Public.com Crypto IRA Customers Are Walking Away Over High Fees, Limited Features, Poor Service, and a Trail of Negative Reviews

Public.com has faced mounting customer backlash in 2026 over a 1.25% crypto markup, instant withdrawal fees of up to 3.5%, a $100 outgoing transfer fee, inactivity charges, and weeks-long customer service response times documented across Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau. The recent $65 million acquisition of Alto’s CryptoIRA business has added a new wave of complaints from Crypto IRA holders reporting forced liquidations, fewer supported coins, and being unable to transfer out without selling their crypto assets to cash first. For investors who want a fintech software platform purpose-built for self-directed Crypto IRAs, iTrustCapital is an alternative option. 

iTrustCapital charges a 1% transaction fee on crypto buys and sells. There are no inactivity fees, no outgoing transfer fees, and no monthly custodial fees. The platform supports 100+ cryptocurrencies, crypto staking, stablecoin rewards, an award-winning California-based human support team, and more.

What Is Public.com and Why Are Crypto IRA Holders Walking Away?

Public.com launched in 2019 as a stock and ETF brokerage platform. In the years since, the platform has expanded into crypto, options, bonds, Treasury accounts, and most recently a Crypto IRA product brought in through its November 2025 acquisition of Alto’s CryptoIRA business. On paper, it looks like an all-in-one investing app.

But in practice, customers tell a different story.

A scan of recent reviews on the Better Business Bureau, Trustpilot, and Reddit reveals a consistent set of complaints: opaque fees, frozen accounts, withdrawal delays, customer support that responds in weeks rather than hours, and a Crypto IRA offering that looks competitive on the surface but breaks down under scrutiny.

The Alto acquisition has only amplified the chorus. Former Alto Crypto IRA customers, many of whom never signed up for Public in the first place, are now being moved onto a platform they didn’t choose, with fees they didn’t agree to, and a coin selection that doesn’t match what they originally invested in.

Why Are Public.com’s Fees Raising So Many Red Flags?

Their published fee schedule tells a more complicated story, especially for Crypto IRA holders who get hit with fees on top of fees.

How much does Public.com charge for crypto in a Crypto IRA?

According to Public.com’s own fee schedule, crypto transactions over $500 carry a 1.25% markup, with all recurring crypto purchases also charged at 1.25%. Smaller orders are charged tiered flat fees ranging from $0.49 to $6.29. That is higher than the commission-free structure the platform advertises for stocks and ETFs.

Crypto IRA holders are charged the same crypto transaction fees as standard brokerage accounts, plus an additional 0.05% monthly custodial fee calculated daily based on the net market value of cryptocurrency assets in the account. For a long-term Crypto IRA investor, those fees compound with every purchase and every month the account is open.

What other fees does Public.com charge?

Beyond crypto transactions, customers have flagged the following charges across review platforms and Public.com’s own disclosures:

• An inactivity fee of up to $3.99 per month for accounts under $70 with no activity over six months
• An instant withdrawal fee of up to 3.5% of the amount withdrawn, with a $1 minimum
• A $100 outgoing ACAT transfer fee to move assets to another brokerage
• A $25 outgoing domestic wire transfer fee
• A $115 per security outgoing DRS transfer fee
• A 0.05% monthly Crypto IRA custodial fee on top of all crypto transaction fees
• A $10 monthly Public Premium subscription for users who want lower fees on certain transactions

What Are Public.com Customers Saying in Reviews?

Reviews across major platforms in 2026 skew negative, and the complaints follow a pattern.

Frozen accounts and withdrawal issues

One BBB reviewer reported having $30,000 frozen for four months, eventually requiring a lawyer to resolve. Another BBB complaint describes a customer being unable to transfer cryptocurrency out of their account for weeks, with conflicting responses from customer service about whether the transfer had been approved or rejected.

Weeks-long customer service response times

Trustpilot reviewers describe waiting “WEEKS to respond to your urgent query regarding your portfolio, money, etc.”

Forced Crypto IRA liquidations from the Alto acquisition

This complaint category is new in 2026 and growing fast. Former Alto Crypto IRA customers have left scathing reviews on Trustpilot describing the transition to Public.com as a “botched” process involving involuntary asset liquidation.

One reviewer wrote that Public.com “sold off assets that I had in Alto since public didn’t support it. I then tried to transfer out of public but they force you to sell everything to cash in order to transfer. Which is BS since they made about $1000 in fees off of this.”

Another former Alto Crypto IRA customer reported getting forced into a Public account they never wanted, and finding that Public’s withdrawal rates are “double that of Alto and their withdrawal times are way way longer.”

The common thread: Crypto IRA holders who originally signed up for one platform are now stuck on another, with fees and limitations they did not agree to.

What Features Is Public.com’s Crypto IRA Missing?

Public.com supports more than 40 cryptocurrencies, which sounds reasonable until you compare it to platforms purpose-built for Crypto IRA investing. The bigger gaps show up in retirement account types, rewards, and account administration.

Public.com does not offer SEP Crypto IRAs

Public supports Traditional and Roth IRAs only. For freelancers, contractors, and small business owners who rely on SEP IRAs, this is a meaningful gap. These are exactly the customers who benefit most from tax-advantaged retirement accounts with higher contribution limits.

No crypto staking in a Crypto IRA

Instead of offering on-chain staking, Public.com provides access to staking-focused ETFs that hold the underlying crypto and distribute rewards as dividends. For Crypto IRA holders who want true staking on assets like Ethereum or Solana, this is a workaround, not a feature.

