Pokémon GO Evolution Methods
Most Pokémon just cost candy. These ones want an item, a lure, a walk, the right time of day — or, in exactly one case, for you to turn your phone over.
Turn your phone upside down1
The only evolution in the game that asks something of the phone rather than the Pokémon. Open the evolve screen, flip the device, and the button changes.
Walk with it as your buddy8
Distance has to be earned with that specific Pokémon set as your buddy, and most of these want it still set as your buddy at the moment you evolve.
Lure modules7
Stand in range of a PokéStop with the right lure active. Unlike the buddy routes, these repeat as often as you have lures.
Time of day10
Read from your device clock, so these flip at your local day/night boundary rather than the game's.
Evolution items39
A one-off item on top of the candy. Most come from PokéStop streaks and research, which is what makes them the real bottleneck.
Cheaper when traded10
These still evolve normally for full candy. Trade one first and the candy cost drops to zero — the biggest candy saver in the game.
Gender-locked12
The same species splits into two different evolutions depending on gender, so check the symbol before you spend.
Requirements come from our imported Pokémon GO game data — 85 evolutions that need more than candy.
Source: pogoapi.net · Data snapshot: Jul 24, 2026 · 566 rows · Methodology