Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of Merrill Edge vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Merrill Edge is the stronger pick for a broad set of traditional investments and guidance, while Public.com shines for fractional shares and crypto access. Both brokers let you trade stocks and options, use margin, buy OTC stocks, and open Traditional and Roth IRAs. Neither supports forex or futures. For Range of Investments, StockBrokers.com rates Merrill Edge 4.5 stars (#7 of 14) and Public.com 3.5 stars (#13 of 14).
Tradable assets: Merrill Edge includes stocks, options, OTC stocks, and mutual funds, but no fractional shares or crypto. Public.com includes stocks, options, OTC stocks, fractional shares, and crypto with 40 coins, but no mutual funds. Both skip forex and futures.
Accounts and services: Both Merrill Edge and Public.com support Traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts. Merrill Edge also provides advisor services, which Public.com does not. If you want professional guidance or mutual fund access, Merrill Edge fits better; if you want to start with small amounts or trade crypto alongside stocks, Public.com is the simpler path.
| Feature |
Merrill Edge
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | Yes | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | No | No |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 40 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to an Advanced Market
In the realm of online trading, Merrill Edge and Public.com cater to different needs, as reflected in a comparison of their trading platforms and tools. Merrill Edge emerges as the more feature-rich option, earning a commendable 4 out of 5 stars, compared to Public.com's 2-star rating. Ranked #6 out of 14 brokers by StockBrokers.com, Merrill Edge significantly outperforms Public, which sits at the bottom of the list at #14. This overview highlights Merrill Edge's superior offerings, making it the preferred choice for traders seeking comprehensive analytical tools and charting capabilities.
Delving deeper into the specifics, both Merrill Edge and Public.com provide browser-based trading platforms, with neither offering desktop downloadable options for Windows or Mac. However, this is where their similarities end. Merrill Edge vastly surpasses Public.com in charting tools, offering 105 technical indicators and 23 drawing tools, while Public.com offers none in either category. Merrill Edge also excels in watch list customization, boasting 285 fields compared to Public.com's 3. While both platforms lack paper trading and trading journal functionalities, Merrill Edge's platform is designed for traders who value in-depth chart analysis, including features like adjusting orders directly on charts, adding notes, displaying historical trades, and illustrating corporate events.
Chart customization is another area where Merrill Edge outshines its competitor. It supports multiple chart profile saves, custom date ranges, automated technical analysis, and displays of chart patterns, whereas Public.com does not offer these. Additionally, Merrill Edge provides eight customization fields for editing an SMA study on stock charts. In contrast, Public.com offers none. Although both brokers don't support creating custom studies, Merrill Edge's broad array of functionalities makes it a more appealing choice for traders who require detailed and adjustable charting options to inform their investment strategies.
| Feature |
Merrill Edge
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 285 | 3 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 105 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 23 | 0 |
| Platforms & Tools |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2025
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Comparing Merrill Edge and Public.com for beginner investor education, both cover the basics you’d expect: lessons on stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds, plus a library of educational videos. Merrill Edge stands out by adding mutual funds education and interactive quizzes, while Public.com does not offer mutual funds content but does host webinars for live learning. Neither platform includes paper trading or tools to track your learning progress.
According to StockBrokers.com, Merrill Edge earns 4.5 out of 5 stars for education and ranks #5 out of 14 brokers, while Public.com scores 3.5 stars and ranks #11. Choose Merrill Edge if you want wider topic coverage and quizzes to test your knowledge; pick Public.com if you value live webinars to learn from experts in real time.
| Feature |
Merrill Edge
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | Yes | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | Yes | Yes |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Webinars | No | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
When comparing Merrill Edge and Public.com for their stock trading app capabilities, Merrill Edge emerges as the more comprehensive choice for most investors. It offers a wider range of features, including streaming quotes, stock alerts, and the ability to create custom watch lists, all of which are absent from Public.com. Additionally, Merrill Edge provides a more robust charting experience with 34 technical studies compared to none offered by Public.com. Rated 4.5 stars among stock trading apps and ranked #6 by StockBrokers.com, Merrill Edge surpasses Public.com, which holds a 3.5-star rating and ranks #14.
