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Finance · refreshed weekly

How AI wants pensions

Vanguard is the most desired pensions brand the answers name: Desire 73% of maximum, above indifference. 14% of the 29 brands rated sit above indifference; the rest leave the models indifferent. The category is most divided on reinforced experience. The brand the answers name most often is Hargreaves Lansdown, not the category's market leader.

29 brands rated · 14 named in the answers · 60 AI answers behind presence · rated by ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini

Attraction Standing out: seen as superior, magnetic and influential.
Affinity Belonging: tied to identity, values and legitimacy, not just specifications.
Attachment Being returned to: an emotional bond, a dependable experience, part of the routine.
AttractionAffinityAttachment Each whorl lights one ring per index threshold cleared (84 / 92 / 100 / 108 / 116)

Indices: 100 = the average brand in the same category.Indices: 100 = the average brand across every category in the index. Desire % and status are absolute and read the same either way.

Pensions

Every brand, named first

14% above indifference · 86% indifferent · 0% below · 29 brands

#Brand Desire indexDesire %Status AttractionAffinityAttachment SummaryNamed in
1 Vanguard: Attraction 133, Affinity 118, Attachment 120Vanguard: Attraction 123, Affinity 123, Attachment 117Vanguard 123121 73% Above indifference 133123 118123 120117 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 8%
2 PensionBee: Attraction 119, Affinity 111, Attachment 119PensionBee: Attraction 110, Affinity 116, Attachment 117PensionBee 116114 69% Above indifference 119110 111116 119117 Ahead on all threeAhead on all three 3%
3 Hargreaves Lansdown: Attraction 113, Affinity 107, Attachment 122Hargreaves Lansdown: Attraction 105, Affinity 112, Attachment 120Hargreaves Lansdown 114112 67% Above indifference 113105 107112 122120 Chosen, not lovedRelied on, not exciting 10%
4 Aviva: Attraction 105, Affinity 108, Attachment 113Aviva: Attraction 97, Affinity 112, Attachment 111Aviva 109107 64% Indifferent 10597 108112 113111 Relied on, not excitingCredible, not first choice 7%
5 AJ Bell: Attraction 109, Affinity 105, Attachment 111AJ Bell: Attraction 101, Affinity 110, Attachment 109AJ Bell 108106 64% Indifferent 109101 105110 111109 Relied on, not excitingCredible, not first choice 10%
6 Legal General: Attraction 104, Affinity 108, Attachment 112Legal General: Attraction 97, Affinity 113, Attachment 109Legal & General 108106 64% Indifferent 10497 108113 112109 Relied on, not excitingCredible, not first choice 5%
7 Interactive Investor: Attraction 113, Affinity 103, Attachment 106Interactive Investor: Attraction 105, Affinity 107, Attachment 104Interactive Investor 107105 63% Indifferent 113105 103107 106104 Noticed, not returned toAverage on all three 8%
8 Fidelity International: Attraction 102, Affinity 105, Attachment 103Fidelity International: Attraction 95, Affinity 110, Attachment 101Fidelity International 104102 61% Indifferent 10295 105110 103101 Average on all threeCredible, not first choice 3%
9 Smart Pension: Attraction 106, Affinity 101, Attachment 101Smart Pension: Attraction 99, Affinity 105, Attachment 99Smart Pension 103101 61% Indifferent 10699 101105 10199 Average on all threeAverage on all three 2%
10 Freetrade: Attraction 110, Affinity 92, Attachment 102Freetrade: Attraction 102, Affinity 96, Attachment 100Freetrade 10199 59% Indifferent 110102 9296 102100 Noticed, not returned toAverage on all three 2%
11 InvestEngine: Attraction 106, Affinity 95, Attachment 102InvestEngine: Attraction 98, Affinity 99, Attachment 100InvestEngine 10199 59% Indifferent 10698 9599 102100 Average on all threeAverage on all three 2%
12 NEST: Attraction 95, Affinity 101, Attachment 101NEST: Attraction 88, Affinity 105, Attachment 99NEST 9998 59% Indifferent 9588 101105 10199 Average on all threeCredible, not first choice 3%
13 Scottish Widows: Attraction 90, Affinity 95, Attachment 89Scottish Widows: Attraction 84, Affinity 99, Attachment 87Scottish Widows 9290 54% Indifferent 9084 9599 8987 Liked, not chosenLiked, not chosen 5%
14 Aegon: Attraction 82, Affinity 89, Attachment 82Aegon: Attraction 76, Affinity 93, Attachment 81Aegon 8583 50% Indifferent 8276 8993 8281 Behind on all threeLiked, not chosen 3%
Rated but never named (15)

The models rated these brands when asked, but none of the category's answers named them.

