How does trading work in Pokémon GO?

Trading in Pokémon GO requires two trainers to be Friends and within 100 meters of each other. Select a friend, choose "Trade", and confirm the Stardust cost to exchange Pokémon. IVs are re-rolled during the process.

How much Stardust does it cost to trade?

Trading costs range from 100 Stardust for regular Pokémon to 1,000,000 Stardust for unregistered Shiny or Legendary Pokémon with a Good Friend. Costs decrease significantly as your Friendship Level increases, down to 800 or 40,000 for Best Friends.

What are Lucky Pokémon?

Lucky Pokémon require 50% less Stardust to power up and are guaranteed to have high IVs (minimum 12/12/12). They appear randomly from trades or are guaranteed when trading with a "Lucky Friend".

Do IVs change when trading Pokémon GO?

Yes, IVs (stats) are re-rolled randomly when a Pokémon is traded. You cannot predict the exact new stats, but higher friendship levels provide a higher minimum IV floor.

Pokémon GO Trading

Q: Can you trade Mythical Pokémon?

No, most Mythical Pokémon (like Mew, Celebi, Jirachi) cannot be traded. The only exceptions are Meltan and Melmetal, which can be traded.

Q: What is the maximum trade distance?

The standard maximum trade distance is 100 meters. Niantic occasionally increases this to 40km during special events, but remote trading is otherwise not possible.

Find trainers to exchange friend codes, coordinate lucky trades, and complete special trades for shiny and legendary Pokémon. Check stardust cost by friendship level.

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Pokémon GO Trading Guide

Everything you need to know about Pokémon trading: stardust cost, lucky trade mechanics, special trades, and how trainers exchange Pokémon safely.

How to Trade in Pokémon GO

Pokémon trading is a core feature that allows trainers to exchange Pokémon with friends. Whether you want to complete your Pokédex, get better IVs through a lucky trade, or find someone to do a special trade with for shiny and legendary Pokémon, PokeTrade makes the trainers exchange process simple and safe.

Add a Friend: Exchange friend codes with the trainer you want to trade with. You must be friends before any Pokémon trading can begin.
Build Friendship Level: The stardust cost for every trade depends on your friendship level. Increase it by opening gifts, battling together, or raiding together daily.
Meet in Person: Standard Pokémon trading requires you to be within 100 meters of each other. During special events, Niantic may extend this to 40km for remote trading.
Select a Pokémon: Open your friend list, select the trainer, choose "Trade", and pick the Pokémon you want to send.
Confirm Stardust Cost: Both trainers pay the stardust cost shown. The amount depends on friendship level and whether it is a regular trade or special trade.

Pokémon GO Stardust Cost Chart

The stardust cost for every Pokémon trade depends on your friendship level and the type of Pokémon being traded. Special trades (shiny, legendary, or unregistered Pokémon) cost significantly more stardust than regular trades. Building your friendship level is the best way to reduce stardust cost.

Trade Type	Good Friend	Great Friend	Ultra Friend	Best Friend
Regular Trade (Normal Pokémon, registered)	100	100	100	100
New Dex Entry (Normal Pokémon, unregistered)	20,000	16,000	1,600	800
Special Trade (Shiny/Legendary) (Registered in Pokédex)	20,000	16,000	1,600	800
Special Trade (Shiny/Legendary) (Unregistered in Pokédex)	1,000,000	800,000	80,000	40,000

* Both trainers pay the same stardust cost. Special trades are limited to one per day. The stardust cost depends on your friendship level — the higher your friendship level, the lower the stardust cost for every trade.

Special Trades in Pokémon GO

A special trade is required when exchanging shiny Pokémon, legendary Pokémon, or any Pokémon that isn't registered in the receiver's Pokédex. You can only complete one special trade per day, so plan carefully when you want to trade shiny legendary Pokémon with other trainers.

The stardust cost for a special trade depends on your friendship level. Trading an unregistered shiny or legendary Pokémon as Good Friends costs 1,000,000 stardust, but as Best Friends the same special trade shiny or legendary Pokémon only costs 40,000 stardust. This is why building friendship level is essential before expensive trades.

What counts as a special trade?

