How to trade Pokémon in Pokémon Go

How do you trade Pokémon in Pokémon Go? Like this!

Trading is finally coming to Pokémon Go and, with it, you'll finally be able to exchange your extra Pokémon with others players for the Pokémon you still need or simply want. But, it's the way you trade Pokémon in Pokémon Go — especially Legendary, Mythical, Shiny, perfect, and new Pokédex entries — that's so interesting... and expensive. What does that mean? Read on!

What has Pokémon Go said about trading Pokémon?

Mostly just a tease, for now.

From Pokémon Go:

If you're near a friend and have a Trainer Level of 10 or higher, you can trade Pokémon you've caught with that friend. Completing a trade earns a bonus Candy for the Pokémon you've traded away, and that bonus can increase if the Pokémon you traded were caught in locations far apart from each other! All trades are powered by Stardust, and some trades require more Stardust than others. As you build your Friendship Level with the friend you are trading with, you'll find that you can complete the trade with much less Stardust.

Certain Pokémon, such as a Legendary Pokémon, a Shiny Pokémon, or a Pokémon not currently in your Pokédex, require a Special Trade to complete, so keep that in mind before trading away that golden Magikarp! Special Trades can only occur once per day with a Great Friend or Best Friend, and it often requires a lot of Stardust to complete a Special Trade. Special Trades are a great way to show a friend how much you care!

So you have to be level 10 or higher to trade Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

Yup. That's the cutoff. And we shouldn't be surprised. Pokémon Go has implemented minimum levels for in-game mechanics since it first launched.

How do you trade Pokémon in Pokémon Go?

Assuming both you and the person you want to trade with are level 10 and higher:

1. Become "Friends" with the person you want to trade with. (Ask for their Trainer Code and use it to send them a Friend request. Once they accept, you're friends.)
2. Meet up with the Friend you want to trade with. (You have to be within 100 meters of each other for trading to become available.)
3. Select the Pokémon you want to trade and have your Friend select the Pokémon they want to trade for it.
4. Review the Trade Details and make sure you're happy with them, including the CP and HP ranges. (IV is re-rolled when you trade, so it's better to trade low IV Pokémon in hopes of improving them, and never trade a 100% Pokémon because you'll almost certainly lose those stats.)
5. Tap Next.
6. Review the Trade one last time.
7. Tap Confirm.

How much Stardust will Trading cost?

It will vary depending on the Pokémon. So far, it looks like base-level Pokémon like Pikachu and Squirtle can be Traded for tiny amounts of Stardust — 100.

Special Trades, which involve Legendary, Shiny, and new (for your Pokédex) are another story. They could start at one million Stardust. Yes — 1,000,000!

1,000,0000 Stardust for a Special Trade is ABSURD!

Hear ya! It's almost certainly meant to discourage cheaters — people who bot, spoof, or multi-account — from consolidating their ill-gotten Pokes into a single mega-account.

The 1,000,000 number is also just for new friends. Once you work your way up to best friends (takes 90 days, minimum), you can trade a Legendary, Shiny, or New-for-you Pokémon for "just" 40,000 Stardust.

Any other restrictions to Special Trades?

Yup! You can only make one Special Trade a day. Not one per Friend. One total.

But doesn't that kind of suck for big events like Pokémon Go Fest where you could meet people with all different Regionals you don't have?

Kinda does, yeah. Unless the rules were changed for the event, everyone would still be limited to one Special Trade a day, and at the new Friend — 1,000,000 Stardust — level.

Both people making the Trade pay the same amount of Stardust, or is it split between them?

So far, it looks like both people pay the same amount of Stardust.

Why do the IVs change when you Trade?

Again, almost certainly to discourage cheaters from moving all the 100% Pokémon they've "caught" to their main accounts.

In the game, though, it means the higher your Friendship level, the higher potential IV you can get from a Trade.

So... you're almost better off Trading low IV Pokémon instead of high?

Totally. It's effectively a re-roll.

Any other questions about Trading in Pokémon Go?

Pokémon Go Trading will go live soon. If you have any questions, drop them in the comments below!