BEST INVESTING TOOLS COMPARISON

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Checked Sep 24 to Sep 28, 2026

Tool Comparison

Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) vs Public.com

Paid from
—
Free plan
No
Platforms
Web, Mobile, Desktop

Best if

  • Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
  • You want advanced order types, smart/direct routing, and order book / level II.
Paid from
—
Free plan
No
Platforms
Web, Mobile, API

Best if

  • You want an API so you can script or automate things
  • You want downloadable tax reports.
Our pick for most investors

Start here

Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) logo

Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)

fidelity.com

Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile · Desktop

  • Delayed quotes won't cut it; you need real-time data
  • You want advanced order types, smart/direct routing, and order book / level II.

Pick Public.com instead if

Public.com logo

Public.com

public.com

Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction · Web · Mobile · API

  • You want an API so you can script or automate things
  • You want downloadable tax reports.

Skip both if: Neither one clicks with how you research; there are strong third options.

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Our take

The bottom line

Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com cover a lot of the same ground (4 shared categories, including brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist), so for the basics you won't go far wrong with either. Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) simply does more: 9 categories to Public.com's 5, including advanced order types, smart/direct routing, and order book / level II. Public.com counters by keeping things simpler.

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Key differences at a glance

Real-time data
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
Broader coverage
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)9 vs 5 categories
Desktop app
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
API access
Public.com
Global coverage
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
Asset coverage
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)Adds mutual funds and cryptos
See the full side-by-side table
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) logo

What Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) does best

  1. Direct access to a Fidelity brokerage account for U.S. stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds, fractional shares, and eligible crypto rather than using a standalone market-data website.
  2. Online U.S. stock and most ETF trades have no Fidelity commission.
  3. Trading access for options with a $0 online base commission plus $0.65 per contract, with eligibility, margin, and options-approval requirements where applicable.
  4. Fidelity Trader+ provides real-time quotes, Level II data, charting, alerts, and trading across web, desktop, and mobile.
  5. Place advanced conditional orders such as Contingent, Multi-Contingent, OCO, OTO, and OTOCO from Fidelity.com or Active Trader Pro.
Public.com logo

What Public.com does best

  1. Regular-hours U.S.-listed stock and ETF trades with $0 stated commission.
  2. Listed stock and ETF options with no base commission or standard contract fee.
  3. Eligible stock and ETF fractions from $5, with security and transfer limitations.
  4. Cash or margin brokerage plus Traditional and Roth IRA registrations.
  5. Recurring Investment Plans spanning up to 20 stock and ETF symbols per purchase.

Side by side

Pricing & plans
Starting price
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction
Free tier
No
No
Free trial
—
—
Platforms & access
Web app
Yes
Yes
Desktop app
Yes
No
Mobile app
Yes
Yes
API access
No
Yes
Broker sync
No
—
Integrations
Quicken and QuickBooks
—
Coverage & data
Asset types
StocksETFsOptionsBondsMutual FundsCryptos
StocksETFsOptionsBonds
Data freshness
StreamingReal-time
Not specified
Data granularity
TickEOD
Not specified
Export formats
CSVExcelPDF
CSVPDF

Pricing comparison

Free plan
Free“Brokerage Account”
Free“Core”
Entry paid plan
—
$20/moBilled monthly“Public Reserve”

See for yourself

Side by side

Price, platforms, data, and market coverage.
Show
Side-by-side comparison of Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com
Attribute
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) logo
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
Public.com logo
Public.com
Pricing & plans
Starting price
Transaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdictionTransaction-priced · Fees vary by offer and jurisdiction
Free tier
NoNo
Free trial
——
Plan limits
4 limits: Options: contract fee: $0.65 per contract, Secondary Bonds and CDs: online fee: $1 per bond or CD +2 more—
Platforms & access
Web app
YesYes
Desktop app
YesNo
Mobile app
YesYes
API access
NoYes
Broker sync
No—
Integrations
Quicken and QuickBooks—
Audience & fit
Experience level
Beginner, Intermediate, AdvancedBeginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Best for
——
Categories covered
95
Regions
North America, Europe, APACNorth America
Data & capabilities
Data quality
3 signals: Latency: Streaming and Real-time, Granularity: Tick and EOD +1 more—
Capabilities
3 signals: Multi-leg options, Greeks +1 more—
Try itVisit Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)Visit Public.com

Standout features

The best features of Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com.
Show
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) logo

What Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) does best

  1. Direct access to a Fidelity brokerage account for U.S. stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, mutual funds, fractional shares, and eligible crypto rather than using a standalone market-data website.
  2. Online U.S. stock and most ETF trades have no Fidelity commission.
  3. Trading access for options with a $0 online base commission plus $0.65 per contract, with eligibility, margin, and options-approval requirements where applicable.
  4. Fidelity Trader+ provides real-time quotes, Level II data, charting, alerts, and trading across web, desktop, and mobile.
  5. Place advanced conditional orders such as Contingent, Multi-Contingent, OCO, OTO, and OTOCO from Fidelity.com or Active Trader Pro.
Public.com logo

What Public.com does best

  1. Regular-hours U.S.-listed stock and ETF trades with $0 stated commission.
  2. Listed stock and ETF options with no base commission or standard contract fee.
  3. Eligible stock and ETF fractions from $5, with security and transfer limitations.
  4. Cash or margin brokerage plus Traditional and Roth IRA registrations.
  5. Recurring Investment Plans spanning up to 20 stock and ETF symbols per purchase.

All details

Every attribute we track for Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com.
Show
Attribute
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) logo
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
Public.com logo
Public.com
Coverage & fit
Asset types
StocksETFsOptionsBondsMutual FundsCryptos
StocksETFsOptionsBonds
Experience
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced
Regions
North AmericaEuropeAPAC
North America
Coverage details
Identifiers: Ticker
Identifiers: Ticker and CUSIP
Data
Data freshness
StreamingReal-time
Not specified
Data granularity
TickEOD
Not specified
Access & integrations
Integrations
QuickenQuickBooks
Not specified
Export formats
CSVExcelPDF
CSVPDF
Plans & trust
Capability signals
Multi-leg optionsGreeksTax lots
Not specified
Vendor & support
Fidelity Investments (FMR LLC) / Fidelity Brokerage Services LLCCountry: USFounded 1946Support: Chat and Phone
Open to the Public Investing, Inc.Country: United StatesSupport: Chat and Email
Curation ratings
Methodology 4/5Reliability 5/5UX 4/5
Not specified

Green tags are exclusive to that tool in this comparison.

Pricing

Plans, billing, free trials, and monthly prices.
Show
Plan-by-plan pricing comparison of Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com
Tier
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) logo
Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC)
Public.com logo
Public.com
Free plan
Free“Brokerage Account”
Free“Core”
Entry paid plan—
$20/moBilled monthly“Public Reserve”

Questions we keep getting

What's the difference between Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com?

Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) leans toward brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist, while Public.com puts more weight on brokerage, portfolio, and watchlist. They overlap in 4 categories, so for most people it comes down to workflow preference and price.

How much do Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com cost?

Neither has a free plan; you'll need a paid subscription for the full feature set of either. Check each tool's current plan details before buying.

Does Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Public.com have an API?

Public.com has an API for programmatic access and custom integrations. Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) doesn't, so you're working through its interface.

Should I choose Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Public.com?

It depends on what you're after. Pick Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) if advanced order types and smart/direct routing matter to you; go with Public.com if you'd rather have downloadable tax reports. And if you only need the basics both share, let price decide.

What asset classes do Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com cover?

Both cover stocks, ETFs, options, and bonds. Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) also handles mutual funds and cryptos.

Does Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Public.com have real-time data?

Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) offers real-time data, which matters if you trade actively. Public.com runs on delayed or end-of-day data, which is perfectly fine for longer-term investors who don't live and die by the tick.

Which covers international markets: Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Public.com?

Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) has documented international coverage (North America, Europe, and APAC), so it's the safer bet if you hold non-US stocks. Public.com is more region-specific, mainly North America.

Can I export data from Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) and Public.com?

Yes, both export to spreadsheets (CSV), which is handy if you like running your own numbers.

Can I track my portfolio with Fidelity (Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC) or Public.com?

Yes, both do portfolio tracking: holdings, performance, and allocation in one place.

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Curation & Accuracy

This directory blends AI‑assisted discovery with human curation. Entries are reviewed, edited, and organized with the goal of expanding coverage and sharpening quality over time. Your feedback helps steer improvements (because no single human can capture everything all at once).

Details change. Pricing, features, and availability may be incomplete or out of date. Treat listings as a starting point and verify on the provider’s site before making decisions. If you spot an error or a gap, send a quick note and I’ll adjust.