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TradeStation vs Public.com 2026

StockBrokers.com

Written by StockBrokers.com

September 17, 2025
  Fact Checked

In this head to head comparison of TradeStation vs Public.com, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.

TradeStation
3.5/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $0.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.80 info
Public.com
3/5 Stars Overall
  • Minimum Deposit: $20.00
  • Stock Trades: $0.00 info
  • Options (Per Contract): $0.00 info

Range of investments

Bottom line: in the TradeStation vs Public.com comparison, TradeStation offers the wider menu for traditional and advanced traders, while Public.com shines for fractional shares and crypto access. For Range of Investments, StockBrokers.com rates TradeStation 4 out of 5 stars (ranked #6 of 14) and Public.com 3.5 out of 5 stars (ranked #12 of 14). Both brokers support Traditional and Roth IRAs, and neither provides forex or advisor services.

Both TradeStation and Public.com let you trade stocks, options, OTC stocks, and use margin. TradeStation adds mutual funds and futures, but it does not support crypto or fractional shares. Public.com skips mutual funds and futures, but adds fractional shares plus crypto trading with 40 coins.

Choose TradeStation if you want one platform for stocks, options, OTC stocks, mutual funds, and futures, and you don’t need crypto or fractional shares. Choose Public.com if fractional share investing and crypto are must-haves, and you’re fine without mutual funds or futures. Either way, you can open a Traditional or Roth IRA at both brokers.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Public.com logoPublic.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 Yes No
Crypto Trading No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 0 40
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

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

Trading platforms and tools

Bottom line: TradeStation is the clear winner for trading platforms and tools. It earns 4 out of 5 stars and ranks #3 of 14 brokers at StockBrokers.com, while Public.com scores 1 out of 5 stars and ranks #14. Active traders who want deep charting, desktop software, and flexible order control should choose TradeStation. Public.com suits simple, casual browsing and basic trading but lacks advanced features.

Platforms and core tools differ sharply. TradeStation offers downloadable desktop platforms for both Windows and Mac plus a browser-based platform; Public.com is browser-only with no desktop downloads. Paper trading is available on TradeStation but not on Public.com. Neither broker includes a trading journal. TradeStation lets you adjust open orders directly on charts, add notes, view historical trades, show corporate events (earnings, splits, dividends), set custom date ranges, detect chart patterns automatically, and save multiple chart profiles. Public.com does not offer these charting conveniences.

Charting depth and customization strongly favor TradeStation. Watchlists can display up to 341 columns on TradeStation versus 3 on Public.com. For technical work, TradeStation provides 294 indicators and 45 drawing tools, while Public.com offers none. Editing a simple SMA study on TradeStation exposes 12 customization fields compared to zero on Public.com. If you want to build your own custom studies, TradeStation supports it; Public.com does not. In short, TradeStation delivers advanced charting and workflow control, whereas Public.com keeps things minimal.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Public.com logoPublic.com
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Desktop Trading Platform Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) Yes No
Paper Trading Yes No
Watchlists - Total Fields 341 3
Charting - Indicators / Studies 294 0
Charting - Drawing Tools 45 0
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 1/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers for 2026, Best Paper Trading Apps & Platforms for 2026

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Beginners and education

Public.com and TradeStation both give beginners access to stock and options education, plus on-demand videos and live webinars. Public.com goes further with ETF and bonds lessons, while TradeStation does not cover those. Neither broker teaches mutual funds, and you won’t find quizzes or tools to track learning progress on either one.

For hands-on practice, TradeStation stands out with paper trading; Public.com doesn’t offer a simulator. If your priority is wider topic coverage, Public.com is the better fit. Ratings reflect this: TradeStation earns 2 stars for education and ranks 14th of 14 brokers, while Public.com earns 3.5 stars and ranks 8th of 14, according to StockBrokers.com.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Public.com logoPublic.com
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) No Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) No No
Education (Fixed Income) No Yes
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Education 2/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms & Apps for Beginners in 2026

Stock trading apps

TradeStation vs Public.com: TradeStation is the better pick for most investors who want more features in a stock trading app. It earns 4/5 stars and ranks 6th of 14 brokers at StockBrokers.com, while Public.com has 3/5 stars and ranks 13th. TradeStation pulls ahead with streaming quotes, alerts, richer charting tools, and flexible watch lists; Public.com covers the basics but leaves out several tools power users value.

Apps and trading features: both offer iPhone and Android apps, and neither supports Apple Watch. TradeStation supports mobile after-hours trading; Public.com’s after-hours trading on mobile isn’t confirmed. Both offer mobile options trading. For market data and media, TradeStation streams real-time quotes while Public.com does not. Neither app includes live TV or on-demand videos. Alerts and watch lists differ: TradeStation supports stock alerts and lets you create custom watch lists; Public.com has no alerts and doesn’t allow custom watch lists, though both let you customize watch list columns.

