Autopilot and Stash: what each one is, and what to compare

I'm Chris, one of the co-founders of Autopilot. Stash and Autopilot both have a registered investment adviser behind them and a subscription in dollars. That's about where the resemblance ends.

Here's what each one is, from the source, and the questions that actually decide it.

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.

1) What Stash is

On its own website, as read on September 23, 2026, Stash describes itself as a digital financial advisor. Its pricing page describes one plan, The Stash Plan, which comes with a personal brokerage account, a retirement account, and what it calls a Smart Portfolio. You can choose your own stocks and ETFs, or have Stash's investing team manage a diversified portfolio for you.

It also describes a personalized investment plan and around-the-clock financial guidance. Its site says Stash is a registered investment adviser with the SEC, and that you add money to Stash, so your investments sit in accounts you open with Stash.

2) What Autopilot is

Autopilot is an app where you follow a Portfolio in the brokerage account you already have. Autopilot Advisers, LLC is a registered investment adviser. You give Autopilot Advisers limited authority to send orders to the account you already have. When the Portfolio changes, we send them and your broker fills them. The money stays put.

The Portfolios come from many sources: independent Pilots who create and manage their own, AI-model Portfolios run by Pilots, and trackers Autopilot builds on public SEC filings.

3) Where they actually differ

Where the account lives. Stash accounts are opened with Stash. Autopilot connects to the brokerage account you already have.

Who decides what you own. Stash offers its own managed portfolio or your own picks. On Autopilot, you choose a Portfolio published by a Pilot, an AI-model Portfolio, or a tracker built from public filings.

What kind of advice it is. Stash describes a personalized plan and coaching. Our Form CRS describes what we provide as limited portfolio management in the strategy you select. If you want somebody to build you a plan around your whole financial life, that's a real difference, and you should weigh it.

4) What to compare

Whether you want to keep your existing brokerage account.

Whether you want a managed default or a specific person's strategy.

The full cost at your balance, including any fee that's a percentage. For Autopilot, that math is in What Autopilot's fee actually means at your balance.

5) What it costs

On Stash: its pricing page, as read on September 23, 2026, lists $12 a month or $108 billed annually for The Stash Plan. It also says Stash charges an advisory fee of a quarter of one percent a year on Smart Portfolios with balances of $1,000 or more and on managed retirement accounts.

On Autopilot: A flat cash subscription, not a percentage of your balance. Per our Form CRS dated February 2026, Basic Tier has no Base Advisory and Licensing Fee, and Premium Tier is $29.99 to $199.99 a quarter or $99.99 to $699.99 a year. Pilot subscriptions are separate and add on for each Pilot you subscribe to. Because it's a flat dollar amount, it's a bigger share of a small account than a big one, so do the math at your balance.

I'm not going to tell you we're better, because that isn't something I can prove to you.

TLDR: Stash is a digital advisor where you open accounts with Stash, pick your own stocks or use its managed portfolio, and get personalized guidance. On Autopilot, you follow a Portfolio you choose, from a Pilot or a tracker, in the brokerage you already have. Compare the account, the kind of advice, and the full cost.

Frequently asked questions

Autopilot vs Stash

Stash is a digital advisor where you open accounts with Stash and either pick your own stocks or use its managed portfolio, with personalized guidance. Autopilot connects to the brokerage you already have and runs a Portfolio you choose from a Pilot or a tracker.

Stash alternatives

If what you want is to follow a specific investor or strategy in a brokerage account you already have, Autopilot is one option. Compare where the account lives, what kind of advice you get, and the full cost at your balance.

Is Autopilot or Stash better for following investors in my own brokerage?

I won't claim either is better. Following a Pilot's Portfolio inside your existing brokerage is what Autopilot is built for. Stash's site describes its own accounts, its own managed portfolio and personalized guidance instead.

Start Investing

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.

Stash is not affiliated with Autopilot and has not endorsed it. Descriptions of third-party services are based on that service's own public website as read on September 23, 2026 and may change. Nothing here is a claim that any product is best. Fee amounts are quoted from Form CRS dated February 2026 and may change.