Pokémon GO review

Pokémon GO is second because it does something no other game here does: it turns your neighborhood into the map. You walk to find and catch Pokémon, battle at Gyms and team up with other Trainers in Raid Battles, while a Buddy Pokémon earns rewards as you move. With permission, Adventure Sync uses the Health app to count distance even when the game is closed. The publisher says it has been downloaded over 1 billion times, and Apple gives it an Editors' Choice badge. The US App Store listing shows in-app purchases from $0.99 for 100 PokéCoins and does not list advertising, which keeps the free experience clean. The limits are practical. Scopely says the game is optimized for smartphones, not tablets, works best on a network connection with GPS, and that background GPS can sharply reduce battery life. Its 4.0 rating is also the lowest on this list. We compared documented features and published prices.

Who it is for

Phone owners who want a free game that gets them walking and has regular community events.

Price

Free to play; PokéCoins start at $0.99 on the US App Store.

100 PokéCoins $0.99
Quoted from the vendor pricing page on November 10, 2026.

Key features

• Catch Pokémon in the real world and complete your Pokédex
• Gym battles and Raid Battles with other Trainers
• Buddy Pokémon that walk alongside you for rewards
• Adventure Sync counts walking distance through the Health app when the app is closed
• Regular special events, such as Wild Area: Global

Strengths and weaknesses

• Strength: The App Store listing shows no advertising
• Strength: Gets players outdoors and moving
• Strength: Apple Editors' Choice with a long record of updates
• Weakness: Needs GPS and a network connection to work well
• Weakness: Background GPS use can drain the battery
• Weakness: Optimized for smartphones, not tablets

Key facts

• App Store rating: 4.0 from 657K ratings
• Downloads (publisher): Over 1 billion
• Age rating: 9+
• Requires: iOS 15.0 or later
• Awards: Apple Editors' Choice

Where it ranks

Pokémon GO is No. 2 in our Best Free Game Apps verdict.