditional IRAs, and Roth IRAs. Each also earns a 3.5-star rating for range of investments, so neither platform stands out as a clear leader overall. Public.com has a slight edge in the StockBrokers.com ranking for range of investments, placing #12 out of 14 brokers compared with J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing at #13.

Where the two brokerages differ most is in the extra investment choices they offer. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing supports OTC stocks and mutual funds, while Public.com does not offer either of those. On the other hand, Public.com supports crypto trading with 66 coins available, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing does not offer crypto at all.

Both brokers do not offer forex or futures trading. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing does offer advisor services, while Public.com does not. For investors deciding between the two, the better fit may come down to whether they want mutual funds and OTC stocks with J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing or crypto access with Public.com.

Feature J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Public.com logoPublic.com
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks Yes No
Mutual Funds Yes No
Options Trading Yes Yes
Futures Trading No No
Crypto Trading No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 0 66
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

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

Trading platforms and tools

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Public.com are both limited when it comes to trading platforms and tools, and each earns a 1-star rating in this category. Neither broker offers a downloadable Windows or Mac desktop platform, and both rely on a browser-based platform instead. For readers choosing between the two, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing has the edge overall thanks to more charting and watch list features, while Public.com is simpler and more basic.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers 20 watch list columns, compared with just 3 at Public.com, which makes it easier to track more data in one place. Its charting tools are also stronger, with 36 technical indicators and 10 drawing tools, while Public.com offers 15 indicators and no drawing tools. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing also lets users view corporate events such as earnings, splits, and dividends on charts, a feature Public.com does not provide.

That said, both platforms miss several tools that active traders may want, including paper trading, a trading journal, chart notes, historical trades on charts, custom date ranges, and custom studies. Neither broker lets users adjust open orders directly on a chart, and neither offers a way to save multiple chart profiles. Based on StockBrokers.com’s ranking, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing finishes #13 out of 14 brokers for trading platforms and tools, while Public.com ranks #14 out of 14.

Feature J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Public.com logoPublic.com
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) No No
Paper Trading No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 20 3
Charting - Indicators / Studies 36 15
Charting - Drawing Tools 10 0
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1/5 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

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Public.com both cater to beginners with clear lessons on stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Each offers educational videos and webinars to help you build core investing knowledge. J.P. Morgan adds coverage of mutual funds, which Public.com does not. Neither platform offers paper trading, educational quizzes, or tools to track your learning progress.

For education quality, StockBrokers.com rates J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing 4 out of 5 stars and ranks it 4th out of 14 brokers, while Public.com earns 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks 8th. If mutual fund guidance or a higher education score matters to you, J.P. Morgan has the edge; if you want solid coverage of stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds with videos and webinars, both platforms deliver.

Feature J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Public.com logoPublic.com
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 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

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

Stock trading apps

Overall, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing has the edge over Public.com for stock trading apps, mainly because it earns a higher app rating and offers far more charting tools. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is rated 4 stars and ranks #10 out of 14 brokers for stock trading apps, while Public.com is rated 3 stars and ranks #13. That said, both brokers cover the basics well, including iPhone and Android apps, stock alerts, custom watch lists, and mobile options trading.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing gives mobile traders access to more charting depth, with 36 technical studies and the option to view charts in landscape mode. Public.com also supports multiple time frames and adds after-hours charting and stock comparisons on charts, but it does not offer technical studies or landscape chart viewing. Both brokers do not support Apple Watch apps, streaming quotes, live TV, or videos on demand.

For day-to-day use, the choice comes down to what you want from a trading app. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is better suited for users who want stronger charting features, while Public.com may appeal more to those who value after-hours charting and built-in stock comparison tools. If you want a more feature-rich mobile trading experience overall, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is the stronger pick.

Feature J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Public.com logoPublic.com
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App No No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Charting - After-Hours No Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 36 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps of 2026

Fees

For most everyday investing, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Public.com are tied on the basics: both have a $0 minimum deposit, $0 stock trades, $0 IRA annual fees, and no charge for options exercise or assignment. The main differences show up in a few areas that can matter more over time. Public.com is cheaper for options trading because it charges $0 per options contract, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing charges $0.65 per contract. Public.com also has lower margin rates across the balances listed, but J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is less expensive for account transfers and IRA closure fees. Overall, if you want the lowest trading and margin costs, Public.com has the edge, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing may be better for certain account service fees.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Public.com both keep entry costs low, since neither requires a minimum deposit and neither charges commission on regular stock trades. That makes both platforms appealing for investors who want to start with a small amount of money and avoid basic trading fees. For long-term retirement accounts, both also charge $0 for IRA annual maintenance, which helps keep ongoing costs simple.