Both Merrill Edge and Public.com have apps available for iPhone and Android devices but lack an Apple Watch app. They each support mobile options trading and allow investors to view charts in multiple time frames, with Merrill Edge providing the added benefit of viewing charts in landscape mode. However, only Public.com allows users to customize watch list columns, which could be a significant feature for some traders.
For investors seeking mobile after-hours trading, Merrill Edge offers this capability, attracting those who like to trade outside regular market hours, whereas Public.com does not specify this feature. Furthermore, while both platforms provide the function to display stock comparisons on charts, the lack of streaming live TV and videos on demand is consistent across both apps. Overall, for traders prioritizing advanced features and higher app evaluations, Merrill Edge stands out as the superior app, making it a preferable choice for a comprehensive stock trading experience.
| Feature |
Merrill Edge
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | No | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - After-Hours | No | No |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 34 | 0 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
Bottom line in the Merrill Edge vs Public.com fees matchup: both offer $0 stock trades, but the winner depends on what you do most. Options traders may prefer Public.com for its $0 per‑contract pricing, while anyone who cares about transfer and closure costs may lean Merrill Edge thanks to $0 ACAT (account transfer) fees and a lower IRA closure fee. Merrill Edge also has a $0 minimum to get started, whereas Public.com requires $20.
Trading costs: stocks are commission‑free at both brokers. Options contract fees differ—Merrill Edge charges $0.65 per contract, while Public.com charges $0. Options exercise and assignment are $0 at both. For margin, Merrill Edge lists rates that vary by balance, while Public.com posts 5.65% below $25,000, 5.65% for $25,000–$49,999, and 5.50% for $50,000–$99,999.
Account fees: Merrill Edge has a $0 minimum deposit; Public.com’s minimum is $20. IRA annual fees are $0 at both. If you close an IRA, Merrill Edge charges $49.95 versus $150 at Public.com. For transfers, Merrill Edge charges $0 for both partial and full ACAT moves, while Public.com charges $100 for partial and $100 for full transfers.
| Feature |
Merrill Edge
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| 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 | $49.95 | $150.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When weighing Merrill Edge against Public.com for day trading, there are some important differences to consider. Merrill Edge gives day traders the advantage of streaming time and sales for stocks, providing a continuous stream of transaction details, which Public.com does not offer. Furthermore, Merrill Edge offers Level 2 quotes, delivering more detailed market depth information that can be crucial for making informed trading decisions, while Public.com lacks this feature entirely.
Both platforms fall short in certain advanced trading functionalities, as neither offers direct market routing, ladder trading, or trading hotkeys for quick trade entries. Strategy backtesting is limited across these platforms as well, with Merrill Edge only supporting basic strategy backtesting, whereas Public.com does not offer this feature at all. Additionally, neither provides a short locator tool or order liquidity rebates, leaving room for growth in catering to professional day traders seeking a more comprehensive range of tools.
| Feature |
Merrill Edge
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No |
| Streaming TV | No | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No |
| Short Locator | No | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2025 for Beginners and Active Traders
When it comes to market research capabilities, Merrill Edge outshines Public.com by offering a comprehensive suite of resources that cater to a broad range of investment needs. Merrill Edge not only provides robust research tools for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, pink sheets, and bonds but also allows users to see portfolio allocation by asset class and access downloadable PDF research reports. In comparison, Public.com falls short in these areas and is particularly lacking in mutual fund and bond research capabilities. As a result, Merrill Edge receives a high market research rating of five stars and ranks #5 on StockBrokers.com, while Public.com receives two stars and is ranked #12.
Merrill Edge covers an extensive array of research topics, such as stock and ETF research, mutual fund insights, and even niche areas like pink sheets and OTCBB research. In stark contrast, Public.com only provides basic research options for stocks and ETFs, omitting any mutual fund or bond research capabilities. Additionally, Merrill Edge allows users to download PDF reports not only for stocks but also for ETFs and mutual funds, offering tangible resources for investors seeking in-depth information.
