Investing comparison
Public vs Wealthfront
Updated
Before you compare: This compares features and fees from each company's own pages. It isn't investment advice, and investing involves risk, including loss of money.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Short answer
Public and Wealthfront are both investing apps. Public's Generated Assets portfolios list a management fee of 0.49% a year (its Dividends portfolio page, for example), while Wealthfront's advisory fee for The Wealthfront Portfolio is 0.25% annually. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026, and the official sources differ on 9 of the 10 rows in the table below.
Public vs Wealthfront at a glance
Public and Wealthfront are both investing apps. This page puts what each company's official pages and app store listings say side by side, with the date we checked every fact. The sources differ on 9 of the 10 rows in the table below.
Management or subscription fee
Public's Generated Assets portfolios list a management fee of 0.49% a year (its Dividends portfolio page, for example). Wealthfront's advisory fee for The Wealthfront Portfolio is 0.25% annually. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Account minimum
Public says the minimum investment for Generated Assets like its Dividends portfolio is $1,000. Wealthfront says The Wealthfront Portfolio account lets you start investing for as little as $500. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Stock and ETF commissions
Public says it offers $0 commission trading on self-directed individual cash brokerage accounts for US-listed securities placed online. Regulatory, subscription, wire transfer and paper statement fees may still apply. Wealthfront's Brokerage Account lists zero commissions on stock and ETF trades. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Account types
Public lists these account types: Traditional & Roth IRAs and Crypto IRAs. Wealthfront lists these account types: Taxable Accounts (Personal, Joint, Trust), Retirement Accounts (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP) and 529 Education Savings Accounts. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Fractional shares
Public says it supports fractional shares, so you can invest in any stock with any dollar amount. Wealthfront says all of the stocks on its app are available as fractional shares, and you can start investing with as little as $1. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Automatic investing
Public says you can schedule recurring buys in any stock, ETF or crypto, for any amount, weekly, biweekly, monthly or on a custom cadence. Wealthfront lists automatic trades and automatic rebalancing for The Wealthfront Portfolio. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Managed portfolios (robo)
Public offers Generated Assets portfolios, rebalanced quarterly (its Dividends portfolio, for example). The Wealthfront Portfolio uses expert-built portfolios managed by Wealthfront's software. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
Protection
Public Investing is a member of SIPC. Securities in your account are protected up to $500,000. Wealthfront says that as a member of SIPC, your investments are insured up to $500K (including $250K for cash) if Wealthfront were to go under. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026.
App store rating
Public has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 85,572 ratings. Wealthfront has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 17,502 ratings. We checked both on Oct 24, 2026. Store ratings are a dated snapshot from each listing, not our score.
What it costs
PublicPublic's Generated Assets portfolios list a management fee of 0.49% a year (its Dividends portfolio page, for example).
WealthfrontWealthfront's advisory fee for The Wealthfront Portfolio is 0.25% annually.
As of · wealthfront.com/pricing
Bars show only when every app here lists a yearly price, so these prices sit side by side without them. Prices are list prices from each app's own page, before tax and any offer. Investing fees appear as each company states them. A yearly advisory fee is a percent of your balance, not a monthly price, so it never gets a bar or a price tag.
At a glance
App Store rating
- Public
- 4.785,572 ratings
- Wealthfront
- 4.817,502 ratings
Source
- Public has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 85,572 ratings. App Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Wealthfront has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 17,502 ratings. App Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Platforms
- Public
- Not verified yet
- Wealthfront
- Not verified yet
Source
- Public: Not verified yet.
- Wealthfront: Not verified yet.
Account minimum
- Public
- Public says the minimum investment for Generated Assets like its Dividends portfolio is $1,000.
- Wealthfront
- Wealthfront says The Wealthfront Portfolio account lets you start investing for as little as $500.
Source
- Public says the minimum investment for Generated Assets like its Dividends portfolio is $1,000. public.com/generated-assets/dividends-2f14c2d8, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Wealthfront says The Wealthfront Portfolio account lets you start investing for as little as $500. wealthfront.com/investing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Stock and ETF commissions
- Public
- Public says it offers $0 commission trading on self-directed individual cash brokerage accounts for US-listed securities placed online. Regulatory, subscription, wire transfer and paper statement fees may still apply.
