Trackers
Following CEOs who buy their own stock: the CEO Tracker and Form 4 filings
Following CEOs who buy their own stock: the CEO Tracker and Form 4 filings.
I'm Chris, one of the co-founders of Autopilot. Of all the public signals people chase, insider buying is one of the cleaner ones, because the disclosure is fast and the motive is unambiguous. Here's what it is and what to watch out for.
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.
Who they are
Alex Cole publishes the CEO Tracker and a related Portfolio on Autopilot as an independent Pilot, and points to his own research site for the reasoning behind the approach. The Portfolio descriptions put it plainly: buy a great business when the CEO does, on the view that the smartest investor in any company is often the person running it.
The Portfolios, and what each one says it does
The CEO Tracker is described as combining insider buying with research to identify businesses at attractive prices, building a focused portfolio of the Pilot's highest-conviction ideas rather than buying every insider purchase.
The CEO Magic Formula is described as using a similar approach with a more tax-efficient structure.
The underlying public signal is a Form 4. Company insiders, officers, directors and large shareholders must report their transactions in the company's stock to the SEC, generally within two business days. That's much faster than a quarterly 13F, and it's why insider data updates continuously rather than four times a year. The filings are public on EDGAR.
What to check before you follow
The two-business-day window is the real advantage here, and it's worth understanding why it matters compared to the 45-day 13F delay.
The catch is interpretation. Not every insider purchase means conviction: some are automatic, some are small enough to be symbolic, and some come with exercised options that complicate the picture. Selling is even noisier, since insiders sell for reasons that have nothing to do with the company. That's why the Portfolio's description says it pairs the signal with research rather than following it mechanically.
And insiders can be wrong about their own companies. They're closer to the business, not to the future.
Read the Portfolio's own description in the app, because that's the Pilot's statement of method. Look at the worst decline rather than the return, because that's the number that decides whether you hold on. Check how often it changes, since turnover costs money and creates taxable events in a taxable account. And check the fee at your balance, which is arithmetic in What Autopilot's fee actually means at your balance.
How following works
You pick the Portfolio, connect the brokerage you already use, and allocate money. 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.
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
insider buying tracker app
Autopilot has Portfolios built on insider buying, published by an independent Pilot who pairs the Form 4 signal with his own research rather than following every purchase.
CEO insider buying portfolio app
The CEO Tracker follows the idea that a CEO buying their own stock is a signal worth acting on, narrowed to the Pilot's highest-conviction names.
Is there an app that follows CEO insider buys in my brokerage?
Yes. Pick the Portfolio, connect your brokerage, allocate money. When the Portfolio changes we send the orders and your broker fills them.
What is a Form 4 filing?
The SEC filing that company insiders use to report transactions in their own company's stock, generally within two business days. It's public on EDGAR and far faster than a quarterly 13F.
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.
Alex Cole is an independent Pilot and is not an employee or affiliate of Autopilot. Portfolios published by Pilots are managed by Autopilot Advisers, LLC. Listing is not an endorsement of a Pilot or strategy. Insider transactions are public filings and are not predictive of results. Fee amounts are quoted from Form CRS dated February 2026 and may change.