Polls vs surveys: which should you use?

Use a poll when you want a quick answer to one question, and a survey when you need several questions, ratings or written answers. Polls get more answers because they take seconds; surveys give you depth and the reasons behind the numbers.

Sibr is a polling, survey and paid-study app on the Internet Computer, open to Pi Network users and everyone else. It offers both formats, so this guide explains when each one fits.

What is a poll?

A poll is a single question with a short list of options. People pick an answer and see the totals. Polls work best when:

• the question has a small set of clear answers,
• you want a fast read on what a group thinks,
• you want to start a conversation in a community.

Example: "Which day suits our next community call?" with four days as options.

What is a survey?

A survey is a set of questions answered in one sitting. It can mix question kinds: pick one, pick several, give a score, or write in your own words. Surveys work best when:

• you need to understand a topic from several angles,
• you want to compare answers across questions,
• you want people to explain their choices in their own words.

Example: an event feedback survey with a rating for the venue, a rating for the speakers, a choice of topics for next time and an open question for suggestions.

How do polls and surveys compare?

When should I choose a poll?

Choose a poll when the decision rests on one question and you trust the options you wrote. If you catch yourself adding "and also..." to a poll, it is turning into a survey.

Polls also make a good first step. Ask one broad question, see which option leads, then follow up with a survey on that topic.

When should I choose a survey?

Choose a survey when one number will not tell you what to do. Ratings show how strongly people feel. Written answers show why. Several questions together let you spot patterns, such as people who rate the venue low also asking for a different city.

Keep surveys short and focused. Our guide on how to write a survey people finish covers length, order and wording.

What about paid research?

When you need answers from real, verified people and want control over quality, a paid study is the next step up. A study is a survey with extra settings: screener questions, quotas, attention checks, a consent step and a review window. Read Paid surveys with Pi: how Sibr Earn works and Verified human respondents.

How to do it on Sibr

For a poll:

1. Sign in at sibr.online and start a new poll.
2. Write the question and 2 to 10 options.
3. Set the start and end dates. Optionally target or exclude countries, enable paid voting or boost the poll. These extras cost SIBR, and the app shows the cost before you confirm.
4. Publish and share the poll's link or QR code. People sign in to vote, and each account votes once.
5. Results count every vote as it arrives. Other users see totals per option, not how anyone voted.

For a survey:

1. Open Surveys and start a new survey from scratch or from a template.
2. Add up to 20 questions: single choice, multiple choice, rating from 1 to 5, or text.
3. Optionally limit it to countries, add a SIBR reward per response, or turn on Show results to everyone so people who answered can see the combined results.
4. Publish and share the link (it looks like sibr.online/s/ followed by the survey number) or the QR code. Anyone can open it; answering needs a Sibr account.
5. Read results question by question and export every response as a CSV file. See Results, insights and CSV export.

Creating and answering polls and surveys on Sibr is free. SIBR is only spent on extras you choose.