- Wealthfront
- Wealthfront's Brokerage Account lists zero commissions on stock and ETF trades.
Source
- Public says it offers $0 commission trading on self-directed individual cash brokerage accounts for US-listed securities placed online. Regulatory, subscription, wire transfer and paper statement fees may still apply. public.com/invest/stocks, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Wealthfront's Brokerage Account lists zero commissions on stock and ETF trades. wealthfront.com/brokerage, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Protection
- Public
- Public Investing is a member of SIPC. Securities in your account are protected up to $500,000.
- Wealthfront
- Wealthfront says that as a member of SIPC, your investments are insured up to $500K (including $250K for cash) if Wealthfront were to go under.
Source
- Public Investing is a member of SIPC. Securities in your account are protected up to $500,000. public.com, as of Oct 24, 2026.
- Wealthfront says that as a member of SIPC, your investments are insured up to $500K (including $250K for cash) if Wealthfront were to go under. wealthfront.com/investing, as of Oct 24, 2026.
Features
We haven't verified a feature list for either app yet, so this grid is empty for now.
✓ means the official site lists it. ? means we haven't verified it yet, not that the app lacks it.
Screen by screen
Pick a task to see what each app shows for it. App Store and Google Play images are the apps' own marketing, so they can show sample data and staged layouts. Help center images come from the app's support articles. See every app's screens.
Other screens
Public
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 1 of 4 from the Public listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 2 of 4 from the Public listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 3 of 4 from the Public listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 4 of 4 from the Public listing.App Store listing, as of
Wealthfront
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 1 of 4 from the Wealthfront listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 2 of 4 from the Wealthfront listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 3 of 4 from the Wealthfront listing.App Store listing, as of 
App Store marketing imageApp Store image 4 of 4 from the Wealthfront listing.App Store listing, as of
Public and Wealthfront, side by side
Rows marked “Differs” are where the official sources say different things, and 9 rows do here.
Swipe the table sideways to see both apps.
| Field | PublicInvesting appPublic is an investing app for stocks, ETFs, options, bonds and crypto, with IRAs and managed Generated Assets portfolios.Visit Public's site | WealthfrontInvesting appWealthfront is an automated investing app with The Wealthfront Portfolio, a brokerage account for stocks and ETFs, and retirement and 529 accounts.Visit Wealthfront's site |
|---|---|---|
| Management or subscription feeDiffers | Public's Generated Assets portfolios list a management fee of 0.49% a year (its Dividends portfolio page, for example).As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: public.com/generated-assets/dividends-2f14c2d8 | Wealthfront's advisory fee for The Wealthfront Portfolio is 0.25% annually.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: wealthfront.com/pricing |
| Account minimumDiffers | Public says the minimum investment for Generated Assets like its Dividends portfolio is $1,000.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: public.com/generated-assets/dividends-2f14c2d8 | Wealthfront says The Wealthfront Portfolio account lets you start investing for as little as $500.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: wealthfront.com/investing |
| Stock and ETF commissionsDiffers | Public says it offers $0 commission trading on self-directed individual cash brokerage accounts for US-listed securities placed online. Regulatory, subscription, wire transfer and paper statement fees may still apply.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: public.com/invest/stocks | Wealthfront's Brokerage Account lists zero commissions on stock and ETF trades.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: wealthfront.com/brokerage |
| Account typesDiffers | Public lists these account types: Traditional & Roth IRAs and Crypto IRAs.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: public.com | Wealthfront lists these account types: Taxable Accounts (Personal, Joint, Trust), Retirement Accounts (Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, SEP) and 529 Education Savings Accounts.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: wealthfront.com |
| Fractional sharesDiffers | Public says it supports fractional shares, so you can invest in any stock with any dollar amount.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: public.com/invest/stocks | Wealthfront says all of the stocks on its app are available as fractional shares, and you can start investing with as little as $1.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: wealthfront.com/brokerage |
| Automatic investingDiffers | Public says you can schedule recurring buys in any stock, ETF or crypto, for any amount, weekly, biweekly, monthly or on a custom cadence.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: public.com/invest/stocks | Wealthfront lists automatic trades and automatic rebalancing for The Wealthfront Portfolio.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: wealthfront.com/pricing |
| Managed portfolios (robo)Differs | Public offers Generated Assets portfolios, rebalanced quarterly (its Dividends portfolio, for example).As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: public.com/generated-assets/dividends-2f14c2d8 | The Wealthfront Portfolio uses expert-built portfolios managed by Wealthfront's software.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: wealthfront.com/pricing |
| ProtectionDiffers | Public Investing is a member of SIPC. Securities in your account are protected up to $500,000.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: public.com | Wealthfront says that as a member of SIPC, your investments are insured up to $500K (including $250K for cash) if Wealthfront were to go under.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: wealthfront.com/investing |
| Platforms | Not verified yet. | Not verified yet. |
| App store ratingDiffers | Public has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 85,572 ratings.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: App Store listing | Wealthfront has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 17,502 ratings.As of Oct 24, 2026. Source: App Store listing |
App store ratings are a dated snapshot from each store listing, not our score. “Not verified yet” means we don't have a current official source for that line. How we source and date this data. Spotted a change? Tell us if something changed.
