Public.com vs Vanguard 2025
In this head to head comparison of Public.com vs Vanguard, 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 Public.com vs Vanguard, we will compare the trading platforms, mobile apps, range of investments, costs, market research, and more. Let's dive in.
When considering investment options, Public.com and Vanguard offer distinct features catering to different investor needs. Public.com excels in providing modern trading solutions, including fractional shares and crypto trading with access to 22 coins, which Vanguard does not offer. On the other hand, Vanguard shines in offering traditional IRA and Roth IRA accounts alongside advisor services, making it a compelling choice for those seeking comprehensive long-term investment strategies. While Vanguard is rated higher for its range of investments at 4.5 stars compared to Public.com's 3.5 stars, the final choice depends on individual investment preferences and requirements.
Public.com allows investors to engage with a variety of investment opportunities such as stocks, options, margin, and OTC trading. Its standout feature is the ability to trade fractional shares, an accessible option especially for new investors. In addition, enthusiasts of cryptocurrency find Public.com attractive, with the platform offering a selection of 22 different coins for trading. Despite lacking mutual funds, IRAs, and advisor services, Public.com's modern trading capabilities cater to a younger audience seeking flexibility and diverse trading avenues.
Vanguard, with a strong reputation for offering traditional investment options, supports stock, options, margin, and even OTC trading. Its comprehensive range includes mutual funds, IRA account options, and the availability of professional financial advisor services geared towards long-term, strategic investment planning. While Vanguard does not provide crypto trading, the platform's offerings cater to investors focused on building a stable, diversified portfolio over time. Its higher rating for range of investments reflects its capacity to meet varied investing needs with traditional tools.
Feature |
|
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Stock Trading | Yes | Yes |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes |
Fractional Shares | Yes | No |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes |
Futures Trading | No | No |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 22 | 0 |
Range of Investments |
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Dive deeper: Best Options Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Futures Trading Platforms for 2025
When comparing Public.com and Vanguard for their trading platforms and tools, Vanguard slightly edges out Public.com with a 2.5-star rating compared to Public.com's 2 stars. However, both platforms have room for improvement and rank below several other brokers, with Public.com positioned at #15 by StockBrokers.com. Neither service offers downloadable trading software for Windows or Mac, relying instead on browser-based platforms.
Public.com and Vanguard are tied in several areas. Both lack features such as paper trading, trading journals, drawing tools, and the ability to save multiple chart profiles. Each provides index overlays in their charting features, though they do not offer advanced capabilities like showing historical trades or automated technical analyses. Additionally, neither platform allows users to add notes to charts or set custom date ranges, which might be a drawback for traders seeking detailed insights and customization.
Differentiating the two, Vanguard takes a lead with its charting features, offering nine technical indicators compared to none from Public.com. It also allows users to display corporate events on charts, a feature missing from Public.com. For watch lists, Vanguard offers nine columns or fields for customization, overshadowing Public.com's three. Despite these advantages, both platforms could benefit from enhancing their toolset to appeal to more advanced traders.
Feature |
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Web Trading Platform | Yes | Yes |
Desktop Trading Platform | No | No |
Desktop Platform (Mac) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Watch Lists - Total Fields | 3 | 9 |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 9 |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 |
Platforms & Tools |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Brokers & Trading Platforms for 2025, Best Paper Trading Platforms for 2025
When it comes to educating beginners and investors, both Public.com and Vanguard have their strengths and limitations. Public.com provides educational resources on stocks, ETFs, and options, whereas Vanguard offers information primarily on stocks. While both platforms include educational videos, only Public.com offers webinars, making it a more interactive choice for users looking to deepen their knowledge. However, neither broker supports mutual funds or bonds education, nor do they offer paper trading or quizzes to reinforce learning.
