Updated September 28, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Dodl vs Public
Where Dodl and Public differ
| Compare |  Dodl |  Public |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | £25 | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | £0 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Funds | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Options, Bonds |
| Regulators | Financial Conduct Authority | FINRA, SEC |
| Investor protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Account types | ISA, SIPP, Lisa | IRA, Roth IRA |
| Interest on cash | 3.8%Higher | 3.3% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75% | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.2% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.060 to $0.18 |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | free deposits and withdrawals | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Dodl app | Not confirmed |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Public scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.8.
- Regulators: only Dodl offers Financial Conduct Authority.
- Regulators: only Public offers FINRA, SEC.
- Markets: only Dodl offers Funds.
- Markets: only Public offers Crypto, Options, Bonds.
- Account types: only Dodl offers ISA, SIPP, Lisa.
- Account types: only Public offers IRA, Roth IRA.
- Interest on cash is higher at Dodl: 3.8% vs 3.3%.
- Support channels: only Dodl offers Chat.
- Features: only Public offers Crypto, Fractional shares, Options.
Our verdict on each
Dodl
Dodl is an AJ Bell app aimed at UK beginners who want to sidestep dealing costs entirely. Stock trades cost £0 and cash earns 3.8%, so the saving comes from the fee-free model rather than from a richer market list.
Public
Public suits people building a retirement account who care most about what a trade costs and where the money sits. Stock trades are $0, the account opens from $0, and protection runs to SIPC up to USD 500,000 in the US.
Score breakdown
| Area | Dodl | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.9 | 9.6HigherStock trades cost $0, options contracts run $0.06 to $0.18 and margin borrowing starts at 4.2%. |
| Offer | 9.2Stock trade fee of £0 across isa, sipp and lisa, plus free deposits and withdrawals, undercuts priced platforms. | 9.2A ira and roth ira account covers stocks, etfs and crypto plus a mobile app and fractional shares. |
| Trust | 8.6 | 9.5Higher |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Dodl | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 176 of 471 | 58 of 471 |
| Investment platforms and apps | 35 of 86 | 15 of 86 |
Pick Dodl if, pick Public if
Pick Dodl if interest on cash matter most.
Pick Public if cost and trust matter most.
Also worth a look
Nexo has interest on cash at 13%, against 3.8% for Dodl and 3.3% for Public.
Nexo reviewWhere these facts come from
Dodl
- dodl.co.uk: 12 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- help.dodl.co.uk: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Public
- public.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokercheck.finra.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Dodl | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Mobile app | Crypto, Fractional shares, Options, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Commission free, Low feesCovers more | Commission free |
| Audience | Beginners | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | AJ Bell | Open to the Public Investing, Inc. |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centreCovers more | Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Dodl | Public | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0.75%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.2%lowest quarter | 8.75% |
| Options contract fee | Not confirmed | $0.060 to $0.18lowest quarter | $0.625 |
| Interest on cash | 3.8%highest quarter | 3.3%above the median | 3% |
Median across 43 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Dodl
Pros
- Stock trades cost £0, the lowest stock trade fee recorded in this comparison
- free deposits and withdrawals means moving money in and out adds nothing to a portfolio
- Cash held with the account earns interest of 3.8% while you save for a purchase
Cons
- Cash interest of 3.8% is a variable rate, so the return on uninvested money can move
- Dealing runs on Dodl app only, which suits casual investors less well than a desktop platform
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, so there is no phone line for urgent account problems
Public
Pros
- Stock trades cost $0, so a regular monthly purchase is not eaten by commission.
- The account opens from $0, which is below the €4.64 typical minimum across the brokers on our data.
- Cash parked in the high-yield account earns 3.3% while it waits to be invested.
Cons
- Options contracts add a fee of $0.06 to $0.18 each, on top of the premium you pay for the option itself.
- Margin borrowing runs at 4.2%, so borrowed positions carry an interest charge that keeps accruing.
- Support runs on email and help centre only, so there is no phone line for questions about a transfer or a tax form.
Who each suits
Dodl
Who it suits
- UK beginners opening a first stocks, ETFs and funds portfolio
- Investors who want dealing fees at £0 and want to keep cash earning 3.8%
- Savers setting aside money in an ISA, SIPP or LISA before investing
Who should look elsewhere
- Traders who need a desktop dealing platform, because dealing sits on Dodl app
- Anyone wanting phone support, since help runs on email, chat and help centre
- Investors who trade often in foreign currency, where 0.75% charges apply
Public
Who it suits
- You are saving for retirement in the US and want commission-free stock trades in one account
- You want to hold spare cash at a stated rate while you decide what to buy
- You are starting with small amounts and want fractional shares rather than whole shares
Who should look elsewhere
- You need forex, CFDs or futures, which CFI and eToro both list in stocks, etfs and forex and stocks, etfs and forex
- You want a UK ISA or SIPP wrapper, neither of which appears in ira and roth ira
- You want to talk to a broker on the phone, since support covers email and help centre
Current offers
Public
Current offer
Bonus
Transfer your portfolio. Earn an uncapped 1% match.: 1% match
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Dodl | Public |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Dodl
What does it cost to buy shares at Dodl?+
A stock trade costs £0, which is the figure that stands out on this platform. The pricing model is commission-free rather than low-fee, so dealing is designed to cost nothing. Money in and out is also free deposits and withdrawals, so a transfer adds nothing extra. The one charge to watch is 0.75% on currency conversion when you buy shares priced outside sterling.
Is my money protected at Dodl?+
Dodl is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and eligible balances are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000. That protection is a stated limit on a claim to the firm, not a promise that investments cannot fall in value. The company operating the app is AJ Bell, so the account sits with an established UK provider rather than an offshore entity.
Public
Is Public really commission free for stock trades?+
Yes. A stock trade costs $0, so buying shares itself carries no charge. The costs sit elsewhere: options contracts cost $0.06 to $0.18 each, and margin borrowing runs at 4.2%. A simple monthly share purchase only pays the trade charge of $0.
What is the minimum deposit at Public?+
The minimum deposit is $0, so an account can be opened and funded from a very small amount. That is well under the €4.64 typical minimum across the brokers on our data, where the upper quartile sits at €87.70. No threshold has to be cleared before the first trade.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Public vs Nexo
- Dodl vs Moneyfarm
- Dodl vs Freetrade
- Dodl vs Firstrade
- Dodl vs Wealthify
- Dodl vs IG
- Dodl vs Webull
- Dodl vs InvestEngine
- Dodl vs Fidelity
- Dodl vs quantfury
- Dodl vs FBS
- Dodl vs Charles Schwab
- Dodl vs Davy Select
- Dodl vs Acorns Checking
- Dodl vs Exness
- Dodl vs XTB
- Dodl vs NAGA
- Dodl vs eToro
- Public vs Mintos
- Public vs Bitpanda
- Dodl vs Robinhood
- Dodl vs Kraken
- Public vs EBC Financial Group
- Dodl vs Traders Place
- Dodl vs Lightyear