Public vs Robinhood
Two commission-free investing apps with different AI features.
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| Public | Robinhood | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $0 commission online trading; Generated Assets 0.49% annual management fee | Gold $5/month or $50/year |
| Free option | Free AI assistant (Alpha) | Free account; Gold optional |
| Platforms | Web and mobile apps | Web and mobile apps |
| Best for | Self-directed investors who want a free AI research assistant. | Mobile-first investors interested in AI-generated market digests. |
| Pricing note | Alpha uses market data, filings, earnings, analyst reports, news and sentiment. It is not financial advice. | 30-day free trial for eligible subscribers. Cortex availability varies; Digests exclude options and futures. |
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| Visit Public → | Visit Robinhood → |
The short version
Public offers $0 commission online trading and a free AI research assistant (Alpha), plus Generated Assets, AI-built custom indexes with a 0.49% annual management fee. Robinhood has a free account and an optional Gold subscription ($5/month or $50/year, 30-day free trial for eligible subscribers) and AI-generated Cortex Stock and Portfolio Digests, whose availability varies and which exclude options and futures. Neither AI tool is financial advice. Pick Public for a free AI research assistant; pick Robinhood if you want AI digests on a mobile-first app.
Pricing checked October 15, 2026. Confirm on official sites.