Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Public vs S Broker
Where Public and S Broker differ
| Compare |  Public |  S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Stock trade fee | $0 | €0.95 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Options, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Funds, Bonds, Options |
| Regulators | FINRA, SEC | Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, European Central Bank |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Minimum deposit | $0 | Not confirmed |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Margin rate | 4.2% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0.060 to $0.18 | Not confirmed |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | Mobile App, Desktop, Profi Software |
| Account types | IRA, Roth IRA | Not confirmed |
| Interest on cash | 3.3% | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Public scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.3.
- Regulators: only Public offers FINRA, SEC.
- Regulators: only S Broker offers Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht, European Central Bank.
- Markets: only Public offers Crypto.
- Markets: only S Broker offers Funds.
- Support channels: only S Broker offers Phone.
- Features: only Public offers Crypto, Fractional shares, Options.
- Features: only S Broker offers Demo account.
Our verdict on each
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.
S Broker
S Broker keeps the running costs of a German brokerage account down, with an account fee of €0 and a stock trade fee of €0.95, and it is supervised by the Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht. It suits investors who want a single account for stocks, funds, bonds and options in a regulated German firm.
Score breakdown
| Area | Public | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.6HigherStock trades cost $0, options contracts run $0.06 to $0.18 and margin borrowing starts at 4.2%. | 8.9Account fee of €0 ranks 1 of 138 on the site; stock trades at €0.95 sit above the site median. |
| Offer | 9.2A ira and roth ira account covers stocks, etfs and crypto plus a mobile app and fractional shares. | 9.4Higher |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.5 |
How they place
| Ranking | Public | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 49 of 490 | 15 of 490 |
| Options trading platforms | 15 of 103 | 2 of 103 |
Side by side, item by item
| Markets | Public | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Stocks | Yes | Yes |
| ETFs | Yes | Yes |
| Options | Yes | Yes |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Bonds | Yes | Yes |
| Funds | No | Yes |
Licences and countries
| Country | Public | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for Public: 1. Additional countries for S Broker: 1.
Where these facts come from
Public
- public.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokercheck.finra.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
S Broker
- sbroker.de: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Public | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Crypto, Fractional shares, Options, Mobile app | Mobile app, Demo account |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Not confirmed |
| Legal entity | Open to the Public Investing, Inc. | S Broker AG & Co. KG |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Germany |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre | Email, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Public | S Broker | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0below the median | Not confirmed | $10 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0at the median | €0 |
| Margin rate | 4.2%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 8.79% |
| Options contract fee | $0.060 to $0.18lowest quarter | Not confirmed | $0.59 |
| Interest on cash | 3.3%above the median | Not confirmed | 3% |
Median across 99 listed brokers.
Pros and cons
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.
S Broker
Pros
- An account fee of €0 and stock trades at €0.95 keep the running cost of the account low.
- Regulated in Germany by the Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht and the European Central Bank, with deposits covered by the EU investor compensation scheme.
- A single account covers stocks, etfs and funds.
Cons
- Stock trades cost €0.95 each, which adds up for anyone dealing often.
- The market list is stocks, etfs and funds, so forex, CFDs and crypto traders have to look elsewhere.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre, with no live chat listed.
Who each suits
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
S Broker
Who it suits
- Investors who want stocks, ETFs, funds and bonds in a single account with an account fee of €0.
- German residents who want a supervised German firm and phone support as well as email.
- Options traders who also hold stocks, funds or bonds and want a single account for all of it.
Who should look elsewhere
- eToro, if a stock trade fee of $0 matters more than a German account with funds and bonds on the platform.
- CFI, if forex, CFDs and crypto matter, since its markets of stocks, etfs and forex reach well past stocks, etfs and funds.
- Anyone who wants live chat support, since support runs on email, phone and help centre only.
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 | Public | S Broker |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
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.
S Broker
What does S Broker charge for a stock trade and for the account?+
Stock trades cost €0.95 and the account fee is €0, so holding the account costs nothing. Across the site the median stock trade fee is €0, which leaves S Broker a little dearer than the cheapest stock platforms but with no account charge to set against it.
Who regulates S Broker and what happens to the money in the account?+
The legal entity is S Broker AG & Co. KG, supervised by the Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht and the European Central Bank. Deposits sit under the EU investor compensation scheme, so a firm failure is covered within that scheme's stated limits rather than by the broker itself.
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