P1 tops the Platforum User Leaderboard again

Platforum's Platform Selection report for August 2026 is out, built on nearly 30,000 adviser reviews collected since 2009. It's one of the most trusted independent scorecards in the adviser platform market, so here's how P1 performed, and what the wider report tells us about how advisers are choosing platforms right now.

Number one on the Leaderboard, again

P1 has topped the Platforum User Leaderboard since entering in 2022, and this quarter is no different. Out of 20 platforms assessed, P1 scored 45.22 out of 50, the highest total in the market and ahead of Parmenion in second place (42.94).

Platforum rates platforms across ten categories, scored out of 5 by real adviser users. P1 came out top of the market in seven of them:

• General opinion and rating: 4.60. Advisers' overall verdict on the platform.

• Value for fees charged: 4.86. Best-value platform on price relative to what advisers get.

• Usefulness of online tools: 4.33. Portals, calculators and planning tools used day to day.

• Ease of doing business: 4.67. How straightforward P1 is, from onboarding to admin.

• Quality of reports: 4.44. Client-facing reporting, an area many platforms score poorly on.

• Technical support: 4.42. Help with more complex technical queries.

• General web usability: 4.44. How intuitive the platform is to navigate.

Advisers described P1 as built on "modern tech built on adviser feedback", praised it for being "low cost and paperless, good reporting", and cited "ease of use and great adviser support" as reasons for choosing it.

Advisers who use us, want to use us

Platforum also asked advisers whether their primary platform is also their preferred one. Across the industry, 85% said yes. For P1, that figure was 95%, second only to Fundment (96%).

A lot of platform use is driven by legacy business or panel restrictions rather than genuine preference. With P1, advisers are choosing to be here.

Growth to match the reviews

P1 led the market on both AUA and client growth in Q2 2026:

• AUA growth: up 14.0% over the quarter, the largest proportional increase of any platform tracked

• Annual AUA growth: up 52.2% year-on-year

• Client numbers: up 45.4% year-on-year, the largest percentage increase in the market

• Net flows: £175.30m in Q2, with £106.54m into pensions

Platforum's analysis links strong adviser reviews to stronger asset growth. P1 is a clear example: good reviews and strong growth, together.

Where we sit against the wider market

Total adviser platform assets broke through £1 trillion for the first time this quarter, driven largely by investment performance rather than new money. Larger legacy platforms still dominate by scale, but many score well below the market average on satisfaction.

Advisers told Platforum that functionality, customer service and usability matter most when choosing a platform. Those are where P1 scored highest.

What advisers want from platforms right now

A few themes worth flagging from the wider report:

Consolidation has a ceiling. Advisers are reducing platform numbers, but two or three has become the norm, not one.

Charges, not service, trigger switches. Service and functionality frustrate advisers, but lower charges are what actually move them.

Drawdown flexibility is under the spotlight. With pensions coming into the IHT net from April 2027, advisers want faster, more flexible drawdown and less paper.

Errors and delays remain the top gripe. Cited by 55% of advisers, up six points on last year.

If you'd like to see how P1 could fit into your platform panel, get in touch with our team.