Compare
Which tool for which job
Petitions, polls, event pages and crowdfunding all count people. They count different things. This page sets out what each one actually asks for, what it proves, and what happens when not enough people say yes.
Side by side
| Crowd action | Petition | Group poll | Event RSVP | Crowdfunding | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| What a signature means | I will do this, if enough others will too | I want someone else to do this | I prefer this option | I plan to come | I will pay this, if the goal is met |
| Threshold | Yes, set by the organiser | No (targets are decorative) | No | No | Yes, in money |
| Deadline | Yes | Rarely | No | The event date | Yes |
| If the numbers fall short | Nothing happens; nobody is committed | Petition is delivered anyway | Plan goes ahead or doesn't, unclear | Event runs half-empty or is cancelled late | Nobody is charged |
| Anonymous | Yes, always | No, names are the point | Usually not | No | No |
| Account needed | No | Usually (email) | No, but tied to the chat | Usually | Yes |
| Money involved | Never | No | No | Sometimes (tickets) | Always |
| Best for | Walkouts, flash mobs, group buys, boycotts, anything with first-mover risk | Asking an institution to change something | Picking a date or an option | Events that happen regardless of turnout | Products and projects that need cash up front |
The one-line version
A petition says please. A poll says I'd prefer. An RSVP says I'll try. Crowdfunding says I'll pay if. A Crowd action says I'll do it if you will, and then proves whether enough people mean it.
Questions
- When should I use a petition instead of Crowd?
- When the thing you want is in someone else's hands and names carry weight, for example asking a council to reverse a decision. A petition is a request. If your group is prepared to do something itself, and wants to know whether enough others will join before anyone moves, that's a Crowd action. The two work well together: petition for the ask, Crowd for the consequence.
- Isn't a poll in the group chat good enough?
- For choosing between options, yes. For finding out who will actually turn up, no. A poll has no deadline, no threshold and no consequence, so people answer with their preference rather than their commitment. A Crowd join is conditional: it only means anything if the number is reached, which is exactly why people answer it honestly.
- How is Crowd different from an event page with RSVPs?
- An event page assumes the event is happening and asks who's coming. Crowd asks whether it should happen at all, and only confirms it once the number that makes it worthwhile has committed. Use an RSVP page once a Crowd action has succeeded, if you need names for the venue.
- Is Crowd a crowdfunding site?
- No. Crowdfunding applies the same all-or-nothing idea to money. Crowd applies it to actions: turning up, walking out, switching supplier, singing at the same minute. No money is collected on Crowd at any point.
- Can I use Crowd alongside Meetup, Discord or WhatsApp?
- Yes, that's how most people use it. Crowd is a link, not a network. Post it wherever your group already talks and let the counter travel with it.
Got something that needs numbers first?
Set the number, share the link, and see whether it fills. It takes about a minute and costs nothing.