Pokémon Go Buddy Distances allow you to work out which Buddy to accompany you everywhere you go to earn some free Candy.
Similar to Egg hatching in Pokémon Go, it's a background activity that you set and, after a certain distance, will give you rewards.
It'll work slightly differently according to which Pokémon you Buddy up with - in short, rarer Pokémon will take longer to produce Candy - and there's a few quirks and exceptions you should take note of, too.
Buddy distances also correspond to the cost of unlocking a second move for a Pokémon, with further distances requiring higher costs.
Why Pokémon Go's Buddy feature is useful1km Buddy Distance chart3km Buddy Distance chart5km Buddy Distance chart20km Buddy Distances explainedOther things to know about Pokémon Go's Buddy systemTo see this content please enable targeting cookies.Manage cookie settings Watch as battle Guzzlord - one of the Ultra Beasts in Pokémon GoWatch on YouTubeWhy Pokémon Go's Buddy feature is useful
To enable Pokémon Go's Buddy feature, tap your Trainer icon in the corner, select the burger icon in the bottom right corner (for more options) and it's listed there.
Then, select the Pokémon of your choosing, and you'll be given a goal in kilometers to travel. Once you have reached the target - be it 1km, 3km or 5km, depending on the creature - you'll be given some Candy.
Pokémon Go's Buddy feature allows you to work towards two late-game activities; powering up your Pokémon to take on Gyms, and filling out your Pokedex by evolving the creatures you've already caught.
In order to get more Candy you have to either catch it in the wild or hatch it from an Egg, and since the best Pokémon are usually the hardest to find, Candy is also very difficult to come by.
The Buddy system solves this problem quite nicely. For example, if you provided you catch one Dratini, as long as you keep walking and collecting Candy from your Buddy, you'll one day get your hands on that all elusive Dragonite.
Though, with 1-2 Candy dropping every 5km walked, it could take a while!
Thanks to The Silph Road reddit for help with the below lists, including SilverKylin for Gen 4 listings.
1km Buddy Distance chart
Gen 1:
CaterpieMetapodButterfreeWeedleKakunaBeedrillPidgeyPidgeottoPidgeotRattataRaticateSpearowFearowPikachuRaichuClefairyClefableJigglypuffWigglytuffZubatGolbatGeodudeGravelerGolemMagikarpGyaradosGen 2:
SentretFurretHoothootNoctowlLedybaLedianSpinarakAriadosCrobatPichuCleffaIgglybuffSlugmaMagcargoRemoraidOctilleryGen 3:
PoochyenaMightyenaZigzagoonLinooneWurmpleSilcoonBeautiflyCascoonDustoxTaillowSwellowSurskitMasquerainWhismurLoudredExploudAronLaironAggronGulpinSwalotWailmerWailordSpoinkGrumpigSwabluAltariaBarboachWhiscashGen 4:
StarlyStaraviaStaraptorBidoofBibarelKriketotKricketuneBurmy (any cloak)Wormadam (any cloak)MothimCherubi (both Overcast and Sunny form)CherrimGen 5:
