Can I see trades before they happen? Approval-required brokerages, explained

I'm Chris, one of the co-founders of Autopilot. Some people want an approval step and some are furious they have one. Both reactions make sense, and which one you get is decided by your brokerage rather than by us. Here's how it works and what it costs you.

One thing first, because we're an SEC-registered investment adviser and I have to say it. Autopilot is the app. The actual investment advice comes from Autopilot Advisers, LLC. If you want the full legal version of anything in here, it's on our disclaimer page.

Where the approval step comes from

Certain brokerages require you to approve each trade in their own app before it goes through. That's their policy, applied to every third-party platform and not just to us. On those accounts nothing runs unattended: an order is generated, it waits for you, and it fills after you tap approve.

On brokerages without that requirement, orders go through under the limited authority you granted, the way a discretionary advisory account normally works. Which brokerages require the extra step is on the connect screen and summarized in Which brokerages does Autopilot support.

What the approval step costs you

Drift. The price when you approve is not the price when the order was generated, and the longer the gap, the further your result moves from the Portfolio you're following.

The help center is direct about this: because the trade is only placed after you approve it, execution price can differ from the price at the moment the trade was generated, and the longer the delay the more your results drift. Keeping the app open and approving promptly reduces it. This is one of the standing reasons in Why your returns won't match the Pilot's.

If you travel, sleep through market opens, or don't want notifications, an approval-required brokerage is a worse fit and it's better to know that before you connect than after.

If you want to see changes in advance

You can't preview a Portfolio's next move, and neither can we, because the Portfolio changes when its source changes. A tracker built on quarterly filings changes when a new filing posts. A monthly strategy changes at its rebalance. Nobody is sitting on a decision they haven't acted on.

What you can do is read the Portfolio's stated method before you follow it, so its behavior isn't a surprise, and read When Autopilot actually trades for the timing rules.

What to do about it

If the approval step bothers you, check whether your brokerage is one that requires it before you allocate. If you're already connected to one, turn on notifications and approve quickly, because every minute is drift.

And if you want the approval step specifically, for control reasons, then a brokerage that requires it is a feature rather than a bug. Just price in that you're now part of the machine.

Frequently asked questions

Can I approve trades before Autopilot places them?

On brokerages that require it, yes, and you must. Elsewhere, orders go through under the limited authority you granted, without a prompt.

Which brokerages require manual trade approval?

It varies by firm and changes, so the app's connect screen is the accurate source. The help center notes that some brokerages require approval in their own app before any third-party trade runs.

Why do I have to approve every Autopilot trade?

Because your brokerage requires it for all third-party platforms. It's their rule, not ours, and it applies the same way to every app connected to that account.

Can I see what Autopilot is going to buy before it buys it?

No, because a Portfolio changes when its source changes rather than on a schedule somebody is sitting on. What you can read in advance is the Portfolio's stated method.

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Since Autopilot Advisers is an SEC-registered investment adviser, we have to put disclaimers on stuff like this. They're below, and the full version is on our disclaimer page.

Disclosures

© Autopilot Holdings Corporation 2026 — All rights reserved. “Autopilot” refers to Autopilot Holdings Corporation and its wholly-owned, and separately managed subsidiaries, including Autopilot Advisers, LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. All investing is subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal invested, and past performance is not indicative of future results. View our Customer Relationship Summary and other important information at joinautopilot.com/disclaimer.

This information is provided by Autopilot for educational and illustrative purposes only and is not a recommendation, an offer to sell or the solicitation to buy any security. Autopilot relies on information from various sources believed to be reliable, including information from Clients, Pilots and other third parties, but cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of that information. Autopilot does not provide tax or legal advice and you are encouraged to consult with professionals before making investment decisions.

Autopilot is not affiliated with, sponsored, or endorsed by the companies listed, described, or featured on its site. Company logos or trademarks used do not imply endorsement and are the property of their respective owners.

Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. You should carefully consider your investment objectives, risk tolerance, and time horizon before investing through Autopilot.

Autopilot Advisers, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Additional information about Autopilot is available in our Form ADV Part 2A, available at adviserinfo.sec.gov or joinautopilot.com/adv.

Autopilot provides limited investment advisory services focused on Portfolio selection and suitability assessment. Our services are not intended to replace comprehensive financial planning. We recommend consulting with a qualified financial advisor regarding your complete financial situation.

This content is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute investment, legal, or tax advice and should not be relied upon as the basis for any investment decision. You should consult with qualified professionals regarding your specific circumstances.

Autopilot does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult with qualified tax and legal professionals regarding your specific circumstances.

Autopilot does not hold client assets. All investments are held at the brokerage firm you select and connect to Autopilot. Your brokerage firm is responsible for trade execution, custody, and reporting. Autopilot is not responsible for your broker-dealer’s services, fees, or execution quality.

Autopilot’s services depend on technology systems, third-party APIs, and internet connectivity. System outages, API disruptions, or connectivity issues may temporarily affect service availability or trade execution timing.

Client account holdings are designed to track the Portfolio you’ve selected, but your actual holdings and performance may differ from the Portfolio due to execution timing, market conditions, brokerage capacity constraints, fractional share availability, and other factors outside Autopilot’s control.

For Portfolios inspired by publicly disclosed trading activity, there may be a delay between when a Pilot executes a trade and when that trade becomes publicly available and is incorporated into the Portfolio. This timing delay may affect the suitability or performance of trades when executed in client accounts.

Trade approval requirements are set by your brokerage and may change. Delays between order generation and approval can change execution price and cause your results to differ from the Portfolio. Autopilot does not control brokerage policies, execution or timing.