#Brand Desire indexDesire %Status AttractionAffinityAttachment SummaryNamed in
— Monzo: Attraction 134, Affinity 109, Attachment 135Monzo: Attraction 125, Affinity 114, Attachment 133Monzo 126124 74% Above indifference 134125 109114 135133 Chosen, not lovedAhead on all three 0%
— Zurich: Attraction 104, Affinity 109, Attachment 101Zurich: Attraction 96, Affinity 113, Attachment 99Zurich 105103 62% Indifferent 10496 109113 10199 Average on all threeCredible, not first choice 0%
— Royal London: Attraction 98, Affinity 110, Attachment 101Royal London: Attraction 91, Affinity 115, Attachment 99Royal London 104102 61% Indifferent 9891 110115 10199 Credible, not first choiceCredible, not first choice 0%
— Nutmeg: Attraction 104, Affinity 98, Attachment 106Nutmeg: Attraction 96, Affinity 102, Attachment 104Nutmeg 102101 60% Indifferent 10496 98102 106104 Average on all threeAverage on all three 0%
— LV=: Attraction 98, Affinity 103, Attachment 97LV=: Attraction 91, Affinity 108, Attachment 95LV= 10098 59% Indifferent 9891 103108 9795 Average on all threeAverage on all three 0%
— Wealthify: Attraction 102, Affinity 97, Attachment 102Wealthify: Attraction 95, Affinity 101, Attachment 100Wealthify 10099 59% Indifferent 10295 97101 102100 Average on all threeAverage on all three 0%
— Standard Life: Attraction 94, Affinity 103, Attachment 104Standard Life: Attraction 88, Affinity 107, Attachment 102Standard Life 10099 59% Indifferent 9488 103107 104102 Average on all threeCredible, not first choice 0%
— Prudential: Attraction 97, Affinity 101, Attachment 96Prudential: Attraction 90, Affinity 105, Attachment 95Prudential 9897 58% Indifferent 9790 101105 9695 Average on all threeCredible, not first choice 0%
— Just Group: Attraction 93, Affinity 99, Attachment 96Just Group: Attraction 86, Affinity 103, Attachment 94Just Group 9694 57% Indifferent 9386 99103 9694 Average on all threeCredible, not first choice 0%
— Barnett Waddingham: Attraction 94, Affinity 100, Attachment 86Barnett Waddingham: Attraction 87, Affinity 104, Attachment 85Barnett Waddingham 9492 55% Indifferent 9487 100104 8685 Liked, not chosenLiked, not chosen 0%
— Peoples Pension: Attraction 84, Affinity 92, Attachment 89Peoples Pension: Attraction 78, Affinity 96, Attachment 87Peoples Pension 8987 52% Indifferent 8478 9296 8987 Liked, not chosenLiked, not chosen 0%
— Canada Life: Attraction 82, Affinity 94, Attachment 84Canada Life: Attraction 76, Affinity 98, Attachment 83Canada Life 8786 51% Indifferent 8276 9498 8483 Liked, not chosenLiked, not chosen 0%
— Master Trust: Attraction 84, Affinity 89, Attachment 76Master Trust: Attraction 78, Affinity 92, Attachment 74Master Trust 8382 49% Indifferent 8478 8992 7674 Behind on all threeLiked, not chosen 0%
— NOW: Pensions: Attraction 77, Affinity 79, Attachment 73NOW: Pensions: Attraction 71, Affinity 82, Attachment 72NOW: Pensions 7675 45% Indifferent 7771 7982 7372 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 0%
— Phoenix Life: Attraction 67, Affinity 78, Attachment 68Phoenix Life: Attraction 62, Affinity 82, Attachment 66Phoenix Life 7170 42% Indifferent 6762 7882 6866 Behind on all threeBehind on all three 0%

Indexed against the average of the 29 indexed pensions brands, so 100 is the category average and a brand is read against the rivals it actually competes with.Indexed against the average of every indexed brand in the whole index — 2,582 brands across 67 categories — so 100 is the average brand anywhere here and a number reads the same on every board. 29 pensions brands rated by the assistants in the latest weekly run; Named in is the share of 60 AI answers that name each brand.

Feature profile

What this category is rated on

The brands are most divided on reinforced experience: Monzo is rated 5.2 and Phoenix Life 2.4 on the 1–7 scale, a spread of 138 against the feature's usual spread (100 = as contested as usual). Against every category, pensions is rated highest on values & integrity (110) and lowest on emotional magnetism (79).