Charting: TradeStation provides after-hours charting, multiple time frames, and 45 built-in indicators (technical studies). Public.com supports multiple time frames but lacks after-hours charting and has 0 built-in indicators. Neither app offers landscape charts. If you want to compare one stock to another on a chart, Public.com can do that, while TradeStation cannot. Overall, TradeStation suits users who want detailed charts and data on mobile, whereas Public.com may fit those who just need simple price checks and the occasional stock comparison.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Public.com logoPublic.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 45 0
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars

Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2026

Fees

Overall, Public.com is usually the lower-cost choice for everyday investing because it has no minimum deposit, no stock trading commission, no options contract fee, and no charge for options exercise or assignment. It also offers lower margin rates than TradeStation across the balance ranges listed here and does not charge an annual IRA fee. TradeStation can still make sense for some investors, but if your main goal is keeping account costs as low as possible, Public.com comes out ahead in most fee categories.

TradeStation and Public.com both charge $0.00 for regular stock trades, so neither broker charges a commission for buying and selling stocks. Where they differ is in other trading and account costs. TradeStation charges $0.80 per options contract, while Public.com charges $0.00. TradeStation also has a $0 minimum deposit, compared with Public.com’s $20 minimum deposit.

On margin, Public.com is cheaper in each tier shown: 5.65% versus TradeStation’s 11.75% for balances below $25,000 and from $25,000 to $49,999, and 5.50% versus 10.75% for balances from $50,000 to $99,999. For retirement accounts, TradeStation charges a $35 annual IRA fee and a $50 IRA closure fee, while Public.com has no annual IRA fee but does charge a higher $150 IRA closure fee. For ACAT transfers, Public.com is also lower at $100 for both partial and full transfers, compared with TradeStation’s $125. TradeStation does charge less for IRA closure, though, so the better broker depends on which fees matter most to you.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Public.com logoPublic.com
Minimum Deposit $0.00 $20.00
Stock Trades $0.00 $0.00
Options (Per Contract) $0.80 $0.00
Options Exercise Fee $14.95 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $5.95 $0.00
IRA Annual Fee $35.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $50.00 $150.00

Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2026

Day Trading

When comparing TradeStation to Public.com for day trading, it's clear that TradeStation provides a more comprehensive suite of tools for active traders. TradeStation supports streaming time and sales data for stocks, giving traders detailed, real-time information for decision-making. In contrast, Public.com does not offer this feature. Additionally, TradeStation allows direct market routing, ladder trading, and the use of trading hotkeys—all crucial functions for efficient day trading—while Public.com lacks these capabilities. TradeStation also supplies level 2 quotes, which provide insights into market depth, whereas Public.com does not.

Beyond the basic trading features, TradeStation offers both basic and advanced strategy backtesting, which lets traders refine their strategies before entering the market. Public.com, on the other hand, doesn’t provide any backtesting options. For those interested in short selling, TradeStation includes a short locator tool to help identify available shares to short, a tool absent from Public.com’s offerings. Lastly, TradeStation offers order liquidity rebates, providing traders with potential cost efficiencies that are not available with Public.com. For day traders seeking a platform rich with features, TradeStation appears to be the more comprehensive choice.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Public.com logoPublic.com
Streaming Time & Sales Yes No
Streaming TV No 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 and Apps for 2026

Market Research

If you care about market research, TradeStation edges out Public.com on features even though both earn 2.5 out of 5 stars. TradeStation is ranked #11 of 14 by StockBrokers.com, while Public.com is #12. Both cover stock, ETF, and Pink Sheets/OTCBB research, but TradeStation adds screening tools and a portfolio allocation view that Public.com lacks. Neither platform supports mutual fund or bond research, ESG or social-sentiment analysis, or downloadable PDF reports.

Research coverage is similar: TradeStation and Public.com both offer stock and ETF research and include Pink Sheets/OTCBB. Neither provides research for mutual funds or bonds. Downloadable PDF research reports are not available for stocks, ETFs, or mutual funds on either platform.

Tools and idea generation set them apart. TradeStation offers stock and ETF screeners for finding trade ideas; Public.com does not provide screeners. Neither has screeners for mutual funds or bonds. For portfolio tracking, TradeStation lets you see allocation by asset class, while Public.com does not. Choose TradeStation if you want basic research plus screening and allocation views; pick Public.com if you only need straightforward stock and ETF research.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Public.com logoPublic.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 No No
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars

Banking

When evaluating the banking features of online brokers TradeStation and Public.com, it's clear that neither provides traditional banking services. Both TradeStation and Public.com lack basic banking offerings such as checking and savings accounts, debit and credit cards, or mortgage loans. Additionally, neither broker offers Certificates of Deposit (CDs). For individuals seeking comprehensive banking capabilities alongside their investment activities, alternative financial institutions may be worth exploring, as neither TradeStation nor Public.com caters to these specific banking needs.

