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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsAutopilot is an iPhone investing app that automates trades in a linked brokerage account. You choose a portfolio—called a Pilot—and the app attempts to reproduce that portfolio’s stock purchases and sales in your own brokerage account.
It is not a bank or brokerage custodian. Autopilot says your cash and securities remain at the connected brokerage, while the app uses brokerage API access to retrieve account information and submit orders. That distinction matters: Autopilot can automate trading, but it does not remove investment risk, guarantee performance, or necessarily copy a portfolio at the same time or price as its source.
How Autopilot works
The basic process is:
- Choose a Pilot from Autopilot’s marketplace.
- Connect a supported brokerage account.
- Allocate a dollar amount of buying power to the Pilot.
- Allow Autopilot to place trades intended to reproduce the Pilot’s holdings and future transactions.
“Allocating” money does not mean sending cash to Autopilot. It tells the app how much buying power it may use within the connected brokerage account. Autopilot says it does not hold customers’ money or stocks.
According to Autopilot’s FAQ, the app uses brokerage authentication tokens rather than retaining the brokerage username and password. Those tokens are used to retrieve account data and place orders through the brokerage’s API.
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What is a Pilot?
A Pilot is an investment strategy or portfolio that users can follow. The marketplace includes several types:
| Type of Pilot | What it may track or contain |
|---|---|
| Expert-created portfolios | Strategies assembled by identified investors or market commentators |
| AI portfolios | Portfolios presented as being generated or guided by artificial intelligence |
| Thematic portfolios | Stocks grouped around a theme, industry, trend, or investment idea |
| Hedge-fund and institutional trackers | Reported holdings associated with institutional investors |
| Politician-trade trackers | Reported transactions by members of Congress or other public figures |
| Autopilot-created portfolios | Strategies assembled by Autopilot |
The app listing describes the marketplace as containing hundreds of portfolios. The exact selection and supported brokerages can change, so check the current options shown in the app rather than relying on an old list.
Is Autopilot a robo-advisor?
Autopilot automates portfolio trading, but it is not a conventional goal-based robo-advisor in the usual sense. Traditional robo-advisors commonly build and rebalance a diversified portfolio based on factors such as your risk tolerance, time horizon, and financial goals. Autopilot instead centers on selecting a specific Pilot and attempting to mirror its stock positions and trades.
Autopilot Advisers, LLC—not Autopilot Holdings Corporation—is identified in the company’s disclosure as the SEC-registered investment adviser responsible for investment advice delivered through the app. Registration does not mean an investment is safe or that a strategy will make money.
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Are Autopilot trades real time?
No. A copied transaction can be delayed for several reasons, including the time at which the source trade becomes public, Autopilot’s processing, authentication, available buying power, and the brokerage’s execution.
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Autopilot’s FAQ says trades set up outside market hours generally wait until the next market opening at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. During regular trading hours—listed as 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time—trades may be delayed by up to 15 minutes. If an order has not reached the brokerage after 15 minutes, Autopilot tells users to contact support.
Trackers based on public disclosures have an additional problem: the underlying information may already be old.
- Congressional trades: Members of Congress generally disclose qualifying transactions by the earlier of 30 days after learning of the transaction or 45 days after the transaction itself.
- Hedge-fund holdings: Certain institutional managers report qualifying holdings on Form 13F, generally within 45 days after the end of a quarter. A Form 13F shows reportable holdings at the reporting date, not a live trading book.
Therefore, following a politician or hedge fund does not mean buying the same security at the original execution price or immediately after the original trade.
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Autopilot’s FAQ says the service:
- Does not copy short positions.
- Does not place short-position trades.
- Does not invest in cryptocurrency.
- Does not invest in options.
It may place margin trades when the connected brokerage permits margin and the account’s settings and buying power allow it. Allocating cash to Autopilot therefore does not automatically mean that every trade will be limited to a cash account. Review the brokerage’s margin settings before connecting an account.
What happens if you manually sell a copied stock?
A manual sale may not be permanent if the Pilot allocation remains active. Autopilot gives the example of allocating $1,000 and then manually selling $500 of the resulting positions. Because the app may still interpret the account as needing $1,000 allocated to that Pilot, it could buy the stock again.
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To reduce the chance of an unwanted rebuy, Autopilot recommends either:
- Using the withdrawal function to reduce the amount allocated to the Pilot; or
- Using the blacklist function to prevent future purchases of a particular stock.
