Pokémon GO Cheap Evolutions
Every evolution that costs just 12 or 25 candy, or nothing when traded, with what each one turns into and anything else it needs.
Use this list of 12 and 25 candy cost evolutions to earn points towards the Scientist Medal or to earn a lot of experience points by mass evolving. These cheap evolutions are easy to bank candy for, meaning you can evolve a lot in a short time.
Displaying 137 of 144 evolutions.
64
or
10067
or
10075
or
10075
or10093
or
100525
or
200533
or
200588
or
200616
or
200708
or
200710
or
20010
1213
1216
12265
Cascoon
~50% chance
12265
Silcoon
~50% chance
12293
12519
121
254
257
2519
2519
2529
2532
2541
2543
2560
2563
2566
2569
2574
2574
2581
2592
25111
25116
25133
Flareon
~33.33% chance
25133
Jolteon
~33.33% chance
25133
Vaporeon
~33.33% chance
25147
25152
25155
25158
25161
25165
25172
25173
25174
25175
25179
25183
25187
25220
25236
Hitmonchan
~33.33% chance
25236
Hitmonlee
~33.33% chance
25236
Hitmontop
~33.33% chance
25238
25239
25240
25246
25252
25255
25258
25263
25270
25273
25280
25287
25298
25304
25328
25355
25360
25363
25371
25374
25387
25390
25393
25396
25403
25406
25443
25495
25498
25501
25506
25535
25540
25543
25551
25574
25577
25582
25599
25602
25607
25610
25633
25650
25653
25656
25661
25664
25669
25669
25669
25669
25669
25679
25704
25722
25725
25728
25731
25736
25761
25782
25789
25810
25813
25816
25821
25824
25837
25856
25859
25885
25906
25909
25912
25921
25928
25932
25957
25996
25
Why cheap evolutions are worth tracking
Every evolution awards 500 XP no matter how much candy it costs, so the cheapest lines give the most XP per candy. That is the whole idea behind the classic Lucky Egg mass-evolve: stockpile 12-candy catches, pop a Lucky Egg for 30 minutes of double XP, and chain evolutions back to back. A Pidgey costs the same 12 candy as any other 12-candy evolution and pays out exactly the same.
XP per candy by evolution cost
0 (traded)
500
∞
∞
12
500
41.67
83.33
25
500
20.00
40.00
50
500
10.00
20.00
100
500
5.00
10.00
200
500
2.50
5.00
400
500
1.25
2.50
Evolution XP is a flat 500 at every tier, so XP per candy is simply 500 divided by the cost. A free trade evolution divides by nothing, which is why it tops the table. A Lucky Egg doubles the XP for 30 minutes. Zygarde and Gholdengo sit outside the candy system entirely, evolving with Zygarde Cells and Gimmighoul Coins instead.
What the table shows
Each row is one evolution, not one Pokémon, so branching families appear once per outcome. Wurmple has two 12-candy branches, Tyrogue has three at 25, and Eevee has eight. Search matches either side of the arrow, so typing an evolved form finds the Pokémon it comes from.
Two notes sit under the evolved form where they apply. “Also needs” lists anything the evolution wants on top of candy, such as an item, a buddy walk, or a research task. A percentage means the game rolls between branches you cannot tell apart, so a Wurmple is a coin flip between Silcoon and Cascoon rather than a choice.
Trade is the one filter that is not a candy tier. Machoke normally asks 100 candy and Gurdurr 200, and trading the Pokémon waives that cost entirely. Each row shows both prices at once, a trade glyph or the candy it would have cost had the Pokémon never changed hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cheapest evolution in Pokémon GO?
Twelve candy is the lowest evolution cost in the game. Six Pokémon evolve at that price: Caterpie into Metapod, Weedle into Kakuna, Pidgey into Pidgeotto, Pidove into Tranquill, Whismur into Loudred, and Wurmple into either Silcoon or Cascoon. No evolution costs less.
How many Pokémon evolve for 25 candy?
There are 126 evolutions priced at 25 candy, which makes it by far the most common cheap tier. It covers the first step of almost every three-stage line, including the starters from all nine generations, plus baby Pokémon such as Pichu, Cleffa, and Igglybuff. The exact count on this page updates whenever the game data changes.
Which Pokémon evolve for free when traded in Pokémon GO?
Eleven lines evolve for free once the Pokémon has been traded. Five of them normally ask 100 candy: Kadabra into Alakazam, Machoke into Machamp, Graveler into Golem, Alolan Graveler into Alolan Golem, and Haunter into Gengar. The other six normally ask 200: Boldore into Gigalith, Gurdurr into Conkeldurr, Karrablast into Escavalier, Shelmet into Accelgor, Phantump into Trevenant, and Pumpkaboo into Gourgeist. Pumpkaboo is listed once because every size evolves the same way for the same price. The discount lands on the Pokémon you received, so trade first and evolve second.
Do cheap evolutions still give 500 XP?
Yes. Evolution XP is a flat 500 and does not scale with candy cost, so a 12-candy evolution and a 400-candy evolution pay the same. A Lucky Egg doubles it to 1,000 XP for 30 minutes, which is why trainers often save their cheapest evolutions for an egg and/or evolution XP bonus from an event.
Which Pokémon are best for a Lucky Egg mass evolve?
The 12-candy lines are the clear winners, especially common spawns like Pidgey, Caterpie, and Weedle. Community Day Pokémon are also good options because these events often feature catch candy bonuses and you catch a lot of them.
Why do some 25-candy evolutions need more than candy?
A handful of cheap evolutions carry a second condition. Porygon needs an Upgrade alongside its 25 candy, Espeon and Umbreon each want 10 km of buddy walking plus the right time of day, Leafeon and Glaceon need a Mossy Lure or Glacial Lure nearby, Sylveon asks for 70 buddy hearts, and Happiny needs a 15 km buddy walk. Those seven evolutions are the only cheap ones with an extra requirement, and each is listed under the evolved form in the table.
Can I choose which Eeveelution I get for 25 candy?
Not for all of them. Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon each have a condition you have to meet. This means you can pick which one you target, but also that they are not good candidates for mass evolving. Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon are random with a 33% chance each. Wurmple is a coin flip, splitting evenly between Silcoon and Cascoon.
