# Choose a Panel Size

> Set respondent counts by research method, audience coverage and budget.

Source: https://imario.ai/docs/research/sample-size

Respondent count controls the size of a simulated study. It is different from the population size shown on an audience's detail page.

## Recommended starting points

The composer uses these recommendations for the corresponding research types. They are starting points, not guarantees of accuracy or required minimums.

| Method | Recommended respondents |
|---|---:|
| Closed question or survey | 400 |
| Open question or interview | 50 |
| Preference test | 200 |
| Creative test | 150 |
| URL feedback | 30 |
| Focus group | 8 at one table |
| PR test | Set by the test |

An audience can seat at most the number of people shown in the audience picker. A segment defined by a criterion people are asked about may seat fewer than the recommended number; the run then seats everyone the segment has, and you are charged for the people seated.

For a first experiment, a smaller panel can help check the question and stimulus before a larger run. Set counts per audience when comparing groups. Focus groups seat 3–8 participants; increasing an audience count does not enlarge one table beyond that. A PR test needs enough respondents per version to compare the direction of change; the displayed estimate is the source of truth for the current setup.

## Scale for the question

Use more respondents when you need coverage of several meaningful subgroups. Inspect the denominator after filtering: a large overall run may still contain a very small selected group.

Adding simulated respondents does not fix a poorly defined audience, missing source evidence or leading questions. It also does not turn a synthetic panel into a random sample of real people with a conventional survey margin of error.

## Estimate the cost

Review the estimate shown for the selected method, audience and respondent count. Reports are separate.

See [Pricing & credits](https://imario.ai/docs/workspace/pricing), then [run and review](https://imario.ai/docs/research/run-and-follow-up). For exact population claims, plan [Validate with real world data](https://imario.ai/docs/run-and-analyze/validate).