Table of Contents
About Public.com
Why juggle all your investments on multiple websites when you can collect them all in one place? That’s the idea behind Public.com, a trading app praised by the likes of Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and Fast Company.
Their investing options are designed for traditional stock enthusiasts and modern investors looking into crypto, NFTs, and other assets. Their wealth of options have earned them over 41k followers on Instagram.
In this Public.com review, I’ll give you a glance at their services, their fees, how they stack up to their competition, and what users have to say about them.
Overview of Public.com
Since 2017, Public.com has been offering customers minimum-free investments in many venues. They know that people want to diversify their investments, so they allow users to personalize their portfolios to look at trends and consult with others.
Public.com lives up to its title by providing you with public social tools that you can use to connect with other investors. You can follow the actions of other popular traders, create chats with users, and participate in investing events to learn from the community.
Let’s head deeper into the world of investments in this Public.com review. First, let’s see some of the brand’s highlights.
Highlights
- $0 minimum investment
- Social features help you learn from other investors
- Partners with Apex Crypto
- Can invest in over 25 types of crypto tokens and coins
- Offers alternative asset trading
Public.com prides themselves on offering many investment opportunities. I’ll break down the major streams they provide throughout this Public.com review.
Public.com Stocks and ETFs Review
There are over 9,000 Public.com stock and ETF options to choose from, but rather than just throw you into the deep end, Public.com can help you navigate those options.
The service’s Investing Themes can manage your portfolio and tailor it to your assets while its other tools (Top Mover and Stock Trends) give you a clear vision of how stocks are moving each day and which are popular.
Public.com Crypto Review
I’m guessing many people who came to this Public.com review came here due to the brand’s crypto investing options. The service partners with Apex Crypto to allow you to invest in more than two dozen crypto tokens. This includes some popular choices like Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Etherium.
Public.com Alternative assets Review
You don’t just have to use Public.com stocks. You can also use the website to invest in alternative assets including:
- NFTs
- Collectibles
- Art
Public.com verifies every asset before it pops up on their site, meaning you don’t have to go through the hassle of checking its legitimacy.
Public.com App Review
The Public.com app is available on both Apple and Android devices. The company behind it converted all of their browser features to mobile interfaces.
One customer said, “The app is very easy to use and full of information about companies and their stocks. I’ve doubled my investment in 2 weeks and I had to contact customer support because I got a new phone number and the app is very very secure. “
How Does Public.com Work?
This section of my Public.com review will take you through the process of creating an account and starting investing today. It should take you less time to sign up than it would to order your morning coffee at even the fastest cafe.
You’ll begin by clicking the “Get Started” button on Public.com. From there, you’ll have to enter your email address and a US phone number. Note that the company only accepts American phone numbers, meaning that international customers are out of luck.
There are other criteria that you must meet to create a Public.com account, including:
- Users must be at least 18 years old
- Users must be US citizens (or have an active American visa)
- Users must possess a social security number
- Users must have a US address
Once you’ve made your account and downloaded the Public.com app then you’re in. you’ll have all the tools and toys at your disposal and you don’t necessarily need to fund them with your bank account. You can connect your debit card to Public.com so that it can use those funds.
Public.com Fees
There are some fees that you should be aware of before creating your Public.com account, the first of which is the inactivity fee. If you don’t use your account for at least 90 days and have less than $20 in your account then you’ll face a $5 fee.
Some of their other fees include a $25 charge for domestic wire transfers, a 1-2% markup fee on crypto transactions, $30 fees on returned checks, and a 2% fee on instant withdrawals up to $50. There’s also a 2.5% transaction fee for alternative assets.
You may be curious how Public.com makes money since they don’t use the typical Payment for Order Flow template other online brokers use. Typically, this format works as it’s the market makers that pay the brokers. They essentially “buy” the information regarding your trades.
Public.com doesn’t use that format, instead relying on interest and tips. Yes, you read that right; Public.com has drawn inspiration from restaurants and implemented a tipping feature. The most that you can tip is 2% on any given exchange, but it;’s completely optional.
Who Is Public.com For?
Due to the app’s social features, I think Public.com is best for people starting to invest. The app is an excellent platform for people to learn how to invest and what to look for, and it allows users to directly communicate with one another to exchange ideas.
Public.com Reviews: What Do Customers Think?
These are some average Public.com review scores from various customer websites:
- iOS App Store: 4.7/5 stars based on more than 61,000 pieces of customer feedback
- Google Play Store: 4.3/5 stars based on more than 45,000 pieces of customer feedback
- Better Business Bureau: 3/5 stars based on more than 90 pieces of customer feedback
The majority of positive Public.com reviews praised the service for its community features. They said that it was a great tool to learn from the pros or to troubleshoot their investment issues with other users.
Here’s what one user wrote of the site’s beginner-friendly interface.
“Anyone under 40 with disposable income should, IMO, be investing directly in the market instead of relying on 401ks and other group plans. This app lays out all the info in a very intuitive fashion and within a week I was able to, with ZERO prior knowledge, navigate the app effectively, and the community of investors on the app are a fantastic source of investing advice.”
“The community is always putting out great information to help out. I also appreciate how the funds are made available after a deposit, the only thing I wish the app had is a tool to show the status of all the money that is deposited into the app,” wrote another user.
Public.com reviews usually mention the customer service in a positive light as well. Here’s how one user described it.
“The customer service is the best I’ve experienced in any company over the years. You feel like you are talking to someone you have known for years and they are super responsive 24/7.i like the company so much I actually inquired about working there. This is a great and honest company and I can see them being the new alternative to traditional 401 k retirement plans. “
Public.com vs M1 Finance
One of Public.com’s most similar competitors is M1 Finance, but there are some major differences that may lead you to work with the former. Public.com has a lower minimum investment ($0 versus M1 Finance’s $100) and more robust investing options as you can invest in crypto and alternative assets, neither of which M1 Finance supports.
Public.com vs Tornado
Tornado is another popular competitor, but it has a $5 monthly fee and only allows investments in stocks and ETFs. As such, you’ll likely pay more with Tornado and won’t have as many investment options as you would with Public.com.
Is Public.com Legit?
Yes, Public.com is a safe resource to use for investments.
Is Public.com Worth It?
Based on customer reception, I think that Public.com is at least worth looking into.
Public.com Promotions & Discounts
You can earn rewards by sending friends a Public.com referral code. Once they go through the signup process, you can earn as much as $300.
How To Sign Up on Public.com
You can sign up on the company’s website or the app.
FAQ
Who owns Public.com?
Jannick Malling is the owner and founder of Public.com.
How much money can you make on Public.com?
Sadly, I can’t give you a solid answer in this Public.com review because a host of factors affect how much money you can make on the app. I’d recommend checking out customer Public.com reviews to see how much others made using it.
What is Public.com’s Privacy Policy?
Public.com will not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third-parties.
How to Contact Public.com
I hope you found this Public.com review useful! You can contact the team by sending an email to [email protected].
Check out some similar reviews you might like:
Ask the community or leave a comment
WRITE A REVIEWCustomer Reviews
Leave a review