How to get started with Autopilot: the setup, step by step, what happens in the first fifteen minutes, and what to check after

I'm Chris, one of the co-founders of Autopilot. The whole setup is three decisions and about ten minutes, but people get stuck on the same few things every time, so here's the walk-through with the sticking points called out before you hit them.

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.

Before you start

Have a brokerage account already open and funded, at a brokerage on our connect screen. We don't open accounts and we don't hold money; we follow Portfolios inside the account you already have. Know the name and identity details on that brokerage profile, because you'll register with the same ones, and a mismatch is the most common reason a connection fails. And decide roughly how much you're comfortable allocating, since that amount has to exist as settled buying power at the broker, not as a number you hope to have.

Step one: download and register

The app is free on the App Store and Google Play. Registration asks for identity information and your investment preferences and risk tolerance; the advice comes from Autopilot Advisers, LLC, so you'll also agree to an Investment Advisory Agreement and see the Form CRS relationship summary, which is worth the two minutes it takes to read. Where the app is and what it requires is in Is Autopilot on Android and iPhone? Where to download it, and where setup actually happens.

Step two: connect your brokerage

Pick your brokerage from the connect screen and go through its login flow. You authenticate with the brokerage, and what we receive back is a token, not your password. Some brokerages require an extra step before any third party can send orders in your account, a signed trading authorization or an advisory form, and the app prompts you if yours does. Some also require you to approve each trade in their own app afterward. Which is which is on the connect screen; how the connection works and what it can and can't do is in How Autopilot connects to your brokerage and what it can see and do: tokens, not passwords; orders, not withdrawals; and how to cut it off.

Step three: pick a Portfolio and allocate

Choose a Portfolio, a hedge fund tracker built on public filings, a Pilot who runs their own, or one of the AI-model Portfolios, and set how much of the account follows it. You give Autopilot Advisers limited authority to send orders to that account. When the Portfolio changes, we send them and your broker fills them. The money stays put. If you're not sure which to pick first, that decision has its own page: Which Portfolio should I follow first? A decision guide for your first allocation on Autopilot.

The first fifteen minutes

If you set up during regular US market hours, 9:30 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon Eastern, allow up to about fifteen minutes for the first orders to reach your broker. Outside those hours, nothing is wrong; the orders queue for the next open. If nothing has been placed after fifteen minutes during market hours, read the status message in the app first. It tells you whether you're waiting on deposits, limited by unsettled funds, waiting on your own approval at the broker, missing an agreement, or short on buying power. Most of the time it also tells you exactly what to do; only after that is it worth writing to support. The full list of reasons an order waits is in When Autopilot actually trades: market hours, the first fifteen minutes, and why an order can wait.

What to check after

Two things in the first week. Your brokerage statement will show orders that tie to the Portfolio you picked, and the app will show the positions it manages plus any allocated cash not yet invested; those two numbers measure different things, so don't panic when they differ, and read Where your money actually is when you use Autopilot: allocation, custody, and why the app's balance won't match your brokerage balance if the gap surprises you. Then put a quarterly reminder on your calendar: open the Portfolio's fact sheet, read the drawdown since you started, and confirm the Pilot is still the one you'd pick. That's the entire ongoing job.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get started with Autopilot?

Download the free app from the App Store or Google Play, register with the same identity details as your brokerage profile, connect a brokerage from the connect screen, pick a Portfolio, and set how much of the account follows it. Autopilot Advisers, LLC then has limited authority to send orders to that account, your broker fills them, and your money stays at your brokerage. The advice relationship is covered by the Investment Advisory Agreement and Form CRS you see during registration.

How long does it take to set up Autopilot?

About ten minutes for the three steps, if your brokerage account is already open and funded. During regular market hours, allow up to about fifteen minutes after setup for the first orders to reach your broker; outside market hours they go at the next open. Brokerages that require a signed authorization or per-trade approval add their own steps, which the app prompts you through.

What do I need to connect my brokerage to Autopilot?

An open, funded account at a brokerage on the connect screen, your login for it, and identity details that match your Autopilot registration, since mismatches are the most common reason a connection fails. Some brokerages also require a signed trading authorization or an advisory form before a third party can send orders, and the app prompts you if yours does. Autopilot receives a token, not your password.

What happens after I set up my first Portfolio on Autopilot?

During market hours, the first orders reach your broker within about fifteen minutes; otherwise at the next open. Your brokerage statement will show orders tied to the Portfolio, and the app shows the positions it manages plus any allocated cash not yet invested. From then on, when the Portfolio changes, orders go to your broker automatically. Your job is a look once a quarter at the fact sheet's drawdown and at whether the Pilot is still one you'd pick.

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.

Setup steps, timing, and status messages follow Autopilot's public help center and website FAQ as of the publish date; brokerage-specific requirements are set by each brokerage and shown on the connect screen. Nothing here is a recommendation to follow any Portfolio or a claim about results.