Robinhood vs Public

Robinhood is better than Public for most investors choosing between the two in 2026. Robinhood wins overall because it combines commission-free stock and ETF trading with stronger active-trading tools, futures, a cheaper premium membership and a 3% IRA contribution match for Robinhood Gold members.

Public is the better choice if you specifically want to buy individual bonds or U.S. Treasuries, want competitive interest on cash without paying for a subscription, or value Public's built-in research and options rebate programme. Public has also become considerably more competitive for retirement investing after launching Traditional and Roth IRAs with a 1% contribution match.

Our overall winner: Robinhood.

Interest rates, margin rates, promotions and other pricing can change.

Robinhood vs Public at a glance

Robinhood currently supports more than 11,200 securities, including U.S.-listed stocks, ETFs, closed-end funds, options and ADRs, but it does not support direct bond or fixed-income trading. Public offers stocks, ETFs, options, crypto, bonds, Treasuries, IRAs, direct indexing, Investment Plans and other portfolio products.

Is Robinhood or Public cheaper?

Robinhood is cheaper if you want the premium membership, while Public can be cheaper for certain options traders and investors who simply want to earn interest on cash. Neither broker charges a standard commission for ordinary U.S. stock and ETF trades, but their paid features and secondary fees work differently.

Robinhood Gold costs $5 per month or $50 per year. Gold currently includes a 3.35% APY on eligible brokerage cash, a 3% IRA contribution match, the first $1,000 of margin borrowing interest-free, and lower fees for index options and futures.

Public Premium costs $10 per month or $96 per year. Investors with at least $50,000 in qualifying combined balances can currently receive Premium without paying the membership fee. Premium provides additional data and research, fee-free Investment Plans, unlimited fee-free extended-hours stock and ETF trades, and waives the $3.99 monthly Bond Account maintenance fee.

Public also charges transaction fees for some products that Robinhood does not offer at all. Direct bond purchases have markups based on the type and maturity of the bond, while non-Premium Investment Plans can cost between $0.49 and $1.99 per transaction depending on the number of securities in the plan.

Which is cheaper for options trading?

Public has the more unusual pricing advantage for stock and ETF options because it can actually rebate part of the revenue generated by eligible contracts. Public currently advertises rebates of $0.06 to $0.18 per eligible stock or ETF options contract, depending on trading volume and other programme conditions.

Robinhood charges no base fee and no per-contract commission for stock and ETF options either. Robinhood also offers index options, with lower Robinhood contract fees available to Gold subscribers. Regulatory and exchange fees can still apply at either platform.

That makes the decision relatively simple. A casual options investor may not notice much difference, but a trader consistently generating hundreds or thousands of eligible contracts could extract more value from Public's rebate structure.

Which broker has more investment options?

Public is better for building a portfolio that includes individual fixed-income securities, while Robinhood is better if you want futures alongside stocks, ETFs, options and crypto. The difference matters more than the raw number of assets each platform lists.

Public lets investors access stocks, ETFs, options, cryptocurrency, individual corporate and municipal bonds, U.S. Treasuries and several managed or structured portfolio products. Public also offers direct indexing and dedicated Treasury and Bond Accounts.

Robinhood offers stocks, ETFs, options, cryptocurrency and futures, among other supported securities. Robinhood explicitly states that its self-directed brokerage does not currently support bonds, fixed-income trading or mutual funds.

Neither broker is therefore the obvious choice for someone whose priority is a large traditional mutual-fund marketplace. Investors wanting direct ownership of individual bonds should choose Public between these two.

Robinhood vs Public for retirement investing

Robinhood is the better retirement platform if maximising an IRA contribution match is the priority. Public now has competitive retirement accounts, but Robinhood Gold's 3% contribution match gives Robinhood a meaningful numerical advantage.

Robinhood provides a 1% match on eligible annual IRA contributions without Gold and a 3% match with Robinhood Gold. For 2026, the IRS contribution limit used by Robinhood is $7,500 for investors under 50 and $8,600 for people aged 50 or older, meaning a qualifying Gold member could receive up to $225 or $258 respectively from the annual contribution match.

Public offers Traditional and Roth IRAs with a 1% match on eligible annual contributions. Public requires matched funds to remain in the account for at least five years to avoid an early removal fee.