Any shiny Pokémon — even if both trainers have it registered
Any legendary Pokémon — from raids, research, or GO Battle League
Any Pokémon not registered in the receiving trainer's Pokédex
Regional exclusive Pokémon if the receiver doesn't have it

Lucky Trades in Pokémon GO

A lucky trade is one of the most valuable outcomes in Pokémon trading. When a trade results in a lucky Pokémon, it gets minimum IVs of 12/12/12 and requires 50% less stardust to power up — making lucky trade Pokémon the most efficient to build for PvP and raids.

How to get a lucky trade

Random chance: Any Pokémon trading between friends has a chance to become lucky. Trading older Pokémon (caught in 2016-2017) significantly increases lucky trade odds.
Lucky Friends: After becoming Best Friends, you have a daily chance to trigger "Lucky Friends" status. The next trade between lucky friends is a guaranteed lucky trade — both Pokémon will become lucky.
Guaranteed Lucky: If a trainer has fewer than 10 lucky Pokémon, trading a Pokémon caught in July or August 2016 guarantees a lucky trade result.

Lucky trade lucky Pokémon are highly sought after for PvP because they have high IVs and cost less stardust to power up. Use PokeTrade to find trainers looking for lucky trades.

Friendship Levels & Trading Benefits

Your friendship level directly affects the stardust cost of every trade. The higher your friendship level, the cheaper trades become — especially special trades for shiny and legendary Pokémon. Here is how friendship levels work:

Good Friend (1 day)

Can trade Pokémon. Highest stardust cost. No attack bonus in raids.

Great Friend (7 days)

Reduced stardust cost. +2 attack bonus when raiding together.

Ultra Friend (30 days)

Significantly reduced stardust cost. +5 attack bonus. 2 extra Premier Balls.

Best Friend (90 days)

Lowest stardust cost. +7 attack bonus. 4 extra Premier Balls. Can become Lucky Friends.

The stardust cost for a special trade shiny legendary Pokémon drops from 1,000,000 at Good Friend to just 40,000 at Best Friend — a 96% discount that depends on friendship level. This is why most experienced trainers wait for Best Friend status before doing expensive trades.

How Trainers Exchange Pokémon on PokeTrade

PokeTrade is a free platform where trainers exchange friend codes, coordinate Pokémon trading, and find partners for lucky trades and special trades. Here is how the trainers exchange process works:

Create a listing: List which Pokémon you have and which Pokémon you want. Include details like shiny, costume, and whether it is a special trade.
Browse trades: Search active listings filtered by Pokémon type, shiny status, legendary, and more to find exactly what you need.
Exchange friend codes: Message the trainer and share your Pokémon GO friend code to add each other in-game.
Build friendship: Increase your friendship level to reduce the stardust cost of the trade, especially for special trades.
Complete the trade: Meet up (or wait for remote trading events) and complete the Pokémon trading exchange in-game.

Pokémon GO Trading FAQ

Can you trade Mythical Pokémon?

Generally, no. Mythical Pokémon like Mew, Celebi, and Jirachi cannot be traded. The only exception is Meltan and its evolution Melmetal, which can be traded like legendary Pokémon as a special trade.

Do IVs change when trading?

Yes, IVs are completely re-rolled during Pokémon trading. The range of potential IVs depends on your friendship level. Best Friends have a minimum IV floor of 5/5/5, or 12/12/12 for a lucky trade.

How much stardust does a special trade cost?

The stardust cost for a special trade depends on friendship level and whether the Pokémon is registered. A special trade shiny legendary costs 1,000,000 stardust at Good Friend but only 40,000 at Best Friend.

What is a lucky trade and how do I get one?

A lucky trade produces lucky Pokémon with 12/12/12 minimum IVs and 50% reduced power-up stardust cost. Any trade can be lucky randomly, but becoming "Lucky Friends" with a Best Friend guarantees the next trade is a lucky trade.

Can you trade back Pokémon?

No. Once a Pokémon has been traded, it cannot be traded again. The Pokémon is locked to the new trainer's account permanently. Always confirm the trade details with the other trainer before completing the exchange.

What is the maximum trade distance?

The standard Pokémon trading distance is 100 meters. Niantic occasionally increases this to 40km during special events. Use PokeTrade to find local trainers near you for in-person trading.

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