The biggest fee differences are in options, margin, and account transfers. Public.com charges nothing for options contracts, compared with J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing’s $0.65 per contract. On margin, Public.com is also lower in every listed balance tier, with rates of 4.90% for balances under $50,000 and 4.75% for balances from $50,000 to $99,999, while J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing ranges from 12.25% to 11.5%. For transfer fees, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing charges $0 for partial ACAT transfers and $75 for full transfers, while Public.com charges $100 for both. IRA closure is another tradeoff: J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing charges $75, compared with $150 at Public.com.

Feature J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Public.com logoPublic.com
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
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 $75.00 $150.00

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

Day Trading

When comparing J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing to Public.com for day trading capabilities, neither platform offers features typically desired by active traders. Both J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Public.com lack streaming time and sales for stocks, direct market routing, and the option to use trading hotkeys for faster trade entry. They also do not provide Level 2 quotes, which are essential for gaining deeper insight into market activities.

Furthermore, neither platform supports advanced trading tools such as ladder trading and strategy backtesting, whether basic or advanced. The absence of order liquidity rebates and a short locator tool, which helps traders identify available shares to short, further highlights the limitations of both platforms for day trading. These similarities indicate that individuals seeking a platform with comprehensive day trading features might need to explore alternatives beyond J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Public.com.

Feature J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Public.com logoPublic.com
Streaming Time & Sales No No
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 investors who want stronger market research tools, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing has the edge over Public.com. Both brokers give you research on stocks, ETFs, OTC/pink sheets, and bonds, and both let you view portfolio allocation by asset class. But J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing goes further with mutual fund research, two downloadable stock research PDFs, and built-in screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds. It is also rated higher for market research overall, with 4 out of 5 stars and a #7 ranking out of 14 brokers, compared with Public.com’s 2.5 stars and #12 ranking.

On the other hand, Public.com covers the basics well for many everyday investors. It offers stock, ETF, OTC/pink sheets, and bond research, plus the ability to see how your portfolio is spread across asset classes. That said, it does not offer mutual fund research, downloadable PDF research reports, or screeners for trade ideas. If you mostly want simple research on common securities, Public.com may be enough, but its research tools are more limited overall than J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing’s.

Neither broker includes stock research based on social media sentiment or ESG research, so those features are not a differentiator here. The main difference comes down to depth: J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers more ways to research investments and generate ideas, while Public.com provides a lighter set of tools for investors who prefer a simpler experience.

Feature J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Public.com logoPublic.com
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 Yes
Screener - Fixed Income Yes No
Research 4/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Banking

When it comes to banking capabilities, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing offers a broader range of services compared to Public.com. J.P. Morgan provides checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, mortgage loans, and Certificates of Deposit (CDs), making it a versatile choice for those seeking comprehensive financial services. On the other hand, Public.com does not offer these banking features, focusing solely on investment opportunities without traditional banking services like accounts, cards, or loans. For individuals who prioritize having access to extensive banking options as part of their online brokerage experience, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing may be the more suitable choice.

Feature J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing logoJ.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing
Public.com logoPublic.com
Checking Accounts Yes No
Savings Accounts Yes No
Debit Cards Yes No
Credit Cards Yes No
Mortgage Loans Yes No
Brokerage CDs Yes 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 J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing is better than Public.com. J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing finished with an overall score of 67.5%, while Public.com finished with a score of 56.0%.

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing makes it easy for Chase Bank customers to invest and allows access to J.P. Morgan research. On the downside, the broker features are sparse compared to industry leaders.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing or Public.com?

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing does not offer crypto trading, while Public.com does, giving investors access to 66 coins. For those looking to trade digital assets, Public.com provides a crypto option that J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing currently does not support.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing or Public.com offer IRAs?