Both Public.com and Vanguard are rated 3.5 stars for their educational offerings, reflecting a balanced, if not outstanding, educational platform for investors. Public.com is ranked 12th in education among 18 brokers by StockBrokers.com, highlighting its dedicated approach to investor education and its appeal to those prioritizing a varied learning experience. Meanwhile, Vanguard is not ranked by StockBrokers.com, but it remains a popular choice for users who prefer more traditional investment knowledge without additional digital engagement features.
Feature |
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Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | No |
Education (Options) | Yes | No |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No |
Education (Bonds) | No | No |
Paper Trading | No | No |
Videos | Yes | Yes |
Webinars | Yes | No |
Education |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Platforms for Beginners of 2025
Public.com and Vanguard offer unique features and capabilities for those interested in stock trading through mobile apps, but they cater to slightly different user preferences. Public.com, with a strong focus on accessibility for both Android and iPhone users, also allows for mobile after-hours and options trading, which may appeal to active traders seeking flexibility. Meanwhile, Vanguard, although slightly more limited in mobile options trading, provides reliable tools for those interested primarily in stock trading. Interestingly, neither broker offers advanced visual features, like streaming quotes or videos on demand, keeping their mobile experience streamlined.
Both Public.com and Vanguard are accessible on iPhone and Android devices, ensuring a wide reach for mobile users. While neither platform has ventured into the Apple Watch market, traders who use both Public.com and Vanguard apps won't miss out on the essentials. Where Public.com takes the lead is in offering customization options, like the ability to modify watch list columns and view stock comparisons on charts—features that are not available with Vanguard.
In terms of charting, both apps allow users to view multiple time frames; however, neither offers technical studies or landscape viewing for charts, which might limit more detailed analysis. Ratings reveal that Public.com is marginally favored over Vanguard, with a 3.5-star rating compared to Vanguard's 3 stars, reflecting user satisfaction and feature availability. Ultimately, the choice between Public.com and Vanguard may come down to what specific features or trading activities the user values most in a stock trading app.
Feature |
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iPhone App | Yes | Yes |
Android App | Yes | Yes |
Apple Watch App | No | No |
Stock Alerts | No | No |
Charting - After-Hours | No | No |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 |
Mobile Trading Apps |
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Dive deeper: Best Stock Trading Apps for 2025
When choosing between Public.com and Vanguard, it's essential to consider the costs and fees associated with each platform. Public.com shines with its $0 minimum deposit requirement, offering a low-entry barrier for new investors. However, Vanguard also demands no minimum deposit, making it equally accessible in this regard. Yet, if you're interested in trading options, Public.com holds an edge with no charges per options contract, in contrast to Vanguard's $1.00 fee per contract. Furthermore, Public.com's margin rates are significantly lower across various balance thresholds, offering potential savings for margin traders when compared to Vanguard's higher rates.
Both platforms cater to commission-free stock trading, ensuring that buying and selling stocks won't incur additional costs. However, there are differences in account and transfer fees that may influence your decision. Public.com charges $75 for both partial and full account transfers (ACAT), while Vanguard charges $100 for a full transfer but does not impose a fee for partial transfers. Additionally, Vanguard sets a $25 annual fee for IRA accounts, a charge that Public.com does not apply, providing potential savings for those maintaining retirement accounts.
In terms of other potential costs, both Public.com and Vanguard offer zero fees for options exercises and assignments, ensuring no hidden charges on these transactions. This characteristic is beneficial for investors who trade options frequently. Ultimately, selecting between Public.com and Vanguard will depend on your particular needs, such as margin trading requirements and how you value IRA account charges and transfer fees. Consider what aligns with your investment strategy and budget before making a decision.
Feature |
|
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Minimum Deposit | $20.00 | $0.00 |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $1.00 |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
IRA Annual Fee | $25.00 | |
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 |
Dive deeper: Best Free Trading Platforms for 2025
When considering Public.com and Vanguard for day trading, it's important to know that both platforms have limited capabilities in this area. Neither Public.com nor Vanguard offers streaming time and sales for stocks, which might be essential for real-time traders looking to see detailed transaction data. They also do not provide streaming live TV, so traders seeking in-depth market news and updates will need to look elsewhere. Moreover, both platforms lack direct market routing for stocks which restricts traders from selecting specific routes for their orders, potentially a downside for those who prefer control over their trade execution.