Robinhood has holding requirements too. Funds that earned Robinhood's match generally need to remain in the account for at least five years, and Gold customers must satisfy additional Gold membership conditions to retain the full Gold match.

Is Robinhood Gold worth it just for the IRA match?

For someone who would otherwise receive a 1% IRA match, Robinhood Gold's incremental benefit is another 2% of eligible contributions. At the $50 annual Gold price, roughly $2,500 of annual IRA contributions produces an additional $50 of match, which mathematically covers the annual subscription before valuing any other Gold benefits.

At the 2026 $7,500 contribution limit for someone under age 50, a 3% match equals $225 versus $75 at a 1% match. That is a $150 difference, or roughly $100 more after a $50 annual Gold subscription, assuming the investor qualifies for the match and meets its retention requirements.

That is one of the strongest reasons to choose Robinhood over Public for a self-directed retirement account.

Public is better for bonds and Treasuries

Choose Public if buying individual bonds or Treasuries is part of your strategy. This is one of the clearest areas where Public offers something Robinhood's self-directed brokerage currently does not.

Public supports corporate, Treasury and municipal bonds, alongside dedicated Treasury and Bond Accounts. Direct bond transactions carry fees based on the type of security and remaining maturity, so Public should not be treated as universally free simply because its stock trades are commission-free.

Robinhood can provide fixed-income exposure through bond ETFs and managed Robinhood Strategies portfolios, but Robinhood states that direct bonds and fixed-income trading are not currently supported in its standard self-directed brokerage.

For an investor building Treasury ladders or selecting individual corporate bonds, Public therefore wins by default.

Robinhood is better for active traders

Robinhood is the stronger trading platform for most active traders because Robinhood Legend, advanced charting and futures give it more trading-oriented depth. Robinhood's advanced charting includes custom intervals, drawing tools, order entry from charts and more than 50 technical indicators on Robinhood Legend.

Robinhood Legend also integrates stocks, ETFs, options, crypto and futures data into a desktop trading interface. Futures trade separately through Robinhood Derivatives, with Robinhood commissions currently listed at $0.75 per contract for non-Gold users and $0.50 for Gold subscribers, before applicable regulatory and exchange fees.

Public is not weak here. It supports advanced options strategies for approved investors, index options, margin trading and an API that can automate stock and options orders. Public's options rebates can also make it particularly attractive to high-volume options traders.

The split is therefore:

• Robinhood: better overall active-trading ecosystem.
• Public: particularly compelling if your activity is concentrated in eligible stock and ETF options contracts.

Which is better for earning interest on cash?

Public is better if you want a competitive cash yield without paying for a premium membership. Public's High-Yield Cash Account currently pays 3.30% APY with no subscription, account fee or minimum balance requirement.

Robinhood currently pays 3.35% APY on eligible brokerage cash for Robinhood Gold members, but Gold costs $50 annually or $5 when billed monthly. The APY advantage over Public is therefore only 0.05 percentage points at the rates checked for this comparison.

Purely on the cash-yield difference, a 0.05 percentage-point advantage would require roughly $100,000 in cash to generate an extra $50 per year. That means Robinhood Gold does not make economic sense solely because 3.35% is slightly higher than Public's 3.30%, assuming both rates stayed unchanged.

Gold can still make sense because its IRA match, margin benefit, trading discounts and other features have separate value. But for someone who simply wants somewhere to park uninvested cash, Public is the cleaner proposition.

Public has slightly cheaper margin at smaller balances

Public currently has the lower headline margin rate for balances below $50,000. Public lists a 4.90% rate up to $50,000, compared with Robinhood's 5.00% rate for the same borrowing tier.

The difference is small. Robinhood Gold also includes the first $1,000 of margin borrowing without interest, which changes the calculation for smaller loans.

Margin rates are variable and can change with interest rates and broker pricing. Anyone choosing a platform specifically for margin should compare the live rate for their expected loan balance rather than assuming today's ranking will remain permanent.

Public vs Robinhood for research and AI tools

Public is the better fit for investors who want research to be central to the investing experience, although both platforms now use AI heavily. Public combines company metrics, analyst information and portfolio research with its Alpha research assistant and newer AI-powered Agents.

