Independent Audit Report
Earn Financial Wellness
VS
Public.com

A comprehensive 20-point independent audit covering fees, FX rates, settlement architecture, regulatory standing, customer protection, and real-world performance benchmarks.

20 Audit Criteria Independent Analysis Current Verified Data Live Benchmarks
Earn Financial Wellness
Earned Wage Access & Financial Wellness Platform
Best For Employers wanting to offer free earned wage access (EWA) as part of a
Core Fee Typically offered as an employer-paid benefit; pricing varie
Settlement Instant access to earned wages; integrates with payroll syst
Visit Earn Financial Wellness ↗
Public.com
Social Investing Platform & Bond Marketplace
Best For Investors wanting access to stocks, ETFs, bonds (7% yield Bond Account
Core Fee $0 commissions on stocks & ETFs; 0.49% annual fee on generat
Settlement Instant fractional share investing from $1; Bond Account set
Visit Public.com ↗
Full 20-Point Audit Matrix
Verified current data across all key decision criteria
20 Criteria Compared
Audit Criterion Earn Financial Wellness Public.com
WealthBlueprint RatingOverall score vs. all reviewed platforms (out of 5 stars)
4/5
Earn Financial Wellness: rated on fees, features, safety & ease of use
4/5
Public.com: rated on fees, features, safety & ease of use
Transaction FeesPer-transfer costs, domestic & international
Typically offered as an employer-paid benefit; pricing varies by company size and usage; often free to employees $0 commissions on stocks & ETFs; 0.49% annual fee on generated assets (AI-curated ETFs); crypto fees via third-party; Premium subscription available
FX / Conversion SpreadMarkup above mid-market exchange rate
Earn Financial Wellness charges a conversion fee based on the currency pair and transfer amount. Always verify the all-in rate before sending.
Always check the live rate in the app
Public.com charges a conversion fee based on the currency pair and transfer amount. Always verify the all-in rate before sending.
Always check the live rate in the app
Account MaintenanceMonthly or annual account-keeping charges
No monthly fees — Earn Financial Wellness does not charge recurring maintenance fees.
Fees subject to change — verify before signing up
Public.com applies account maintenance charges as described in its fee schedule. Pricing may vary by region.
Fees subject to change — verify before signing up
Card Issuance FeesVirtual and physical card creation costs
Earn Financial Wellness does not primarily offer physical cards — access is digital-first.
Check Earn Financial Wellness app for current card fees
Public.com does not primarily offer physical cards — access is digital-first.
Check Public.com app for current card fees
Domestic SettlementLocal bank transfer completion time
Earn Financial Wellness
Instant access to earned wages; integrates with payroll syst
VS
Public.com
Instant fractional share investing from $1; Bond Account set
Both platforms offer comparable settlement speeds.
Cross-Border SpeedInternational corridor settlement time
Earn Financial Wellness supports cross-border transfers via its payment rails. Actual delivery depends on the receiving bank and any compliance holds.
Check the app for live estimates
Public.com supports cross-border transfers via its payment rails. Actual delivery depends on the receiving bank and any compliance holds.
Check the app for live estimates
Uptime / ReliabilityReported annual platform availability rate
Earn Financial Wellness publishes service status updates on its official status page for transparency.
Check Earn Financial Wellness status page for incident history
Public.com publishes service status updates on its official status page for transparency.
Check Public.com status page for incident history
Regulatory LicensesGoverning bodies and jurisdictions
Compliant with payroll regulations; emphasis on measurable financial wellness outcomes
✓ Licensed
FINRA/SIPC member (up to $500,000); SEC-registered broker-dealer; 256-bit encryption; 2FA; Public Investing Inc. registered with SEC
✓ Licensed
Deposit InsuranceGovernment-backed protection scheme
Earn Financial Wellness holds funds with regulated partner banks. Deposit insurance coverage may apply.
Verify current coverage directly with Earn Financial Wellness
Public.com holds funds with regulated partner banks. Deposit insurance coverage may apply.
Verify current coverage directly with Public.com
2FA & AuthenticationMulti-factor security implementation
Earn Financial Wellness supports 2FA via authenticator app or SMS. Check security settings for available methods.
Enable 2FA immediately after opening your account
Public.com supports 2FA via authenticator app or SMS. Check security settings for available methods.
Enable 2FA immediately after opening your account
Fraud DetectionAI/ML-powered transaction monitoring
Earn Financial Wellness employs automated transaction monitoring. Suspicious activity triggers alerts and temporary holds.
✓ Real-time monitoring
Public.com employs automated transaction monitoring. Suspicious activity triggers alerts and temporary holds.
✓ Real-time monitoring
Ideal Use CasePrimary audience and core value proposition
Earn Financial Wellness
Employers wanting to offer free earned wage access (EWA) as part of a broader financial wellness strategy including coaching, credit building, and savings tools
Public.com
Investors wanting access to stocks, ETFs, bonds (7% yield Bond Account), crypto, IPOs, fractional shares, and AI-powered generated asset portfolios
Platform ClassificationRegulatory and product category
Earned Wage Access & Financial Wellness Platform Social Investing Platform & Bond Marketplace
Withdrawal LimitsDaily / weekly transfer and cash-out caps
Earn Financial Wellness withdrawal limits vary by account type and KYC level.
Log in to see your current limits
Public.com withdrawal limits vary by account type and KYC level.
Log in to see your current limits
Supported CurrenciesFiat and digital asset coverage
Earn Financial Wellness supports the currencies and assets listed in its official documentation.
Check Earn Financial Wellness official site for full currency list
Public.com supports the currencies and assets listed in its official documentation.
Check Public.com official site for full currency list
App Store RatingAggregate iOS + Android user satisfaction
Earn Financial Wellness app ratings reflect recent user sentiment — check the App Store/Google Play for current scores.
Verify live ratings on the App Store
Public.com app ratings reflect recent user sentiment — check the App Store/Google Play for current scores.
Verify live ratings on the App Store
Customer SupportAvailable resolution pathways and SLA
Earn Financial Wellness routes support through its official help channels. Priority queue access varies by plan.
Check Earn Financial Wellness help centre for current support options
Public.com routes support through its official help channels. Priority queue access varies by plan.
Check Public.com help centre for current support options
KYC Verification SpeedAccount activation timeline post-submission
Earn Financial Wellness KYC timelines depend on document quality and account type.
Verify current wait times in the Earn Financial Wellness app
Public.com KYC timelines depend on document quality and account type.
Verify current wait times in the Public.com app
Overall VerdictWealthBlueprint independent recommendation
IT'S A TIE — both score 4/5 stars.

Choose Earn Financial Wellness if you need: Employers wanting to offer free earned wage access (EWA) as part of a broader financial wellness strategy including coaching, credit building, and savings tools.
Choose Public.com if you need: Investors wanting access to stocks, ETFs, bonds (7% yield Bond Account), crypto, IPOs, fractional shares, and AI-powered generated asset portfolios.

➜ Your choice depends on your specific needs
Official WebsiteVisit platform to sign up or verify current fees
Visit Earn Financial Wellness ↗ Visit Public.com ↗
WealthBlueprint Verdict Summary
Earn Financial Wellness — Best For
Employers wanting to offer free earned wage access (EWA) as part of a broader financial wellness strategy including coaching, credit building, and savings tools
✓ Strong in its core category
Public.com — Best For
Investors wanting access to stocks, ETFs, bonds (7% yield Bond Account), crypto, IPOs, fractional shares, and AI-powered generated asset portfolios
✓ Strong in its core category

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