Public.com Pricing Explained: All Plans, Costs & Fees (2026)

Public.com Pricing Overview

Public.com keeps its pricing model refreshingly simple: there are two tiers available. The Free plan costs $0/month with no hidden account fees, making it one of the most accessible entry points for beginner investors. Investors who want advanced features and priority support can upgrade to the Premium plan at $10/month. With no account minimums, no maintenance fees, and commission-free trading across stocks and ETFs, Public.com's pricing philosophy is built around removing traditional barriers to investing.

All Public.com Plans Compared

Here's how Public.com's two pricing tiers stack up:

Feature	Free Plan ($0/mo)	Premium Plan ($10/mo)
Stock Trading	✓ Commission-free	✓ Commission-free
ETF Trading	✓ Commission-free	✓ Commission-free
Options Trading	✓ $0 per contract	✓ $0 per contract
Crypto Trading	✓ Available	✓ Available
Bonds	✓ Available	✓ Available
Alpha AI Insights	✓ Basic access	✓ Enhanced access
Mobile App	✓ Full access	✓ Full access
Social Community	✓ Full access	✓ Full access
High-Yield Cash Account	✓ Available	✓ Available
Priority Support	✗ Standard support	✓ Priority support
Monthly Cost	$0	$10

Free Plan / Free Trial

Public.com's free tier is not a trial—it's a permanent, fully-functional plan with no time limits or upgrade pressure. There's no separate free trial period; you simply start with the Free plan and can cancel or upgrade whenever you want.

What You Get:

• Unlimited commission-free stock and ETF trading
• Options trading at $0 per contract
• Access to crypto and bonds
• Full mobile app with real-time alerts
• Alpha AI stock analysis tool
• Complete social investing community features
• High-Yield Cash Account with competitive interest rates
• Performance analytics and portfolio tracking

Limitations of the Free Plan:

• No advanced desktop or web charting tools for technical analysis
• Standard customer support (non-priority response times)
• Reduced or delayed access to some Premium AI insights features
• No paper trading or backtesting capabilities

For most beginner to intermediate investors, the free plan is genuinely sufficient. You can build a diversified portfolio, execute trades, and access community insights without paying anything.

Hidden Costs and Fees

One of Public.com's main selling points is transparency. Here's what doesn't cost extra:

• No account maintenance fees – free plans never expire
• No minimum account balance – start with as little as $1
• No withdrawal fees – move money out of your account anytime
• No wire transfer fees – both incoming and outgoing wires are free
• Commission-free stocks and ETFs – guaranteed at all price points
• No trading software fees – unlike some brokers charging for Level 2 data

Costs That Do Apply (Rarely):

• High-Yield Cash Account interest rates: Competitive but varies based on market conditions (typically 4-5% APY, though this fluctuates)
• Crypto trading spreads: Public.com doesn't charge commissions on crypto, but there's a built-in spread on buy/sell prices (approximately 0.5-1.5%, though this varies)
• Regulatory fees for options: While per-contract fees are zero, SEC and exchange regulatory fees of approximately $0.01-0.05 per contract may apply on some trades
• Dividend reinvestment: Free, but dividend amounts are subject to cash availability timing

Public.com deliberately avoids nickel-and-diming users on ancillary services, making it genuinely one of the lowest-cost brokers on the market.

Public.com Pricing vs Competitors

How does Public.com's $0 / $10 structure compare to other popular brokers?

Broker	Free Plan Cost	Premium/Plus Cost	Commission-Free Trading
Public.com	$0/mo	$10/mo	✓ All assets
Robinhood	$0/mo	$5-14/mo (varies)	✓ All assets
Fidelity	$0/mo	$0/mo (ATP platform extra)	✓ All assets
Webull	$0/mo	~$5-10/mo (approx.)	✓ All assets
Charles Schwab	$0/mo	$0/mo	✓ All assets

Value Comparison:

• Public.com vs Robinhood: Public.com's Premium at $10/mo is comparable to Robinhood Gold at approximately $5-14/month. Public.com wins on simplicity—one price tier. Robinhood offers margin trading, which Public.com doesn't, but Public.com has superior AI analysis tools and a stronger community.
• Public.com vs Fidelity: Fidelity is free forever, but it prioritizes professionals. Public.com's $10/mo premium tier is cheaper than Fidelity's advanced charting tools or professional platforms, making it better value for casual investors.
• Public.com vs Charles Schwab: Schwab is entirely free with no premium tier, but it's more complex and geared toward experienced traders. Public.com's optional $10/mo upgrade is worth the money if you value community insights and AI analysis over advanced charting.

Is Public.com Worth the Price?

The Free Plan: Worth It for 95% of Users

At $0/month, Public.com's free tier is a no-brainer for any investor under $50,000 in assets. You're not sacrificing core functionality—commission-free stocks, ETFs, options, and crypto are all included. The Alpha AI tool alone provides value that paid competitors charge separately for. The social community adds a learning dimension that pure technical platforms lack.

The Premium Plan ($10/mo): Worth It If You…

• Want enhanced AI analysis: If you rely on Public.com's Alpha AI for stock research, the Premium tier unlocks deeper insights worth approximately $10-15/month elsewhere.
• Value customer priority support: If you trade during active market conditions and need fast responses, priority support justifies the upgrade.
• Are actively learning to invest: The combination of advanced AI + community + priority support makes Premium a productivity tool, not just a fee.
• Have $50,000+ in assets: At this scale, $10/month ($120/year) represents only 0.024% of assets, making the cost negligible if the features add value.

When Public.com Isn't Worth It:

• You need advanced technical charting: If candlestick patterns, moving averages, and indicator overlays are core to your strategy, use Webull or ThinkorSwim instead. Public.com has basic charting but no desktop tools.
• You're a day trader or active trader: Public.com limits order types and doesn't offer margin trading. Robinhood or Fidelity Active Pro are better for high-frequency traders.
• You want backtesting or paper trading: Public.com doesn't offer these features at any price. This is a genuine limitation for strategy testing.

How to Save on Public.com

Built-In Savings (No Code Required):

• Use the free plan: There's genuinely no disadvantage to staying free if you don't need priority support or advanced AI. Most of Public.com's value is unlocked at $0.
• High-Yield Cash Account: Public.com's integrated cash account offers competitive interest rates (typically 4-5% APY) without having to move money elsewhere. This saves you the effort and potential slippage of external cash management.
• Reinvest dividends automatically: Many competitors charge for dividend reinvestment. Public.com does it free, saving you money on frequent dividend stocks.
• Trade fractional shares: Invest any dollar amount in any stock without rounding up to full shares. This eliminates waste on rounding inefficiency.

No Hidden Discount Codes or Promotions:

As of 2026, Public.com doesn't advertise annual billing discounts or promotional pricing tiers. The $10/month premium price is fixed. However, the zero-cost free tier means you're already getting the maximum savings available—there's simply no lower tier to unlock.

External Savings Strategies:

• Transfer from another broker for free: Public.com covers ACAT (Automated Customer Account Transfer) fees if you move your portfolio over, saving you typically $25-50 in transfer fees.
• Bundle with other services: If you already use another platform in Public's ecosystem, there may be account linking benefits (though Public doesn't heavily advertise these).

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Bottom Line: Public.com's pricing is among the most transparent and user-friendly in the brokerage industry. The free tier genuinely delivers value, and the $10/month premium is optional rather than mandatory. Most investors should start free and upgrade only if they specifically need priority support or enhanced AI insights. For a detailed comparison of Public.com against other brokers, see our full Public.com review or broker comparison guide.