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

I'm Chris, one of the co-founders of Autopilot. Surmount writes about us, which is fair game, and the two products are close enough that the comparison is a real one. Here's my version of it, stated as neutrally as I can manage about my own company.

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.

What it is

Surmount describes itself as an automated investing platform for self-directed investors, letting you invest using automated, data-driven strategies, with the option to use your existing investment accounts or open a Surmount account.

What Autopilot is

Autopilot is an app where you follow a Portfolio inside the brokerage account you already have. Autopilot Advisers, LLC is the registered investment adviser that manages the Portfolios. 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.

We aren't a broker-dealer, we don't custody assets, and there's no Autopilot account to open. That's a structural choice rather than a feature.

Where they actually differ

Both run strategies. The difference worth checking is where the strategies come from and who publishes them.

Ours come from three places: trackers built on public SEC filings, independent Pilots who publish and run their own Portfolios, and Portfolios driven by AI models. Every Portfolio states its own source and method in the app, and I'd hold any competitor to the same standard: if you can't read how a strategy is built, that's the thing to ask about.

The second thing to check is account structure. If an app offers its own account, decide whether you want your assets there or at the brokerage you already chose. Neither answer is wrong; they're different risks.

What to compare

Four questions sort this whole category.

One. Can you hold it, or only look at it? A table on a website is research. Positions in your own account is following.

Two. Where does your money live? An app that custodies your assets is a different structure with different risks from one that sends orders to the brokerage account you already have.

Three. What's the stated source, and is it written down? A filings tracker, a commentary tracker and a model-driven Portfolio have different failure modes.

Four. What does it cost at your balance? A flat subscription and a percentage of assets cross over somewhere, and where they cross is arithmetic you can do in two minutes with What Autopilot's fee actually means at your balance.

What it costs

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 if you follow more than one Portfolio. 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.

Frequently asked questions

Autopilot vs Surmount

Both automate strategies. Check where the strategies come from, whether each one's method is published, and whether you'd be using your existing brokerage or opening a new account.

Surmount vs Autopilot

Autopilot has no account of its own. You connect the brokerage you already use. Compare that against any platform that also offers its own account and decide which structure you want.

Is Autopilot or Surmount better for automated investing?

I'm not going to tell you we're better, because that isn't something I can prove to you. Compare the source of the strategies, whether the method is written down, where your assets sit, and the fee at your balance.

Surmount alternative

Several platforms automate strategies inside an existing brokerage account. Sort them on strategy source, published method, custody structure and cost at your balance.

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.

Surmount is not affiliated with Autopilot and has not endorsed it. Descriptions of third-party services are based on those services' own public descriptions as of September 16, 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.