Levelling in Pokémon Go is one of the most important systems in the game. The higher your Pokémon Go level, the more items you can use, and the more powerful your Pokémon Go can become.
At launch, the level cap was set at 40, and it wasn't until November 2020 and the arrival of Season of Celebration in Pokémon Go that the level cap increase changed to level 50 - with a change to how levelling works along with it.
This page explains all level requirements up until the Pokémon Go level cap and other changes introduced to levelling alongside the Season of Celebrations update. And, if you're still making the climb to higher levels, a list of level item rewards and what levelling opens up as you progress.
If you want to read more on specific techniques, our how to get XP fast in Pokémon Go explainer can help.
On this page:
- Pokémon Go level cap and how levelling works
- Pokémon Go levels 1 to 40 Requirements and rewards
- Pokémon Go levels 41 to 50 requirements and rewards
- When do you unlock item rewards in Pokémon Go as you level up?
Pokémon Go level cap and how levelling works
The Pokémon Go level cap is level 50, increasing ten levels from the previous level cap of 40 set at the game's debut in the summer of 2016.
From level 1 to 40, the levelling is simple - you must simple acquire XP. Once you have reached the threshold, you'll increase to the next level. Despite this, it'll take you a very long to time reach level 40 - possibly years - so be patient, especially if you are a new player.
From level 41 to 50, as well as meeting a certain threshold of XP, you also need to complete certain challenges - named Level Up Research - in order to progress to the next level.
This includes earning certain medal types, catching a number of Pokémon within a set period, completing raids and much more. This is designed to make the levelling process as much as about skill as it is simply earning XP.
That's the broad strokes of how levelling changes post 40. Here's some other details worth knowing about how it will work:
- As with levels 1 to 40, the CP cap of Pokémon will increase in line with your level. However, to level your Pokémon past level 40, you need to use a new resource type - XL Candy.
- Any existing XP you have earned over Level 40 will contribute to the progress of future levels, meaning any additional XP reached once you hit your level will not go to waste, and will count when you complete the associated research and progress to the next level.
Though who managed to hit level 40 before the end of 2020 - the year the cap increase came into effect - saw them labelled a Legacy Level 40 player - unlocking a special Legacy Level 40 medal as well as the Legacy 40 Challenge quest.
Pokémon Go levels 1 to 40 requirements and rewards list
The following table breaks down how much experience is required to reach the next level, the total amount of XP required to reach that level from the start of the game (which, as you can see from level 20 onwards, gets progressively more demanding, and towards the level cap, requires millions to level up each time), the items you receive and the items you unlock that can then start appearing at PokéStops.
Thanks to The Silph Road Reddit and datamining efforts (as seen on Github) for the breakdown of the below.
| Level | Experience required | Total experience | Item rewards | Item unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - |
| 2 | 1,000 | 1,000 | Poke Ball x10 | - |
| 3 | 2,000 | 3,000 | Poke Ball x15 | - |
| 4 | 3,000 | 6,000 | Poke Ball x15 | - |
| 5 | 4,000 | 10,000 | Poke Ball x20, Potion x10, Revive x10, Incense | Gyms Potion Revive |
| 6 | 5,000 | 15,000 | Poke Ball x15, Potion x10, Revive x5, Incubator | - |
| 7 | 6,000 | 21,000 | Poke Ball x15, Potion x10, Revive x5, Incense | - |
| 8 | 7,000 | 28,000 | Poke Ball x15, Potion x10, Revive x5, Razz Berry x10, Lure Module | Razz Berry |
| 9 | 8,000 | 36,000 | Poke Ball x15, Potion x10, Revive x5, Razz Berry x3, Lucky Egg | - |