Weighing a third option? Add up to two more apps to this table and compare up to four side by side.
Which fits your Money Type?
There are four Money Types: Strategist, Spender, Saver and Scrambler. Each card matches one type to what the sources say about these two apps.
StrategistNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Save the Raise.
SpenderNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Sleep on It.
SaverNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Put It to Work.
ScramblerNeither app's sources confirm a feature we match to this type yet, so the quiz is the better place to start.
First fix: Bills First.
Not sure which one you are? Take the free Money Types quiz. It takes about two minutes.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Another option: Fifecta
If neither Public nor Wealthfront feels right, here is one more option to look at. Fifecta gives every paycheck a plan with FUNDS, and it starts from your Money Type, so the plan matches how you already handle money.
FAQ
How much does Public charge?
Public's Generated Assets portfolios list a management fee of 0.49% a year (its Dividends portfolio page, for example). We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.
How much does Wealthfront charge?
Wealthfront's advisory fee for The Wealthfront Portfolio is 0.25% annually. We checked this on Oct 24, 2026.
What is Public's app store rating?
Public has 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store from 85,572 ratings. That's a snapshot from the store listing on Oct 24, 2026, not our score.
What is Wealthfront's app store rating?
Wealthfront has 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store from 17,502 ratings. That's a snapshot from the store listing on Oct 24, 2026, not our score.
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Keep comparing
- See Public alternatives, closest category first.
- See Wealthfront alternatives, closest category first.
- Browse our guide to the low-cost brokerage accounts.
- Want the bigger picture? Compare more money apps.
Full disclosure: Taylor Price, who runs Priceless Tay, owns Fifecta, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison.
Want a plan built on your Money Type?
Fifecta gives every paycheck a plan with FUNDS, so you know where each dollar goes.
Sources and confidence
- Last checked
- Not verified yet
- 2 of 20 facts
Public9 of 10 verified, 1 not verified yet, last checked Oct 24, 2026
- Management or subscription feepublic.com/generated-assets/dividends-2f14c2d8, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account minimumpublic.com/generated-assets/dividends-2f14c2d8, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Stock and ETF commissionspublic.com/invest/stocks, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account typespublic.com, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Fractional sharespublic.com/invest/stocks, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Automatic investingpublic.com/invest/stocks, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Managed portfolios (robo)public.com/generated-assets/dividends-2f14c2d8, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Protectionpublic.com, as of Oct 24, 2026
- PlatformsNot verified yet
- App store ratingApp Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026
Wealthfront9 of 10 verified, 1 not verified yet, last checked Oct 24, 2026
- Management or subscription feewealthfront.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account minimumwealthfront.com/investing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Stock and ETF commissionswealthfront.com/brokerage, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Account typeswealthfront.com, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Fractional shareswealthfront.com/brokerage, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Automatic investingwealthfront.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Managed portfolios (robo)wealthfront.com/pricing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Protectionwealthfront.com/investing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- PlatformsNot verified yet
- App store ratingApp Store listing, as of Oct 24, 2026
- Reference: sipc.org/for-investors/what-sipc-protects, checked Oct 24, 2026.
Each fact links to the official page it came from, with the date we checked it. Once a fact is older than its app's window (8 days for apps whose rates change often, 35 days for the rest), it reads “Not verified yet” until we check it again. How we source, date and index this data.
This is education, not financial advice.
