Pinionate

Vote, rating and word cloud

A vote has at least two answers, and the audience picks one. Ratings use stars from 1 to 5, and the result shows the average and median. In a word cloud, participants type short terms that build up live into a cloud.

1. In the “Questions” tab, choose the type.
2. Enter the question; for a vote, one answer per line.
3. Click “Add question”.

Tip: In a word cloud, each person has 3 entries by default, adjustable from 1 to 5.

Audience questions (Q&A, Pro)

The audience asks their own questions and can support the questions of others (upvotes). With moderation turned on, new entries only appear after you approve them.

1. Create a question of the type “Audience questions (Q&A)” and start it.
2. In the “Live” tab, under “Moderation”, turn on the switch “Show new entries only after approval”.
3. Control entries with “Approve” or “Hide”.

Tip: By default, 5 entries per person are allowed. Moderation also applies to word clouds.

Quiz with points (Pro)

You define a correct answer. After the question ends, participants find out whether they were right and see the leaderboard. A correct answer earns 1,000 points. With the option “Fast answers earn more points”, the value drops to as low as 500 points depending on the time used.

1. Choose the type “Quiz with points” and enter the answers.
2. Under “Correct answer”, set the right option.
3. Optionally set a time limit (default for a quiz: 20 seconds).

Tip: The leaderboard adds up all ended quiz questions.

Free text (polls only, Pro)

Participants write their own answer of up to 500 characters. One answer counts per person and question, and a new one replaces the old one. This question type only exists in poll sessions. You see the answers in the host area as text cards, up to 100 are displayed, and the rest is in the CSV file.

1. In a poll session, in the “Questions” tab, choose the type “Free text”.
2. Enter the question and add it.
3. After the poll starts, you read the answers in the results as text cards.

Tip: Free text answers are not moderated. You see what participants write exactly as it was entered.

Time limit and question settings

Each question can get a time limit from 10 seconds to 10 minutes or “No limit”. The time runs as a countdown on the phone and in the overlay. Further options: end the question automatically when time runs out, show the result only after ending, and allow changing answers afterward.

1. When creating, under “Settings”, choose the time limit or “Custom …” for your own value.
2. Set the switches for automatic ending and result visibility.
3. You change existing questions via “Settings” in the question list.

Tip: The most recently used settings are suggested for the next new question. In poll sessions, there are no time limits.

Import questions and save as a template

You create several questions in one go: one question per line, fields separated by semicolons, answers separated by a vertical bar. Current questions can be saved as a template and loaded again later.

1. In the “Questions” tab, scroll to the “Import & templates” section.
2. Paste lines in the format choice;Frage;Antwort A|Antwort B and click “Import”.
3. For a template, enter a name and click “Save current questions as template”.

Tip: Templates are currently stored in the browser, not in the account. They are not available on another device.

Build and start a poll

In the “In preparation” status, you build the questions from vote, rating, word cloud and free text. Quiz, audience questions and time limits are not available in polls. When you start, all questions are open at the same time, and the poll is then “Running”. Preparing works in Free, starting is reserved for Pro, and an Event Pass counts as well. Afterward you share the link, code or QR code. The guide “How it works – step by step” in the host panel walks you through these steps with one main button each: create questions, start the poll, send the link, view the results.

1. When creating the session, choose “Poll to send out”.
2. In the “Questions” tab, create the questions while the poll is “In preparation”.
3. Start the poll and distribute the link, code or QR.

Tip: After the start, the questions are locked. To change them, go to “Start over” in the “Poll” tab: this deletes all answers, resets the poll to “In preparation”, and the questions can be edited again.

Participants answer at their own pace

On the phone, one question appears per screen with a progress indicator. Participants move through the poll with “Back”, “Next” or “Skip”. At the end, they see a list of skipped questions and can answer them with “Catch up”. Answers are saved immediately and can be changed until the poll ends.

Tip: There is no live control. You don't have to start individual questions while the poll is running.

Poll panel for the host

In the host area, you see live how many participants have joined, how many answers there are and how many have finished the poll completely. You end the poll with a confirmation and can start it again later with “Restart poll”. With the switch “Show participants the results after the end” (“Poll” tab), you decide: off, and participants only see a thank-you message; on, and after the end they see everyone's results, without names.

1. In the host area, open the poll panel and follow the participation.
2. If needed, set the switch for showing results.
3. Click “End poll” and confirm the prompt.

Tip: Participants only see results when the poll has ended and you have turned on “Show participants the results after the end”.

Privacy in polls

In a poll, no participant sees the answers of others, neither in the app nor through the database interface. If you show participants the results after the end, the participant IDs appear pseudonymized.

Join with a code or QR

Every session has a five-character code. Participants enter it on the start page, or open the link or scan the QR code. Until the next question, they see the waiting message “Starting soon”, and after that each question appears automatically.

1. In the “Stream” tab, show the QR code on the screen or in the stream.
2. Participants scan it with their phone camera.
3. The question appears as soon as you start it.

Tip: The overlay shows the join address while a question is running.

Result on the phone

After the question ends, participants see the result on their device. In a quiz, they find out whether they were right and how many points they got, plus the leaderboard.

Tip: With “Show result only after ending”, it stays exciting until the end.

Live reactions

Participants send emojis (heart, fire, applause, laughter, party) that float up live in the host area and in the overlay. This is available in all plans.