J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing and Public.com both offer Traditional and Roth IRA accounts with $0 annual fees; however, J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing charges a $75 IRA closure fee versus $150 at Public.com, which can impact rollover or account transfer costs.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Overall 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.0/5 Stars N/A
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Review Public.com Review
Broker Screenshots J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $0.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) $0.000 $2.990
Mutual Fund Trade Fee $0 n/a
Options (Per Contract) $0.65 $0.00
Futures (Per Contract) (Not offered) (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee Varies n/a
Margin Rates J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Margin Rate Under $25,000 12.25% 4.90%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 12% 4.90%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 11.5% 4.75%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 11.25% 4.50%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 11.25% 4.50%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 10.5% 4.50%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 10% 4.25%
Account Fees J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
IRA Annual Fee $0.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $75.00 $150.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) $0.00 $100.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) $75.00 $100.00
Options Exercise Fee $0.00 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $0.00 $0.00
Investment Options J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Stock Trading Yes Yes
Account Feature - Margin Trading Yes Yes
Fractional Shares (Stocks) Yes Yes
OTC Stocks Yes No
Options Trading Yes Yes
Complex Options Max Legs 1 4
Futures Trading No No
Forex Trading No No
Crypto Trading No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 0 66
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 Yes No
International Countries (Stocks) 0 0
Order Types J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Order Type - Market Yes Yes
Order Type - Limit Yes Yes
Order Type - After Hours No Yes
Order Type - Stop Yes Yes
Order Type - Trailing Stop No No
Order Type - OCO No No
Order Type - OTO No No
Order Type - Broker Assisted Yes No
Beginners J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing 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 No Yes
Paper Trading No No
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Progress Tracking No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes No No
Stock Trading Apps J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
iPhone App Yes Yes
Android App Yes Yes
Apple Watch App No No
Trading - Stocks Yes Yes
Trading - After-Hours No Yes
Trading - Simple Options Yes Yes
Trading - Complex Options No Yes
Order Ticket RT Quotes Yes Yes
Order Ticket SRT Quotes No No
Stock App Features J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Mobile Research - Market Movers Yes Yes
Stream Live TV No No
Videos on Demand No No
Stock Alerts Yes Yes
Option Chains Viewable Yes Yes
Watchlist (Real-time) Yes Yes
Watchlist (Streaming) No No
Mobile Watchlists - Create & Manage Yes Yes
Mobile Watchlists - Column Customization Yes Yes
Stock App Charting J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Charting - After-Hours No Yes
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally Yes No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 36 0
Charting - Study Customizations Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons No Yes
Trading Platforms J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Active Trading Platform No n/a
Desktop Trading Platform No No
Desktop Platform (Mac) No No
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Paper Trading No No
Trade Journal No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 20 3
Stock Chart Features J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart No No
Charting - Indicators / Studies 36 15
Charting - Drawing Tools 10 0
Charting - Notes No No
Charting - Historical Trades No No
Charting - Corporate Events Yes No
Charting - Custom Date Range No No
Charting - Custom Time Bars No No
Charting - Automated Analysis No No
Charting - Save Profiles No No
Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis No No
Charting - Study Customizations 3 0
Charting - Custom Studies No No
Day Trading J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Streaming Time & Sales No No
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 J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing 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 Yes
Screener - Stocks Yes No
Screener - ETFs Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds Yes No
Screener - Fixed Income Yes No
Portfolio Asset Allocation Yes Yes
Stock Research J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Stock Research - PDF Reports 2 0
Stock Research - Earnings Yes Yes
Stock Research - Insiders No No
Stock Research - Social No No
Stock Research - News Yes Yes
Stock Research - ESG No No
Stock Research - SEC Filings No No
ETF Research J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing 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 No No
ETFs - Ratings Yes No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap Yes No
ETFs - PDF Reports No No
Mutual Fund Research J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Mutual Funds - Investment Objective Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart Yes No
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis Yes No
Mutual Funds - Prospectus No 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 J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Option Chains - Total Greeks 0 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts No Yes
Banking J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Bank (Member FDIC) Yes No
Checking Accounts Yes No
Savings Accounts Yes No
Credit Cards Yes No
Debit Cards Yes No
Mortgage Loans Yes No
Customer Service J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Phone Support (Prospective Customers) No No
Phone Support (Current Customers) Yes No
Email Support Yes Yes
Live Chat (Prospective Customers) No Yes
Live Chat (Current Customers) No Yes
24/7 Support Yes No
Overall J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Public.com
Overall 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 3.5/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 1/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Research 4/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Education 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review J.P. Morgan Self-Directed Investing Review Public.com Review
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