Public.com Referral Program 2026: Earn Free Stock by Inviting Friends

If you invest on Public.com and have friends who are looking to start their investing journey, there is a straightforward way to earn free stock for both of you. The Public Referral Program rewards you with ** $20 in a stock or ETF of your choice** every time a friend you refer opens a brokerage account and makes an initial deposit of at least$ 1,000. Your friend gets the same $20 reward too — making it a genuine win for both sides.

What Is the Public Referral Program?

Public is a commission-free investing platform that lets you buy stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, crypto, and even Treasury bills — all in one app. The referral program is built into the platform and gives existing members a way to earn fractional shares of real stocks simply by introducing people they know to the platform.

The program has been in effect since October 13, 2025, and is available to any Public Investing brokerage account holder who is in good standing and has already deposited funds into their account.

How It Works

The mechanics are simple:

You share your unique referral link with a friend or family member who does not already have a Public brokerage account.
Your friend uses the link to download the app and sign up for a new Public Investing brokerage account.
Their account gets approved.
They make a one-time initial deposit of $1,000 or more.
Both of you receive $20 in a stock or ETF of your choice from a pool of designated assets selected by Public.

The $20 reward comes in the form of a fractional share — so if you choose a stock like Apple or an ETF like SPY, you receive a fractional piece of it worth$ 20 at the time of the reward. Public sends you a notification as soon as you are cleared to claim it, and you simply tap on the notification to choose your asset.

How to Find Your Referral Link

Getting your referral link is quick. Here is how to find it inside the app:

Open the Public app and go to your Portfolio page.
Tap the Rewards button in the top-right corner (it also appears in the main sidebar menu).
Scroll down to the section labeled "Earn free stock."
Tap Copy link or Invite from contacts.
Send the link to your friends or family through WhatsApp, text, email, or any other channel.

The link automatically includes your unique referral code. When your friend uses it to sign up, the referral is captured without any extra steps on your part.

What Do You Earn?

Both you and your friend each receive a ** $20 reward** in the form of a fractional share of a stock or ETF. You get to choose which asset you want from a curated pool that Public maintains. The value is fixed at$ 20 at the time of claiming, though the fractional share's value may go up or down after that depending on market movement.

A few things worth knowing about the fractional shares:

Fractional shares may come with limited or no voting rights
They are not transferable between accounts
Their value changes with the market after you claim them

So while the reward starts at $20, it becomes a real investment from that point forward — one that grows or shrinks with the market like any other position in your portfolio.

Who Is Eligible?

To refer someone, you need:

An approved Public Investing brokerage account
Your account must be in good standing
You must have already deposited funds into your account (a zero-balance account does not qualify)

To receive the referral reward as a new member, your friend needs to:

Not already have a Public Investing brokerage account
Sign up using your unique referral link
Get approved for the account
Make an initial one-time deposit of $1,000 or more

The $1,000 minimum is the most important condition to communicate clearly to friends before they sign up. The referral only completes — and both rewards are only issued — once that deposit threshold is met.

Important Rules to Keep in Mind

Personal relationships only. Public's program is designed for genuine personal referrals. You may only refer people you have a direct, personal relationship with. Spamming, commercial advertising, mass posting on unrelated forums, or any form of paid promotion of your referral link violates the terms and can result in your referral rewards being withheld or your account being reviewed.

One account per person. Each person can only use one referral link to sign up. If someone already has a Public account, they are not eligible to receive the new member reward.

Privacy protected. Public cannot share any information about your referred friend's account or deposit status with you. You will receive your reward notification once everything on their end is confirmed, but you will not receive a direct update about where they stand in the process.

Terms may change. The reward amount ($20) can change over time. The program details described here are effective as of October 13, 2025, but Public reserves the right to update or end the program at any time.

Why Public Is Worth Recommending

The referral program is most effective when you genuinely believe in the platform you are recommending — and Public has a strong case to make on its own merits.

Commission-free trading — Public charges $0 commission on self-directed trades of U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs placed online through the app. Other fees may apply on certain products, but standard equity trading has no per-trade cost.

Multi-asset platform — Unlike many investing apps that focus on stocks alone, Public lets you invest across stocks, ETFs, options, bonds, Treasury bills, and crypto from a single account. This breadth makes it a genuinely useful long-term platform rather than just an entry-level app.

Treasury bills — Public offers access to U.S. Treasury bills through Jiko Securities, Inc. This is an unusual feature for a retail investing app and appeals to users who want a safe, yield-bearing place to hold cash.

Social investing features — Public was one of the first platforms to introduce a social layer to investing, letting users follow others, share their portfolios, and see what other investors are buying. This makes it particularly appealing for newer investors who want to learn alongside a community.

FINRA/SIPC member — Public Investing is a member of FINRA and SIPC, meaning brokerage accounts are protected by SIPC coverage up to $500,000 (including$ 250,000 for cash claims).

Who Should You Refer?

The $1,000 minimum deposit is a real qualifier. This program works best when you refer people who:

Are already thinking about starting to invest and have savings ready to deploy
Currently use a traditional brokerage and are looking for a simpler, lower-cost alternative
Are interested in diversifying into Treasury bills or bonds alongside stocks
Want a social, community-driven investing experience

Someone who is just getting started with a small amount may find the $1,000 threshold a stretch. But for someone with a few thousand dollars sitting in a savings account who has been meaning to invest, Public is a strong recommendation — and the$ 20 free stock gives them a natural first position to build on.

Claiming Your Reward

Once your referral qualifies — meaning your friend has been approved and made their $1,000 deposit — Public sends you a push notification. Tap on it to go directly to the rewards screen and choose your$ 20 stock or ETF from the available options.

If you miss the notification, you can also navigate to the Rewards section of the app at any time to check your pending and available rewards.

For any issues with the referral program, Public's support team can be reached at support@public.com or through the in-app chat.

Final Thoughts

The Public referral program is clean, transparent, and genuinely rewarding for both sides. The $20 in free stock is not life-changing on its own, but it is real money in a real investment — and for the friend receiving it, it is a nice way to start their Public portfolio with something already in it.

If you have friends or family members who are curious about investing but have not taken the first step yet, a personal recommendation combined with a referral link that gets them $20 on their first deposit is a compelling reason to finally get started.