Free poll
How to create a free date poll for friends?
This guide gives you a clear method you can use now to suggest times, collect votes and make the decision.
The short answer
Suggest two to five specific times and ask everyone to select every option they can make. The organiser follows the replies, decides once one option stands out or they consider enough people have replied, then creates the event. MeetingFriends does not impose a deadline or close the poll automatically.
In short
- Two to five options provide a real choice without making the poll hard to read.
- Each participant votes manually; no calendar answers on their behalf.
- The organiser decides once one option stands out or enough people have replied.
- The distinction between Free and Premium accounts concerns the number and size of groups, not the number of manual polls.
A poll your friends can actually answer
- 01
Choose two to five options
Keep only realistic time slots and include a date and a sufficiently specific time.
- 02
Ask for every possible choice
Each member selects all the options that work for them instead of giving only a fragile first choice.
- 03
Follow the replies
Keep an eye on the votes and decide once one option stands out or you consider enough people have replied. The poll does not close automatically.
- 04
Select and confirm
The organiser chooses an option, then creates the event with the date, time and place to confirm it clearly.
Few choices, but specific ones
A good poll does not ask “when are you free?”. It presents concrete choices that everyone can answer quickly.
“Friday the 12th at 7 p.m.” is more useful than “Friday evening”. MeetingFriends deliberately limits polls to five options so that voting remains easy to read on mobile.
Voting stays manual from start to finish
Each member marks the options that work for them. A connected calendar never turns a free time slot into an automatic vote.
MeetingFriends can help the organiser prepare options from their own calendar. That suggestion does not check participants’ calendars or prefill any answers.
Select every option that works for you. Once one option stands out or I have enough replies, I will choose it and create the event with the date, time and place.
Reuse your group instead of starting over
A one-off poll settles one outing. A persistent group removes the friction that comes back when the same friends want to meet again.
In MeetingFriends, you return to the group and create a new poll with its own options and votes. You do not rebuild the participant list every time.
The calendar search is another method
The group availability search is separate from the poll. It only covers members who have connected a calendar and allowed it to be used, then displays compatible time slots and the number of people available.
It does not fill in votes or guarantee that the entire group is free. If some members are not covered, a manual poll remains the clearest way to collect their answer.
MeetingFriends polls
Unlimited manual polls within your groups
At launch, MeetingFriends will let organisers create as many manual polls as needed within their groups. Each poll offers two to five options and every member replies themselves.
The planned Free tier lets you have up to two groups with four members each. This limit applies to groups and their size, not to the number of polls created within them.
- Two to five dates per poll
- Multiple choices or no suitable option
- Final selection by the organiser
- No calendar required to vote
A poll makes the decision easier; it does not make it for you
A poll cannot guarantee that every member will reply or that there will be a perfect date. MeetingFriends does not impose a deadline or close the poll automatically: the organiser follows the replies, chooses once one option stands out or they consider enough people have replied, then confirms the event.
MeetingFriends focuses on the group and the date. Booking the venue, arranging transport, splitting costs and planning the activity remain yours to organise with whatever tools suit your friends.
Frequently asked questions about date polls
Will MeetingFriends polls really be free and unlimited?
The planned number of manual polls is unlimited within your groups. The Free tier lets you have up to two groups with four members each and connect one calendar account.
How many dates can you suggest?
Each poll contains at least two options and no more than five. This range provides a real choice while keeping the vote easy to read.
Do you need to connect a calendar to vote?
No. Voting is manual and does not require a calendar. The group calendar availability search is a separate flow available only to connected members who have given their consent.
Does MeetingFriends vote automatically based on calendars?
No. MeetingFriends can suggest options to the organiser based only on their own calendar. Each participant then chooses the dates that work for them.
Keep reading
Choose a date
Find a date that works for everyone
When to use a manual poll and when to compare the group’s connected calendars.
Read the guide
Comparison
MeetingFriends or WhatsApp for organising with friends?
Which tool to use for chatting, choosing a date and organising repeated outings with the same friends.
Read the guide
Practical guide
Organise a get-together with friends
From the first “shall we meet up soon?” to a date that is actually confirmed, without letting the plan die in the group chat.
Read the guideMeetingFriends · pre-launch
The goal is not to manage a schedule better. It is to see your friends again.
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