Trading gifts in Pokémon GO seems simple, but the details change everything: daily limits, consistency bonuses, special eggs, and even differences between regular gifts and event-only ones.

How to collect gifts at PokéStops

Gifts are random drops at PokéStops and Gyms. You can't use them yourself — only send to friends. Each spin has a ~5% chance of dropping a gift, and you can hold up to 20 in your bag.

How to send a gift

Open the 'Friends' tab
Tap a friend who hasn't received from you today
Tap 'Send gift'
Select which gift to send (the postcard varies by the originating PokéStop)

You can only send 1 gift per friend per day. You can open up to 30 gifts per day (from any friends combined).

What's inside a gift

300-800 Stardust
PokéBalls, Great Balls, or Ultra Balls
Berries (razz, nanab, pinap, golden razz)
Occasional potions and revives
7km egg (about 5% per gift)
Postcard — shows the source PokéStop's location

Daily consistency bonuses

Maintaining a daily streak with the same friend speeds up friendship evolution. Heads-up: the streak breaks if you don't send OR receive a gift within 24 hours.

7-day streaks are essential to reach Best Friends in 90 days. Each missed day resets the internal evolution timer.

Regular vs event gifts

During special events (GO Fest, Community Day, Friendship Weekend), gifts can include exclusive Pokémon, guaranteed shiny eggs, or doubled Stardust. Always stack gifts before events to open them all during the bonus window.

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Common mistakes when trading gifts

Trying to send a gift without collecting from a PokéStop first
Forgetting the 30-gifts-per-day open limit
Hoarding too many gifts (hitting the 20-bag limit and losing new ones)
Not using Lucky Eggs during Best Friends evolutions

Conclusion

The gift system is the most predictable source of Stardust and special eggs. Players who treat it as daily routine — collect in the morning, send in the afternoon, open at night — accumulate resources exponentially.