Public vs Interactive Brokers
By Jay Rocco, Chief Editor, FullStack Alpha. Updated . Prices checked on each vendor's own site.
Quick answer
Pick Public for AI chat assistant plus stock screener. Pick Interactive Brokers for portfolio tracking plus paper trading.
Key differences
- Broader feature set: Public (8 vs 7 core capabilities)
- AI chat assistant: Public (Only Public has it)
Pick Public if
- You want to ask an AI questions in plain English
- You scan the market with filters every day
- Multi-asset investing in one app
- Connecting AI assistants via MCP
Pick Interactive Brokers if
- You want all your holdings in one view
- You want to practice with paper money
- Global multi-asset investing
- Active traders needing low costs
Side by side
| Feature | Public | Interactive Brokers |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan | Free plan |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Stock screener | Yes | No |
| Broker connection | Yes | Yes |
| Paper trading | No | Yes |
| AI chat assistant | Yes | No |
| Options analytics | Yes | Yes |
| Portfolio tracking | No | Yes |
| Managed portfolios | Yes | No |
| Crypto | Yes | No |
| Global markets | No | Yes |
| API access | Yes | Yes |
| MCP / AI connector | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
Plans
Public
- Investing account: Free account, commission-free trading
Interactive Brokers
- IBKR Lite: $0 commissions on US stocks and ETFs
- IBKR Pro: $0.005 per share on US stocks and ETFs
Questions people ask
What is the main difference between Public and Interactive Brokers?
Pick Public for AI chat assistant plus stock screener. Pick Interactive Brokers for portfolio tracking plus paper trading.
Which is cheaper, Public or Interactive Brokers?
Their entry prices are hard to compare because one does not publish a monthly price. Public: Free plan. Interactive Brokers: Free plan.
Do Public or Interactive Brokers have a free plan?
Both have a free plan.
Which is better for beginners?
Public is the friendlier start.
Which has better AI features?
Public goes deeper on AI with 2 AI features (AI chat assistant, MCP / AI connector).
Can I connect Public or Interactive Brokers to ChatGPT or Claude?
Public and Interactive Brokers offer an MCP server or official AI connector.
Is Public or Interactive Brokers better for active trading?
Public has more of the active-trading toolkit: alerts, scanning, signals and charts.
Should I use both Public and Interactive Brokers?
It can make sense. They overlap on only 4 core features, so one can fill gaps the other leaves.