Pokeballs are the essential item in Pokemon GO, required for catching Pokemon. This comprehensive guide covers all the free methods to get more Pokeballs, Great Balls, and Ultra Balls in 2025.
Quick Answer: The best ways to get free Pokeballs are spinning PokeStops and Gyms, opening gifts from friends (30 per day), claiming the daily free box, and completing field research tasks. These methods provide unlimited free Pokeballs.
Types of Pokeballs
There are three types of regular Pokeballs in Pokemon GO, each with different catch rates:
- Poke Ball: Standard ball with 1x catch rate (red and white)
- Great Ball: Enhanced ball with 1.5x catch rate (blue)
- Ultra Ball: Premium ball with 2x catch rate (black and yellow)
Additionally, there are special balls like Premier Balls (raid rewards) and special event balls that cannot be obtained through normal methods.
Method 1: Spinning PokeStops and Gyms (Primary Method)
The most reliable and unlimited way to get Pokeballs is by spinning PokeStops and Gym Photo Discs.
PokeStop Strategy
- PokeStops:
- Spin every 5 minutes for items
- Average 2-4 items per spin
- Often include Pokeballs, potions, and berries
- No daily limit on spins
- Gyms:
- Can be spun like PokeStops
- Give more items than regular PokeStops
- Bonus items if controlled by your team
- Higher chance of Great/Ultra Balls
- Streak Bonuses:
- First spin of the day: Bonus items
- 7-day streak: Large bonus bundle including Great/Ultra Balls
- Maintain streak for consistent supplies
Pro Tip: Walk or play in areas with high PokeStop density (downtown, parks, shopping centers). You can spin dozens of stops in an hour!
Method 2: Opening Gifts from Friends (30 Daily)
Gifts from friends are one of the best sources of Pokeballs, especially if you don't have many PokeStops nearby.
Gift Strategy
- Add Friends
- Add as many friends as possible (maximum 400)
- Use Reddit, Discord, or Facebook groups for friend codes
- Search for "Pokemon GO friend codes" online
- Open 30 Gifts Daily
- Daily limit is 30 gift opens
- Each gift contains 3-8 items
- Very high chance of receiving Pokeballs
- Also gives potions, berries, and eggs
- Send Gifts Back
- Can send up to 100 gifts per day
- Maintains friendship and encourages reciprocation
- Collect gifts by spinning PokeStops
- Friendship Levels:
- Higher friendship = better items from gifts
- Best Friends get Great/Ultra Balls more frequently
Best for Rural Players: If you don't have PokeStops nearby, adding 50+ active friends and opening 30 gifts daily can completely solve Pokeball shortages!
Method 3: Daily Free Box (In-Game Shop)
Check the in-game shop daily for a free box that often contains Pokeballs.
- Location: Shop menu → Look for free box (no PokeCoins required)
- Contents: Usually 5-20 Pokeballs plus other items
- Frequency: Can be claimed once per day
- Refresh: Resets daily at midnight local time
- No Cost: Completely free, no purchase needed
Pro Tip: Make checking the free daily box part of your morning routine. Over a month, that's 150-600 free Pokeballs!
Method 4: Daily Adventure Incense
The Daily Adventure Incense provides a free Pokeball safety net if you're running low.
- Automatic Grant: If you have 30 or fewer total Pokeballs, you receive 30 automatically
- When Activated: Pokeballs are granted when you activate Daily Adventure Incense
- Free Daily Item: Daily Adventure Incense is free (blue incense in items)
- Walking Required: Must walk to use the incense effectively
- Additional Catches: Spawns rare Pokemon while walking
Method 5: Adventure Sync Weekly Rewards
Walking specific distances each week provides reward bundles that include Pokeballs.
Distance Rewards
- 5 km per week: 20 Pokeballs
- 25 km per week: 20 Pokeballs + 10 Great Balls + (500 Stardust OR 5km Egg OR Rare Candy)
- 50 km per week: Additional rewards including more balls
- Claim Time: Monday at 9 AM local time
- Setup: Enable Adventure Sync in settings
Method 6: Completing Field Research Tasks
Many field research tasks reward Pokeballs, Great Balls, or Ultra Balls upon completion.
- Get Tasks: Spin PokeStops to collect field research tasks
- Easy Tasks: Simple tasks like "Catch 5 Pokemon" often reward Pokeballs
- Quantities: Rewards typically range from 5-20 balls
- Ball Types: Some tasks reward Great Balls or Ultra Balls
- Multiple Tasks: Can complete unlimited tasks per day
- Stack Tasks: Store up to 3 tasks at once, complete when convenient
Method 7: Leveling Up Your Trainer
Each time you level up, you receive item rewards that include Pokeballs.
- All Levels: Every level-up includes 15-30 Pokeballs
- Higher Levels: Better rewards at milestone levels (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.)
- Great/Ultra Balls: Higher levels reward better ball types
- Level 20+: Start receiving Ultra Balls regularly
- One-Time: Each level can only be claimed once
Method 8: Pokemon GO Plus+ and Auto-Spin Accessories
Using official accessories can automate PokeStop spinning to continuously gather Pokeballs.
- Pokemon GO Plus+: Auto-spins PokeStops within range
- Poke Ball Plus: Bluetooth accessory for auto-catching and spinning
- Passive Collection: Spins stops automatically while you walk
- Background Mode: Works even when app is closed
- Purchase Required: Devices must be bought separately ($35-$50)
Worth the Investment: For active players, Pokemon GO Plus+ pays for itself in time saved and resources gathered automatically!
