Automate Public.com Trading with TradersPost

If you want to automate Public.com trading, TradersPost connects to your Public.com account via OAuth and routes signals from any webhook-compatible platform directly to order execution. One connection covers stocks, options, index options, and crypto, all managed from a single strategy and webhook URL.

The integration is in beta and live only, which shapes how you should set it up. There is no paper trading environment, closed order history is not yet available from the Public.com API, and only simple single-leg orders are supported. Work within those constraints and the setup is straightforward.

This guide walks through every step: connecting your account, creating a strategy, subscribing your account, sending a signal, and understanding exactly what order types and asset classes are available.

What This Integration Does

One connection, four asset classes

Public.com supports stocks, options, index options, and crypto through TradersPost.¹ TradersPost uses Public.com as the market data source for quotes and instruments on connected accounts, so you do not need a separate data provider. Crypto symbols are mapped to USD pairs automatically, for example BTC-USD.¹

Live only, no paper trading

The Public.com integration is in beta and only live connections are available.¹ Public.com does not offer a sandbox or paper trading environment through this integration, so every order you send goes to your real account. Validate your setup with small live position sizes before scaling. Closed order history is not yet available from the Public.com API, so the closed orders list is hidden for Public.com connections.¹

Step 1: Connect via OAuth

Authorize on Public.com

Public.com accounts connect using OAuth, so you authorize on Public.com instead of pasting API keys.¹ From the TradersPost dashboard, click Connect Broker, choose Public.com, and click Connect Live. You are redirected to Public.com to log in and grant access, then redirected back automatically. TradersPost refreshes your access token after authorization, so you do not need to manually reconnect when it expires.¹

Confirm the connection

After returning, verify that your Public.com account appears in your connected brokers list. Session management is handled automatically from that point forward. If you run into any issues during connection, you can reach the TradersPost support team at [email protected].

Once connected, you are ready to build strategies and start automating. The OAuth flow is the entire connection process: no API key rotation, no manual token management.

Step 2: Create a Strategy

Strategy basics

A strategy defines the asset class, the tickers you are allowed to trade, and generates a unique webhook URL. That URL is the endpoint your signal source, whether TradingView, TrendSpider, or a custom script, sends JSON alerts to. Choose the asset class that matches what you plan to trade: stocks, options, index options, or crypto.

Index options naming on Public.com

Public.com supports SPX, NDX, XSP, and VIX index options.¹ One naming detail matters here: Public.com lists only the PM-settled index series, so SPX and NDX expirations including the third Friday come back under the SPXW and NDXP roots rather than the AM-settled SPX and NDX roots.¹ TradersPost uses whichever root Public.com returns for the expiration you select, so you do not need to change your ticker in most cases, but be aware that the contract returned may carry a different root than you expect.

Step 3: Subscribe Your Account

Link account to strategy

A subscription connects one broker account to a strategy and applies account-specific settings. Set your preferred default order type within the subscription. If a signal sends an order type not supported by Public.com, TradersPost falls back to the subscription default. Enable auto-submit to have orders sent to Public.com automatically without manual approval per signal.

Position sizing options

You can specify quantity using the quantityType field in the webhook payload. Supported values include fixed_quantity, dollar_amount, percent_of_equity, and percent_of_position. If you omit quantity in the signal, TradersPost defaults to 1 or uses the quantity configured in the subscription.

Step 4: Send a Signal

Minimum viable payload

The minimum required fields in a webhook payload are ticker and action. The action field accepts buy, sell, and exit to open long, open short, or close a position respectively. Including the price field with the current market price enables slippage tracking in the trade log.

A basic stock signal looks like this:

{"ticker": "AAPL", "action": "buy", "price": 195.50}

Options-specific fields

To automate options trades, add optionType (call or put), expiration (a specific date like 2025-06-20 or a relative expression like +6 months), and either strikesAway or strikePrice to the payload. The intrinsicValue field lets you filter by itm or otm when scanning the chain. For index options, use the index symbol such as SPX or NDX as the ticker value.

What You Can Trade

Stocks and ETFs

Public.com supports US-listed stocks and ETFs with fractional quantities supported to six decimal places. Two constraints to note: GTC sell short orders are not supported, so short strategies using GTC time in force on the sell side will not behave as expected. Extended hours orders are also not supported through the Public.com API integration.