Autopilot says it cannot sell unrelated holdings outside the portfolios it controls. Even so, brokerage tax-lot rules can affect which shares are treated as sold, particularly when the same ticker appears in more than one holding or Pilot.
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Autopilot’s displayed value is not necessarily your entire brokerage account value. The company says its figure includes:
- The market value of positions currently tracked by Autopilot; and
- Remaining buying power allocated to Autopilot.
It does not include stocks held in the brokerage account outside Autopilot-controlled portfolios. That can make the app’s balance and allocation percentages look different from the brokerage’s total account value.
Can you follow more than one Pilot?
Autopilot’s FAQ says Autopilot+ subscribers can copy multiple Pilots and receive future trade copying, provided the brokerage has enough buying power. Basic members may be able to initiate multiple Pilots, but future trades may not be placed beyond the initial holdings. Additional Pilot subscriptions may also cost extra.
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The current instructions for adding another portfolio are:
- Open the home screen.
- Tap the plus icon.
- Choose a new Pilot.
- Follow the prompts to allocate money and start piloting.
How much does Autopilot cost?
The app is free to download, but that does not mean every Pilot or automated-trading feature is free. Autopilot offers multiple subscriptions, including in-house and third-party options, and some portfolios may carry additional subscription fees.
Prices are displayed in the app or on the website and may change. Before starting a Pilot, check the specific subscription and any additional fee shown during the current checkout flow. Avoid assuming that one advertised price covers every strategy or feature.
Which brokerages work with Autopilot?
The app listing names Robinhood and Charles Schwab among its brokerage connections. Autopilot’s current disclosure identifies Public as its default and preferred brokerage partner, while saying users may choose other supported brokerages. Availability can change, so use the connection screen inside the current app to confirm whether your brokerage is supported.
Autopilot also discloses a referral arrangement with Public and identifies that arrangement as a potential conflict of interest. That does not necessarily prevent someone from using another supported brokerage, but it is relevant when evaluating the service and any brokerage recommendation.
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What are the main risks?
Autopilot can make it easier to follow an investment idea, but convenience does not make the strategy safer. Key risks and limitations include:
- Loss of principal: Stock prices can fall, and past performance does not predict future results.
- Disclosure lag: Public filings may describe holdings or trades weeks after they occurred.
- Execution differences: Your order may fill at a different price, or may not fill as expected.
- Concentration: A thematic or copied portfolio may hold relatively few stocks or emphasize one sector.
- Unintended margin exposure: Margin may be used when permitted by the brokerage and account settings.
- Rebalancing surprises: A manual sale can be followed by a rebuy if the allocation remains active.
- Fees: Subscription or Pilot charges can reduce returns.
Before connecting an account, check the Pilot’s holdings, update frequency, fees, trading restrictions, and whether the strategy fits your risk tolerance. Keep in mind that copying a reported portfolio is not the same as copying the investor’s complete financial situation, tax position, cash reserves, or risk management.
How to delete an Autopilot account
Autopilot’s current iOS instructions are:
- Open the Autopilot app.
- Tap the Account icon in the navigation bar.
- Tap Account.
- Tap Delete Account.
- Confirm by tapping Delete Account again.
The FAQ repeats the Account-icon instruction, which appears to be a documentation duplication rather than two separate screens. If deletion fails, Autopilot directs users to email [email protected]. Deleting an app account is separate from closing a brokerage account, so confirm what happens to any linked brokerage connection and open orders before finishing the process.
FAQ
Does Autopilot hold my money?
No. Autopilot says cash and securities remain in the linked brokerage account. The app uses brokerage API access to view account information and submit trades.
Does Autopilot copy politician and hedge-fund trades instantly?
No. Congressional disclosures and Form 13F filings can be delayed, and Autopilot and the brokerage may add further processing or execution delays.
Can Autopilot buy a stock again after I sell it?
It may. If the Pilot allocation remains active, the app may attempt to restore the intended allocation. Reduce the allocation or use the blacklist function if you do not want a future purchase.
Is Autopilot safe or guaranteed to make money?
No investment app can guarantee returns. Autopilot’s disclosures warn that investing involves risk, loss of principal is possible, and past performance does not guarantee future results.
The Bottom Line
Autopilot is best understood as an automated portfolio-mirroring tool connected to your brokerage account, not as a place to deposit money or a guarantee of expert investment performance. It can automate the mechanics of following a selected Pilot, but copied trades may be delayed, source portfolios may be incomplete or outdated, fees may apply, and margin may be available. Review the strategy, disclosures, brokerage settings, and current in-app pricing before committing funds.
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