Written by StockBrokers.com
In this head to head comparison of tastytrade vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
Here’s the quick takeaway on tastytrade vs Public.com: tastytrade offers broader market access for active traders, while Public.com shines if you want OTC stocks and a larger crypto lineup. Both brokers let you trade stocks, options, crypto, and use margin and fractional shares, and both support Traditional and Roth IRAs. Neither offers mutual funds or advisor services. For Range of Investments, StockBrokers.com rates tastytrade 4 stars (ranked #9 of 14) and Public.com 3.5 stars (ranked #12 of 14).
In terms of what you can trade, tastytrade covers stocks, options, crypto, plus futures and forex—two markets Public.com does not offer. Public.com covers stocks, options, crypto, and adds OTC stocks, which tastytrade does not support. If crypto depth matters, Public.com lists about 40 coins versus tastytrade’s 17.
Account choices are straightforward: both platforms offer taxable brokerage accounts along with Traditional and Roth IRA accounts, and both lack advisor services. Pick tastytrade if you want to include futures, forex, and more advanced options in one place; choose Public.com if access to OTC stocks and a wider crypto selection are priorities, while still having core stock, options, margin, and fractional share trading.
| Feature |
tastytrade
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| OTC Stocks | No | Yes |
| Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Futures Trading | Yes | No |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 17 | 40 |
| Range of Investments |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2026, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2026
Bottom line: for trading platforms and tools, tastytrade clearly outpaces Public.com. Tastytrade earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #5 of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Public.com gets 1 out of 5 stars and ranks #14. Choose tastytrade if you want advanced charting, custom studies, and desktop apps; pick Public.com only if you want a very simple, browser-first setup.
Tastytrade offers downloadable platforms for both Windows and Mac, plus a browser-based platform. Public.com is web-only, with no Windows or Mac downloads. Neither broker supports paper trading, but tastytrade includes a trading journal, which Public.com does not.
When it comes to tools, tastytrade provides 33 watch list columns versus Public.com’s 3. On charts, tastytrade lets you adjust open orders, add notes, see historical trades, display earnings/splits/dividends, set custom date ranges, save multiple chart profiles, edit an SMA with seven fields, and even create custom studies—features Public.com lacks. For technicals, tastytrade offers 308 indicators and 31 drawing tools, while Public.com offers none. Both brokers do not include automated chart pattern recognition.
| Feature |
tastytrade
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No |
| Paper Trading | No | No |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 33 | 3 |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 308 | 0 |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 31 | 0 |
| Advanced Trading |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026
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For beginner and everyday investors comparing online broker education, both tastytrade and Public.com cover the basics: you’ll find lessons on stocks, ETFs, and options, plus educational videos and webinars on each platform. Neither offers paper trading or quizzes, and neither focuses on mutual fund education. One key difference is bond content—Public.com includes bonds education, while tastytrade does not.
If you want to track your learning, tastytrade lets you monitor progress, whereas Public.com does not. In independent ratings, tastytrade earns 3 out of 5 stars for education and ranks #11 of 14 brokers on StockBrokers.com, while Public.com scores 3.5 out of 5 stars and ranks #8 of 14. Choose Public.com if bond education matters to you; pick tastytrade if progress tracking is a priority.
| Feature |
tastytrade
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
| Education (Fixed Income) | No | Yes |
| Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Webinars | Yes | Yes |
| Education |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2026
Choosing between tastytrade and Public.com for a stock trading app? tastytrade has the edge for on-the-go trading tools and earns the higher score: 4 stars versus Public.com’s 3 stars, plus a better StockBrokers.com rank (12th of 14 vs 13th). Both offer iPhone and Android apps and no Apple Watch app. In short, tastytrade leans into real-time trading needs, while Public.com is more streamlined and adds convenient chart comparisons.
On mobile, tastytrade supports after-hours stock trading; Public.com’s mobile after-hours access wasn’t confirmed by our source. Both apps support options trading. tastytrade provides streaming quotes, stock alerts, and the ability to build custom watch lists. Public.com does not offer streaming quotes or alerts and doesn’t let you create custom watch lists, though both apps let you customize watch list columns. Neither app offers streaming live TV or videos on demand.
For charts, tastytrade supplies after-hours charting, landscape view, and multiple time frames. Public.com also supports multiple time frames but lacks after-hours charting and landscape mode. Neither app includes technical studies in mobile charts, and only Public.com lets you compare different stocks on the same chart; tastytrade does not.
| Feature |
tastytrade
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch App | No | No |
| Stock Alerts | Yes | No |
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 |
| Mobile Trading Apps |
|
|
Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026
Bottom line: In a tastytrade vs. Public.com fees matchup, Public.com is usually cheaper for options and margin, while tastytrade stands out for a $0 minimum deposit and lower transfer and IRA closure charges. Both brokers offer $0 stock trades and no IRA annual fee.
