Head-to-head comparison across ratings, fees, asset coverage, and platform breadth.
Fidelity
4.7 / 5
Best overall broker for long-term investors, retirement, mutual funds, and cash management. Industry-leading sweep yield, zero-expense-ratio funds, and no PFOF on equities.
Last reviewed May 13, 2026Data may be outdated — verify rates before acting
Public.com
4.3 / 5
Strongest modern multi-asset broker for self-directed investors who want stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, Treasuries, crypto, IRAs, and 3.30% APY cash in one AI-native app. Unique options rebate, 6.07% Bond Account, and Agents — the first agentic-AI brokerage.
Last reviewed May 13, 2026Data may be outdated — verify rates before acting
Sub-rating overlap
Each broker scored 0–5 across the same 8 dimensions.
Detailed comparison
Green cells mark the winner on each metric. Tie rows are uncoloured.
Metric
Fidelity
Public.com
Winner
OverallEditorial score
4.70 / 5
4.30 / 5
Fidelity
Sub-ratingsCommissions & fees
4.60
4.70
Public.com
Sub-ratingsPlatforms & tools
4.40
4.00
Fidelity
Sub-ratingsMobile app
5.00
4.70
Fidelity
Sub-ratingsResearch
5.00
3.50
Fidelity
Sub-ratingsEducation
5.00
4.00
Fidelity
Sub-ratingsCustomer service
4.90
3.00
Fidelity
Sub-ratingsRange of investments
4.20
4.00
Fidelity
Sub-ratingsActive trading
4.30
3.50
Fidelity
PricingLowest margin rate
7.50%
3.95%
Public.com
PricingDefault cash sweep yield
3.26%
3.30%
Public.com
PricingPFOF on equities
Does not accept
Accepts
Fidelity
Where they differ on asset coverage
Asset class
Fidelity
Public.com
US stocks (NYSE/Nasdaq/AMEX)
Yes
OTC / penny stocks
Limited
Options (up to Level 4)
Yes
Mutual funds
Yes
No
Corporate / muni bonds, CDs
Yes
IPOs
Limited
Yes
International direct
Yes
Futures / futures options
No
Crypto (direct)
Limited
Yes
Spot crypto ETPs
Yes
Precious metals (physical)
Yes
US stocks (NYSE/Nasdaq)
Yes
OTC stocks
Limited
Equity / ETF options (single + multi-leg)
Yes
Index options (SPX, NDX, VIX, XSP, CBTX)
Yes
Corporate bonds (Bond Account)
Yes
Futures
No
Crypto IRA
Yes
International stocks
Limited
Alternative assets (Otis)
Yes
Direct Indexing Account
Yes
Fidelity strengths
Only major broker with zero-expense-ratio index funds (FZROX, FZILX, FNILX, FZIPX)
Best automatic cash sweep — SPAXX 3.26% with no minimum or opt-in
No payment for order flow on equities; $24.50 price improvement per 1,000 shares
~20 third-party research providers — broadest in retail brokerage
24/7 phone, live chat, and 215+ in-person investor centers
NerdWallet Best App for Investing 5 years running (2022–2026)
Public.com strengths
Industry-low retail margin starter — 4.90% on debits under $50K; drops to 3.95% above $50M
Only options rebate program in US retail — $0.06–$0.18 per stock/ETF contract back (50% of PFOF revenue)
Bond Account: 6.07% yield-to-worst across 10 diversified corporate bonds, $1,000 minimum, monthly interest
Agents (launched March 31, 2026) — first agentic-AI brokerage with prompt-driven automated trading workflows
High-Yield Cash Account: 3.30% APY with no subscription, no minimum, $5M FDIC sweep across partner-bank network
Uncapped 1% match on portfolio transfers/IRA rollovers (5-year hold); 1% match on annual IRA contributions