Interactive Brokers vs Public options fees (2026)
Public is cheaper per contract ($0.00 vs $0.65). Exercise/assignment fees can't be compared because Public doesn't publish one we could verify. At the smallest balance tier each lists, Interactive Brokers charges 5.38% (Pro $0-$100k) and Public charges 5.15% (Up to $50,000).
| Interactive Brokers (Lite / Pro <=10k contracts) | Public | |
|---|---|---|
| Per-contract commission | $0.65 Source: www.interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 | $0.00 Source: public.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 |
| Exercise / assignment fee | $0.00 Source: www.interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 | unverified (not listed in fee schedule) Source: public.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 |
| Index option fees | exchange fees passed through (Pro); amount varies Source: www.interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 | $0.35/contract + exchange fees Source: public.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 |
| Margin rates | Pro $0-$100k: 5.38% Pro $100k-$1M: 4.88% Pro $1M-$50M: 4.63% Pro $50M+: 4.38% Lite (all balances): 6.38% Source: www.interactivebrokers.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 | Up to $50,000: 5.15% $50k-$100k: 5.0% $100k-$1M: 4.75% $1M-$10M: 4.5% $10M-$50M: 4.45% $50M+: 4.2% Source: public.com, retrieved 2026-10-25 |
Per-contract figures exclude regulatory pass-through fees. Estimate your yearly cost with the calculator. See full pages for Interactive Brokers and Public.