PPH Autopilot | Docs
📑 Contents

PPH Autopilot Docs

Everything you need to install, configure, and get the most out of PPH Autopilot. New here? Start with the overview, then follow the setup steps in order. You’ll be sending automated PeoplePerHour bids in about five minutes.

i Overview

PPH Autopilot is a Chrome extension that does your PeoplePerHour bidding for you. It runs on a loop and handles three things:

  • Finds jobs that match your skills, categories, and budget.
  • Writes a personalised proposal for each one, in your voice.
  • Submits the bid for you, with your portfolio attached.

The one choice to make up front is how hands-on you want to be. PPH Autopilot runs in one of two modes, and you can switch any time:

⚡ Auto mode
Set it and forget it

The extension finds jobs, writes the proposals, and submits the bids for you, completely hands-off, on a schedule you set.

Best for: maximum coverage with zero effort.
✋ Manual mode
You approve every bid

The extension finds jobs and writes each proposal, but nothing is submitted until you’ve read it and clicked send.

Best for: staying in full control of what goes out.

New to it? Start in Manual mode for your first few bids to get a feel for the writing, then switch to Auto once you’re happy. There’s a full breakdown of both modes further down. Setup takes about five minutes and there’s no technical knowledge required.

What’s happening under the hoodOptional reading

You don’t need to know any of this to use PPH Autopilot, but if you’re curious:

The extension runs entirely inside your own Chrome browser. To write proposals it uses an AI service (ChatGPT or Claude), which you connect once during setup. Everything, your profile, your settings, and your connection details, stays on your own machine. Nothing is sent to us.

1 Installing the extension

Getting PPH Autopilot into Chrome takes under a minute.

  1. Open your download link

    After purchase you’ll get a link to download PPH Autopilot. Save it somewhere easy to find, like your Downloads folder.

  2. Add it to Chrome

    Follow the short install guide that comes with your download. Once it’s in, the orange PPH Autopilot icon appears in your toolbar.

  3. Pin it for quick access

    Click the puzzle-piece icon in Chrome’s toolbar, find PPH Autopilot, and click the pin. Now it’s always one click away.

Full step-by-step install (if you’d like the detail)Advanced
  1. Type chrome://extensions into your address bar and press Enter.
  2. Turn on the Developer mode switch in the top-right corner.
  3. If your download is a .zip file, unzip it first.
  4. Click Load unpacked and select the PPH Autopilot folder.
  5. The extension appears in your toolbar. Pin it via the puzzle-piece icon.
You’re installed Click the orange icon any time to open PPH Autopilot. Next, let’s get you set up.

2 Connecting AI

PPH Autopilot uses AI to write your proposals. You connect it once, and you’re set for good. This is a one-time, copy-and-paste job, no technical skill needed.

  1. Create a free AI account

    Sign up with Claude (recommended) or ChatGPT, then create a key. Think of the key as a password that lets the extension write on your behalf. Links and detail are below.

  2. Paste it into Settings

    Open PPH Autopilot, go to Settings, paste your key into the box, and click Save. That’s it, the extension confirms it’s connected.

Where to create your AI keySetup detail
Claude Recommended
console.anthropic.com
Sign up, go to API Keys, and create one. It starts with sk-ant-.
ChatGPT
platform.openai.com
Sign up, go to API Keys, and create one. It starts with sk-.

Both work well. Claude tends to write the most natural, human-sounding proposals, which is why it’s the default suggestion. You can switch any time.

Choosing a model & understanding costsAdvanced

Model: After saving your key, click the refresh (↻) button in Settings to load the available models, then pick one. The default is a solid balance of quality and cost, so you can safely leave it.

Cost: You pay your AI provider directly for usage, typically just a few pennies per proposal. You can set spending limits in your provider’s dashboard. PPH Autopilot itself is a one-off purchase with no recurring fee.

🔒
Keep your key private Your key is stored only in your browser and never shared. Treat it like a password.

3 Setting up your profile

Your profile is what makes every proposal sound like you. The more detail you give, the more personal and convincing your bids will be. Find these fields under Settings → Your Profile.

Your Name

Used to sign off proposals. Use the name your clients know you by.

Location

Helps the AI mention where you’re based when relevant (e.g. for local clients).

Mobile Number

Added to the end of every proposal so clients can reach you quickly.

Skills / Bio

The most important field. Describe your expertise, specialisms, and experience. The AI uses this to match your skills to each job and write a relevant pitch.

Min Budget (£) default: 50

Jobs below this budget are skipped automatically, so you never waste a bid on low-value work.

✍️
Write your bio like you’d describe yourself to a client For example: “Freelance web developer specialising in WordPress, WooCommerce and SEO. I’ve delivered 50+ projects for small businesses, with fast turnaround and clear communication.” Specific beats generic every time.

4 Running your first scan

With your key and profile set, you’re ready to find jobs.

