Gyms and how to earn PokéCoins
Getting startedLast checked 2026-10-31
In 3 lines
- Place a Pokémon in a gym held by your team and you earn PokéCoins for the time it defends, up to 50 coins a day.
- The coins arrive all at once when your Pokémon is defeated in the gym and comes back to you.
- Pokémon placed in gyms lose motivation over time, so teammates can feed them Berries to restore it.
Gym basics
- At Trainer level 5, you choose one of the three teams and can battle at gyms.
- Defeat all the Pokémon in another team's gym and the gym becomes empty, so you can place a Pokémon from your team.
- A gym holds up to six Pokémon from the same team, and each person can place only one Pokémon in a gym.
How to earn PokéCoins
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Amount | Based on how long it defends (about 1 coin per 10 minutes) |
| Daily max | 50 coins |
| When you get them | When your Pokémon is defeated and comes back |
Spreading your Pokémon across several gyms makes it easier to reach 50 coins a day. You spend PokéCoins in the shop on items and on upgrades to your bag space and Pokémon storage.
Tips for defending longer
- Place Pokémon with high Defense that hold out a long time (e.g., Pokémon with high HP and Defense, like Blissey and Snorlax).
- Feeding Berries at a gym held by your team restores the motivation of the Pokémon placed there. The lower its motivation, the more easily it loses to attackers.
- Gyms in quiet spots last longer than ones in places other teams pass through often.
To find Pokémon that hold out long, compare Defense and HP side by side on Compare Pokémon, or check the Master League row (stat product) on PvP league rankings.
Checklist
- Place one Pokémon in each of several gyms
- Feed Berries at your team's gyms
- Check whether you've reached 50 coins for the day
Sources
- Bulbapedia: Gym (GO) — gym placement and PokéCoin rules
Related Pokémon & events
- Blissey
- Snorlax
- Slaking
More in Getting started
- First-week guide for new players (with how GO differs from the main series)Pokémon GO has different stats, IVs, moves and type matchups from the main series, so main-series numbers give wrong answers here.
- Throwing and catch rates (Nice, Great, Excellent, Curveball)Ball, Berry, throw ring, Curveball and medal bonuses multiply together to raise your catch rate, and the smaller the ring when you hit it, the bigger the bonus.
- Types of research (Field Research, Special Research, Timed Research, Breakthrough)Research gives you rewards for finishing tasks, and it splits into Field Research, Special Research, Timed Research and more, depending on where you get it and its time limit.
- Adventure Sync (step tracking) and weekly rewardsWith Adventure Sync on, distance you walk with the game closed also counts, using the records in your phone's health app.
- How to use Party Play and Party PowerParty Play lets up to 4 Trainers at level 20 or higher form a party and adventure together.
- How to use PogoHelp tools (IV calculator, PvP, calendar subscription, My Pokédex)Enter CP, HP and the Power Up Stardust in the IV calculator, and it finds every possible IV combination.
- How to read IVs and appraisalsIVs run from 0 to 15 for each of Attack, Defense and HP, and appraisal stars are set by the sum of the three (0–45).
- Trading and Lucky PokémonYou can trade from Trainer level 10 with a friend within 100 m, and the higher your friendship level, the less Stardust it costs.
- Exchanging gifts with friends (how to build friendship points)Spinning the Photo Disc at PokéStops and gyms gets you gifts, and you can send one to each friend once a day.
- How to tidy up your bag and Pokémon storageYour bag (items) and Pokémon storage have a set number of slots, and you can add 50 slots at a time with PokéCoins in the shop.
Game rules and numbers can change, so each article shows when it was last checked. Articles are rechecked once that date is 6 months old. If you spot a mistake, let us know with 'Report an error' at the bottom of the page.