Trading and Lucky Pokémon
Getting startedLast checked 2026-10-31
In 3 lines
- You can trade from Trainer level 10 with a friend within 100 m, and the higher your friendship level, the less Stardust it costs.
- Trading rerolls IVs based on your friendship level, and trading with a Lucky Friend gives you a Lucky Pokémon with at least 12 in every stat.
- Some Pokémon, like Kadabra, Machoke, Graveler and Haunter, evolve without Candy once they've been traded.
Trading requirements
- You must be Trainer level 10 or higher.
- You must be friends with each other and close by (within 100 m).
- Shadow Pokémon, most Mythical Pokémon and the Pokémon set as your buddy can't be traded.
Friendship levels
Opening gifts or raiding together builds up friendship points (usually 1 a day). Once enough points build up, your level goes up. The names are the official in-game names.
| Level | Friendship points needed | Trade IV floor |
|---|---|---|
| Friend (0 hearts) | 0 | 0 |
| Good Friend | 1 | 1 |
| Great Friend | 7 | 2 |
| Ultra Friend | 30 | 3 |
| Best Friend | 90 | 5 |
Above Best Friend is Forever Friend (180 points). It keeps all the Best Friend benefits and lets you trade even when you're far apart (remote trading).
Trade Stardust
A normal trade costs 100 Stardust. A 'Special Trade', for Legendary or shiny Pokémon or for Pokémon not in the other Trainer's Pokédex, costs much more and can be done only once a day (events sometimes raise this). Special Trades are available from Good Friend.
| Friendship level | Special Trade | Legendary or shiny Pokémon not in your Pokédex |
|---|---|---|
| Good Friend | 20,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Great Friend | 16,000 | 800,000 |
| Ultra Friend | 1,600 | 80,000 |
| Best Friend | 800 | 40,000 |
Lucky Pokémon
- When Lucky Friends trade, both Pokémon become Lucky Pokémon.
- Best Friends sometimes become Lucky Friends, and you can also become Lucky Friends with a Lucky Trinket (used on a Great Friend or higher).
- Lucky Pokémon have at least 12 in every IV, so they have a 98.4% chance of 3 stars, and powering them up costs half the Stardust.
For raid Pokémon you'll use for a long time, making them Lucky before powering up saves a lot of Stardust.
Evolving without Candy after a trade
These Pokémon need no Candy to evolve if you got them in a trade.
| Before | After | Usual evolution Candy |
|---|---|---|
| Kadabra | Alakazam | 100 |
| Machoke | Machamp | 100 |
| Graveler (including Alolan) | Golem | 100 |
| Haunter | Gengar | 100 |
| Boldore | Gigalith | 200 |
| Gurdurr | Conkeldurr | 200 |
| Karrablast | Escavalier | 200 |
| Shelmet | Accelgor | 200 |
| Phantump | Trevenant | 200 |
| Pumpkaboo | Gourgeist | 200 |
Checklist
- Check your friendship level before trading (Special Trades get cheaper at higher levels)
- Special Trades are once a day, so decide ahead what to trade
- When you become Lucky Friends, trade Pokémon you'll use for a long time
Sources
- Niantic Help: Friend list and friendship levels (Korean page) — level names, points needed, benefits
- Bulbapedia: Trade (GO)) — Special Trades, trade Stardust, IV floors
- Site data: the trade evolution list comes from the Game Master evolution data, and the trade table is in the reference tables
Related Pokémon & events
- Kadabra
- Machoke
- Graveler
- Haunter
More in Getting started
- First-week guide for new players (with how GO differs from the main series)Pokémon GO has different stats, IVs, moves and type matchups from the main series, so main-series numbers give wrong answers here.
- Throwing and catch rates (Nice, Great, Excellent, Curveball)Ball, Berry, throw ring, Curveball and medal bonuses multiply together to raise your catch rate, and the smaller the ring when you hit it, the bigger the bonus.
- Types of research (Field Research, Special Research, Timed Research, Breakthrough)Research gives you rewards for finishing tasks, and it splits into Field Research, Special Research, Timed Research and more, depending on where you get it and its time limit.
- Adventure Sync (step tracking) and weekly rewardsWith Adventure Sync on, distance you walk with the game closed also counts, using the records in your phone's health app.
- How to use Party Play and Party PowerParty Play lets up to 4 Trainers at level 20 or higher form a party and adventure together.
- How to use PogoHelp tools (IV calculator, PvP, calendar subscription, My Pokédex)Enter CP, HP and the Power Up Stardust in the IV calculator, and it finds every possible IV combination.
- How to read IVs and appraisalsIVs run from 0 to 15 for each of Attack, Defense and HP, and appraisal stars are set by the sum of the three (0–45).
- Gyms and how to earn PokéCoinsPlace a Pokémon in a gym held by your team and you earn PokéCoins for the time it defends, up to 50 coins a day.
- Exchanging gifts with friends (how to build friendship points)Spinning the Photo Disc at PokéStops and gyms gets you gifts, and you can send one to each friend once a day.
- How to tidy up your bag and Pokémon storageYour bag (items) and Pokémon storage have a set number of slots, and you can add 50 slots at a time with PokéCoins in the shop.
Game rules and numbers can change, so each article shows when it was last checked. Articles are rechecked once that date is 6 months old. If you spot a mistake, let us know with 'Report an error' at the bottom of the page.