Pokémon Go Friendships: How to Level Up Faster

When Pokémon Go Friendships launched back in 2016, it was all about catching Pokémon, battling gyms, and exploring the world around you. Over the years, though, the game has evolved into something bigger—a community-driven adventure. One of the most exciting features added to the game is the friendship system, where trainers can connect, exchange gifts, trade Pokémon, and even battle together in raids.

But here’s the catch: friendships in Pokémon Go don’t just bring fun social interaction; they also come with powerful bonuses, from reduced trade costs to massive XP rewards. If you’ve ever wondered why some trainers seem to level up much faster than others, chances are they’ve mastered the art of maximizing friendships.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about Pokémon Go friendships, explain how the system works, and share real strategies to level up faster through social play.

Why Friendships Matter in Pokémon Go

Before diving into strategies, let’s first understand why friendships are so important.

• Massive XP Gains: Every time you level up a friendship tier, you earn XP—ranging from 3,000 all the way up to 100,000 XP for Best Friends. That’s a huge amount, especially when combined with a Lucky Egg.

• Trade Discounts: The closer your friendship, the fewer Stardust you’ll need for trades, including those shiny or legendary Pokémon.

• Attack Bonuses in Raids: Friends who raid together deal more damage and earn extra Premier Balls.

• Gift Benefits: Gifts contain items like Poké Balls, potions, and even rare 7km eggs.

Friendships, in short, are not just for fun—they’re one of the fastest ways to power-level your trainer.

How the Friendship System Works

To maximize friendships, you need to understand the system. Pokémon Go friendships have four tiers:

1. Good Friends (1 day)

   • Reached after 1 interaction (gift, raid, trade, or battle).

   • XP reward: 3,000 XP

2. Great Friends (7 days)

   • Requires 7 days of interactions.

   • XP reward: 10,000 XP

3. Ultra Friends (30 days)

   • Reached after 30 days of interactions.

   • XP reward: 50,000 XP

4. Best Friends (90 days)

   • Requires 90 days of interactions.

   • XP reward: 100,000 XP

💡 Pro Tip: Use a Lucky Egg right before leveling up a friendship tier to double your XP rewards.

The Fastest Ways to Build Friendships

Building friendships isn’t complicated, but it does require consistency. Here’s how you can speed things up:

1. Send and Open Gifts Daily

• Gifts are the backbone of friendship growth.

• Make it a habit: open your max number of gifts daily (20) and send as many as possible.

• Prioritize opening gifts from trainers you’re close to reaching the next friendship tier with.

2. Coordinate Raids with Friends

• Raiding together counts as an interaction.

• Remote Raids make this even easier—you don’t need to be in the same location.

3. Trade Pokémon Regularly

• Trading once per day also counts as an interaction.

• Save rare trades for higher friendship levels to save Stardust.

4. Battle Together

• Gym battles, Team Rocket battles, and PvP battles all count.

• Quick, simple battles are a great way to build friendship with local trainers.

How to Maximize XP from Friendships

If your goal is to level up as fast as possible, you’ll want to optimize how you handle friendship milestones.

Timing Your Lucky Eggs

The most common mistake trainers make? They let friendships level up without using a Lucky Egg. That’s like leaving half your XP on the table.

Here’s the breakdown with Lucky Egg:

• Good Friends: 6,000 XP

• Great Friends: 20,000 XP

• Ultra Friends: 100,000 XP

• Best Friends: 200,000 XP

Now imagine coordinating multiple friendships on the same day—you could gain millions of XP in just a few hours.

Read More: A Parent’s Guide to Pokémon Go: Safe Play for Kids

Coordinating with Friends

• Communicate with friends through Discord, Messenger, or WhatsApp groups.

• Plan to open gifts at the same time while everyone uses Lucky Eggs.

• This is especially powerful during events where XP bonuses stack.

Tips for Managing a Large Friends List

If you’re serious about leveling up fast, you’ll want a big friends list—sometimes even maxed at 400 friends. But managing that many trainers can get overwhelming.

Here are some strategies:

• Nickname System: Add notes in trainer nicknames like “Ultra soon” or “Gift daily.”

• Prioritize Active Players: Remove inactive trainers who don’t send gifts.

• Sort by Friend Level: Focus on those close to Ultra or Best Friends for big XP gains.

• Use Friend Codes Strategically: Share your code in online communities to quickly expand your list.

The Role of Gifts in Friendship Growth

Gifts might seem small, but they’re powerful. Here’s how to make the most of them:

• Always Have Gifts Ready: Spin PokéStops daily to stock up.

• 7km Eggs: Hatching regional Pokémon from gifts is a great bonus.

• Time Zones Matter: Having international friends ensures you’ll always have gifts waiting to open.

💡 Pro Tip: If you’re out of space, prioritize sending gifts to friends you want to level up with soon.

Using Events to Your Advantage

Pokémon Go frequently runs events that can turbocharge friendship leveling.

• Friendship Bonus Events: Sometimes interactions count for double progress.

• Double XP Events: Stack with Lucky Eggs for insane XP gains.

• Community Days: Perfect for raiding and trading with friends in person.

Always check the in-game news tab or Pokémon Go community forums so you don’t miss these golden opportunities.

Friendship Do’s and Don’ts

To keep friendships strong and effective, follow these tips:

Do’s

• Log in daily to send/open gifts.

• Communicate with friends before hitting Ultra or Best levels.

• Help with raids—friends will remember and return the favor.

Don’ts

• Don’t waste Lucky Eggs by leveling friendships randomly.

• Don’t trade rare Pokémon at low friendship levels (too costly in Stardust).

• Don’t ignore inactive friends—trim your list regularly.

Stories from the Pokémon Go Community

One of the most heartwarming aspects of Pokémon Go is how it brings people together. Many trainers have shared stories of making lifelong friends (and even marriages!) through the game.

For example:

• A trainer in New York maxed out 400 friends worldwide and gained over 50 million XP in just one year through coordinated Lucky Egg sessions.

• Another trainer in Tokyo used international friendships to collect regional Pokémon they’d never otherwise encounter.

Friendship isn’t just about XP—it’s about the community spirit that keeps Pokémon Go alive years after its launch.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced trainers sometimes slip up when it comes to friendships. Here are the top mistakes:

1. Forgetting Lucky Eggs at Ultra/Best friend milestones.

2. Adding too many inactive players, leading to wasted time.

3. Not communicating before triggering a level-up.

4. Over-trading early, wasting Stardust on unnecessary trades.

Avoiding these pitfalls will save you frustration and help you level faster.

Advanced Friendship Strategies

If you really want to take your Pokémon Go gameplay to the next level, try these advanced techniques:

• Friendship Farming: Actively seek out new friends online for rapid XP growth.

• Lucky Egg Chains: Line up multiple friends to hit milestones back-to-back during one Lucky Egg session.

• Time Zone Advantage: Add players from around the world so you always have gifts waiting, no matter when you log in.

• Double Lucky Egg Trick: During XP events, stack a Lucky Egg with friendship milestones for insane returns.

Final Thoughts

Pokémon Go Friendships are more than just a social feature—they’re a powerful way to level up faster, save resources, and enjoy the game with others. By sending gifts daily, coordinating milestones, and using Lucky Eggs wisely, you can turn friendships into one of your biggest strengths.

Whether you’re aiming to reach level 50, fill your Pokédex with rare Pokémon, or simply enjoy the sense of global community, friendships are the key. Remember: Pokémon Go isn’t just about catching them all—it’s about catching them together.