For trading costs, tastytrade requires no minimum deposit, whereas Public.com asks for $20. Stock trades are commission-free at both. Options are where they diverge: tastytrade charges $0.50 per contract and $5 for exercises or assignments, while Public.com charges $0 per contract and $0 for exercises and assignments.
On margin interest, Public.com is lower across the listed tiers: under $25,000 (5.65% vs. tastytrade’s 11%), $25,000–$49,999 (5.65% vs. 10.5%), and $50,000–$99,999 (5.50% vs. 10%). For account and IRA fees, both have $0 IRA annual fees, but tastytrade’s IRA closure fee is $60 versus $150 at Public.com. ACAT transfers are also cheaper at tastytrade ($75 for partial or full) compared with Public.com ($100 for partial or full). Fees and rates can change, so confirm current terms with each broker.
| Feature |
tastytrade
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Deposit | $0.00 | $20.00 |
| Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 | $0.00 |
| Options Exercise Fee | $5.00 | $0.00 |
| Options Assignment Fee | $5.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| IRA Closure Fee | $60.00 | $150.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2026
For day trading, tastytrade offers more trader-focused tools than Public.com. Tastytrade includes ladder trading, advanced strategy backtesting, a short locator to check real-time shortable shares, and streaming live TV. Public.com does not provide those features. Both platforms lack streaming time and sales, Level 2 quotes, direct market routing, trading hotkeys, basic strategy backtesting, and order liquidity (maker/taker) rebates.
If you’re an active day trader who values ladder trading, advanced testing of strategies, and visibility into short availability, tastytrade is the stronger fit. Public.com may work for basic stock trading, but the absence of core day trading tools listed above makes it less suitable for fast, tactical trading.
| Feature |
tastytrade
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
| Streaming TV | Yes | No |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No |
| Short Locator | Yes | No |
Dive deeper: Best Day Trading Platforms of 2026 for Beginners and Active Traders
Bottom line: Public.com edges out tastytrade for market research with a 2.5-star rating and a #12 ranking out of 14 brokers, versus tastytrade’s 2 stars and #13 spot. That said, tastytrade gives DIY investors more tools to find ideas and understand their holdings, thanks to stock, ETF, and bond screeners plus a portfolio allocation view by asset class. Public.com’s key advantage is access to Pink Sheets/OTCBB research. Neither platform offers ESG or social sentiment research, downloadable PDF reports, or research for mutual funds or bonds.
Both tastytrade and Public.com cover stock and ETF research. Only Public.com includes Pink Sheets/OTCBB research, which can matter if you explore smaller or off-exchange names. Downloadable PDF research reports are not available for stocks or ETFs on either platform (and neither supports mutual fund research or PDFs). ESG and social sentiment tools are not included on either service.
For idea generation, tastytrade is stronger: it provides stock and ETF screeners, plus a bond screener for trade ideas, even though it doesn’t offer bond research. Public.com does not provide screeners. If you want helpful filters and a clear view of your diversification by asset class, tastytrade fits better. If you specifically need OTC research, Public.com is the pick. If you rely on deep analyst PDFs, ESG metrics, or sentiment data, you may need to look elsewhere.
| Feature |
tastytrade
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | No |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | No |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No |
| Research |
|
|
When it comes to banking features, both tastytrade and Public.com provide limited options as neither offers traditional banking services such as checking or savings accounts. Additionally, you won't find debit or credit cards available at either platform. If you're looking for mortgage loans or CDs, neither tastytrade nor Public.com will meet your needs in those areas. It's clear that both platforms focus on trading and investment services rather than banking solutions.
| Feature |
tastytrade
|
Public.com
|
|---|---|---|
| Checking Accounts | No | No |
| Savings Accounts | No | No |
| Debit Cards | No | No |
| Credit Cards | No | No |
| Mortgage Loans | No | No |
| Brokerage CDs | No | 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 tastytrade is better than Public.com. tastytrade finished with an overall score of 64.0%, while Public.com finished with a score of 56.0%.
tastytrade is a specialist brokerage best known for its options trading platform, risk-focused analytics, and pricing structure built specifically for active derivatives traders.
Both online brokers tastytrade and Public.com offer cryptocurrency trading, but Public.com provides a wider selection with 40 coins versus tastytrade’s 17.
