How to find a time that works for everyone
Asking "when is everyone free?" in a group chat produces 50 replies and no decision. The fix is to turn the question into a short availability poll: you offer a handful of slots, each person ticks every slot they can make, and the slot with the most ticks wins.
The method in four steps
- Pick 3 to 6 candidate slots. Fewer than three gives people no choice; more than six makes the poll tiring and spreads the votes thin.
- Let people select every slot that works for them, not just one favourite. This is the difference between a normal poll and an availability poll: a person free on Friday and Saturday should be counted for both.
- Share one link in the group chat. Voters should not need an account, or half the group will not respond.
- Close the poll at a set time (for example tomorrow evening) so the decision does not drift. Then post the winning slot back to the chat.
A worked example
Six friends want a dinner. You offer Friday 7pm, Saturday 7pm and Sunday 5pm. Friday gets 3 ticks, Saturday gets 5, Sunday gets 4. Saturday wins, and nobody had to negotiate: the numbers did it. If Saturday and Sunday had tied, a quick second poll between only those two settles it in one more round.
Tips that save a round
- Offer slots on different days and times of day, not five variations of the same evening.
- Put the earliest deadline you can live with in the first message. People respond to a deadline, not to a request.
- If the group is large, mention that the poll needs only a tick per slot. Short tasks get done.
- When no slot gets a majority, ask who is blocking each slot and offer two new options based on that.
When can everyone meet?
- Friday 7pm
- Saturday 7pm
- Sunday 5pm
Free. Your group votes from a link, with no account needed.
Frequently asked questions
Do my friends need the app to vote?
No. They open the shared link in any browser and vote. Installing the app is optional.
Is it free?
Yes. QuickPoll is free to use for group polls, with optional paid extras for heavy users.
Can people pick more than one time?
Yes. In a find-a-time poll each person selects every slot they can make.