Public
📍 USInvest in stocks, ETFs, and options on the social trading platform that combines community insight with AInvest's AI market analysis — all with no payment for order flow.
Integration Details
- RegionUS
- What You Can TradeStock, ETF, Option
- Account TypeEquity
- Partial SharesIn Shares, In Dollars
- Order TypesMarket, Limit, Multi-Leg, StopLimit, StopLoss
- Order DurationDay
- Price DataNot Available via AInvest
- Extended Hours4:00AM – 8:00PM EST
- RestrictionsLIMIT + DAY ONLY
Incentives
| Qualifying Activity | Reward / Bonus |
|---|---|
| Sign up with a referral code + $1,000 deposit | Free stock, fund, or crypto worth $20 |
| Transfer assets from another broker (ACATS) | 1% match on transferred assets, uncapped (through 5/31/26) — plus a separate reimbursement of up to $100 for broker exit fees on transfers of $5,000+ |
| Premium subscription trial | 7-day free trial |
Public Scorecard
| Category | Score | Expert Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Trading Platforms | 4.0 / 5 | "Public has evolved from a social investing app into a credible active trading platform with options and alts."— Bankrate, 2025 |
| Execution Speed | 3.9 / 5 | "Solid execution for equity and options; the no-PFOF model means trades route to lit exchanges first."— Forbes Advisor, 2025 |
| Asset Variety | 4.2 / 5 | "Stocks, ETFs, options, crypto, and alternative assets — a genuinely multi-asset platform for retail investors."— NerdWallet, 2025 |
| Charting & Tools | 3.8 / 5 | "Charting is improving but still less deep than Power E*Trade or thinkorswim — better for swing traders than day traders."— Investopedia, 2025 |
| AI Trading Ability | Yes ✓ | "AInvest connects to Public for AI-generated stock and options signals with one-tap execution."— AInvest Research, 2026 |
| User Experience | 4.6 / 5 | "Best-in-class social features and a clean, modern UI — Public makes investing feel accessible without dumbing it down."— App Store Reviews, 2025 |
What Makes Public Unique vs. Its Trade-offs
✓ Uniqueness & Strengths
- No PFOF on Stock/ETF Trades: Public routes standard stock and ETF orders to lit exchanges rather than selling that order flow to market makers, though it does accept payment for order flow on options trades and on extended-hours/API order flow — a more transparent execution model for core equity trading.
- AI Integration with AInvest: Connect your Public account to AInvest via Broker Connect — powered by SnapTrade's secure OAuth link. Once connected, Aime (AInvest's AI) can view your portfolio, analyze holdings and market conditions, surface trade signals, and place orders on your behalf directly through the AInvest interface.
- AI-Generated Content: Public replaced its earlier social/community-following features (discontinued June 2025) with AI-generated market insights and analysis tools that complement AInvest's own AI signals.
- Extended Hours: Trade from 4AM to 8PM EST — the widest extended-hours window among AInvest's integrated brokers, though fee-free access requires Public Premium or a $50,000+ account balance (otherwise a per-trade fee of around $2.99 applies).
✗ Risk Considerations
- No Real-Time Data via AInvest: Live price feeds are not available through the AInvest integration — signals are based on delayed quotes.
- Day-Only Orders: Only Day duration is supported for AInvest-placed orders — no GTC (Good Till Cancelled) capability via the integration.
- Account Fees: Premium subscription ($10/month) required for some advanced features including higher-yield cash rates and options analytics.
- Learning Curve: Options trading approval requires a separate application; new options traders should complete Public's built-in education modules first.
About Public
Public was founded in 2019 by Leif Abraham and Jannick Malling in New York City. Originally launched as a social-first investing app aimed at millennials, Public distinguished itself early by eliminating payment for order flow — a controversial practice common at zero-commission brokers — and routing trades to lit exchanges for more transparent execution.
By 2026, Public had grown well beyond its original social-investing roots to offer options trading, margin trading (added November 2024), direct indexing (added October 2025), crypto, and Treasury bills alongside traditional equities; its earlier social-following and Otis art-and-collectibles features have since been discontinued in favor of AI-generated market content. Its no-PFOF commitment on standard stock/ETF trades and clean user experience have earned it a loyal following among investors who want both transparency and a modern app. The AInvest integration adds AI-powered signal generation to Public's data-driven investment approach.