Pokemon GO guide (September 2022): All Pokemon that evolve when traded in-game

Evolution is relatively straightforward in Pokemon GO, as it is in the main series. Trainers provide their Pokemon with a certain number of candies, and the evolution process is initiated.

While many Pokemon in Pokemon GO can evolve via candy, it's also possible for some species to obtain the ability to evolve without candy after being traded. This lines up with the same species in the main series who evolve immediately after being traded to another trainer.

The difference in GO is that trainers have the option to decide when their traded Pokemon evolves. Below, Pokemon GO trainers can find a quick list of Pokemon capable of evolving after being traded.

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Pokemon GO: All species that can evolve after trading in September 2022

Machamp and Alakazam are the byproducts of trade-based evolution (Image via Niantic)

While trade evolution exists in the main Pokemon series, the process is initiated immediately after trading. Pokemon GO trainers are conversely given the ability to decide when they evolve their Pokemon after trading.

This provides an opportunity to power the Pokemon up with candies before evolving it if the trainer wants to evolve a higher CP Pokemon. Currently, there are 10 species capable of evolving after being traded in the mobile title.

All current Pokemon that may evolve after being traded in Pokemon GO

• Kadabra > Alakazam
• Machoke > Machamp
• Graveler > Golem (the same is true of the Alolan variants)
• Haunter > Gengar
• Boldore > Gigalith
• Gurdurr > Conkeldurr
• Karrablast > Escavalier
• Shelmet > Accelgor
• Phantump > Trevenant
• Pumpkaboo > Gourgeist

Considering a few of the Pokemon above can be pretty expensive to evolve in Pokemon GO, trading offers a great way to do so for free. This allows trainers to save their candies to power up their Pokemon post-evolution if desired.

Granted, players won't want to trade with any player to initiate evolution, as the player's trade partner would ideally trade the evolved Pokemon back afterward. Fortunately, not many trainers in the game are mean-spirited enough to help evolve a trainer's Pokemon and then refuse to give it back afterward, though there are exceptions.

As an alternative, many of the Pokemon listed above are still capable of evolving through the normal use of candy. This is likely due to Niantic's understanding that many players live in more isolated areas and aren't easily capable of meeting up with other trainers to trade with.

Sadly, players in the mainline Pokemon series did not have access to a luxury such as this, making the option an excellent quality of life addition to the mobile title.

While not every traded Pokemon that evolves will become immensely powerful, it goes without saying that each evolved Pokemon is stronger than its previous form. These Pokemon receive not only an increase in their overall CP but also their base stats as well.

Some species even gain access to moves their former forms may not have access to, giving them more utility in battle in most circumstances.