Furthermore, key features that benefits day traders such as ladder trading or trading hotkeys for swift keyboard trade entries are unavailable with both Public.com and Vanguard. Additionally, neither platform offers level 2 quotes, essential for gaining insights into supply and demand levels, nor do they offer strategy backtesting features to test past performance of trading strategies. Also, they lack a short locator tool for determining real-time availability of shares for short selling. Coupled with the absence of order liquidity rebates, these factors may suggest that Public.com and Vanguard are more suited to long-term investors rather than those crafting day trading strategies.
Feature |
|
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Streaming Time & Sales | No | No |
Streaming TV | No | No |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | 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 for 2025
When comparing the market research capabilities of Public.com and Vanguard, Vanguard comes out slightly ahead with a 3.5-star rating versus Public.com's 2-star rating. Although Vanguard does not appear in a specific ranking by StockBrokers.com, it offers a more comprehensive suite of research tools, particularly for mutual funds and bonds. Public.com offers basic stock and ETFs research but lacks features in mutual fund and bond analysis as well as not offering social media sentiment data or ESG research, which are also absent in Vanguard.
Public.com gives investors the tools to conduct stock and ETFs research, alongside providing support for Pink Sheets/OTCBB. However, it does not extend its research offerings to mutual funds, bonds, ESG, or social media sentiment, potentially leaving investors wanting more depth and diversity in their research options. Within its platform, investors won't find tools like portfolio allocation analysis by asset class or downloadable PDF research reports, which limits the depth of market research capabilities they can access.
Conversely, Vanguard provides a more rounded research capability with options for mutual funds and bonds, and a couple of downloadable PDF research reports for stocks. Investors can also access tools to analyze portfolio allocation by asset class and utilize stock and ETF screeners for identifying trade ideas. However, like Public.com, Vanguard does not incorporate ESG research or social media sentiment data. Despite these limitations, Vanguard’s additional offerings of mutual fund and bond research tools give it a slight advantage for those seeking a wider scope of market research capabilities.
Feature |
|
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Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes |
Screener - Stocks | No | Yes |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes |
Screener - ETFs | No | Yes |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | Yes |
Research - Bonds | No | Yes |
Screener - Bonds | No | Yes |
Research |
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When comparing Public.com and Vanguard for banking capabilities, neither platform offers traditional banking services like checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, or mortgage loans. However, Vanguard provides Certificates of Deposit (CDs), whereas Public.com does not. This makes Vanguard a slightly more versatile option for those interested in CDs, even though both lack typical banking features. If you're primarily looking for CD options alongside investment services, Vanguard might be more suitable for you. However, for users keen solely on investment services without banking features, either platform could meet those needs.
Feature |
|
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Checking Accounts | No | No |
Savings Accounts | No | No |
Debit Cards | No | No |
Credit Cards | No | No |
Mortgage Loans | No | No |
CDs | No | Yes |
Dive deeper: Best Bank Accounts for Trading Stocks for 2025
After opening live accounts and testing 18 of the best online brokers, our research and live account testing finds that Public.com is better than Vanguard. Public.com finished with an overall score of 69.6%, while Vanguard finished with a score of 80.3%.
Public is easy to use and offers a fascinating array of investment options. Along with stocks, ETFs, and crypto, there are managed Treasury bill accounts and alternative investments, such as shares in comic books and Banksy art. On the downside, Public uses its refusal to accept payment for order flow as justification for some startlingly high fees and spreads.
Public.com stands out by offering crypto trading with access to 22 different coins, whereas Vanguard does not offer any crypto trading options, making Public.com a better choice for investors interested in cryptocurrency.