No native stablecoin rewards in a Crypto IRA structure

Public’s stablecoin and rewards products live in its taxable brokerage and Treasury accounts, not in a dedicated Crypto IRA wrapper that fits the way long-term crypto investors actually want to hold these assets in a retirement account.

Beneficiary changes still require emailing customer support

For a platform that markets itself on a modern, app-first experience, basic account administration like assigning a Crypto IRA beneficiary still requires sending an email and completing a physical form. Combined with a $100 outgoing transfer fee, opening a Crypto IRA with Public is easier than getting out of one.

What Is Public.com’s Customer Service Like?

The reviews speak for themselves. Across BBB and Trustpilot, customers consistently describe:

• Multi-week response times to urgent account issues
• AI-driven support with no clear path to a human representative
• Conflicting answers to the same question across different emails
• Withdrawal requests that are approved and rejected on the same day

To Public.com’s credit, some customers do leave positive reviews praising the platform’s design and ease of use. But for an investing platform handling retirement assets and Crypto IRA holdings, “easy to use” is the floor, not the ceiling.

When the money does not move, the design does not matter.

A Crypto IRA Alternative: iTrustCapital

For investors who want a fintech software platform built specifically for self-directed Crypto IRAs, iTrustCapital is the leader of the industry and they have a track record that holds up under scrutiny.

What iTrustCapital offers Crypto IRA investors:

• Founded in 2018 with 300,000+ accounts and over $17 billion in transaction volume
• 100+ cryptocurrencies available in self-directed Traditional, Roth, and SEP Crypto IRAs
• A 1% transaction fee with no custodial fee
• Physical gold and silver available in the same Crypto IRA
• Crypto staking on Ethereum and Solana inside a Crypto IRA
• Stablecoin rewards on RLUSD and USDC
• Crypto assets secured with institutional storage providers including Coinbase Custody, Fireblocks, and Fidelity Digital Assets
• USD held with regulated third-party banks and custodians
• A California based award winning client service team with live (human) support
• 15,000+ excellent rate reviews from Google and Trustpilot, averaging 4.9/5.0 stars

Where iTrustCapital’s Crypto IRA stands out against Public.com:

The fee structure is simple. There is no inactivity fee, no instant withdrawal markup, no $100 outgoing transfer fee, no monthly custodial fee, no auto-checked add-ons. The Crypto IRA transaction fee is 1%, full stop.

The retirement account lineup includes SEP Crypto IRAs, which Public does not support. The custody model uses institutional providers that have served the digital asset space since before most retail platforms added crypto.

And when Crypto IRA customers have a question, they speak with a human on a U.S.-based support team, not an AI chatbot routing through a multi-week queue.

For Crypto IRA holders who got pulled into Public.com through the Alto acquisition and are weighing where to go next, iTrustCapital is built for exactly this use case.

If you are an existing Crypto IRA customer at Public.com and tired of them, you can switch over to iTrustCapital. Click here to learn more!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Public.com legit?

Public.com is a registered broker-dealer through Open to the Public Investing Inc., a member of FINRA and SIPC. But legitimacy is not the issue. The issue is the fee structure, feature limitations, and customer service complaints documented across review platforms.

Can I transfer my crypto out of a Public.com Crypto IRA without selling it?

According to recent Trustpilot reviews, customers report being required to sell crypto positions to cash before transferring out. This contrasts with platforms that support in-kind Crypto IRA distributions, which allow investors to move crypto assets without triggering a forced sale.

What are the biggest fees on a Public.com Crypto IRA?

The fees most frequently cited in negative reviews include the 1.25% crypto markup, the 0.05% monthly Crypto IRA custodial fee, the up to 3.5% instant withdrawal fee, the $100 outgoing ACAT transfer fee, and the inactivity fee on low-balance accounts.

What is the best alternative to Public.com for a Crypto IRA?

For investors focused on long-term, tax-advantaged crypto investing, iTrustCapital has a 1% transaction fee, no monthly fee, 100+ cryptocurrencies, crypto staking on Ethereum and Solana, stablecoin rewards, and physical gold and silver in the same self-directed Crypto IRA.

This article  is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute investment advice in any way or constitute an offer to buy or sell any cryptocurrency, digital asset or security or to participate in any investment strategy.

iTrustCapital is a fintech software platform for alternative assets. iTrustCapital is not an exchange, funding portal, custodian, trust company, licensed broker, dealer, broker-dealer, investment advisor, investment manager, or adviser in the United States or elsewhere. iTrustCapital is not affiliated with and does not endorse any particular digital asset, precious metal or investment strategy.   

Investing in any digital asset or cryptocurrency (including meme coins) carries significant risks due to their speculative and highly volatile nature. Staking involves considerable risk. Past performance is not an indication of future results. No investment is completely risk-free, and every investment carries the potential for losing some or all of the principal amount invested. Cryptocurrency is not legal tender backed by the United States government, nor is it subject to Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance or protections. Digital asset (Cryptocurrency) deposits held with institutional storage providers are never FDIC insured and may lose value. Clients do not receive a choice of custody partner. 

Investors assume the risk of all purchase and sale decisions. iTrustCapital makes no guarantee or representation regarding investors’ ability to profit from any transaction or the tax implications of any transaction. iTrustCapital does not provide legal, investment or tax advice. Conduct your own research and consult with a qualified legal, investment, or tax professional to assess your own risk tolerance prior to investing.

 iTrustCapital makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of this information and does not have any liability for any representations (expressed or implied) or omissions from the information contained herein. iTrustCapital disclaims any and all liability to any party for any direct, indirect, implied, punitive, special, incidental or other consequential damages arising directly or indirectly from any use of this information, which is provided as is, without warranties.