Pokémon GO XL Candy is a special currency used to power up Pokémon beyond Level 40. While the major October 2025 update increased the Trainer level cap all the way to 80, this level cap increase only affects Trainer levels and not Pokémon. Your Pokémon’s maximum level remains capped at 50, meaning XL Candy is still exclusively used for taking your Pokémon from Level 40 to Level 50.
If you are looking to level up your Trainer avatar, see our Pokémon GO Level 1 to 80 Guide: XP, Level Up Tasks and Rewards. For now, let us focus on gathering the resources necessary for high-end competitive Master League formats and max-level raiding.
Candy XL can be gathered by Trainers starting at Level 31 and higher.
What is XL Candy in Pokémon GO?
Candy XL is a special type of Pokémon Candy needed to power up Pokémon from Level 40 to Level 50. There is no limit on how much XL Candy you can earn in one day.
XL Candy drops for most in-game activities that reward normal Candy, but the vast majority of XL Candy comes from simply catching Pokémon. Pinap Berries do not have any effect on the amount of XL Candy earned. Thanks to research from the community, we know that the higher level a wild Pokémon is, the more likely it is to drop an XL Candy upon capture.
XL Candy is specific to each Pokémon species. You can convert 100 regular Candy into 1 XL Candy. You can also collect Rare Candy XL, which behaves exactly like standard Rare Candy but only works for powering up Pokémon above Level 40.
How to get XL Candy in Pokémon GO
XL Candy can be gained in a variety of different ways. Some mechanics guarantee a reward, while others rely on random drops.
| Method | Rewards |
|---|---|
| Catching a Pokémon |
|
| Catch a Raid Boss |
|
| Trading a Pokémon |
|
| Hatching a Pokémon |
|
| Transferring a Pokémon |
|
| Converting Candy |
|
| Meltan Box |
|
| Walking with a Buddy |
|
| Feed berries to Pokémon defending gyms |
|
Catching Pokémon and Mega Evolution Bonus
Catching a Pokémon can reward from 0 to 3 XL Candy. While higher-level wild Pokémon have a much higher chance of dropping multiple XL Candy, the best way to farm is by using Mega Evolutions. Having an active Mega-Evolved Pokémon at Mega Level 2 or 3 provides a significant boost to the chance of earning XL Candy when catching a Pokémon that shares a type with your Mega Pokémon.
Additionally, catching Legendary, Mythical, or evolved Pokémon guarantees XL Candy drops. Legendary and Mythical Pokémon guarantee 3x XL Candy per catch. Stage 1 evolutions guarantee 1x XL Candy, and Stage 2 evolutions guarantee 2x XL Candy.
Hatching Eggs
A 5 km or 7 km Egg rewards up to 16 XL Candy, whilst 10 km and 12 km Eggs reward up to 24 XL Candy. The average XL Candy yield from Eggs is much lower than these maximums, as listed in the table above. A hatched Pokémon’s IVs have no bearing on the amount of XL Candy rewarded.
Walking with your Buddy
Walking with your Buddy rewards XL Candy alongside regular candy. The drop rate for XL Candy increases significantly based on the level of the Pokémon you are walking. Once your Buddy Pokémon reaches Level 31, the drop chance caps out at roughly 70–75%.
Trading & Transferring
Trading a Pokémon can randomly give a single XL Candy. If the Pokémon were caught 100 km or further apart, the XL Candy is guaranteed. Mass transferring Pokémon can reward multiple XL Candies, with higher-level Pokémon having a better chance to drop them upon transfer.
Converting
You can convert 100 regular Pokémon Candy to a single XL Candy. This is quite a steep cost and is generally the least efficient method, but it is useful for species where you have amassed thousands of regular candies (such as after a Community Day).
XL Candy Costs per Level
To power up your Pokémon to Level 40, you spend Stardust and standard Candy. To go beyond Level 40, you need XL Candy along with your Stardust. It takes exactly 296 XL Candy and 250,000 Stardust to power up a standard Pokémon from Level 40 to 50.
Purified Pokémon have a slightly reduced XL Candy cost (272 XL Candy), whilst Shadow Pokémon have an increased cost (360 XL Candy). Remember, it takes two power-ups to increase a full level.
| Level | Stardust cost | XL Candy | CP Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | 10,000 | 10 | 0.7953 |
| 41.5 | 10,000 | 10 | 0.7978 |
| 42 | 11,000 | 10 | 0.8003 |
| 42.5 | 11,000 | 10 | 0.8028 |
| 43 | 11,000 | 12 | 0.8053 |
| 43.5 | 11,000 | 12 | 0.8078 |
| 44 | 12,000 | 12 | 0.8103 |
| 44.5 | 12,000 | 12 | 0.8128 |
| 45 | 12,000 | 15 | 0.8153 |
| 45.5 | 12,000 | 15 | 0.8178 |
| 46 | 13,000 | 15 | 0.8203 |
| 46.5 | 13,000 | 15 | 0.8228 |
| 47 | 13,000 | 17 | 0.8253 |
| 47.5 | 13,000 | 17 | 0.8278 |
| 48 | 14,000 | 17 | 0.8303 |
| 48.5 | 14,000 | 17 | 0.8328 |
| 49 | 14,000 | 20 | 0.8353 |
| 49.5 | 14,000 | 20 | 0.8378 |
| 50 | 15,000 | 20 | 0.8403 |
What is Rare XL Candy and how to get it in Pokémon GO?
Rare Candy XL functions just like regular Rare Candy: you can use it on any Pokémon, and it will convert into an XL Candy for that specific species. Because of its rarity, it is highly recommended to save Rare Candy XL for Legendary and Mythical Pokémon that are otherwise difficult to farm.
How to obtain Rare Candy XL:
-
In-Person Raids: Rare Candy XL is a potential reward for completing in-person raids. It is not currently available from Remote Raids.
-
Level-Up Research (Levels 71 to 80): With the introduction of the Level 80 Trainer cap, Rare Candy XL is prominently featured in the new Level-Up Research. Completing the required tasks for Levels 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 78, and 79 rewards 1 Rare Candy XL per level.
XL Candy was introduced as part part of the Pokémon GO Beyond update, which brought increased level cap, Generation 6 Pokémon and Seasons into Pokémon GO.