Dive deeper: Best Online Brokers for Crypto Trading in 2025
Public.com does not offer traditional or Roth IRA accounts, while Vanguard provides both options, albeit with a $25 annual fee for IRA accounts but no closure fee.
Dive deeper: Best IRA Accounts for 2025
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0 of 5Overall Rating | Public.com | Vanguard | |
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Commissions & Fees | N/A |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Customer Service | N/A |
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Education |
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Ease Of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Public.com Review | Vanguard Review |
Broker Screenshots | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Trading Platform & Tools Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Research Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Mobile Trading Apps Gallery (click to expand) | |||
Education Gallery (click to expand) |
Trading Fees | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Minimum Deposit | $20.00 | $0.00 | |
Stock Trades | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Penny Stock Fees (OTC) | $2.99 | $0.00 | |
Mutual Fund Trade Fee | n/a | Varies | |
Options (Per Contract) | $0.00 | $1.00 | |
Futures (Per Contract) | (Not offered) | (Not offered) | |
Broker Assisted Trade Fee | n/a | $25 |
Margin Rates | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Margin Rate Under $25,000 | 8.75% | 13.75% | |
Margin Rate $25,000 to $49,999.99 | 8.75% | 13.25% | |
Margin Rate $50,000 to $99,999.99 | 6.75% | 12.75% | |
Margin Rate $100,000 to $249,999.99 | 6.75% | 12.25% | |
Margin Rate $250,000 to $499,999.99 | 5.75% | 11.75% | |
Margin Rate $500,000 to $999,999.99 | 5.75% | 10.5% | |
Margin Rate Above $1,000,000 | 5.75% | Varies |
Account Fees | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
IRA Annual Fee | $25.00 | ||
IRA Closure Fee | $0.00 | ||
Account Transfer Out (Partial) | $75.00 | $0.00 | |
Account Transfer Out (Full) | $75.00 | $100.00 | |
Options Exercise Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
Options Assignment Fee | $0.00 | $0.00 |
Investment Options | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Margin Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Fractional Shares | Yes | No | |
OTC Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Options Trading | Yes | Yes | |
Complex Options Max Legs | 0 | 4 | |
Futures Trading | No | No | |
Forex Trading | No | No | |
Crypto Trading | Yes | No | |
Crypto Trading - Total Coins | 22 | 0 | |
Mutual Funds (No Load) | 0 | N/A | |
Mutual Funds (Total) | 0 | N/A | |
Bonds (US Treasury) | Yes | Yes | |
Bonds (Corporate) | Yes | Yes | |
Bonds (Municipal) | No | Yes | |
Traditional IRAs | No | Yes | |
Roth IRAs | No | Yes | |
Advisor Services | No | Yes | |
International Countries (Stocks) | 0 | 0 |
Order Types | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | No | No | |
Order Type - OTO | No | No | |
Order Type - Broker Assisted | No | Yes |
Beginners | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Education (Stocks) | Yes | Yes | |
Education (ETFs) | Yes | No | |
Education (Options) | Yes | No | |
Education (Mutual Funds) | No | No | |
Education (Bonds) | No | No | |
Education (Retirement) | Yes | Yes | |
Retirement Calculator | No | Yes | |
Investor Dictionary | Yes | No | |
Paper Trading | No | No | |
Videos | Yes | Yes | |
Webinars | Yes | No | |
Webinars (Archived) | Yes | No | |
Progress Tracking | No | No | |
Interactive Learning - Quizzes | No | No |
Stock Trading Apps | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone App | Yes | Yes | |
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
Apple Watch App | No | No | |
Trading - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Trading - After-Hours | Yes | No | |
Trading - Simple Options | Yes | No | |
Trading - Complex Options | No | No | |
Order Ticket RT Quotes | Yes | Yes | |
Order Ticket SRT Quotes | No | No |
Stock App Features | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Market Movers (Top Gainers) | Yes | No | |
Stream Live TV | No | No | |
Videos on Demand | No | No | |
Stock Alerts | No | No | |
Option Chains Viewable | Yes | No | |
Watch List (Real-time) | Yes | No | |
Watch List (Streaming) | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Create & Manage | No | No | |
Watch Lists - Column Customization | Yes | No |
Stock App Charting | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - After-Hours | No | No | |
Charting - Can Turn Horizontally | No | No | |
