Public.com is a suitable option for beginner investors with limited capital due to its low minimum deposit and fractional share availability, while Charles Schwab Intelligent Portfolios caters to investors with larger portfolios seeking automated management and comprehensive support.
| Attribute | Public.com | Charles Schwab Intelligent Portfolios |
|---|---|---|
| Commission Fees (Stocks, ETFs, Options) | Stocks and ETFs: $0 commission during regular market hours, $2.99 per trade for non-premium members during extended hours. Options: $0 commission, rebates of $0.06-$0.18 per contract based on trading volume. Index options have fees of $0.35-$0.50 per contract for Premium and Non-Premium members respectively. | No advisory fees or commissions, but clients pay the operating expenses on the ETFs within their portfolio. |
| Account Minimums | Minimum deposit of $20 to open an account. | $5,000 (Schwab Intelligent Portfolios), $25,000 (Schwab Intelligent Portfolios Premium) |
| Fractional Shares Availability | Yes, investments start as low as $1. | Does not support purchasing fractional shares of ETFs within its managed portfolios. Charles Schwab offers Stock Slices, which allows investors to buy fractional shares of any stock in the S&P 500 with as little as $5. |
| Automated Investing Options | 'Investment Plans' for recurring investments in stocks, ETFs, and crypto. | Automated portfolio rebalancing to maintain the client |