Trading in Pokémon GO: Friendship Levels, Lucky Pokémon and Stardust Costs

Trading is the only way to move a Pokémon from your collection into someone else's. A trade re-rolls the Pokémon's IVs, can make it Lucky, pays both players Candy and can fill a gap in a friend's Pokédex. Most of what a trade costs depends on your friendship level, so knowing how the levels work saves more Stardust than any other tip here. For Candy, raids and the rest of the game's systems, browse the guides on the Trainer Hub homepage.

Before you can trade

• Trainer level: both players need to be at least trainer level 10.
• Friendship: you have to be in-game friends.
• Distance: you need to be physically near each other. The normal range is short, though some events have temporarily extended it, so check the event details.
• Stardust: every trade costs Stardust, and some cost a lot.
• Special Trade limit: Special Trades are limited, normally to one per day, though some events have raised this, so check the in-game news.

Friendship levels and why they matter

Friendship grows when you interact with a friend, for example by exchanging Gifts, trading, raiding or battling a Gym together, or having a Trainer Battle. Normally only one interaction per day counts toward the next level, but the days don't have to be consecutive.

Level	Days of interaction	Special Trade cost	Raiding together
Good Friend	1	Full price	A small attack bonus
Great Friend	7	A modest discount	A bigger attack bonus, plus a bonus Premier Ball after raids
Ultra Friend	30	A much larger discount	A bigger attack bonus and more bonus Premier Balls
Best Friend	90	The lowest Special Trade costs, plus a chance of becoming Lucky Friends	The largest attack bonus and the most bonus Premier Balls

Standard trades cost the same small amount of Stardust at every friendship level; the discounts apply to Special Trades. The jump in Special Trade discounts at the upper levels is dramatic, which is why experienced players often hold an expensive trade back until they reach Ultra or Best Friend with that person.

What a trade does to a Pokémon

• New IVs. A traded Pokémon's IVs are re-rolled. Higher friendship raises the minimum, so trades between Best Friends tend to come out better. A perfect Pokémon will almost always come out worse, so trade duplicates, not your best copy.
• A CP range, not a number. Because the IVs change, the confirmation screen shows the range the incoming Pokémon's CP will fall in.
• Candy. Both players earn Candy from a trade, and the farther apart the two Pokémon were originally caught, the more Candy it pays.
• A one-time move. A Pokémon can only be traded once.
• Pokédex progress. Receiving a species you've never registered fills that entry.

Some Pokémon can't be traded at all, including Mythical Pokémon generally, Shadow Pokémon and Pokémon currently defending a Gym.

Standard trades and Special Trades

A standard trade, where the receiver already has the species registered and it isn't shiny or Legendary, is cheap. A Special Trade is one involving, for example, a Legendary Pokémon, a shiny Pokémon, or a species missing from the receiver's Pokédex. Special Trades cost far more Stardust, especially at low friendship levels, and the most expensive trades combine the two: a shiny or Legendary Pokémon that the receiver hasn't registered yet costs far more than either on its own. Our Stardust guide covers where Stardust comes from and what else competes for it.

Lucky Pokémon

Any trade has a chance to make one or both Pokémon Lucky. A Lucky Pokémon has a guaranteed high minimum in all three IVs, powers up for half the usual Stardust, and wears a sparkling background. Having been traded once, it can't be traded again.

You can improve the odds in three ways:

1. Trade older Pokémon. Pokémon caught long ago have a much better chance of becoming Lucky than recent catches.
2. Become Lucky Friends. Once you're Best Friends, interacting can randomly make you Lucky Friends, and your next trade together is guaranteed to make both Pokémon Lucky. Some events and research rewards have also included an item that makes you Lucky Friends with a Best Friend of your choice, so check your Item Bag. Save that trade for a species you actually want to power up.
3. Watch for events. Some events raise the Lucky chance for their duration.

Free evolutions after trading

Pokémon that evolve by trading in the main series games, Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler and Haunter among them, can be evolved for no Candy once they've been traded. Swapping spares with a friend saves both of you a lot of Candy.

Planning a trade meetup

1. Agree beforehand what you're swapping, and whether any of it is a Special Trade.
2. Check your friendship level. If it's a Special Trade and you're a day or two from the next level, waiting can save a lot of Stardust.
3. Tag or nickname the Pokémon you plan to trade, so you aren't scrolling through storage when you meet.
4. Meet somewhere public and safe with a good signal. If you only know the other player online, read our guide to staying safe in Pokémon GO communities first.
5. Read the confirmation screen, including species, CP range and Stardust cost, before either of you confirms.

Trading is also the main way to fill Pokédex gaps you can't catch locally; our collecting guide covers regional exclusives and Pokédex goals, and if you're bringing Pokémon back from a trip, see playing Pokémon GO abroad.

Trade questions

What stays the same after a trade?

The Pokémon keeps its level, its moves, and whether it is shiny or in a special form or costume. Only its IVs change, so its CP and HP change with them.

Can we back out once the trade screen is open?

Yes. Nothing happens until both players confirm, so either of you can cancel if the cost or the Pokémon isn't what you expected.