| 10 | 9,000 | 45,000 | Poke Ball x20, Super Potion x20, Revive x10, Razz Berry x10, Incense, Lucky Egg, Egg Incubator, Lure Module | Super Potion |
| 11 | 10,000 | 55,000 | Poke Ball x15, Super Potion x10, Revive x3, Razz Berry x3 | - |
| 12 | 10,000 | 65,000 | Great Ball x20, Super Potion x10, Revive x3, Razz Berry x3 | Great Ball |
| 13 | 10,000 | 75,000 | Great Ball x10, Super Potion x10, Revive x3, Razz Berry x3 | - |
| 14 | 10,000 | 85,000 | Great Ball x10, Super Potion x10, Revive x3, Razz Berry x3 | - |
| 15 | 15,000 | 100,000 | Great Ball x15, Hyper Potion x20, Revive x10, Razz Berry x10, Incense, Lucky Egg, Egg Incubator, Lure Module | Hyper Potion |
| 16 | 20,000 | 120,000 | Great Ball x10, Hyper Potion x10, Revive x5, Razz Berry x5 | - |
| 17 | 20,000 | 140,000 | Great Ball x10, Hyper Potion x10, Revive x5, Razz Berry x5 | - |
| 18 | 20,000 | 160,000 | Great Ball x10, Hyper Potion x10, Revive x5, Razz Berry x5 | - |
| 19 | 25,000 | 185,000 | Great Ball x15, Hyper Potion x10, Revive x5, Razz Berry x5 | - |
| 20 | 25,000 | 210,000 | Ultra Ball x20, Hyper Potion x20, Revive x20, Razz Berry x20, Incense x2, Lucky Egg x2, Egg Incubator x2, Lure Module x2 | Ultra Ball |
| 21 | 50,000 | 260,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Hyper Potion x10, Revive x10, Pinap Berry x10 | - |
| 22 | 75,000 | 335,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Hyper Potion x10, Revive x10, Razz Berry x10 | - |
| 23 | 100,000 | 435,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Hyper Potion x10, Revive x10, Nanab Berry x10 | - |
| 24 | 125,000 | 560,000 | Ultra Ball x15, Hyper Potion x10, Revive x10, Razz Berry x10 | - |
| 25 | 150,000 | 710,000 | Ultra Ball x25, Max Potion x20, Revive x15, Pinap Berry x15, Incense, Lucky Egg, Egg Incubator, Lure Module | Max Potion |
| 26 | 190,000 | 900,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Max Potion x15, Revive x10, Razz Berry x15 | - |
| 27 | 200,000 | 1,100,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Max Potion x15, Revive x10, Nanab Berry x15 | - |
| 28 | 250,000 | 1,350,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Max Potion x15, Revive x10, Razz Berry x15 | - |
| 29 | 300,000 | 1,650,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Max Potion x15, Revive x10, Pinap Berry x15 | - |
| 30 | 350,000 | 2,000,000 | Ultra Ball x30, Max Potion x20, Max Revive x20, Razz Berry x20, Incense x3, Lucky Egg x3, Egg Incubator x3, Lure Module x3 | Max Revive |
| 31 | 500,000 | 2,500,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Max Potion x15, Max Revive x10, Nanab Berry x15 | - |
| 32 | 500,000 | 3,000,000 | Ultra ball x10, Max Potion x15, Max Revive x10, Razz Berry x15 | - |
| 33 | 750,000 | 3,750,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Max Potion x15, Max Revive x10, Pinap Berry x15 | - |
| 34 | 1,000,000 | 4,750,000 | Ultra Ball x10, Max Potion x15, Max Revive x10, Razz Berry x15 | - |
| 35 | 1,250,000 | 6,000,000 | Ultra Ball x30, Max Potion x20, Max Revive x20, Nanab Berry x20, Incense x2, Lucky Egg x1, Lure Module x1 | - |
| 36 | 1,500,000 | 7,500,000 | Ultra Ball x20, Max Potion x20, Max Revive x10, Razz Berry x20 | - |
| 37 | 2,000,000 | 9,500,000 | Ultra Ball x20, Max Potion x20, Max Revive x10, Pinap Berry x20 | - |
| 38 | 2,500,000 | 12,000,000 | Ultra Ball x20, Max Potion x20, Max Revive x10, Razz Berry x20 | - |
| 39 | 3,000,000 | 15,000,000 | Ultra Ball x20, Max Potion x20, Max Revive x10, Nanab Berry x20 | - |
| 40 | 5,000,000 | 20,000,000 | Ultra Ball x40, Max Potion x40, Max Revive x40, Razz Berry x40, Incense x4, Lucky Egg x4, Egg Incubator x4, Lure Module x4 | - |
Pokémon Go levels 41 to 50 requirements and rewards list
The following is an explainer of the requirements to reach every level from 40 up to the level cap of 50, and is sourced from several sources, including Ninatic and datamines (such as those on Silph Road subreddit - thanks specifically to twonaantom and dild*ndo on reddit for the 49 and 50 level requirements).