Crypto

Public.com offers 60-plus crypto assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and others trading 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.² Crypto is quoted in USD and TradersPost maps symbols to pairs like BTC-USD. Cryptocurrency services on Public.com are powered by Zerohash LLC, which holds an NYSDFS BitLicense and money transmitter licenses.² Note that your crypto assets are held by Zerohash, not Public Investing, and are not covered by FDIC or SIPC protection.²

Options and index options

Public.com charges no commissions on stock and ETF options contracts and offers rebates of $0.06 to $0.18 per contract depending on monthly volume.³ Index options including NDX, SPX, VIX, and CBTX carry fees of $0.35 to $0.50 per contract.³ Only simple single-leg orders are available through the integration; complex multi-leg bracket orders are not supported.¹

Order Types and Time in Force

Supported order types

Public.com supports market, limit, stop, and stop-limit order types through TradersPost. Trailing stop orders are not supported, and bracket orders (OTO or OCO classes) are not available. The supported order types cover the majority of systematic entry and exit workflows, but factor these gaps into your strategy design before going live.

• Market
• Limit
• Stop
• Stop-limit

Time in force options

Public.com supports day and GTC (good till canceled) time in force values. Day orders expire at the end of the regular trading session. GTC orders remain open until filled or canceled. If your signal sends a time in force value not supported by Public.com, TradersPost falls back to the default set in your subscription settings.

Testing Without Paper Trading

Use the test flag

Because Public.com has no paper trading environment through this integration, the primary validation method is the test flag. Set test: true in your webhook payload and TradersPost processes the signal without sending an order to Public.com. Test signals appear in the signal log so you can confirm parsing and routing logic without risking capital. TradersPost logs every signal and its resulting order details, giving you a record to review even when closed order history is unavailable from the Public.com API.

{"ticker": "AAPL", "action": "buy", "price": 195.50, "test": true}

Small live sizes

After confirming signal routing with the test flag, move to small live position sizes before running full size. Review each trade in the signal and trade log rather than relying on Public.com order history, which is not yet surfaced through the API. This approach gives you a reliable audit trail regardless of what the broker returns.

Bottom Line

Automating Public.com trading through TradersPost is a four-step process: connect via OAuth, create a strategy for your asset class, subscribe your account, and send webhook signals. Here are the key constraints to keep in front of you:

• The integration is in beta and live only. No paper trading is available through this connection.
• Closed order history is not returned by the Public.com API yet, so the TradersPost signal and trade log is your primary record.
• Only simple single-leg orders are supported. No bracket, OTO, or OCO order classes.
• Supported order types are market, limit, stop, and stop-limit. Trailing stops are not available.
• Crypto assets are held by Zerohash LLC, separate from your brokerage account at Public Investing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Public.com support paper trading through TradersPost?

No. The Public.com integration is live only; paper trading is not available through this connection.¹ Use the test flag in your webhook payload to validate signal routing without placing real orders, then start with small live sizes to verify execution before scaling up.

Can I view closed order history from Public.com in TradersPost?

Closed order history is not yet available from the Public.com API, so the closed orders list is hidden for Public.com connections.¹ Use the TradersPost signal and trade log as your primary record of executed signals and orders.

Which crypto assets can I automate on Public.com?

Public.com offers 60-plus crypto assets including Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, and others that trade around the clock.² TradersPost maps Public.com crypto symbols to USD pairs such as BTC-USD when routing orders. Crypto custody on Public.com is handled by Zerohash LLC, separate from the brokerage account held at Public Investing.²

Are bracket or multi-leg orders supported?

No. Only simple single-leg orders are supported through the Public.com integration; bracket and complex multi-leg orders are not available.¹ You can include stop loss and take profit parameters in your webhook payload using the stopLoss and takeProfit objects, but these are managed as separate orders rather than native bracket orders.

Why do SPX options appear under SPXW in Public.com?

Public.com lists only the PM-settled index option series, so all SPX expirations including the third Friday are returned under the SPXW root rather than the AM-settled SPX root.¹ Similarly, NDX expirations appear under the NDXP root. TradersPost uses whichever root Public.com returns for the expiration date you specify in your signal, so no manual adjustment is required on your end.

References

¹ Public.com API Documentation
² Public.com Crypto
³ Public.com Options Trading