Updated September 29, 2026 · BrokerCue Editorial Team
Public vs XTB
Public vs XTB: the differences
| Compare |  Public |  XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum deposit | $0 | €0 |
| Stock trade fee | $0 | €0 |
| Markets | Stocks, ETFs, Crypto, Options, Bonds | Stocks, ETFs, Forex, CFDs, Crypto |
| Regulators | FINRA, SEC | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF |
| Investor protection | SIPC up to USD 500,000 | EU ICS up to EUR 20,000 |
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5% |
| Margin rate | 4.2% | Not confirmed |
| Options contract fee | $0.060 to $0.18 | Not confirmed |
| Deposit and withdrawal fees | Not confirmed | Free deposits; free withdrawals above 100 EUR/USD |
| Platforms | Not confirmed | XStation 5, XStation Mobile |
| Account types | IRA, Roth IRA | Not confirmed |
| Maximum retail leverage | Not confirmed | 1:30 |
| 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 XTB offers Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC), FCA, KNF.
- XTB is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Markets: only Public offers Options, Bonds.
- Markets: only XTB offers Forex, CFDs.
- Support channels: only Public offers Help centre.
- Support channels: only XTB offers Chat, Phone.
- Features: only Public offers Fractional shares, Options.
- Features: only XTB 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.
XTB
XTB suits retail traders who want to hold stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto under one Cyprus-based account without a monthly charge. The account fee is €0, deposits cost nothing, and CySEC, FCA and KNF authorisations sit behind a legal entity founded in 2002.
Score breakdown
| Area | Public | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.6HigherStock trades cost $0, options contracts run $0.06 to $0.18 and margin borrowing starts at 4.2%. | 9.1 |
| Offer | 9.2A ira and roth ira account covers stocks, etfs and crypto plus a mobile app and fractional shares. | 9.3Higher |
| Trust | 9.5 | 9.6Higher |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Public | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Cyprus | Not confirmed | Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) MiCA CASP 259400HM2TR4U3LF5D43 |
| Poland | Not confirmed | |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed |
Sources behind this comparison
Public
- public.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- brokercheck.finra.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
XTB
- xtb.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- hello-brokers.com: 5 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- esma.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- eupersonalfinance.eu: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- linkedin.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Public | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Stock and ETF brokers | 58 of 471 | 3 of 471 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Public | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Crypto, Fractional shares, Options, Mobile app | Demo account, Mobile app, Crypto |
| Pricing model | Commission free | Commission free, Low feesCovers more |
| Audience | Not confirmed | Beginners |
| Legal entity | Open to the Public Investing, Inc. | XTB Limited |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | Cyprus |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2002 |
| Support channels | Email, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Public | XTB | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account fee | Not confirmed | €0at the median | €0 |
| Inactivity fee | Not confirmed | €10above the median | €2.45 |
| Retail accounts that lose money | Not confirmed | 77%highest quarter | 72.05% |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.5%above the median | 0.45% |
| Margin rate | 4.2%lowest quarter | Not confirmed | 8.75% |
| Options contract fee | $0.060 to $0.18lowest quarter | Not confirmed | $0.625 |
Median across 52 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.
XTB
Pros
- Account fee of €0 on the standard account, and stock trades cost €0.
- Minimum deposit of €0, so the account opens without a funding floor.
- Regulated by CySEC, the FCA and KNF across Cyprus, the UK and Poland.
Cons
- An inactivity fee of €10 applies, unlike eToro, which has no such charge.
- Forex and CFD trading is not cost free: fx trading costs 0.5%.
- CFDs carry a high proportion of losing retail accounts, and XTB's own figure is 77%.
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
XTB
Who it suits
- Retail traders in the UK and Europe who want stocks, ETFs, forex, CFDs and crypto in one account
- Beginners who want a demo account and a mobile app before committing money
- Cost conscious traders who will not hold a balance large enough to trigger the inactivity fee
Who should look elsewhere
- Vantage, if a small minimum deposit of $5 suits a smaller starting balance better
- CFI, for traders who want forex and CFDs without paying an fx charge of 0.5%
- Anyone who plans to hold an idle balance for a long period, given the inactivity fee of €10
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 | XTB |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
XTB
What does XTB charge to open and hold an account?+
The account fee is €0, so there is no monthly or annual cost to keeping the account open. A stock trade costs €0 on the same account. The only recurring charge to watch is an inactivity fee of €10 for traders whose balance sits idle.
Is there a minimum deposit at XTB?+
The minimum deposit is €0, which means the account can be opened and funded with a small amount. It is a lower floor than the $5 asked by Vantage, so it suits a trader testing the platform before scaling up.
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