If you prioritize more coin choices, Public.com may suit you better, whereas tastytrade still delivers a solid, streamlined crypto trading experience.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026
Online brokers tastytrade and Public.com both offer Traditional and Roth IRAs with $0 annual fees, making them cost-effective options for retirement investors. The key difference is in closure fees: tastytrade charges $60 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 | tastytrade | Public.com | |
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| Review | tastytrade Review | Public.com Review |
| Broker Screenshots | tastytrade | Public.com | |
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| Broker Gallery (click to expand) |
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| Trading Fees | tastytrade | 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 | N/A | n/a | |
| Options (Per Contract) | $0.50 | $0.00 | |
| Futures (Per Contract) | $1.00 | (Not offered) | |
| Broker Assisted Trade Fee | $0 | n/a |
| Margin Rates | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 11% | 5.65% | |
| Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 10.5% | 5.65% | |
| Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 10% | 5.50% | |
| Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 9.5% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 9% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 8.5% | 5.25% | |
| Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 8% | 5.05% |
| Account Fees | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRA Annual Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| IRA Closure Fee | $60.00 | $150.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $75.00 | $100.00 | |
| Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $100.00 | |
| Options Exercise Fee | $5.00 | $0.00 | |
| Options Assignment Fee | $5.00 | $0.00 |
| Investment Options | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Account Feature - Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Fractional Shares (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| OTC Stocks | No | Yes | |
| Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Complex Options Max Legs | 4 | 4 | |
| Futures Trading | Yes | No | |
| Forex Trading | Yes | No | |
| Crypto Trading | Yes | Yes | |
| Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 17 | 40 | |
| Fixed Income (Treasurys) | Yes | Yes | |
| Fixed Income (Corporate Bonds) | No | Yes | |
| Fixed Income (Municipal Bonds) | No | No | |
| Traditional IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Roth IRAs | Yes | Yes | |
| Advisor Services | No | No | |
| International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
| Order Types | tastytrade | 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 | No | No | |
| Order Type - OCO | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - OTO | Yes | No | |
| Order Type - Broker Assisted | Yes | No |
| Beginners | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (ETFs) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Options) | Yes | Yes | |
| Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
| Education (Fixed Income) | No | Yes | |
| Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
| Retirement Calculator | No | No | |
| Investor Dictionary | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Videos | Yes | Yes | |
| Webinars | Yes | Yes | |
| Progress Tracking | Yes | No | |
| Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
| Stock Trading Apps | tastytrade | 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 | Yes | No |
| Stock App Features | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Research - Market Movers | Yes | Yes | |
| Stream Live TV | No | No | |
| Videos on Demand | No | 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 | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
| Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | No | No | |
| Charting - Stock Comparisons | No | Yes |
| Trading Platforms | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Trading Platform | tastytrade | n/a | |
| Desktop Trading Platform | Yes | No | |
| Desktop Platform (Mac) | Yes | No | |
| Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes | |
| Paper Trading | No | No | |
| Trade Journal | Yes | No | |
| Watchlists - Total Fields | 33 | 3 |
| Stock Chart Features | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | Yes | No | |
| Charting - Indicators / Studies | 308 | 0 | |
| Charting - Drawing Tools | 31 | 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 | No | No | |
| Charting - Save Profiles | Yes | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Technical Analysis | No | No | |
| Charting - Study Customizations | 7 | 0 | |
| Charting - Custom Studies | Yes | No |
| Day Trading | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
| Streaming TV | Yes | No | |
| Direct Market Routing - Equities | No | No | |
| Ladder Trading | Yes | No | |
| Trade Hot Keys | No | No | |
| Level 2 Quotes - Stocks | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting | No | No | |
| Trade Ideas - Backtesting Adv | Yes | No | |
| Short Locator | Yes | No | |
| Order Liquidity Rebates | No | No |
| Research Overview | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
| Research - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | No | Yes | |
| Research - Fixed Income | No | No | |
| Screener - Stocks | Yes | No | |
| Screener - ETFs | Yes | No | |
| Screener - Mutual Funds | No | No | |
| Screener - Fixed Income | Yes | No | |
| Portfolio Asset Allocation | Yes | No |
| Stock Research | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 0 | |
| Stock Research - Earnings | No | 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 | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETFs - Investment Objective | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Assets | No | Yes | |
| ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | Yes | |
| ETFs - Sector Exposure | No | No | |
| ETFs - Risk Analysis | Yes | No | |
| ETFs - Ratings | No | No | |
| ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap | No | No | |
| ETFs - PDF Reports | No | No |
| Mutual Fund Research | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mutual Funds - Investment Objective | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
| Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | No |
| Options Trading | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Option Chains - Total Greeks | 5 | 5 | |
| Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | Yes |
| Banking | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | tastytrade | Public.com | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phone Support (Prospective Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Phone Support (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
| Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Prospective Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | Yes | |
| 24/7 Support | No | No |
| Overall | tastytrade | Public.com | |
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| Winner | check_circle | ||
| Review | tastytrade Review | Public.com Review |
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