From level 40, you need not only to gain a certain amount of XP, but also complete several specific challenges.
| Level | XP required | Confirmed challenges | Rewards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 6 million | Power up a Legendary Pokémon 20 times Win 30 Raids Catch 200 Pokémon in a single day Earn 5 Gold Medals | 20x Ultra Balls 20x Max Potions 20x Max Revives 20x Razz Berries 1x Incubator 1x Premium Raid Ticket 1x Rare XL Candy |
| 42 | 7.5 million | Evolve Eevee into each of its unique evolutions Use items to evolve Pokémon 15 times Make 3 Excellent Throws Use 200 Berries to help catch Pokémon | 20x Ultra Balls 20x Max Potions 20x Max Revives 20x Nabab Berries 1x Incubator 1x Premium Raid Ticket 1x Rare XL Candy |
| 43 | 9 million | Earn 100,000 Stardust Use 200 supereffective Charged Attacks Catch 5 Legendary Pokémon Earn 5 Platinum Medals | 20x Ultra Balls 20x Max Potions 20x Max Revives 20x Silver Pinap Berries 1x Incubator 1x Premium Raid Ticket 1x Rare XL Candy Avatar pose and Pawniard encounter as part of Level 43 Challenge |
| 44 | 11 million | Win 30 Trainer Battles in the Great League Win 30 Trainer Battles in the Ultra League Win 30 Trainer Battles in the Master League Battle in the Go Battle League 20 times | 20x Ultra Balls 20x Max Potions 20x Max Revives 20x Razz Berries 1x Incubator 1x Premium Raid Ticket 1x Rare XL Candy |
| 45 | 13 million | Defeat 100 Team Go Rocket Grunts Purify 100 Shadow Pokémon Defeat a Team Go Rocket Leader 50 times Earn 10 Platinum Medals | 40x Ultra Balls 40x Max Revives 1x Elite Fast TM 2x Rare XL Candy 2x Incense 2x Lucky Eggs 1x Super Incubator 2x Lures Avatar item |
| 46 | 15.5 million | Complete 100 Field Research tasks Take a snapshot of a Pokémon 7 days in a row Make 50 Excellent Throws Hatch 30 Eggs | 30x Ultra Balls 25 Max Potions 20x Max Revives 25 Razz Berries 1x Incubator 1x Premium Raid Ticket 1x Rare XL Candy |
| 47 | 18 million | Win 30 raids using a team of all unique Pokémon species Win a three-star raid using only Pokémon with 1500 CP or less Power up 3 Pokémon to their max CP Earn 20 Platinum Medals | 30x Ultra Balls 25 Max Potions 20x Max Revives 25 Nanab Berries 1x Incubator 1x Premium Raid Ticket 1x Rare XL Candy Avatar pose |
| 48 | 21 million | Receive 10 Souvenirs from your Buddy Earn 300 hearts with your Buddy Walk 200km with your Buddy Walk 25km in a week 8 times | 30x Ultra Balls 25 Max Potions 20x Max Revives 25 Pinap Berries 1x Incubator 1x Premium Raid Ticket 1x Rare XL Candy |
| 49 | 25 million | Make 10 trades with Pokémon caught at least 300km apart Obtain 50 Lucky Pokémon in trades Send 500 Gifts in friends Earn 35 Platinum Medals | 30x Ultra Balls 25 Max Potions 20x Max Revives 25 Pinap Berries 1x Incubator 1x Premium Raid Ticket 1x Rare XL Candy Avatar item |
| 50 | 30 million | Make 999 Excellent Throws Successfully catch at least one of the next 5 Legendary or Mythical Pokémon you encounter Defeat a Team Go Rocket Leader 3 times using only Pokemon with 2,500 CP or less Achieve rank 10 in the Go Battle League | 50x Ultra Balls 50x Max Potions 1x Elite Charge TM 2x Rare XL Candy 5x Incense 5x Lucky Eggs 5x Super Incubators 5x Lure Modules Avatar item |
The World of Wonders season has come to Pokémon Go, giving you the chance to catch Poipole. The Pokémon Horizons event is currently running, marking the debut of Charcadet. Don't forget to try out Routes, Gift Exchange and Party Play while you're hunting down rare Pokémon, fighting in the Go Battle League or competing in PokéStop Showcases.
When do you unlock item rewards in Pokémon Go as you level up?
The above table explains what you get at each level - both in terms of individual items and when certain items unlock and become regularly available at PokéStops - but here's the list at a glance:
- Level 5: Gyms, Potions, Revives
- Level 8: Razz Berry
- Level 10: Super Potion
- Level 12: Great Ball
- Level 15: Hyper Potion
- Level 20: Ultra Ball
- Level 25: Max Potion
- Level 30: Max Revive, XL Candy
