Charles Schwab vs Public.com Comparison: Fees, Features, and More (2026)
Charles Schwab and Public.com are two leading discount brokerages offering commission-free stock and ETF trading. Use this head-to-head comparison table to evaluate fees, features, trading tools, and account options to help you decide which broker is right for you in 2026.
| Feature | Charles Schwab | Public.com |
|---|---|---|
| Website | https://www.schwab.com/ | https://www.public.com/ |
| Broker Type | Full-service | Discount (self-directed online retail brokerage) |
| Trading: Stock & ETF? | Yes | Yes |
| ETF & Stock commission | $0 online (listed stocks/ETFs) | $0 regular hours (US-listed); $2.99 extended/OTC (waived for Premium) |
| Fractional Shares? | Yes (most U.S.-listed stocks/ETFs, from $1) | Yes ($5 min outside plans; $1 in Investment Plans) |
| Percent Allocations? | Yes (Personalized Portfolio Builder) | Yes (Investment Plans: custom 1% allocations; Direct Indexing weighting) |
| Crypto Trading? | Yes, via Schwab Crypto (BTC/ETH currently; not NY/LA/territories) | Yes (via zerohash; 60+ assets including BTC/ETH; 24/7; $1 min). |
| Crypto Fees | 0.75% of notional value (min $0.01) per buy/sell | zerohash: $0.49–$6.29 (≤$500); 1.25% (>$500). Recurring plans 1.25%. API volume-tiered (0.10–0.60%). |
| Options Trading? | Yes | Yes (stock, ETF, and index options; multi-leg strategies). |
| Options Fee | $0 online commission + $0.65 per contract | $0 commission/per-contract for stock/ETF options plus $0.06–$0.18 rebate/contract. Index: $0.35–$0.50/contract. Regulatory fees apply. |
| Bond Trading Available? | Yes | Yes (fractional Treasury/corporate from $100; Bond Account; municipals coming soon). |
| Receives payment for order flow (PFOF)? | Yes (receives PFOF rebates) | Yes (receives PFOF on options and wholesale equity routing). |
| Interface: Web trading? | Yes | Yes (full web platform plus iOS/Android apps). |
| Desktop trading? | Yes, thinkorswim desktop (Windows/Mac; free for brokerage clients) | No. Web platform and mobile apps only; no native downloadable desktop trading software. |
| API Trading? | Yes, Trader API (Individual) for self-directed retail accounts (orders, data; via developer.schwab.com) | Yes. Public Trading API (stocks, ETFs, options, crypto, bonds) available to all members; no approval required. |
| Mutual Funds: Offered? | Yes | No |
| Total Mutual Funds | ~14,500 from 600+ families (incl. 4,000+ NTF) | None |
| NTF Mutual Funds | 4,000+ (no-load via OneSource & others) | None |
| Non-NTF Fund Fee | Up to $74.95/buy online ($0 sell); some $49.95; 8.5% cap, <$100 exempt | N/A |
| Early Redemption Fee? | No; $49.95 Schwab fee on NTF funds held ≤90 days (some exemptions) | N/A |
| Redemption Hold (Days) | 90 days (NTF/OneSource funds; some Schwab Funds exempt) | N/A |
| Early Redemption Fee | $49.95 online/automated phone; $49.95 + $25 broker-assisted | N/A |
| Accounts: Margin Accounts? | Yes ($2,000 min. cash or marginable securities) | Yes |
| IRAs Offered? | Yes (Traditional, Roth, SEP, Rollover, Inherited, Custodial, SIMPLE) | Yes (Traditional and Roth); no SEP |
| HSAs Offered? | Yes (HSBA via participating HSA providers; no standalone Schwab HSA) | No |
| Money Market Sweep? | Yes (Cash Features Program: Bank Sweep or Schwab One Interest) | Yes (High-Yield Cash Account bank sweep) |
| CDs Offered? | Yes (brokered CDs via Schwab CD OneSource) | No |
| Robo-Advisor: Offered | Yes | Yes, via Public Advisors LLC automated Direct Indexing, Generated Assets, and Treasury Accounts. |
| Robo-Advisor Service | Schwab Intelligent Portfolios® (Premium also offered) | Public Advisors (Direct Indexing, Generated Assets, Treasury Accounts) |
| Robo-Advisor Fees | $0 advisory (standard); $300 one-time + $30/mo (Premium); ETF OERs 0.02–0.15%. Mins $5k/$25k. | Direct Indexing 0.19% AUM annual; Generated Assets 0.49%; Treasury Accounts tiered 0.09%-0.29%. Brokerage fees may apply. |
| Basics: Headquarters | Westlake, TX | New York, NY |
| Year Founded | 1971 | 2019 |
| Clearing Firm | Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (self-clearing) | Apex Clearing Corporation |
| Local Branches? | Yes, more than 420 branches in 48 U.S. states | No |
| New Account Minimum | $0 | $0 (no account minimums; as little as $1 to start) |
Once you’ve chosen a broker, find high-performing, investable model portfolios at RecipeInvesting.com
Picked a Broker? Now Build Your Perfect Portfolio
Find high-performing, investable model portfolios (Tactical, Strategic, and Managed) at RecipeInvesting.com.
Compare Charles Schwab to All Brokers
- Compare Charles Schwab to Ally Invest
- Compare Charles Schwab to Alpaca
- Compare Charles Schwab to Axos Invest
- Compare Charles Schwab to E*Trade
- Compare Charles Schwab to Fidelity
- Compare Charles Schwab to Firstrade
- Compare Charles Schwab to Interactive Brokers
- Compare Charles Schwab to M1 Finance
- Compare Charles Schwab to Merrill Edge
- Compare Charles Schwab to Public.com
- Compare Charles Schwab to Robinhood
- Compare Charles Schwab to SoFi Invest
- Compare Charles Schwab to SogoTrade
- Compare Charles Schwab to Stash
- Compare Charles Schwab to Tastytrade
- Compare Charles Schwab to Tradestation
- Compare Charles Schwab to Tradier
- Compare Charles Schwab to Vanguard
- Compare Charles Schwab to WeBull
- Compare Charles Schwab to ZacksTrade