> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.pickfu.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # How do I create my first poll? > Create your first PickFu poll: sign up, open the survey builder or pick a template, add your question and options, choose an audience, and launch. # Quick answer To create your first poll, sign up for a free PickFu account and click the **New poll** button on your dashboard to enter the survey builder. You'll add your question, upload your options (text, images, or videos), select your audience, and launch. You can also select the **Use a template** button to browse our collection of pre-built polls for common use cases (this is the fastest way to start polling!) If you're new to PickFu, check your dashboard for the **Free daily mini-poll** button — many new accounts get a [7-day PickFu Plus Lite trial](/help/what-is-the-pickfu-lite-trial) that includes a free 5-person poll every day. # Ways to create a poll or survey PickFu offers several paths to build your poll: **From a template**: Pre-built polls designed for specific use cases, such as testing product images, book covers, app icons, or ad copy. Templates are typically discounted and get you results faster, but have limited customization options. **From scratch with the survey builder:** Build a completely custom poll (or a survey asking multiple questions) with full control over question type, audience targeting, and options. This is the best choice if our existing templates don't fit your needs. **With PickFu's MCP or CLI:** Connect PickFu to AI tools like Claude, Cursor, and Notion with our MCP – launch polls, retrieve results, and more without leaving your existing AI workflows. Or you can run PickFu directly from your terminal with the CLI. [See our developer docs](https://www.pickfu.com/docs/) for more details and setup instructions. [](../images/help/en/how-do-i-create-my-first-poll/0d2ebcb52b43f099df3ff1efa82b246c.png) Not sure which to use? Browse the templates first. If you find one that matches your goal, you'll save time and money. If not, the survey builder gives you complete flexibility. ## How to build a poll from a template **Step 1:** From your dashboard, click the **Use a template** or **Explore templates** button. **Step 2:** Browse templates by industry, use case, or media type. Select a template that matches your goal. **Step 3:** Add your options to test (images, text, etc.) and customize your question and audience traits as prompted by the template. **Step 4:** Preview, pay, and launch your poll. Templates come with preset audience sizes and targeting traits. If you need more control over who sees your poll, use the survey builder instead. ## How to build a poll from scratch **Step 1:** From your dashboard, click the **New poll** button to open the survey builder. [PickFu dashboard showing the New poll and Use a template buttons](../images/help/en/how-do-i-create-my-first-poll/408b87494e6314fb7b495da49712305c.png) **Step 2:** Write your question. Keep it clear and unbiased. **Step 3:** Choose your poll type. You can gather feedback on a single asset or ask respondents to choose between multiple options. [PickFu survey builder showing the question field, poll type selector, and options tabs](../images/help/en/how-do-i-create-my-first-poll/8e202c77baf4f93bb6d3533b6683a38c.png) **Step 4:** Add your options (up to 8) – images, videos, URLs, text, or audio files. If you're uploading images, make sure they have similar aspect ratios so they display well side-by-side. You can use free tools like Pixlr to resize images before uploading. **Step 5:** Choose your audience: * **PickFu panel (random or targeted):** Get responses from our verified global audience panel. Target by demographics (age, gender, income, location, interests, and 100+ other traits). Choose between 15-500 respondents. * **Own audience:** Share a link to your poll or survey with your existing customers, email list, or social followers for free. [PickFu audience selector showing Random, Target, and Own audience options](../images/help/en/how-do-i-create-my-first-poll/3d3b91f74f3455093172c45203f89c4e.png) **Step 6:** Preview, pay, and launch your poll! # What happens after you launch your poll? Once you launch your poll, PickFu starts collecting responses from your chosen audience. Most polls complete within a few hours. You'll receive an email notification when results are ready. You can view results in your dashboard, including written feedback, demographic breakdowns, and AI-powered insights that highlight key themes. # Frequently asked questions ## Can I edit my poll after launching? No – you can only edit a poll that's saved as a draft *before* you launch (your poll will auto-save as a draft while you're building it). If you need to edit your poll after it's been launched, you'll need to stop the active poll. The credit for any missing responses will be added to your account. You can then duplicate the original poll and edit it before publishing again. (Pro tip: take advantage of our "preview" function to catch mistakes before you launch!) ## What if I can't find a template that fits? Click **New poll** to open the survey builder and create a fully custom poll or survey. You'll have complete control over the question, options, and audience targeting. ## Where can I find audience targeting options? In the survey builder, scroll down to the **Audience** section to see our full list of countries and demographic traits available. ## Do I need to subscribe in order to run a poll? No – you can create a PickFu account for free (no credit card required) and build and preview your poll for free. You only pay for the polls you launch to our respondents. You can see the cost of your polls as you're building them for full transparency. [Learn more how PickFu pricing works.](/help/how-does-pickfu-s-pricing-work) ## Can I create a poll with PickFu's MCP server or CLI? Yes. If you want to create polls from an AI assistant, automation workflow, or terminal, PickFu's developer tools support programmatic poll creation. See the [MCP server docs](https://www.pickfu.com/docs/integrations/mcp-server) or [CLI docs](https://www.pickfu.com/docs/integrations/cli) for setup and usage details. *** Related Articles * [How does PickFu's pricing work?](/help/how-does-pickfu-s-pricing-work) * [How to build a PickFu poll or survey](/help/how-to-build-a-pickfu-poll-or-survey) * [How do I poll my own audience instead of PickFu's panel?](/help/how-do-i-poll-my-own-audience-instead-of-pickfu-s-panel) * [How do I build a poll from a template?](/help/how-do-i-build-a-poll-from-a-template) * [How long will my poll take?](/help/how-long-will-my-poll-take)