Another notable difference is the analytical tools available to users. Merrill Edge equips investors with multiple screeners for stocks, ETFs, mutual funds, and bonds, helping them discover trade ideas that fit their investment strategies. Public.com, on the other hand, lacks these sophisticated tools and does not offer any stock or ETF screeners for trade inspiration. Despite both platforms offering some level of research, Merrill Edge clearly provides a more exhaustive and versatile approach, making it the preferred choice for detailed market insights.
| Feature |
Merrill Edge
|
Public.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 | No |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Research |
|
|
When considering banking features, Merrill Edge clearly outpaces Public.com, offering a wide array of financial products for its users. Merrill Edge provides comprehensive banking services such as checking and savings accounts, along with debit and credit cards, making it a versatile choice for personal finance management. Additionally, Merrill Edge customers have access to mortgage loans and certificates of deposit (CDs), providing multiple avenues for financial growth and investment. In contrast, Public.com does not offer any traditional banking services like checking or savings accounts, nor do they offer debit cards, credit cards, mortgage loans, or CDs. This makes Merrill Edge a more complete solution for individuals seeking an online broker that doubles as a banking institution.
| Feature |
Merrill Edge
|
Public.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 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 Merrill Edge is better than Public.com. Merrill Edge finished with an overall score of 92.7%, while Public.com finished with a score of 69.6%.
Merrill Edge and its parent, Bank of America, make for a well-rounded offering, with $0 trades, robust research, reliable customer service; and its Stock Stories and Fund Stories are an industry standout. There are some gaps in investment offerings, including crypto and futures.
Online broker Merrill Edge does not offer crypto trading, while Public.com supports cryptocurrency trading.
Merrill Edge offers 0 coins for crypto trading, whereas Public.com offers 40 coins.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Merrill Edge vs. Public.com: both online brokers offer Traditional and Roth IRA accounts with $0 annual fees.
If you close an IRA, Merrill Edge charges a $49.95 closure fee, while Public.com charges $150.00.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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| Review | Merrill Edge Review | Public.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
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| Trading Fees | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $20.00 | |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | N/A | $2.99 | |
| Mutual Fund Trade Fee | Varies | n/a | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.65 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $29.95 | n/a |
| Margin Rates | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | Varies | 5.65% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | Varies | 5.65% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | Varies | 5.50% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | Varies | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | Varies | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | Varies | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | Varies | 5.05% |
| Account Fees | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $49.95 | $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 | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | No | Yes | |
| OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
| Futures Trading | No | No | |
| Forex Trading | No | No | |
| Crypto Trading | No | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 0 | 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 | Yes | No | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
| Order Types | Merrill Edge | 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 | No | No | |
| Order Type - OTO | No | No | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
| Beginners | Merrill Edge | 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 | No | No | |
| Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Webinars | No | Yes | |
| Progress Tracking | No | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | Yes | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
| Android App | Yes | Yes | |
| Apple Watch App | No | 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 | No | No |
| Stock App Features | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | 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 | No | Yes |
| Stock App Charting | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | No | No | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 34 | 0 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | Merrill Edge Market Pro | 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 | |
| Watch Lists - Total Fields | 285 | 3 |
| Stock Chart Features | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 105 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 23 | 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 | 8 | 0 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
| Day Trading | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | Yes | No | |
| Streaming TV | No | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No | |
| Ladder Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Hot Keys | No | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | Yes | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | Yes | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | No | No | |
| Short Locator | No | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | Merrill Edge | 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 | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 3 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - Insiders | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - Social | No | No | |
| Stock Research - News | Yes | Yes | |
| Stock Research - ESG | Yes | No | |
| Stock Research - SEC Filings | Yes | No |
| ETF Research | Merrill Edge | 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 | Merrill Edge | 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 | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
| Banking | Merrill Edge | 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 | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Email Support | No | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | Yes | No |
| Overall | Merrill Edge | Public.com | |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | Merrill Edge Review | Public.com Review |
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