Feature TradeStation logoTradeStation
Public.com logoPublic.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

Winner

After opening live accounts and testing 14 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that TradeStation is better than Public.com. TradeStation finished with an overall score of 68.4%, while Public.com finished with a score of 56.0%.

TradeStation is a brokerage best known for its highly customizable trading platforms, advanced options and futures capabilities, and powerful tools designed for active and experienced traders.

FAQs

Can you trade cryptocurrency with TradeStation or Public.com?

In a TradeStation vs Public.com comparison for crypto trading, TradeStation offers no cryptocurrency access (0 coins), while Public.com supports crypto trading with 40 coins.

Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2026

Does TradeStation or Public.com offer IRAs?

In the TradeStation vs Public.com IRA comparison, both online brokers offer Traditional and Roth IRAs; TradeStation charges a $35 annual IRA fee with a $50 closure fee, while Public.com has no annual IRA fee but a $150 closure fee.

Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2026

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Compare

0 of 5
Overall Rating TradeStation Public.com
Overall 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Customer Service 4.0/5 Stars N/A
Education 2/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review TradeStation Review Public.com Review
Broker Screenshots TradeStation Public.com
Broker Gallery (click to expand)
Trading Fees TradeStation 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) $0.80 $0.00
Futures (Per Contract) $1.75 (Not offered)
Broker Assisted Trade Fee $25 n/a
Margin Rates TradeStation Public.com
Margin Rate Under $25,000 11.75% 5.65%
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 11.75% 5.65%
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 10.75% 5.50%
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 10.75% 5.25%
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 10.75% 5.25%
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 6.25% 5.25%
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 6.25% 5.05%
Account Fees TradeStation Public.com
IRA Annual Fee $35.00 $0.00
IRA Closure Fee $50.00 $150.00
Account Transfer Out (Partial) $125.00 $100.00
Account Transfer Out (Full) $125.00 $100.00
Options Exercise Fee $14.95 $0.00
Options Assignment Fee $5.95 $0.00
Investment Options TradeStation 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 Yes No
Forex Trading No No
Crypto Trading No Yes
Crypto Trading - Total Coins 0 40
Fixed Income (Treasurys) No 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 TradeStation 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 TradeStation Public.com
Education (Stocks) Yes Yes
Education (ETFs) No Yes
Education (Options) Yes Yes
Education (Mutual Funds) No No
Education (Fixed Income) No Yes
Education (Retirement) No Yes
Retirement Calculator No No
Investor Dictionary No Yes
Paper Trading Yes No
Videos Yes Yes
Webinars Yes Yes
Progress Tracking No No
Interactive Learning - Quizzes No No
Stock Trading Apps TradeStation 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 TradeStation 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 TradeStation Public.com
Charting - After-Hours Yes No
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally No No
Charting - Multiple Time Frames Yes Yes
Charting - Technical Studies 45 0
Charting - Study Customizations Yes No
Charting - Stock Comparisons No Yes
Trading Platforms TradeStation Public.com
Active Trading Platform TITAN X n/a
Desktop Trading Platform Yes No
Desktop Platform (Mac) Yes No
Web Trading Platform Yes Yes
Paper Trading Yes No
Trade Journal No No
Watchlists - Total Fields 341 3
Stock Chart Features TradeStation Public.com
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart Yes No
Charting - Indicators / Studies 294 0
Charting - Drawing Tools 45 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 12 0
Charting - Custom Studies Yes No
Day Trading TradeStation Public.com
Streaming Time & Sales Yes No
Streaming TV No 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 TradeStation Public.com
Research - Stocks Yes Yes
Research - ETFs Yes Yes
Research - Mutual Funds No No
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB Yes Yes
Research - Fixed Income No No
Screener - Stocks Yes No
Screener - ETFs Yes No
Screener - Mutual Funds No No
Screener - Fixed Income No No
Portfolio Asset Allocation Yes No
Stock Research TradeStation Public.com
Stock Research - PDF Reports 0 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 TradeStation 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 No No
ETFs - Ratings No No
ETFs - Morningstar StyleMap No No
ETFs - PDF Reports No No
Mutual Fund Research TradeStation 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 Yes 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 TradeStation Public.com
Option Chains - Total Greeks 5 5
Option Analysis - P&L Charts Yes Yes
Banking TradeStation 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 TradeStation 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 TradeStation Public.com
Overall 3.5/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Range of Investments 4/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Advanced Trading 4/5 Stars 1/5 Stars
Mobile Trading Apps 4/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Research 2.5/5 Stars 2.5/5 Stars
Education 2/5 Stars 3.5/5 Stars
Ease of Use 3/5 Stars 3/5 Stars
Winner check_circle
Review TradeStation Review Public.com Review
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