User Guide

Welcome to PalQs - the social polling app where you create questions, gather opinions, and connect with friends through shared decisions.

🚀 Getting Started

Sign Up / Sign In

  • Sign up with email: Enter full name, email, and password
  • Google Sign-In: Quick authentication with your Google account
  • Apple Sign-In: Available for iOS users
  • After signup, you automatically get a default circle and 10 free question credits (can vary during promotions)

First Time Setup

  1. Complete your profile with a name
  2. Add an optional motto (your personal tagline)
  3. Upload a profile picture
  4. Your default circle is created automatically

📱 Main Features

1. Creating Polls (Questions)

Where: On the Qs tab, tap "New Q"

Poll Types:

  • Yes/No Polls: Simple binary questions
  • Custom Options: Create your own two answer choices (max 10 characters each)

Creating a Poll:

  1. Enter your question (5-280 characters)
  2. Choose poll type (Yes/No or Custom)
  3. Add up to 2 images (optional)
  4. Select which circle to post to
  5. Tap "Drop a Q"

Rate Limits: Free users get limited poll creation. Upgrade for unlimited access.

2. Viewing & Voting on Polls

Poll Feed:

  • My Qs: Your created polls
  • Q Feed: Polls from circles you're in

Voting:

  • Tap an option to vote
  • Tap same option again to remove your vote
  • See vote counts or percentages
  • Tap question to toggle percentage view

Poll Interactions:

  • Tap images to view full-screen
  • See creator's name and motto
  • If creator has premium: clickable motto links

Comments:

  • Tap the comment button (dotted rectangle icon) at the bottom of any poll card
  • View and add comments on polls within your circles
  • Comments support two levels: main comments and replies
  • Character limits and restrictions match poll questions (no links, prohibited characters)
  • Comments are automatically deleted when polls are removed
  • Only circle members can access and comment on polls
  • Use the back button to return to the Qs page

3. Circles (Groups)

What are Circles: Private and public groups where you share polls with specific people.

Managing Circles:

  • Default Circle: Auto-created on signup
  • Create New: Requires subscription ($3.99/month or $36/year)
  • Join Public: Browse and join public circles
  • Make Public: Click on individual circle cards to make them public, increasing engagement and discoverability
  • Rename: Edit circle names (available for extra circles)
  • Members: View, invite, and manage members

Circle Subscriptions:

  • Main Circle: Required for core features
  • Extra Circles: Additional circles require separate subscriptions
  • Cancel anytime (access until billing period ends)

4. Inviting Friends

Circle Invitations:

  • Send in-app invitations to join circles
  • Invitees get invitations with join button
  • Track pending invitations

Finding Users:

  • Search by name or motto in circles
  • Browse public circles to join communities

💎 Premium Features

Motto Links ($9/month)

  • Add clickable links to your motto
  • Links appear next to your name throughout the app
  • Perfect for social media, websites, portfolios
  • Cancel anytime

Circle Subscriptions

  • Main Circle: Essential for full app access
  • Extra Circles: Create additional private groups
  • Public Circles: Make circles discoverable by others

How Circle Subscriptions Work

  • Main Circle Requirement: You must have an active main circle subscription to create additional circles
  • Cancellation Order: All extra circle subscriptions must be cancelled before you can cancel your main circle subscription
  • Access Loss Warning: If you cancel your main circle subscription, you will lose access to all extra circles when the main subscription expires, regardless of when individual extra circle subscriptions end
  • Resubscription Process: If you resubscribe to the main circle subscription, you can then resubscribe to individual extra circles or let them expire at their scheduled end dates
  • Non-Transferable: Circle subscriptions are not transferable between different circles
  • Subscription Management: Manage all your circle subscriptions through your account settings or the app store

Credits System

  • Free users get limited poll creation
  • Premium users get unlimited questions
  • Credits refresh with active subscriptions
  • Q Credits Alternative: Purchase Q credits to post polls without a circle subscription
  • Credit Benefits: Q credits are inexpensive, never expire, and remain available even after subscription cancellation

⚙️ Profile & Settings

Profile Management

Access: Tap profile icon in header

Basic Info:

  • Edit full name
  • Update motto (50 characters max, must be unique)
  • Upload/change profile picture
  • View account details

Premium Settings:

  • Subscribe to motto links
  • Manage circle subscriptions
  • View subscription information
  • Cancel/renew subscriptions

Security (Email users only):

  • Change password
  • Account settings

Notification Preferences

  • Poll notifications (popup or badge)
  • Sound settings
  • Manage which alerts you receive

🔄 App Navigation

Bottom Tab Bar

The app has 3 main tabs at the bottom:

Qs Tab

  • My Qs: View polls you've created
  • Q Feed: See polls from your circles
  • New Q: Create new polls

Pals Tab

  • Pals: View your friends list
  • Requests: Manage friend requests and block users
  • Find Pals: Discover and add new friends

Circles Tab

  • My Circles: Manage circles you own
  • Joined: View circles you're a member of
  • Join: Browse and join public circles

Top Bar

  • Clickable Avatar & Username: Tap to access Profile and Settings page
  • Shows your profile picture and name
  • Quick access to account management

Unread Indicators

  • Blue glow around unread polls
  • Notification badge on profile icon
  • Real-time updates when friends vote

Real-time Features

  • Live vote count updates
  • Instant notifications for new polls
  • Auto-refresh when returning to app

💡 Pro Tips

Getting More Engagement

  1. Use Images: Polls with images get more votes
  2. Ask Relevant Questions: Target your audience
  3. Time Your Posts: Post when friends are active
  4. Follow Up: Check results and engage with voters

Managing Circles Effectively

  1. Keep Circles Focused: Different audience = different circles
  2. Regular Cleanup: Remove inactive polls
  3. Strategic Invites: Quality over quantity
  4. Use Public Circles: Discover like-minded communities

Optimizing Your Profile

  1. Catchy Motto: Make it memorable and unique
  2. Professional Photo: Clear, recognizable avatar
  3. Smart Links: Use motto links strategically (premium)
  4. Stay Active: Regular engagement builds following

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  • Can't create polls: Check your credit balance or subscription
  • Vote not counting: Ensure stable internet connection
  • Images not uploading: Try smaller file sizes
  • Circle invites not working: Verify user name or identity

Performance Tips

  • Keep app updated to latest version
  • Restart app if experiencing lag
  • Clear cache if having loading issues
  • Ensure stable internet for real-time features

Getting Help

  • Check in-app notifications for important updates
  • Contact support at support@palqs.com
  • Join community circles for tips and tricks

🎯 Best Practices

Creating Great Polls

  • Be Clear: Make questions easy to understand
  • Stay Relevant: Ask what your audience cares about
  • Use Visuals: Images increase engagement
  • Keep It Simple: Two clear options work best

Building Community

  • Engage Regularly: Vote on others' polls
  • Share Thoughtfully: Quality over quantity
  • Respect Others: Keep it friendly
  • Be Authentic: Let your personality show through your motto

Managing Subscriptions

  • Start Small: Try main circle subscription first
  • Scale Up: Add extra circles as needed
  • Monitor Usage: Cancel unused subscriptions
  • Plan Ahead: Annual subscriptions save money

Ready to start polling? Create your first question and see what your friends think! 🤔✨

PalQs - Where every question finds its answer