PatratWatchogLillipupHerdierStoutlandPurrloinLiepardPidoveTranquilUnfezantWoobatSwoobatSewaddleSwadloonLeavannyVenipedeWhirlipedeScolipedeCottoneeWhimsicottPetiliLiligantBasculin (both Red and Blue-striped form)MaractusDwebbleCrustleEmolgaTynamoEelektrikEelektrossGen 6:
BunnelbyDiggersbyFletchlingFletchinderTalonflameScatterbugSpewpaVivillonGen 7:
PikipekTrumbeakToucannonYungoosGumshoosGrubbinCharjabugVikavoltCutieflyRibombeeStuffulBewearWimpodGolisopodGen 8:
SkwovetGreedentObstagoonGen 9:
LechonkOinkologneNymbleLokix3km Buddy Distance chart
Gen 1:
BulbasaurIvysaurVenusaurCharmanderCharmeleonCharizardSquirtleWartortleBlastoiseEkansArbokSandshrewSandslashNidoran♀NidorinaNidoqueenNidoran♂NidorinoNidokingVulpixNinetailsOddishGloomVileplumeParasParasectVenonatVenomothDiglettDugtrioMeowthPersianPsyduckGolduckMankeyPrimeapeGrowlitheArcaninePoliwagPoliwhirlPoliwrathAbraKadabraAlakazamMachopMachokeMachampBellsproutWeepinbellVictreebelTentacoolTentacruelPonytaRapidashSlowpokeSlowbroMagnemiteMagnetonDoduoDodrioSeelDewgongGrimerMukShellderCloysterGastlyHaunterGengarDrowzeeHypnoKrabbyKinglerVoltorbElectrodeExeggcuteExeggutorCuboneMarowakLickitungKoffingWeezingRhyhornRhydonTangelaKangaskhanHorseaSeadraGoldeenSeakingStaryuStarmieTaurosDittoPorygonGen 2:
ChikoritaBayleefMaganiumCyndaquilQuilavaTyhlosionTotodileCroconawFeraligatrChinchouLanturnTogepiTogeticNatuXatuBellossomMarillAzumarillPolitoedHoppipSkiploomJumpluffAipomSunkernSunfloraYanmaWooperQuagsireMurkrowSlowkingMisdreavusWobbuffetGirafarigDunsparceSnubbullGranbullQuilfishShuckleHeracrossSneaselTeddiursaUrsaringSwinubPiloswineCorsolaHoundourHoundoomKingdraPhanpyDolphanPorygon2StantlerSmeargleGen 3:
TreeckoGrovyleSceptileTorchicCombuskenBlazikenMudkipMarshtompSwampertLotadLombreLudicoloSeedotNuzleafShiftryWingullPelipperShroomishBreloomMakuhitaHariyamaAzurillNosepassSkittyDelcattyMedititeMedichamElectrikeManectricPlusleMinunVolbeatIllumiseRoseliaCarvanhaSharpedoNumelCameruptTorkoalSpindaCacneaCacturneZangooseSeviperLunatoneSolrockCorphishCrawdauntBaltoyClaydolLileepCradilyAnorithArmaldoShuppetBanetteDuskullDusclopsWynautSnoruntGlalieSphealSealeoWalreinClamperlHuntailGorebyssLuvdiscGen 4:
TurtwigGrotleTorterraChimcharMonfernoInfernapePiplupPrinplupEmpoleonBudewRoseradeCombeeVespiquenBuizelFloatzelShellos (both West and East Coast forms)Gastrodon (both West and East Coast forms)AmbipomBuneraryLopunnyMismagiusHonchkrowGlameowPuruglyStunkySkuntankBronzorBronzongHippopotasHippowdonCroagunkToxicroakFinneonLumineonSnoverAbomasnowWeavileMagnezoneLicklickyRhyperiorTangrowthTogekissYanmegaMamoswinePorygon-ZProbopassDusknoirFroslassGen 5:
SnivyServineSerperiorTepigPigniteEmboarOshawottDewottSamurottPansageSimisagePansearSimisearPanpourSimipourBlitzleZebstrikaRoggenrolaBoldoreGigalithDrilburExcadrillAudinoTympolePalpitoadSeismitoadDarumakaDarmanitanScraggyScraftyYamaskCofagrigusTrubbishGarbodorMinccinoCinccinoGothitaGothoritaGothitelleSolosisDuosionReuniclusDucklettSwannaVanilliteVanillishVanilluxeDeerlingSawsbuckKarrablastEscavalierFoongusAmoongussJoltikGalvantulaFerroseedFerrothornElgyemBeheeyemCubchooBearticShelmetAccelgorMienfooMienshaoBouffalantHeatmorDurantGen 6:
ChespinQuilladinChesnaughtFennekinBraixenDelphoxFroakieFrogadierGreninjaLitleoPyroarFalbébeFloetteFlorgesPanchamPangoroEspurrMeowsticInkayMalamarBinacleBarbaracleSkrelpDragalgeClauncherClawitzerHelioptileHelioliskDedenneKlefkiBergmiteAvaluggGen 7:
RowletDartrixDecidueyeLittenTorracatIncineroarPopplioBrionnePrimarinaCrabrawlerCrabominableOricorioMareanieToxapexDewpiderAraquanidFomantisLurantisMorelullShiinoticSalanditSalazzleBounsweetSteeneeTsareenaComfeyOranguruPassimianSandygastPalossandTogedemaruBruxishGen 8:
WoolooDubwoolPerrserkerSirfetch'dRunerigusGen 9:
SprigatitoFloragatoMeowscaradaFuecocoCrocalorSkeledirgeQuaxlyQuaxwellQuaquavalPawmiPawmoPawmotSmolivDollivArboliva5km Buddy Distance chart
Gen 1:
OnixHitmonleeHitmonchanChanseyMr. MimeScytherJynxElectabuzzMagmarPinsirLaprasEeveeVaporeonJolteonFlareonOmanyteOmastarKabutoKabutopsAerodactylSnorlaxDratiniDragonairDragoniteGen 2:
MareepFlaaffyAmpharosSudowoodoEspeonUmbreonUnownPinecoForretressGligarSteelixScizorDelibirdMantineSkarmoryTyrogueHitmontopSmoochumElekidMagbyMiltankBlisseyLarvitarPupitarTyranitarGen 3:
RaltsKirliaGardevoirSlakothVigorothSlakingNincadaNinjaskShedinjaSableyeMawileTrapinchVibravaFlygonFeebasMiloticCastformKecleonTropiusChimechoAbsolRelicanthBagonShelgonSalamenceBeldumMetangMetagrossGen 4:
ShinxLuxioLuxrayCranidosRampardosShieldonBastiodonPachirisuDriloonDrifblimChinglingBonslyMime Jr.HappinyChatotSpiritombGibleGabiteGarchompMunchlaxRioluLucarioSkorupiDrapionCarnivineMantykeElectivireMagmortarLeafeonGlaceonGliscorGalladeRotomGen 5:
TimburrGurdurrConkeldurrThrohSawkSandileKrokorokKrookodileSigilyphTirtougaCarracostaArchenArcheopsZoruaZoroarkAlomomolaKlinkKlangKlinklangLitwickLampentChandelureAxewFraxureHaxorusCryogonalStunfiskDruddigonGolettGolurkPawniardBisharpRuffletBraviaryVullabyMandibuzzDeinoZweilousHydreigonLarvestaVolcaronaGen 6:
FurfrouTyruntTyrantrumAmauraAurorusPhantumpTrevenantPumpkabooGourgeistNoibatNoivernGen 7:
RockruffLycanrocTurtonatorJangmo-oHakamo-oKommo-oGen 8:
Mr. RimeFalinksKleavorGen 9:
BombirdierFrigibaxArctibaxBaxcaliburGimmighoulGholdengo20km Buddy Distances explained
All Legendary Pokemon and Ultra Beast require 20km before they drop Candy, such as the Articuno, Moltres and Zapdos from Gen 1, Lugia and Ho-Oh from Gen 2, and so on.
With such high distances, we recommend you use Rare Candy to level up these creatures instead.
The Season of Adventures Abound is here! The Halloween event has returned, bringing with it Greavard and Houndstone.Party Play - Pokémon Go's multiplayer feature - is here, along with the Welcome Party quest.You can also work on the Timed Investigation: Master Ball quest and compete in the Go Battle League.Be sure to compete in Shadow Raids, complete Routes, use Daily Adventure Incense for the chance of encountering Galarian Articuno, Galarian Zapdos and Galarian Moltres. This incense may also give you encounters with other rare Pokémon in Pokémon Go.