There are lots of apps that let a group take part live in a quiz or poll. Almost all of them have a free version, but what you can do with it varies enormously. We've put the best-known ones side by side: Kahoot!, Mentimeter, Wayground (formerly Quizizz), Slido and, of course, Sparqel.
The overview
| Free: participants | Free: what's included | Paid from | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahoot! (Go) | 10 per game | Quiz and True or false | $3 per month (annual) |
| Mentimeter (Free) | 50 per month | 23 slide types, no export | $11.99 per presenter per month (annual) |
| Wayground (Starter) | 100 per session | Storage for 20 activities | Not public |
| Slido (Basic) | 100 per event | 3 polls and 1 quiz per event | Not checked |
| Sparqel | 50 per game | Everything: 13 question types, slides, 4 game modes | No paid version |
Kahoot!
The best-known name in live quizzes. The free plan is now called Kahoot! Go. According to the pricing page, it allows 10 players per game; the comparison table on the page for schools says 40, so Kahoot! contradicts itself there. Only Quiz and True or false are free. The other question types are in the paid Bronze, Silver and Gold plans, which start at $3 per month (billed annually) for 50 players.
Strong at: large groups (up to 800 players with Kahoot! One), apps, a big library of ready-made quizzes.
Mentimeter
Mentimeter is mainly built for presentations: you alternate content slides with polls, word clouds and quiz questions. The pricing page says the free plan allows 50 participants per month, added up across all your presentations. The same page also says "Unlimited participants once per month", so it isn't entirely clear here either. Exporting to Excel or PDF isn't included in the free plan. Paid plans start at $11.99 per presenter per month, billed annually.
Strong at: highly interactive presentations, with 23 slide types even on the free plan.
Wayground (formerly Quizizz)
Quizizz is now called Wayground. According to the help centre, the free Starter plan allows up to 100 participants per session. According to the plans page, you can store up to 20 activities, and not all question types are available. Prices for paid plans aren't on the site; schools request a quote.
Strong at: homework and self-paced practice, with lots of ready-made activities for education.
Slido
Slido focuses on questions and polls during meetings and events. We couldn't read the official pricing page. According to answers from the Slido team on their own forum, the free Basic plan allows up to 100 participants per event, with 3 polls and 1 quiz per event (5 polls in some regions).
Strong at: audience questions during a presentation or meeting.
Sparqel
Sparqel is completely free, with no paid version. Up to 50 players per game (also for an assignment), all 13 question types plus slides, four game modes, reports with Excel export and no ads. Players don't need an account or app. Read on Free? why that's possible.
Less strong at: groups larger than 50 at once, apps (Sparqel only works in the browser) and AI-generated questions. Sparqel doesn't have those.
Which one suits you?
- A class, team or group of friends of up to 50 people, and you want everything for free: Sparqel.
- Very large groups and you're happy to pay for extras: Kahoot!.
- A highly interactive presentation: Mentimeter.
- Homework and practice at school: Wayground, or an assignment in Sparqel.
- Audience questions during an event: Slido.
All names mentioned are trademarks of their owners. Sparqel is an independent project and is not affiliated with any of these providers.