Trading has been one of the most highly requested features in Pokémon Go. Now that trading is finally available alongside gifting and a new friendship feature in Pokémon Go, you may find that the game implements trading a bit differently than in other Pokémon games. In this guide, we’ll explain how trading works in Pokémon Go so that you can start trading with friends to increase your friendship level.
How to Trade in Pokémon Go
There are a few requirements players must meet in order to begin trading in Pokémon Go.
- Friends Only – Trading can only be done between friends in Pokémon Go. Visit our Pokémon Go Friendship Guide to learn how to share your friend code and start making friends in-game.
- Trainer Level 10 – Players must reach Trainer Level 10 to access trading in Pokémon Go.
- Be Within 100 Meters – To make a trade, Trainers must be within physical proximity to one another (100m).
When the above criteria are met, you are ready to begin trading Pokémon in Pokémon Go. Start by going to your Friends list in Pokémon Go and finding the friend you are going to trade with. Look for a Trade button beside the Send Gift option.
From here, you can select the Pokémon that you wish to trade. Prior to trading, you will be able to see how much Stardust the trade will cost you as well as the Pokémon you will receive in return. The Stardust cost for trades gets lowered as your Friendship Level increases.
You can also see the range of CP and HP that the Pokémon will have, which is determined based on your friend’s Trainer level. The stats of the Pokémon being traded will change after the trade is complete.
Trading Details
There are a few details to keep in mind when trading in Pokémon Go. First, one major incentive of trading (beyond getting a new Pokémon and increasing your Friendship Level) is the fact that trading gives each player an additional Candy bonus. The further away the two Pokémon were caught from one another, the more Candy will be rewarded for the trade.
It’s also important to note that not all Pokémon are traded equally in Pokémon Go. Each Pokémon can only be traded once, and Mythical Pokémon, such as Mew, cannot be traded.
Legendary and Shiny Pokémon, as well as Pokémon not already in your Pokédex are considered Special Trades, which require more Stardust than regular trades and can only be done between Trainers who have achieved Great Friend or Best Friend level. Special Trades are limited to once per day in Pokémon Go, so trade wisely!
Now that you know how trading works in Pokémon Go, make sure to start leveling up your friendships with Trainers near you so you can perform Special Trades and get new Pokémon to fill out your Pokédex in Pokémon Go.
