Friendship Friday is one of many Daily Discoveries bonuses in Pokémon Go.
Taking place - you guessed it - each Friday, it provides a number of powerful benefits when trading with friends locally, from reduced Stardust to an increased chance of getting a Lucky Pokémon.
This guide explains all Friendship Friday bonuses, timings, and how make the most of the weekly trade-friendly event.
When is Friendship Friday in Pokémon Go?
Friendship Friday runs each Friday between 12am to 11:59pm - in other words, for the entire 24 hours.
Note that very occasionally it doesn't take place, with special week-long events - such as the Pokémon Go 10th anniversary in July - skipping all Daily Discovery bonuses.
Friendship Friday bonuses
The Friendship Friday bonuses for in-person trades are as follows, as per the in-game description:
- Up to 3 Special Trades per day
- Increased chance for Lucky Pokémon in trades
- Up to 20% reduced Stardust cost for trades
- 2 guaranteed Candy XL when trading Pokémon
Again, these only apply to in-person trades - not remote ones.
The above was updated (from a 10% reduction in Stardust and 2 Special Trades per day) from 19th June, 2026, alongside a series of changes including the return of Spotlight Hour and the 2x Candy Transfer bonus.
How to make the most out of Friendship Friday in Pokémon Go
With the above bonuses in mind, the weekly event is a great opportunity to consider the following:
- Catching up on missing Pokédex entries or shinies with the extra special trades available.
- Holding off on trading a Pokémon whose stats you want to reroll, as the Lucky Pokémon perk raises the IV floor to 12/12/12.
- The exact odds with a increased lucky trade on Friendship Friday is unknown - but since by default the older one of the Pokémon is, the more likely a lucky will be, consider one player offering a years-old Pokémon to increase the likelihood.
- Remember if you want to play it safe, and not risk a rare Pokémon getting poor stats, then waiting until you are Lucky Friends to guarantee this status is best.
- The exact odds with a increased lucky trade on Friendship Friday is unknown - but since by default the older one of the Pokémon is, the more likely a lucky will be, consider one player offering a years-old Pokémon to increase the likelihood.
- Either way, the increased Lucky Pokémon bonus is particularly useful for Level 79's requirements, which demands a whopping 50 Lucky trades total to progress.
- With the 2 guaranteed Candy XL bonus, if you have any spare Legendary Pokémon you no longer need, this is perfect to help fully max out another in your roster.
- Also, you can always trade them for this bonus, then transfer them, to squeeze out a little more Candy before getting rid.
- Finally, if you have a nearby Community meetup, the Ambassador can set up a Timed Research check-in with rewards for trading Pokémon, earning buddy hearts and powering up Pokémon including an Incubator, an Incense and 5,000 XP (thanks PandaGrill on reddit for confirming these).
New Ambassador Check-In for Friendship Fridays
by u/PandaGrill in TheSilphRoad
Enjoy making the most out of Friendship Friday!
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