Every way to get all types of Poke Balls in Pokemon GO

Poke Balls are some of the most crucial items in Pokemon GO, so fans will want to know every way to get them and their upgraded siblings.

Poke Balls are vital in every Pokemon game, and Pokemon GO is no exception. Players can use these objects to catch the titular Pocket Monsters and add them to their collection. The game has various types of Poke Balls, each with different success rates for catching Pokemon.

Players can get Poke Balls in a number of different ways and Niantic isn’t too stingy with them in Pokemon GO. Here is every way to get every type of Poke Ball in Pokemon GO.

How to get Poke Balls in Pokemon GO

The primary way of collecting Poke Balls in Pokemon GO is by spinning photodisks found in PokeStops and gyms. Several other methods can either give players more Poke Balls faster, or can net the player smaller numbers of Poke Balls on a more regular basis.

Here are the six different ways players can get Poke Balls in Pokemon GO:

• Spinning photodisks at PokeStops and gyms
• Buying them through the in-game store using PokeCoins
• Opening gifts from friends
• Opening the Daily Free Gift in the in-game shop
• Completing research missions
• Using the Daily Adventure Incense

The most reliable way to get free Poke Balls in Pokemon GO is using the Daily Adventure Incense. If players have fewer than 30 Poke Balls in their inventory when using a Daily Adventure Incense, they will automatically receive 30 for free, if their inventory isn’t overfilled.

Beyond that, players can open a certain number of gifts from friends each day, or spin photo disks at stops and gyms. In both cases, these are free and have the chance of giving the player Poke Balls. Research missions are free as well, but require players to complete objectives and include rewards that aren’t Poke Balls.

The in-game store has Poke Balls readily available, but at an extremely high cost. 20 Poke Balls will set players back by 100 PokeCoins, 100 Poke Balls costs 460 PokeCoins, and 200 Poke Balls runs for a whopping 800 PokeCoins. Given how precious PokeCoins are for getting Remote Raid Passes and storage upgrades, these purchases are not recommended.

How to get Great Balls, Ultra Balls, and Premier Balls in Pokemon GO

Players can get Great Balls and Ultra Balls in Pokemon GO by spinning PokeStops and completing field research missions after hitting a certain level.

Leveling up in Pokemon GO unlocks stronger Poke Ball types, and can give players some as a reward. Here is a list of every Poke Ball type and when players can start getting them:

• Poke Balls– Available from the start of the game
• Great Balls– Available after reaching level 12
• Ultra Balls– Available after reaching level 20

After players hit these levels, the different iterations of Poke Balls can be obtained through the same methods. They can randomly appear in PokeStops, be found in gifts, and so on.

Premier Balls appear in Pokemon GO as well, but cannot normally be obtained by the player. Premier Balls are given to when attempting to catch Raid Bosses or Shadow Pokemon, and are not directly added to players’ inventory.

How to get Master Balls in Pokemon GO

Master Balls are only available through special research missions in Pokemon GO.

Previously, players only had a short window in 2023 to start and complete a timed field research that rewarded players with the Master Ball. In 2024, players were again able to get a Master Ball in Pokemon GO by completing the Masterwork Research: Catching Wonders special research.

Pokemon GO’s Masterwork Research: Catching Wonders quest can be completed at any time and completing it gives fans a coveted Master Ball, and many other rewards including Poke Balls. However, only those who started the field research between May 14 and May 19, 2024, can access it.

Here are all the steps required for getting a Master Ball from the Masterwork Research: Catching Wonders research:

• Step 1 (2,500 XP, Sandygast encounter)
  • Catch 250 Pokemon (20 Poke Balls)
  • Use 150 berries to help catch Pokemon (15 Razz Berries)
  • Make 100 nice curveball throws (2,500 Stardust)
• Step 2 (3,500 XP, Dubwool encounter)
  • Catch 300 Pokemon (25 Poke Balls)
  • Make 100 great curveball throws (15 Pinap Berries)
  • Transfer 50 Pokemon (20 Great Balls)
• Step 3 (4,500 XP, Hisuian Sneasel encounter)
  • Catch 350 Pokemon (20 Great Balls)
  • Defeat 25 Team GO Rocket members (5 Charged TMs)
  • Catch 75 different species of Pokemon (15 Revives)
• Step 4 (5,000 XP, 5,000 Stardust, 1 Master Ball)
  • Visit PokeStops on seven different days (2,500 XP)
  • Catch a Pokemon on seven different days (2,500 Stardust)
  • Hatch 20 eggs (Whiscash encounter)
  • Catch 75 Pokemon in a single day (20 Ultra Balls)
  • Make 50 excellent throws (20 Max Revives)
  • Catch 500 Pokemon (3 Silver Pinap Berries)

While Niantic hasn’t made its plans for giving players Master Balls in Pokemon GO explicit, fans can likely expect this approach moving forward. Master Balls are likely to be extremely rare and exclusive to special research and other events for the foreseeable future.