FeatureDriverCategory meanVs all categories
Perceived superiority Attraction 4.4/7 100
Emotional magnetism Attraction 2.9/7 79
Positive influence Attraction 4.4/7 97
Identity & belonging Affinity 3.7/7 98
Values & integrity Affinity 4.6/7 110
Trust & legitimacy Affinity 5.2/7 104
Emotional bond Attachment 4.0/7 96
Reinforced experience contested Attachment 3.8/7 98
Part of my routine Attachment 4.2/7 100

A feature's category mean is the average of its brands' ratings, 1–7. Vs all categories indexes it against every indexed brand across every category (100 = the average brand anywhere). The contested feature is the one the category's brands are most spread on, measured against how spread that feature usually is.

Stated vs revealed

Rated well is not the same as named

Across the 29 brands, how highly the models rate a brand when asked and how often their answers name it go loosely together (rank correlation 0.53).

Rated well, rarely named

  • Monzo74% Desire · named in 0%
  • PensionBee69% Desire · named in 3%
  • Legal & General64% Desire · named in 5%
  • Zurich62% Desire · named in 0%
  • Royal London61% Desire · named in 0%

Showing 5 of 8.

Named, not desired

  • AJ Bellnamed in 10% · 64% Desire
  • Interactive Investornamed in 8% · 63% Desire
  • Avivanamed in 7% · 64% Desire
  • Legal & Generalnamed in 5% · 64% Desire
  • Scottish Widowsnamed in 5% · 54% Desire

Showing 5 of 8.

Rated well, rarely named: Desire above the category median, named in 5% of answers or fewer. Named, not desired: among the most-named quarter of the category, yet indifferent or below. A relationship inside one week's run, never a cause.

Model agreement

Where the models disagree

The models broadly agree on these brands (mean correlation 0.86 across 3 pairs: ChatGPT–Claude 0.82 · ChatGPT–Gemini 0.89 · Claude–Gemini 0.86). Still, 103 of 899 brand-statement ratings (11%) split by 2 points or more on the 1–7 scale, and the typical brand's Desire differs by 9 points between its most and least generous model.

BrandStatementRated highestRated lowest
AvivaHealthy Claude 4 ChatGPT 1
NOW: PensionsDigital experience Claude 6 Gemini 3
NOW: PensionsSimplify Claude 6 Gemini 3
Smart PensionGood feeling Claude 5 ChatGPT 2
VanguardWould miss it Gemini 7 Claude 4

The widest 5 of 103 splits.

Across the whole index, on the same brands: Gemini rates +4.5 points of Desire % against its peers; ChatGPT rates −1.7 points of Desire % against its peers; Claude rates −3.0 points of Desire % against its peers. A generous model lifts every brand it rates, which is why scores are combined across models and indexed within the category.

Distinctive statements

What sets the leading brands apart

For the category's leading named brands, the glossary statements each is rated furthest above and below the category's average, in points on the 1–7 scale.

Vanguard
Above the categoryGood value +2.2, Leader +2.2, Wealth +1.9
Below the categoryConnecting −0.3, Healthy −0.2
PensionBee
Above the categoryDigital experience +2.0, Simplify +1.8, Innovative +1.5
Below the category—
Hargreaves Lansdown
Above the categoryLeader +2.2, Would miss it +1.5, Exclusive experience +1.3
Below the categoryGood value −1.1, Integrity −0.2, Best interests −0.1
Aviva
Above the categoryLeader +1.2, Would miss it +1.1, Sustainability +1.0
Below the categorySelf-expression −0.3, Good feeling −0.3, Simplify −0.3
AJ Bell
Above the categoryControl +1.1, Wealth +0.9, Good value +0.9
Below the categorySustainability −0.3, Integrity −0.2, Safe products −0.2

Method & limitations

Every week, ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini are each asked directly, the way a survey asks a respondent, to rate every brand in the category on the 31 statements of the Havas Science of Desire glossary, on the survey's own 1–7 agreement scale. Statements roll up to nine features and the three Drivers of Desire (a feature is the mean of its statements; a driver is the sum of its three features, out of 21; Desire is the sum of the drivers, out of 63). Each brand is indexed against the average brand in its own category — 100 is the category average, 115 is fifteen per cent above it — and the Vs all categories switch re-indexes the same scores against every indexed brand in the index. Desire % is Desire as a share of its maximum. A brand is above indifference when its Desire is above two-thirds of its maximum (42 of 63), below indifference at or under one-third (21), and indifferent in between. The summary beside each brand says where it stands on the three drivers: an index of 110 or more counts as ahead, 90 or less as behind.

These are the assistants' own ratings when asked. They are not a survey of people and not an endorsement, and they are not read from what the assistants happen to say in an answer: the answers to the category's unbranded consumer prompts are used only to count how often each brand is named, and as supporting evidence. Relationships between ratings and how often a brand is named are correlational. A brand is indexed only when all 31 statements have been rated in a run by at least two models, and a category needs at least 4 such brands to get a board. See the full methodology.