Method 9: Special Events and Bonuses
Niantic frequently runs events that boost Pokeball availability.
- Community Days: Increased items from PokeStops
- Special Research: Event research often rewards bundles of balls
- Bonus Events: 2x items from PokeStops during certain events
- Gift Events: Special events may allow opening 40+ gifts per day
- Free Bundles: Limited-time free boxes in shop with Pokeballs
Method 10: Team GO Rocket Battles
Defeating Team GO Rocket Grunts can reward items including Pokeballs.
- Grunt Battles: Defeat grunts at invaded PokeStops
- Item Rewards: Receive 2-3 items including possible Pokeballs
- Leader Battles: Defeating leaders gives better rewards
- Unlimited: Can battle as many grunts as you find
- Bonus Dust: Also receive Stardust from victories
How to Manage Pokeball Inventory
Smart inventory management ensures you never run out of Pokeballs:
Inventory Tips
- Delete Unnecessary Items:
- Delete excess potions if you don't battle gyms frequently
- Delete revives if you have too many
- Keep Pokeball stock as high as possible
- Upgrade Item Storage:
- Use PokeCoins to buy storage upgrades
- 200 coins = 50 additional item slots
- Max storage: 5,800 items
- Prioritize Ball Types:
- Use regular Pokeballs on common, low-CP Pokemon
- Save Great Balls for uncommon or medium-CP Pokemon
- Reserve Ultra Balls for rare, high-CP, or shiny Pokemon
- Use Berries Wisely:
- Razz Berries increase catch rate (saves Pokeballs)
- Golden Razz Berries greatly increase catch rate
- Use berries on difficult catches to avoid wasting balls
Catching Tips to Save Pokeballs
Improve your catching technique to waste fewer Pokeballs:
- Master Curveball Throws: 1.7x catch rate bonus + more XP
- Aim for Excellent Throws: Smaller circle = higher catch chance
- Wait for Attack Animation: Don't throw during attacks to avoid waste
- Use Nanab Berries: Calm erratic Pokemon for easier catches
- Circle Lock Technique: Advanced method for consistent excellent throws
- Skip Low-Value Catches: If very low on balls, skip common Pokemon
- AR+ Mode Bonus: Expert shot in AR+ gives catch bonus
Pro Tip: Learning to throw curveball excellent throws consistently can reduce your Pokeball usage by 40-50% while also giving better XP!
What NOT to Do (Avoid Wasting Money)
Avoid these common mistakes when trying to get Pokeballs:
- Don't Buy Individual Pokeballs: Terrible value compared to free methods
- Don't Buy Small Bundles: If you must buy, only buy during sales/events
- Don't Ignore Gifts: Free daily Pokeballs wasted if you don't open gifts
- Don't Skip PokeStop Streaks: 7-day streak gives big ball bonus
- Don't Waste Ultra Balls: Save for genuinely rare/difficult catches
Important: Buying Pokeballs with PokeCoins is almost never worth it! All methods above provide unlimited free Pokeballs with minimal effort.
Solutions for Rural Players
If you live in an area with few or no PokeStops, use these strategies:
Rural Player Solutions
- Maximize Friends:
- Add 100+ friends from online communities
- Open 30 gifts every single day
- Can sustain gameplay entirely through gifts
- Daily Adventure Incense:
- Use daily for 30 free Pokeballs when low
- Also spawns rare Pokemon during walks
- Weekly Shopping Trips:
- Stock up on balls when visiting areas with PokeStops
- Spin every stop you can find
- Maximize item storage to carry more
- Nominate PokeStops:
- Level 38+ players can nominate via Niantic Wayfarer
- Submit local landmarks, parks, murals, etc.
- Can create PokeStops in your area over time
Best Daily Routine for Pokeball Stockpiling
Follow this routine to maintain 200+ Pokeballs at all times:
Daily Checklist
- ☑ Open 30 gifts from friends
- ☑ Claim free daily box from shop
- ☑ Spin at least 1 PokeStop for daily streak
- ☑ Complete 1-2 field research tasks
- ☑ Spin PokeStops whenever passing by
- ☑ Delete excess potions/revives to make room for balls
- ☑ Save Ultra Balls for only rare Pokemon
Weekly Tasks
- ☑ Walk 25km for Adventure Sync rewards (30 balls total)
- ☑ Maintain 7-day PokeStop streak (bonus balls on day 7)
- ☑ Send gifts to all active friends
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy Pokeballs with real money?
Yes, you can purchase Pokeballs with PokeCoins (which can be bought with real money) in the shop. However, this is not recommended as all the free methods above provide unlimited Pokeballs.
How many Pokeballs can I carry?
Your item bag starts at 350 capacity and can be upgraded to 5,800 maximum (200 PokeCoins per 50-slot upgrade). You can carry any combination of items up to your limit.
What's the best way to get Ultra Balls?
Spin Gyms (especially ones controlled by your team), open gifts from Best Friends, complete your 7-day PokeStop streak, and reach higher trainer levels (20+) to receive Ultra Balls from spins.
Do I get more items from PokeStops at higher levels?
No, the quantity doesn't increase with level, but you'll start receiving Great Balls at level 12+ and Ultra Balls at level 20+ from spins. Higher friendship levels increase quality of items from gifts.
Can I still play without PokeStops nearby?
Yes! Add 50+ friends and open 30 gifts daily. Combined with the daily free box and Daily Adventure Incense, you can maintain adequate Pokeball supplies without ever visiting a PokeStop.