Joining and playing
Do players need to install anything or create an account?
No. Players open sparqel.com on their phone, tablet or laptop and enter the game PIN shown on the screen, or scan the QR code. They pick a nickname and they're in.
How many players can join?
Up to 50 players in a live game. If you let people play on their own as an assignment, up to 200 can join.
Can players join once the game has started?
Yes. Anyone who joins during the game takes part from the next question. Don't want that? Lock the lobby.
What if a player refreshes the page or loses their connection?
They simply carry on. Their name and score are kept, and they return to wherever the game is at that moment.
What screens do I need?
One big screen for the questions, such as a projector, TV or smartboard, and players with their own internet-connected phone, tablet or laptop. No big screen? Turn on 'Show questions and answers on phones' when you start, and players read everything on their own screen.
Can I play online, over Teams, Zoom or Meet?
Yes. Share your screen with the game in the video call. Players watch along and answer on their phone or in a second window.
Can players play on their own, without a live game?
Yes, with an assignment. Choose a deadline (up to 90 days) and share a link or PIN. Players go at their own pace and you watch the report fill up after every answer. More about assignments.
Which languages does it support?
Sparqel is available in English, Dutch and Spanish. Every player sees the buttons and instructions in their own language. You can write your quiz in any language you like.
Creating quizzes
How many question types are there?
13, plus slides for explanations in between. Knowledge questions that score points (like multiple choice, true/false, puzzle, slider and pointing at a spot on an image), opinion questions without points (like poll, word cloud and open question) and a brainstorm where players send in ideas and vote on them. See all question types.
Can I use images and video?
Yes. Upload your own photos, search the image library, pick a GIF or add a YouTube or Vimeo clip with a start and end time.
Can I import or export questions?
Yes, with Excel. Download the template, fill in your questions and import the file. You can also export a whole quiz to keep or edit.
Can I share quizzes or use other people's?
Yes. Share a quiz with a link or make it public on Discover. Others can then play it or make their own copy to edit.
Can several people work on the same quiz at once?
Not yet. You can share a quiz with a link, though, so someone else can make a copy and build on it.
Do polls, word clouds and slides count towards the score?
No. Opinion questions and slides don't score points and don't count towards a streak of correct answers.
How do points work?
A correct answer is worth up to 1000 points, or 2000 with double points. The faster you answer, the more you get. If you choose accuracy when you start, only being right counts. More about points.
Free and accounts
What does it cost?
Nothing. There's no subscription, no trial period and no paid features. Create as many quizzes as you like.
Who pays, the host or the players?
Nobody. Players never pay and don't need an account. If you'd like to chip in, you can buy me a coffee, entirely voluntarily.
How can it be free? What's the catch?
There's no catch. I build Sparqel myself, without investors who want a return. The game mostly runs in the host's browser, so the servers cost very little. No ads, no tracking, and I don't sell data. Read why it can be free.
Will it stay free?
Everything in Sparqel today stays free. If something expensive is ever added, such as games with hundreds of players, that will be an extra. Never something you already get for free.
Do I need an account myself?
Not to get started: you can create a quiz right away. To play it live or upload your own photos, create a free account with Google or your email address. You won't lose your quiz.
Do I need to cancel anything?
No, there's no subscription, so there's nothing to cancel. If you want to stop, you can have your account deleted.
Privacy and security
What data do you collect?
As little as possible. From players only a nickname, their answers and their score. From creators with an account their name, email address and the quizzes they make. No ads, no tracking cookies and no visitor analytics. It's all in the privacy policy.
Is it suitable for schools and children?
Yes. Students don't need an account and only enter a nickname; inappropriate names are filtered. The host can remove players and lock the lobby. With two-step joining, only people who can see the big screen in the room can join.
Can players cheat or look up the answers?
No. The correct answers are only sent to phones once the question is over, and a player can answer each question only once. In an assignment, the server checks the answers.
How long do you keep game data?
Data from a live game is deleted as soon as the game is closed, and otherwise automatically within 48 hours. The report with nicknames and scores stays with the quiz creator until they delete it.
Can I delete my account?
Yes. Send an email to hello@sparqel.com and I'll delete your account along with all your quizzes, reports and images.
Can't find your question?
Send it with the feedback button or email me. I read everything and keep this list up to date.