Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Freedom24 vs Public
Where Freedom24 and Public differ
| Compare |  Freedom24 |  Public |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | €0 | $0 |
| Stock trade fee | €2 | $0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Options, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Options, BondsCovers more |
| Regulators | CySEC | FINRA, SEC |
| Investor protection | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 | SIPC up to USD 500,000 |
| Options contract fee | $0.65 | $0.060 to $0.18Lower |
| Account fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Inactivity fee | €0 | Not confirmed |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.005% | Not confirmed |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.2% |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | EUR 7 per withdrawal | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Freedom24 App, Freedom24 Web | Not confirmed |
| Account types | Not confirmed | IRA, Roth IRA |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 3.3% |
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Key differences
- Public scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 8.9.
- Regulators: only Freedom24 offers CySEC.
- Regulators: only Public offers FINRA, SEC.
- Options contract fee is lower at Public: $0.060 to $0.18 vs $0.65.
- Markets: only Public offers Crypto.
- Features: only Public offers Crypto, Fractional shares.
Our verdict on each
Freedom24
Freedom24 suits European investors who want stocks, ETFs, options and bonds under one CySEC-regulated roof, and who would rather not pay an annual account charge of €0. A euro minimum deposit of €0 keeps entry easy, while per-deal trading costs make it a better fit for occasional buyers than for frequent traders.
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 | Freedom24 | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Cost is middling: account fee €0 and minimum deposit €0 are nil, but €2 per deal is high against the €0 median. | 9.6HigherStock trades cost $0, options contracts run $0.06 to $0.18 and margin borrowing starts at 4.2%. |
| Offer | 8.9 | 9.2HigherA ira and roth ira account covers stocks, etfs and crypto plus a mobile app and fractional shares. |
| Trust | 8.7 | 9.5Higher |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Freedom24 | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | CySEC 275/15 | Not confirmed |
| United States | Not confirmed |
How they place
| Ranking | Freedom24 | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 161 of 471 | 58 of 471 |
| Options trading platforms | 57 of 103 | 16 of 103 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Freedom24 | Public |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Options, Mobile app | Crypto, Fractional shares, Options, Mobile appCovers more |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | Commission free |
| Legal entity | Freedom Finance Europe Ltd | Open to the Public Investing, Inc. |
| Headquarters | Cyprus | Not confirmed |
| Founded | 2013 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Not confirmed | Email, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Freedom24 | Public | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | €0at the median | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | €0below the median | Not confirmed | €2.45 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.005%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 0.45% |
| Margin rate | Not confirmed | 4.2%lowest quarter | 8.75% |
| Options contract fee | $0.65above the median | $0.060 to $0.18lowest quarter | $0.625 |
| Interest on cash | Not confirmed | 3.3%above the median | 3% |
Median across 52 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
Freedom24
Pros
- Account fee €0 and inactivity fee €0 leave the cost of holding an account at nil.
- A minimum deposit of €0 sits well under the €6.17 median for stock brokers.
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and options, so an ETF, a bond and an option sit together.
Cons
- A stock trade fee of €2 ranks 126 of 161 on the site, well behind the field.
- Withdrawals cost EUR 7 per withdrawal each.
- Currency conversion is charged at 0.005% on positions held outside the euro.
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
Freedom24
Who it suits
- Investors who want stocks, etfs and options in one account with an account fee of €0.
- Savers who prefer a euro starting point of €0 and a firm authorised in Cyprus under 275/15.
- People who trade from a phone as well as a browser, since Freedom24 App and Freedom24 Web lists the Freedom24 App and web platform.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, if the cost of each trade decides it, because its stock trade fee is $0.
- Vantage, if you would rather start with a deposit of $5 than fund the account from the first unit.
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 | Freedom24 | Public |
|---|---|---|
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
Freedom24
What does a trade cost at Freedom24?+
A stock trade costs €2, with options at $0.65 per contract and currency conversion at 0.005%. That per-deal cost is the number to weigh, since the account fee of €0 adds nothing to it.
Is there an account fee or an inactivity charge?+
The account fee is €0 and the inactivity fee is €0. Both rank 1 on the site, so an unused account does not start costing money. That suits investors who top up in small amounts rather than trading often.
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.
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