How to run a poll in Zoom, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams

You can run a poll in a video call three ways: with the platform's built-in polls, with a separate polling app people open on another screen, or with a co-host that runs the poll in the meeting chat. Built-in polls are free but depend on your plan and settings; separate apps add question types but need a link or code; chat-based polls work the same on Zoom, Google Meet and Teams with nothing for participants to open.

Here's how each works, and when to use which.

How to run a poll in Zoom

Zoom has built-in polls and quizzes for meetings. According to Zoom's support article on meeting polls, you need:

• A licensed host account (paid Zoom plan).
• Meeting polling enabled in your settings.
• A scheduled meeting or an instant meeting using your Personal Meeting ID.

To run one, start the meeting as host, click Polls/quizzes in the toolbar, and create or launch a poll. Zoom notes that by default only the original host can create or edit polls during the meeting; co-hosts can launch polls that already exist.

Good for: hosts on a paid Zoom plan who run occasional polls. Watch out for: polls tied to one meeting and one host, and not available on free accounts.

How to run a poll in Google Meet

Google Meet has built-in polls for the meeting moderator. Google's help on polls in Meet explains that polling is available on specific Google Workspace editions, including Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise editions, Education Plus and Workspace Individual. It isn't available on every account, so check your edition first.

To run one, open the Activities panel in the meeting, choose Polls, and start a poll. After the meeting, the moderator receives an email report with participants' names and answers.

Good for: teams on a qualifying Workspace edition. Watch out for: availability depends on your Google Workspace edition.

How to run a poll in Microsoft Teams

Teams uses the Polls app, built on Microsoft Forms. Microsoft's guide to polling attendees in a Teams meeting describes the flow:

1. Open the meeting in your Teams calendar and select Chat with participants.
2. Select Add a tab, search for Polls, and add it.
3. Create a poll: multiple choice, word cloud, rating or ranking.
4. Save as draft, then Launch it during the meeting.

Only meeting owners and presenters can create and launch polls; attendees can answer from desktop, web or mobile.

Good for: organisations already on Microsoft 365. Watch out for: setup happens in the meeting's chat tab before the call, per meeting.

Polling apps: Mentimeter, Slido, Poll Everywhere and others

Dedicated polling tools add more question types, such as word clouds, rankings and upvoted Q&A, and work across platforms. Participants usually open a link, enter a code or scan a QR code on a second screen.

They're a great fit when polls live inside your slides or the audience is in a room. On a video call, the extra step loses some people. Compare them: Claryoo vs Mentimeter, vs Slido, vs Poll Everywhere.

Polls people answer in the meeting chat

The third option keeps everything in the call. Claryoo joins your Zoom, Google Meet or Teams meeting as a participant. You launch a poll from your dashboard and people answer by typing a number in the meeting chat. No link, no code, no second screen, and it works the same on all three platforms. If your session is in a room instead of on a call, people join by QR on their phones.

You can also prepare polls and quizzes in advance: describe your session, and Claryoo drafts them in order. Add your slides from a PDF, then press Next during the call to launch each one.

When the meeting ends, the poll results come with a summary of what was decided and who owes what.

Which option should you use?

	Built-in polls	Polling apps	Claryoo (chat polls)
Where people answer	In the meeting window	A link, code or QR	The meeting chat
Works on	One platform each	Most platforms	Zoom, Meet and Teams
Needs	Paid plan or right edition, settings	An account with the app	A Claryoo account (free plan)
Extra question types	Some	Many	Polls, quizzes, Pick a volunteer
Read on the room and summary	No	No	Yes

Use built-in polls if you run occasional polls on one platform and your plan supports it. Use a polling app if polls live in your slides or the audience is in a room. Use chat polls if you run workshops, trainings, member calls or keynotes across platforms and want answers without a second screen.

FAQ

Can I run a poll in Zoom on a free account? Zoom's built-in meeting polls require a licensed (paid) host. Chat-based polls with a co-host like Claryoo work on any Zoom meeting it can join.

Why can't I see polls in Google Meet? Polls are only available on certain Google Workspace editions, and only the meeting moderator can create them. Check your edition in Google's help center.

Can attendees answer Teams polls on their phone? Yes. Microsoft says attendees can answer from mobile, web or desktop.

Can I run the same poll on Zoom and Teams? With built-in tools you set it up separately on each platform. With Claryoo, the same prepared polls work on Zoom, Google Meet and Teams.

Do participants see who voted for what? It depends on the tool and settings. Check each tool's anonymity options before asking sensitive questions.

Want to run your first chat poll? Start free, no card. Or see it in a workshop, training, member call or keynote.