  1. Open the Dashboard

    Click the PPH Autopilot icon. You’ll land on the Dashboard tab.

  2. Press Scan

    Click Scan in the top-right. The extension opens PeoplePerHour in the background and starts searching your selected categories. You’ll see a live progress bar and the stats update as jobs are found.

  3. Review your matches

    When the scan finishes, your best matches appear under Top Opportunities on the Dashboard, and the full list is in the Jobs tab.

⏱️
Scans run automatically too Once you turn on Auto-scan in Settings, PPH Autopilot keeps scanning on a schedule you set, so fresh jobs flow in without you pressing anything.

The dashboard

The Dashboard is your home screen. At a glance it shows:

  • Scan status — a live indicator and progress bar showing whether a scan is running and how far along it is.
  • Found — the total number of jobs discovered.
  • Pending — jobs you haven’t bid on yet.
  • In Queue — jobs lined up for an automatic bid (Auto mode).
  • Top Opportunities — your highest-scoring matches, ranked by recency and budget. Click any to open the bid writer.

There’s also an Emergency Stop button that appears while scanning, which halts everything immediately and closes any open PeoplePerHour tabs.

The jobs panel

The Jobs tab lists every job PPH Autopilot has found. Each card shows the title, budget, country, and how long ago it was posted, plus its current status.

Filtering and sorting

  • Filter buttons — narrow the list to a category: All, WP (WordPress), Design, SEO, or CRM.
  • Sort dropdown — order by Best Match, Highest Pay, or Newest.
  • Show done — reveal jobs you’ve already bid on or skipped.
  • Clear — wipe the current job list and start fresh.

Job statuses

StatusMeaning
PendingFound, not yet bid on. Ready for you to action.
Bid SentA proposal has been submitted on PeoplePerHour.
SkippedExcluded (e.g. below budget, or you chose to skip it).

Writing & submitting bids

Click any pending job (or its Write Bid button) to open the proposal writer. Here’s what happens:

  1. The AI writes your proposal

    PPH Autopilot reads the job brief and writes a tailored proposal using your profile and chosen tone. It appears in the editor within a few seconds.

  2. Review and edit

    Read it over. Edit the text directly if you’d like to tweak anything, or click Regenerate for a fresh take.

  3. Set your price

    Enter your bid amount in the Price field. It defaults to the job’s budget where available.

  4. Submit on PPH

    Click Submit on PPH. The extension opens the job page, fills in the proposal form, attaches your portfolio, enters your price, and clicks submit, just as you would.

📎
Portfolio is attached for you Up to four of your PeoplePerHour portfolio items are automatically selected and attached with each bid. No extra steps needed.

Auto vs Manual mode

You met the two modes in the overview. Here’s the full detail, including how to switch and exactly what each one does. Change mode any time under Settings → Behaviour → Bid Mode.

⚡ Auto Mode

Fully hands-off. The extension scans, writes, and submits bids on your behalf, on a schedule, without you doing anything. Ideal if you want maximum coverage and trust the AI to represent you. The Emergency Stop button is always available if you need to halt it.

✋ Manual Mode

You stay in control. The extension scans and queues jobs, and writes a proposal when you open one, but nothing is submitted until you review it and click Submit. Ideal when you want to check every bid before it goes out.

💡
New to it? Start in Manual Run Manual mode for your first few bids to get a feel for the AI’s writing and tune your profile and tone. Once you’re happy with the quality, switch to Auto and let it run.

Portfolio attachments

PPH Autopilot automatically attaches up to four of your existing PeoplePerHour portfolio items to every bid. These are pulled straight from your PeoplePerHour account’s portfolio, so make sure you’ve uploaded your best work there first.

Put your strongest work first The extension selects your first available portfolio items. Reorder your PeoplePerHour portfolio so your most impressive pieces are at the top, and they’ll be the ones attached.

All settings explained

Every option lives under the Settings tab. These are the ones you’ll actually use day to day.

Behaviour

Bid Mode Auto / Manual

Whether bids are submitted automatically or held for your review.

Auto-scan on / off

Whether PPH Autopilot scans on a timer without you pressing Scan.

Scan frequency default: 30 min

How often auto-scan runs, from 5 to 120 minutes.

Bid Tone 5 options

The writing style for proposals. See Bid tones below.

Custom Bid Instructions

Extra rules the AI follows on every bid. See Custom instructions.

Targeting

Scan Categories

Which job categories to scan. Fewer categories means faster scans.

Client Countries

Only bid on jobs from selected countries, or choose “Any country”.

AI configuration settingsAdvanced
API Key

Your Claude or ChatGPT key. Powers all proposal writing. You set this once during setup.

Model

Which AI model to use. Click ↻ to fetch the latest available models. The default is fine for most people.

🎙 Bid tones

Choose the writing style that matches how you naturally communicate. The AI adapts every proposal to fit.

