Which Team Should I Pick in Pokémon GO?
Updated
Whichever your friends are on. Valor, Mystic and Instinct are identical in everything the game actually calculates. There's no stronger team, no catch bonus, no damage difference.
How we know
The game ships a data file describing every rule it runs on: stats, moves, type multipliers, costs. We read it to build this whole site. It contains no team bonus of any kind. Every team entry in there is clothing for your avatar.
What your team does change
| Thing | Effect |
|---|---|
| Gyms | You can only add a Pokémon to a Gym your team holds, and you battle the ones it doesn't. This is the whole of it. |
| Raids | None. Anyone raids with anyone. |
| Catching, hatching, trading, PvP | None. |
| Color and leader | Valor is red, Mystic blue, Instinct yellow. |
So how do you choose?
Two things matter, and neither is on the team's description.
- Your friends. Gyms are the only place teams apply, and holding one is easier with people you play with. Ask before you pick.
- Your neighborhood. If every Gym near you is one color, joining that team means free daily Coins, and joining another means constant battles. Both are fine. Just know which you're choosing.
You can change teams later with a Team Medallion from the shop, so this isn't a decision worth agonising over.
The "no bonus" claim above is checkable: it comes from the absence of any team modifier in the game's own data, not from anyone's opinion.
Questions people ask
Which team should I pick in Pokémon GO?
Whichever your friends are on. Valor, Mystic and Instinct are identical in everything the game calculates, so the only thing your choice affects is which Gyms you can join.
Is there a best team in Pokémon GO?
No. The game ships a data file describing every rule it runs on, and it contains no team bonus of any kind. Every team entry in it is clothing for your avatar. That is checkable rather than an opinion.
Does your team affect catching, raids or PvP?
None of them. No catch bonus, no damage difference, no raid restriction. Anyone raids and trades with anyone.
What does your team actually change?
Gyms, and only Gyms. You can add a Pokémon to a Gym your team holds, and you battle the ones it does not.
Can I change teams in Pokémon GO?
Yes, with a Team Medallion from the in-game shop, so this is not a decision worth agonising over.
What are the three Pokémon GO teams?
Team Valor is red, Team Mystic is blue, Team Instinct is yellow.
Which team is the most popular?
Nothing published says, and it would not matter for your account if it did. What matters locally is which team holds the Gyms near you: join it for easier daily Coins, or a different one for something to battle.