Charting - Multiple Time Frames | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Technical Studies | 0 | 0 | |
Charting - Study Customizations | No | No | |
Charting - Stock Comparisons | Yes | No |
Trading Platforms | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Active Trading Platform | n/a | 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 | 3 | 9 |
Stock Chart Features | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Charting - Adjust Trades on Chart | No | No | |
Charting - Indicators / Studies | 0 | 9 | |
Charting - Drawing Tools | 0 | 0 | |
Charting - Notes | No | No | |
Charting - Index Overlays | Yes | Yes | |
Charting - Historical Trades | No | No | |
Charting - Corporate Events | No | Yes | |
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 | 0 | 1 | |
Charting - Custom Studies | No | No |
Day Trading | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Streaming Time & Sales | No | No | |
Streaming TV | No | No | |
Direct Market Routing - Stocks | No | No | |
Ladder Trading | No | No | |
Trade Hotkeys | 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 | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Research - Stocks | Yes | Yes | |
Research - ETFs | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
Research - Pink Sheets / OTCBB | Yes | Yes | |
Research - Bonds | No | Yes | |
Screener - Stocks | No | Yes | |
Screener - ETFs | No | Yes | |
Screener - Mutual Funds | No | Yes | |
Screener - Bonds | No | Yes | |
Misc - Portfolio Allocation | No | Yes |
Stock Research | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Stock Research - PDF Reports | 0 | 2 | |
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 | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
ETFs - Strategy Overview | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Inception Date | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Expense Ratio | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Net Assets | Yes | No | |
ETF Fund Facts - Total Holdings | No | No | |
ETFs - Top 10 Holdings | No | No | |
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 | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Mutual Funds - Strategy Overview | No | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Chart | No | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Performance Analysis | No | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Prospectus | No | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - 3rd Party Ratings | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Fees Breakdown | No | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Top 10 Holdings | No | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Asset Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - Sector Allocation | No | Yes | |
Mutual Funds - Country Allocation | No | No | |
Mutual Funds - StyleMap | No | Yes |
Options Trading | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Option Chains - Basic View | No | Yes | |
Option Chains - Strategy View | No | No | |
Option Chains - Streaming | No | No | |
Option Chains - Total Columns | 4 | 9 | |
Option Chains - Greeks | 5 | 0 | |
Option Chains - Quick Analysis | Yes | No | |
Option Analysis - P&L Charts | Yes | No | |
Option Probability Analysis | No | No | |
Option Probability Analysis Adv | No | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks | Yes | No | |
Option Positions - Greeks Streaming | No | No | |
Option Positions - Adv Analysis | No | No | |
Option Positions - Rolling | No | No | |
Option Positions - Grouping | No | No |
Banking | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
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 | Public.com | Vanguard | |
---|---|---|---|
Phone Support (Prospect Customers) | No | Yes | |
Phone Support (Current Customers) | No | Yes | |
Email Support | Yes | Yes | |
Live Chat (Prospect Customers) | Yes | No | |
Live Chat (Current Customers) | Yes | No | |
24/7 Support | No | No |
Overall | Public.com | Vanguard | |
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Overall |
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Commissions & Fees | N/A |
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Range of Investments |
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Platforms & Tools |
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Mobile Trading Apps |
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Research |
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Education |
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Ease Of Use |
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Winner | check_circle | ||
Review | Public.com Review | Vanguard Review |