Start and end questions

At the top are tiles for participants, answers and questions. Below that you see the active question with the result in real time. “Next question” starts the next question in the list, “End” closes the running one and shows the result.

1. Click “Start first question” or “Next question”.
2. Watch the results live.
3. Click “End” when enough answers are in.

Tip: Ended questions can be started again in the “Questions” tab with “Run again”.

Extend the time

If a question with a time limit is running, “+10 s” extends the countdown by 10 seconds. A question without a limit can get a 30-second timer afterward with “Start 30 s timer”.

Fade the overlay in and out

In the “Live” tab there is a button that fades the overlay in or out, regardless of whether the question is running.

Add it as a browser source

The address has the form /overlay/CODE. You enter it in OBS, vMix or the ATEM streaming software as a browser source at 1920×1080. It shows the active question, the result, the countdown and the join address.

1. In the “Stream” tab, under “Stream overlay”, click “Copy URL”.
2. In the streaming software, create a browser source at 1920×1080 and paste the URL.
3. With “Preview” you check it in advance in the browser.

Tip: Adding ?theme=light to the end of the address gives you a light display.

Four layouts

The Card is available in all plans. With Pro, Lower bar, Full screen and Ticker are added. The Ticker scrolls the question and answers across the screen.

1. In the “Stream” tab, under “Overlay layout”, click a layout.
2. Alternatively, set it with the address suffix ?layout=lower, ?layout=full or ?layout=ticker.

Tip: In the free version, “powered by Pinionate” appears below the overlay. With Pro, it is removed.

Remote control for your phone

A dedicated page with big buttons: “Next question”, “Show result”, overlay on and off and layout selection. You also see the current question, the number of answers and how many questions are still open.

1. In the “Stream” tab, scan the remote control's QR code with the presenter's phone.
2. Or click “Copy link” and send it to the device.

Tip: The link contains the secret host key. Don't share it.

Stream Deck and Bitfocus Companion

For Companion there are ready-made addresses that you call with GET via “Generic HTTP”. Available actions: next question, end question, show overlay, hide overlay and switch layout.

1. In the “Stream” tab, expand the “Bitfocus Companion / Stream Deck (HTTP)” section.
2. Click “Copy” next to the action you want.
3. In Companion, create a button with “Generic HTTP → GET” and the copied address.

Tip: The host key is part of the address. The display in the tab is hidden by default.

Key figures and charts

At the top are participants, answers, questions started, average participation per question and duration. In addition there are the answer timeline, participation per question and a block for each question. For ratings there are average and median, for quizzes the rate of correct answers and the average answer time, and the leaderboard at the end.

1. In the host area, open the “Results” tab.
2. Filter to one question via “Question”.
3. Switch from charts to tables with “Table view”.

Tip: “Close event” marks the end and can be undone with “Reopen event”.

Results per participant (polls)

For polls, besides the per-question view there is the “Per participant” view. Participants appear as T001, T002 and so on, marked as complete or partial, with their answers per question. The key figure “Completed n of m” shows how many got through the poll. With the “Complete only” filter, you hide incomplete runs.

1. In the “Results” tab, choose the “Per participant” view.
2. If needed, turn on “Complete only”.

Tip: “Per participant” means per browser. Pinionate does not know any names and cannot tell which person is behind T001.

Export as CSV, Excel and PDF (Pro)

You export the results as CSV or Excel file. For polls, the CSV contains one row per participant. The PDF is created via the print view, which you open at /auswertung/CODE and save as a PDF.

1. In the “Results” tab, click “CSV”, “Excel” or “PDF”.
2. Alternatively, open the print view in the “Stream” tab under “Data & retention”.

Tip: You can delete the results of a single question with “Reset results of this question” (after confirming), for example after a test run. In polls, use “Start over” in the “Poll” tab instead.

Brand editor

You choose a primary, secondary and background color and a font, and upload a logo. “Colors from logo” picks up colors from the logo. A contrast check shows whether text, primary color and buttons are easy to read. The preview shows phone and overlay side by side.

1. Choose a template or set colors and font yourself.
2. Optionally upload a logo (PNG, JPEG or WebP).
3. Click “Apply brand”. The brand then applies to phone and overlay.

Tip: With “Back to Pinionate” you restore the default look.

Saved brands

Brands can be saved under a name, for example per client, and loaded again later. With an account they are stored in the account and available on every device, without an account only in this browser.

Host account

Optionally, you sign in with an email link without a password. Sessions, saved brands and the subscription are then tied to the account and apply on every device. Without an account, everything keeps working, and access to the session is stored in the browser.

Free

Costs €0. Includes vote, rating and word cloud, joining by code and QR, live reactions, the overlay as a card, time limit and the settings per question, and the saved results to view. You can prepare polls in Free but not start them. Limits: up to 5 questions and 100 participants per session.

Pro subscription

Planned price: €4.99 per month, cancelable at any time. Includes unlimited questions and participants, quiz, audience questions with moderation, the free text question type, starting polls, the brand editor, the overlay layouts Lower bar, Full screen and Ticker, remote control, Stream Deck and Companion, and the export. Payment is via PayPal.

Event Pass

Planned price: €9.90 one-time. Unlocks all Pro features for a session for 48 hours, including starting a poll, with no subscription and no cancellation. Buying again extends the time. Payment is via PayPal.

Tip: Prices and payment are not live yet. Only what is on the Pinionate page at launch is binding.