Public Premium expands the platform's research and data features further. Public positions Premium around advanced company data, institutional-grade research, portfolio tools and additional market insights.

Robinhood has moved aggressively into AI as well through Robinhood Cortex and its broader trading interface. The practical difference is that Robinhood's product feels more oriented towards moving from market information into a trade, while Public places more emphasis on researching assets and constructing a multi-asset portfolio.

Neither AI system should be treated as personalised investment advice or as a substitute for checking primary financial information.

Is Public safer than Robinhood?

There is no strong reason to choose Public over Robinhood, or Robinhood over Public, solely on basic brokerage protection. Public Investing and Robinhood Financial are registered U.S. broker-dealers and members of SIPC, while cryptocurrency is handled separately and does not receive the same SIPC protection as brokerage securities.

SIPC protection relates to missing cash and securities if a member brokerage fails. It does not protect investors against ordinary market losses, falling stock prices or bad investment decisions.

The more useful safety question is therefore whether the platform supports the account structure, assets and risk controls you actually intend to use.

Who should choose Robinhood?

Choose Robinhood if you want one or more of the following:

• The strongest overall platform between Robinhood and Public for active trading
• Futures trading
• Robinhood Legend and advanced technical charting
• A 3% IRA contribution match through Robinhood Gold
• A lower-cost premium membership
• Commission-free stock and ETF options
• An investing platform heavily integrated with crypto and active trading
• Robinhood Gold benefits such as the first $1,000 of margin borrowing interest-free

Robinhood makes the most sense for someone who wants a brokerage that can start simple but offers more headroom as their trading becomes more active. Its biggest weakness in this comparison is fixed income: you cannot directly buy individual bonds or Treasuries in the standard self-directed brokerage.

Who should choose Public?

Choose Public if you want one or more of the following:

• Individual corporate, municipal or Treasury bonds
• U.S. Treasury investing
• A 3.30% APY High-Yield Cash Account without a subscription
• Built-in fundamental research and AI-assisted research tools
• Options rebates on eligible stock and ETF contracts
• Direct indexing or Public's broader portfolio products
• A 1% IRA contribution match without paying for a premium tier
• API-based stock or options trading

Public makes the most sense for an investor who cares more about researching and constructing a multi-asset portfolio than gaining access to futures or the strongest active-trading interface. Its combination of individual fixed income, cash management and research is genuinely differentiated from Robinhood rather than simply duplicating it.

Robinhood vs Public: final verdict

Robinhood wins the Robinhood vs Public comparison for most investors in 2026. Its cheaper Gold subscription, 3% Gold IRA contribution match, futures access and stronger active-trading toolset create more upside for the average person deciding specifically between these two platforms.

Public wins for a narrower but important group of investors. Choose Public instead if direct ownership of bonds and Treasuries matters, if you want high-yield cash without paying a subscription, or if Public's research tools and options rebates better match how you actually invest.

The practical decision is therefore straightforward: choose Robinhood by default; choose Public when fixed income, research or the options rebate programme is the feature actually driving your brokerage decision.

Frequently asked questions

Is Public better than Robinhood?

Public is better than Robinhood for individual bonds, Treasuries, subscription-free high-yield cash and eligible options rebates. Robinhood is better overall for active trading, futures and retirement investors who can benefit from Robinhood Gold's 3% IRA contribution match.

Does Public have IRAs?

Yes. Public offers Traditional and Roth IRAs and currently provides a 1% match on eligible annual IRA contributions. This is a relatively recent addition to Public, which means older Robinhood vs Public comparisons that state Public has no retirement accounts are outdated.

Does Robinhood offer bonds?

Robinhood does not currently support direct bond or fixed-income trading in its standard self-directed brokerage account. Investors can obtain bond exposure through ETFs or certain managed Robinhood Strategies portfolios, but investors wanting to select individual bonds should choose Public between these two platforms.

Is Robinhood Gold worth $50 per year?

Robinhood Gold can easily justify its $50 annual cost for an investor who uses the 3% IRA match, margin benefit or trading discounts. It is much harder to justify Gold solely for its 3.35% cash APY because Public currently offers 3.30% APY without requiring a subscription.

This comparison evaluates brokerage features and costs. It is not personalised investment, tax or financial advice.