Does Autopilot buy fractional shares? What a $500 allocation looks like across a thirty-stock Portfolio

I'm Chris, one of the co-founders of Autopilot. The arithmetic worry here is real: if a Portfolio holds thirty names and some of them trade at hundreds of dollars a share, what does a small allocation actually buy? Here's how it works and where it breaks.

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.

Whether fractional shares are available is your broker's call

Autopilot doesn't decide this. Your brokerage does. Some support fractional share orders, some support them only for certain securities, and some don't support them at all.

That's why fractional availability shows up in our disclosures as one of the reasons your holdings can differ from a Portfolio. It's also one of the reasons a position can be slow to sell, which the help center names directly when funds don't appear after deleting a Portfolio.

What following looks like at a small balance

The help center puts the principle plainly: following is proportional, not identical. If you allocate $1,000 and the Pilot's Portfolio is built on a much larger base, your positions are smaller but in the same direction.

Where fractional orders are supported, a small allocation can hold a proportional slice of every name. Where they aren't, the Portfolio can't buy a share it can't afford, so cash sits undeployed and your account tracks the Portfolio less closely. That's the actual failure mode, and it's a broker-level constraint, not a policy of ours.

Our Form CRS dated February 2026 states a minimum account size of $500 and a $500 minimum per Portfolio. What a starting balance actually implies is worked through in How much money do you need to start on Autopilot.

The other arithmetic, which matters more

A flat subscription is a bigger share of a small account than a big one. That's the number to run before you decide, and it's independent of fractional shares. 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.

The same calculation, done properly, is in What Autopilot's fee actually means at your balance.

What to check

Ask your brokerage whether fractional orders are supported on your account type. Look at how many positions the Portfolio holds, because more names at a small balance means more chances something can't be bought. And read Why your returns won't match the Pilot's, because fractional availability is one of the standing reasons.

Frequently asked questions

Does Autopilot buy fractional shares?

Where your brokerage supports fractional orders, yes. Where it doesn't, the Portfolio can't buy a share the allocation can't afford, and that cash stays undeployed.

Can I follow a portfolio with a small amount of money?

Following is proportional, so a small allocation holds smaller positions in the same direction. Our Form CRS dated February 2026 states a minimum account size of $500 and a $500 minimum per Portfolio.

What happens if I can't afford a full share?

With fractional support, you get a partial position. Without it, that name is skipped and the cash waits, so your account tracks the Portfolio less closely.

Do I need enough money to buy every stock in a portfolio?

Not with fractional orders. Without them, a Portfolio with many high-priced names needs a larger allocation to be followed closely.

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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.

Fractional share availability is determined by your brokerage, not by Autopilot, and may vary by security and account type. Client holdings may differ from a Portfolio due to fractional availability, timing, cash and brokerage constraints. Minimums and fee amounts are quoted from Form CRS dated February 2026 and may change.