Transact has maintained pole position as the most popular platform selected by advisers on the Lang Cat’s Analyser tool in 2025.
It was closely followed by Quilter in second place and AJ Bell Investcentre in third place, with all three platforms retaining the same position as last year.
However, the lang cat said there had been some “interesting movement” beyond the top three when compared to 2024.
Fundment traded places with Aviva Platform to rise to fourth place, while Aberdeen Wrap retained sixth spot and Fidelity Adviser Solutions rose one place to seventh.
Scottish Widows Platform made a new entry into the top 10 at ninth place, having come nineteenth in 2024, while Nucleus took the tenth spot.
The lang cat was also keen to highlight platform features of interest that firms are looking at as part of their due diligence process. Many of the features in the top 10 are hygiene due diligence options like the existence of SIPPs and ISAs. However, features beyond the hygiene factors are where key decisions are made, the firm said.
Flexible ISAs take the top spot in what the lang cat describes as “the decision-making zone” and full straight through processing for ISAs also appears to be important for selection.
Sales in onshore bonds reached record highs in 2024, reflected in the Analyser rankings, where the option of an onshore bond climbed two spots from 2024 into the top twenty. Offshore bonds also rose two places.
Amid much talk of transfer delays, many advisers also checked if platforms were members of Origo’s transfer service, the analysis revealed.
Rich Mayor, senior analyst at the lang cat, said: “While the top three most popular platforms have remained the same as 2024, it’s interesting to see some movements from fourth place onwards.
“In terms of features that make the most difference, a clear picture is revealed when you look beyond the more basic due diligence options into the decision-making zone.
“Regulatory and other market changes appear to be affecting advisers’ research with Junior ISAs, full straight through processing on ISAs, good transfer times, target market and price, all critical features.
“It’s reflective of a year where both advisers and platforms have worked to reduce friction in processing in order for both to become more efficient, and also broader changes in planning as a result of Budget and regulatory announcements.”
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