ToneBest for
ProfessionalFormal and measured. Emphasises reliability and process.
Friendly & DirectWarm but to the point. Sounds like a real person, not a company.
Technical ExpertLeads with technical specifics. Ideal for dev-heavy briefs.
Brief & SharpThree sentences max. Gets straight to the point.
ConfidentNo hedging. States exactly what you’ll deliver.

📂 Categories & countries

Scan categories

Pick which PeoplePerHour job categories to scan, such as WordPress, Web Development, WooCommerce, CRM, Automation, Web Design, SEO, PPC, Email Marketing, and Analytics. Use the All and None buttons to select quickly. Fewer categories means faster scans and more focused matches.

Client countries

Restrict bidding to clients in specific countries, or select Any country to bid worldwide. This is useful if you prefer working with clients in particular regions or timezones.

🎯
Narrow for quality, widen for volume Selecting fewer categories and specific countries gives you fewer but more relevant jobs. Widen both to maximise the number of opportunities.

Scan frequency

When Auto-scan is on, PPH Autopilot checks PeoplePerHour for new jobs on a timer. Set the interval anywhere from 5 to 120 minutes under Settings.

  • Short interval (5–15 min) — be first to bid on fresh jobs. Best for competitive categories.
  • Medium interval (30 min) — the default. A good balance for most freelancers.
  • Long interval (60–120 min) — lighter background checking, fewer API calls.

📝 Custom instructions

The Custom Bid Instructions field lets you give the AI extra rules it follows on every single proposal. Anything you’d normally remind yourself to mention, put it here once and it happens automatically.

Examples

Always mention I'm based locally to the client when relevant.
Reference my fast turnaround on smaller jobs.
Never promise a deadline shorter than one week.
Mention my 5-star PeoplePerHour rating.
💡
Keep it short and specific A few clear instructions work better than a long list. The AI weighs every rule, so focus on the ones that genuinely help you win.

🔧 Troubleshooting

Most issues have a quick fix. Start here.

Scans find no jobs

  • You may have too few categories selected, or a country filter that’s too narrow. Widen both.
  • Your minimum budget may be filtering everything out. Try lowering it.
  • There may genuinely be no new matching jobs right now. Try again later.

A bid didn’t submit

  • Make sure you’re logged into PeoplePerHour in the same Chrome window.
  • Check you haven’t already bid on that job (PeoplePerHour blocks duplicate bids).
  • If a PeoplePerHour tab opened but nothing happened, close it and try again.

The extension seems stuck

  • Click Emergency Stop to halt everything and close open tabs.
  • Close and reopen the extension.
Proposals aren’t generatingAI connection

If the bid writer shows an error instead of a proposal, it’s almost always the AI connection:

  • Check your key is saved correctly in Settings, with no extra spaces.
  • Make sure your AI account has billing set up and available credit.
  • Click the ↻ button in Settings to re-check your key and reload models.
Still stuck? Reset the extensionAdvanced

If nothing else works, reload the extension: go to chrome://extensions, find PPH Autopilot, and click the reload (↻) icon on its card. Your settings are kept.

? Frequently asked questions

Yes. PPH Autopilot runs inside Chrome on your machine, so your computer and Chrome need to be on for scheduled scans and automatic bids to happen. Many users leave it running in the background during the working day.
You pay your AI provider directly for usage, which is typically just a few pennies per proposal. The exact cost depends on the model you choose. You can monitor and cap spending in your OpenAI or Anthropic dashboard.
Absolutely. In Manual mode you review and edit every proposal before submitting. Even in the bid writer you can change the text or regenerate it as many times as you like before clicking Submit.
No. PPH Autopilot tracks which jobs you’ve already bid on and skips them. PeoplePerHour also prevents duplicate bids on its end.
No. Your API key, profile, and settings are stored locally in your browser. Proposal requests go directly from your browser to your chosen AI provider. Nothing passes through a third-party server.
Both work well. Claude tends to produce natural, human-sounding proposals and is the recommended default, but you can use whichever provider you already have an account with. You can switch any time in Settings.
Yes. PPH Autopilot works for freelancers anywhere. You can target specific client countries or bid worldwide, whatever suits your business.

🛡 Account safety

PPH Autopilot runs inside your own Chrome browser and interacts with PeoplePerHour the same way you would, by opening pages, filling in forms, and clicking buttons. It doesn’t use any external automation that PeoplePerHour would treat differently from a normal user.

That said, a few sensible habits keep your account healthy:

  • Use a realistic scan frequency rather than the absolute minimum around the clock.
  • Keep your profile and bids genuine and relevant. Quality proposals build your reputation.
  • Review your bids periodically, even in Auto mode, to make sure they read well.
⚠️
Bid responsibly Automation is a tool to save you time, not a substitute for good judgement. Bidding on jobs you can genuinely deliver keeps your PeoplePerHour rating strong.