What's the fastest way to get candy in Pokémon Go?

See website for detailed answer

How do I determine my Pokémon's level in the game?

See website for detailed answer

How do buddy distances affect candy collection?

See website for detailed answer

Pokémon Go Candy Calculator

Calculate the candies needed for Pokémon evolutions and power-ups. Optimize your Pokémon Go experience with our precise candy requirement calculator.

Calculate Your Pokémon Go Candy Calculator

What is the Pokémon Go Candy Calculator?

The Pokémon Go Candy Calculator is a tool designed to help Pokémon Go players determine the exact amount of candy needed for evolving or powering up their Pokémon. Candy is a crucial resource in Pokémon Go, required for both evolution and powering up, and this calculator helps you plan your candy usage efficiently.

Whether you're trying to evolve a rare Pokémon or maximize the combat power (CP) of your battle team, knowing exactly how much candy you'll need helps you make strategic decisions about which Pokémon to prioritize.

Understanding Pokémon Go Candy

Candy in Pokémon Go is a species-specific resource that you collect by:

Catching Pokémon (3-6 candy per catch)
Hatching Pokémon from eggs (5-20 candy)
Transferring Pokémon to the Professor (1 candy per transfer)
Walking with a Pokémon as your buddy (1 candy per specific distance)
Using Rare Candy (converts to any species candy)
Completing certain research tasks

Different Pokémon species require different amounts of candy to evolve, generally based on their rarity. Common Pokémon like Pidgey require only 12 candy to evolve, while rare Pokémon like Dratini need 100 candy.

How to Use the Pokémon Go Candy Calculator

Evolution Candy Calculator:

Select Pokémon Type: Choose the rarity category of your Pokémon (common, uncommon, rare, or legendary).
Enter Current Candy Count: Input how many candy you currently have for this Pokémon species.
Select Starting and Target Evolution Stages: Choose which evolution stage your Pokémon is currently at, and which stage you want to evolve it to.
Calculate: The calculator will show you how many candies are required and whether you have enough.

Power-Up Candy Calculator:

Enter Current and Target Levels: Input your Pokémon's current level and the level you want to power it up to.
Enter Current Candy Count: Input how many candy you currently have for this Pokémon species.
Select Purified Status: Indicate if your Pokémon is purified (provides a 10% candy discount).
Calculate: The calculator will show you the total candy required and whether you have enough.

Candy Requirements by Pokémon Type

Pokémon Type	Stage 1 → 2	Stage 2 → 3	Examples
Common	25 candy	100 candy	Pidgey, Rattata, Weedle, Caterpie
Uncommon	50 candy	200 candy	Machop, Geodude, Bellsprout, Abra
Rare	100 candy	400 candy	Dratini, Bagon, Beldum, Larvitar
Special Cases	Variable	Variable	Magikarp (400), Swablu (400), Meltan (400)

Power-Up Candy Cost Formula

The candy cost for powering up a Pokémon increases as it reaches higher levels:

Candy Cost = ⌊ (Level / 10) ⌋ + 1

Where ⌊ x ⌋ represents the floor function (round down to the nearest integer)

Pokémon Level Range	Candy per Power-Up
1-10	1 candy
11-20	2 candy
21-30	3 candy
31-40	4 candy
41-50	5 candy

Note: Purified Pokémon receive a 10% discount on candy costs for powering up.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most efficient ways to collect candy in Pokémon Go are:

Pinap Berries: Use them before catching Pokémon to double the candy received
Event bonuses: Take advantage of special events that offer 2x or 3x candy
Walking with a buddy: Choose Pokémon with lower buddy distance requirements (1km or 3km)
Trading: Trading Pokémon gives you candy for the Pokémon you trade away
Rare Candy: Obtained from raids and research tasks, can be converted to any species candy
Hatching eggs: Particularly 10km eggs which often yield 15-30 candy
Transferring extras: Transfer duplicate Pokémon for 1 candy each

Pokémon Go doesn't explicitly show a Pokémon's level, but you can determine it in several ways:

Stardust/Candy cost to power up: Check the power-up cost - different level ranges have distinct costs
Position of the CP arc: The white arc above your Pokémon shows its level relative to your trainer level
Third-party apps: Apps like Poke Genie or Calcy IV can analyze screenshots to determine exact level
Maximum level: A Pokémon can be powered up to your trainer level + 10, with an absolute max of level 50

For this calculator, the level is important for power-up candy calculations. If unsure, estimate based on how far the CP arc is filled.

No, candy requirements vary significantly between species. Most common Pokémon (like Pidgey) need only 12-25 candy to evolve, while uncommon ones typically need 50 candy. Rare Pokémon often require 100 candy, and some special cases like Magikarp, Swablu, and Wailmer require 400 candy for evolution. Legendary Pokémon generally don't evolve at all. The candy requirement is based on the Pokémon's rarity and its evolutionary stage in the main Pokémon games.

XL Candy is a special type of candy introduced for powering up Pokémon beyond level 40 (up to level 50). You'll need XL Candy for any power-ups past level 40. XL Candy can be obtained by catching Pokémon (especially higher-level or evolved forms), trading Pokémon long distances, walking with your buddy Pokémon, or converting 100 regular candy into 1 XL Candy. This calculator focuses on regular candy requirements, as XL Candy follows different mechanics and is only relevant for trainers who have reached level 40+.

Every Pokémon species has a designated buddy distance - the distance you need to walk with them to earn 1 candy:

1 km: Common Pokémon like Pidgey, Rattata, Caterpie
3 km: Uncommon Pokémon like Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle
5 km: Rare Pokémon like Dratini, Larvitar, Beldum
20 km: Legendary Pokémon like Mewtwo, Lugia, Rayquaza

To maximize candy collection efficiency, prioritize walking with Pokémon that have rare candy needs but shorter buddy distances. Using Poffin berries cuts these distances in half temporarily.

This depends on your immediate goals and resources. For immediate battle readiness with minimal candy/stardust investment, evolving a high-level Pokémon (even with lower IVs) is more economical. However, for long-term investment in raid or PvP performance, evolving a low-level Pokémon with excellent IVs (especially 90%+ or with ideal PvP IVs) is usually better, despite the higher candy and stardust cost to power it up. For casual play, the level difference is more significant than small IV differences. For competitive play, optimal IVs become more important.

Share This Calculator

Found this calculator helpful? Share it with your friends and colleagues!