Public App Review 2024
Our Take
Public app is the #1 stock & crypto social trading app for beginners who want to buy fractional shares of their favorite companies and cryptocurrencies.
It’s like the “Facebook of Investing” where you can post your trades publicly, respond to other people’s trades, and build a social following of investors within your profile.
The downside? Public doesn’t offer retirement accounts or allow you to store your crypto in a wallet.
What is Public?
Public is a social trading app geared towards the younger generation that is getting interested in stock & crypto investing.
Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Buy Stocks & ETFs commission free | 1 to 2% spread on crypto trades |
| Post your stock & crypto trades publicly | No retirement or custodial accounts |
| Follow your favorite investors and track their trades |
Commissions & Fees
| Asset Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Stocks | $0 |
| ETFs | $0 |
| Crypto | 1 to 2% spread |
Public offers commission free trading for stocks & ETFs on the platform. You can invest in your favorite companies for as little as $1.
Crypto trades will cost you an additional 1 to 2% spread on each transaction and your crypto will be owned via Apex.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Phone Trades | $30 |
| Domestic Wire Transfer | $30 |
| Domestic Overnight Checks | $35 |
| Returned Checks or Stopped Payments | $30 |
| ACAT Outgoing | $75 |
| Paper Statements | $35 |
How Public Works
Public offers you a free fractional share of a stock for signing up.
Community
Public is focused on building an investment community of like minded people. You can browse the following sections to interact within the Public Community:
- Trending: See which posts are trending within the Public app
- Crypto: See the most popular crypto trades
- Following: View posts from people you follow
- Insights: Read popular thoughts and options from other users
- Events: Join in on public town hall meetings with CEOs
- Saved: Access your saved posts
Portfolio
This is the main area where you can make deposits, invest, track your portfolio, and create watchlists.
Link your checking account to make deposits easily into Public.
Explore
This is how you can find people, stock, and crypto within the Public platform. Public lists the following:
- Most Popular Cryptos
- Earnings This Week
- Top Movers
- Public Live
- Themes
- Index ETFs
- Learn & Earn
- New Cryptos on Public
- Town Halls
- Watch & Learn
- Dividend Stocks
- This Week’s Highlights
Markets & Products
| Asset Type | Availability |
|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes |
| Bonds | No |
| ETFs | Yes |
| Forex | No |
| Binary Options | Yes |
Referral Program
Public will give you a free fractional share of a stock or crypto for every person you refer that opens an account and deposits at least $20. Your free share will be worth anywhere between $3 to $300.
Here’s the chances of receiving a $300 fractional share for each referral:
You may earn up to $500 in referral program rewards. Once you earn $500, you can no longer receive free fractional shares of stock or crypto but your link will still be active.
The Bottom Line
I was skeptical at first about Public but the app is slowing growing on me. I like the ability to interact with other investors and see which stocks & crypto they are actively trading.
Social investing is the future of the finance industry and more brokerages will be forced to encourage transparency on their platforms moving forward.
While Public doesn’t offer all the features & benefits of a larger full service broker, I think it’s a fun investing app for beginners who want to trade stocks, ETFs, and crypto in a social format.
Disclosure: I have a financial relationship with Public and will be compensated if consumers apply for an account and/or fund an account with Public through links in my content. However, the analysis and opinions expressed here are my own.
