1. Essential Pokémon Go Trading Gear + 2. Complete Trading Guide

July is our favorite month of the year when it all comes together and we get to be outside doing all of the things we love... and this July has been a special one with falling back in love with Pokémon Go all over again. The game has evolved a lot over the last 2 years and, well, it's pretty friggin rad now!

One of the most anticipated pieces of the game, an essential component to completing our Red and Blue nostalgia, is the ability to trade Pokémon with your fellow trainer. 

What we love so much about Pogo is that it brings us together, gaming together... and, with the exception of player vs player battle, there is no feature that is more geared towards the beautiful social aspect of the game as trading.

The wait is over... go grab your trainer best friend because the trading feature is now available in Pokémon Go, offering trainers the ability to swap Pokémon to completely fill up your Pokédex... Pokédex Battery Case! Here’s everything you need to know about the best gear for trading and how to trade in Pokémon Go!

1. Essential Pokémon Go Trading Gear

Since the Pokémon Go trading feature is an inherently social feature and you will be interacting with your trainer buds, you better believe that you want to like fly as hell when you are doing so!

There is no better way to command respect from your fellow trainer while negotiating a trade then by making sure your in game Pokédex is... well... a real Pokédex! And it better be one that looks great AND keeps you trading all weekend long without stopping to charge your phone too.

With this in mind, we have just the Pokédex Battery Phone Case for you:

The Chargemander is on Sale now through 7/31 at midnight!

2. Complete Trading Guide

Trading requirements

Pokémon Go’s trading requirements are relatively simple. To initialize a trade with another player:

1. You must be friends with the person
2. You must be within 100m of the person
3. Both players must be at least Trainer Level 10

Trading does not require a specific Friendship level, however there are significant trading benefits earned by increasing your Friendship with a player (more on that below). It’s also important to note that you have to be in a physical proximity to each other (100 meters) —which means no trading with online friends. Finally, you must both be Trainer Level 10.

Which Pokemon can be traded?

You can trade everything but Mythical Pokémon. These Pokémon—currently limited to Mew and Celebi—can only be obtained through completion of Special Research missions. Each trade costs Stardust, with substantially higher costs for Legendary and Shiny Pokémon. You can trade regular Pokémon at any Friendship Level, but you'll have to reach Good Friends before trading Legendary, Shiny, Regional, Alolan or Event Pokémon. Thankfully, this requires only one interaction with the other player, so it's hardly a limitation.

How to add a friend

To add someone to friends in Pokémon Go, you’ll just need their Trainer Code (or they’ll need yours). You can view your own 12-digit Trainer Code by tapping your trainer’s portrait, then “Friends,” then tap the “Add Friend” button. Friendships are mutual, as expected, so only one of you will need to send a friend request.

How to trade Pokémon

Once you and a friend meet the requirements outlined above, you’ll be able to trade Pokémon. To initiate a trade, navigate again to the “Friends” tab and click on the player you wish to trade with. On their profile, you’ll find two available options: Send Gift and Trade. Both players will need to select the “Trade” option for the trade to begin. Simply select the Pokémon you wish to trade and it’ll be on its way soon enough! It may be worth noting that you can trade only 100 Pokémon per day, so you won’t be able to non-stop churn trades for Candies.

Features of the trading screen

There are important features to note on the trading screen. Obviously, you’ll be able to see which Pokémon are up for trade. Once you reach Good Friends with another Trainer, you’ll be able to trade any Pokémon except Mythical ones (Mew or Celebi). It's important to note the Stardust cost, which can be reduced by raising your Friendship Level with the other person. You’ll also receive Candy for the Pokémon you’re trading away, and may receive bonus candy depending on the distance between which the two Pokémon were caught (up to a maximum of three Candy).

Perhaps the most important feature of trading is the effect the trade will have on the involved Pokémon stats. A Pokémon's Individual Values (IV) will change when trading. Before you confirm a trade, you’ll be able to see the range of potential CP and HP the Pokémon may have after being traded. This range is based on your Friendship Level with the other person, and can result in an increase or decrease to your Pokémon’s stats. It’s important to note that an individual Pokémon can be traded only once, so you won’t be able to keep trading a Pokémon over and over in an attempt to increase its stats.

Decrease Stardust cost by increasing Friendship Level

Each trade costs a certain number of Stardust, determined by the rarity of the Pokémon as well as your Friendship Level with the other Trainer. Legendary and Shiny Pokémon have a higher Stardust cost. Remember, Mythical Pokémon cannot be traded at all. These are the discounts you’ll receive at each Friendship Level:

Good Friends: 0 percent Stardust discount

Great Friends: 20 percent Stardust discount

Ultra Friends: 92 percent Stardust discount

Best Friends: 96 percent Stardust discount

As you can see, once you raise Friendship Level to Ultra and Best Friends, the discounts are HUGE. It’ll take a minimum of 30 days of interactions with a Trainer to reach Ultra Friends, but it’s certainly worth it.

With those discounts in mind, here are the Stardust cost for all kinds of Pokémon trades:

Unowned Pokémon

Shiny / Legendary:

• Good Friend: 1000000
• Great Friend: 800000
• Ultra Friend: 80000
• Best Friend: 40000

Regional / Regular:

• Friend: 20000
• Good Friend: 20000
• Great Friend: 16000
• Ultra Friend: 1600
• Best Friend: 800

Owned Pokémon

Shiny / Legendary:

• Good Friend: 20000
• Great Friend: 16000
• Ultra Friend: 1600
• Best Friend: 800

Regional / Regular:

• Friend: 100
• Good Friend: 100
• Great Friend: 80
• Ultra Friend: 8
• Best Friend: 4

How to raise Friendship Level

If you plan on doing a lot of trading, it’s important to raise your Friendship Level with other Trainers. As noted above, the Stardust cost reduction is extremely substantial, and you’ll have a better chance of getting higher stat rolls in trades. You can increase your Friendship Level with another Trainer by participating in at least one interaction per day with that Trainer. Here’s what counts:

• Participation in a Gym battle or Raid
• Giving or receiving gifts
• Trading with a friend