Which Eevee evolution is best in Pokémon GO in 2026? Compare PvP and raid rankings, evolution methods, and pick the right Eeveelution.
So, you’re playing Pokémon GO in 2026 and you’re stuck on a big decision: what is the best Eevee evolution right now? With eight different paths, candy costs, buddy requirements, and the competitive scene to worry about, Eevee is easily one of the most stressful Pokémon to get right.
This Eevee evolution guide 2026 is here to help you navigate those choices. Whether you are trying to decide what to evolve a 100% IV Eevee into, looking for the best Eeveelution for PvP and raids, or just checking if the Eevee nickname trick still works, you’ll find the answers here based on real community data and the current meta.
What Are the Eevee Evolutions in Pokémon GO?
You have eight total options, commonly called Eeveelutions, spanning from Generation 1 to Generation 6. Your choices are Vaporeon, Jolteon, Flareon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon.
Each one plays a totally different role. Some are essential for PvP leagues with CP caps, others are absolute beasts in raid battles, and a few are mostly just there for your collection.
Choosing blindly means you might waste 25 Eevee Candy, your hard-earned Buddy Hearts, or even your one-time guaranteed evolution.
Quick Reference Eevee Evolution Chart 2026
Use this table to quickly find the best use for your Eevee.
| Evolution | Type | Best Role | Evolution Method |
| Umbreon | Dark | 🥇 PvP (Ultra League) | Walk 10km + Evolve at Night |
| Sylveon | Fairy | 🥈 Raids / Master League | Earn 70 Buddy Hearts |
| Espeon | Psychic | PvE (Budget Attacker) | Walk 10km + Evolve at Day |
| Glaceon | Ice | PvE (High DPS Attacker) | Glacial Lure Module |
| Leafeon | Grass | PvE (Grass Attacker) | Mossy Lure Module |
| Vaporeon | Water | Gym Defense / Casual | Random |
| Jolteon | Electric | Casual / Budget | Random |
| Flareon | Fire | Casual / Budget | Random |
Eevee Evolution Ranking Pokémon GO
Scan Reddit or check the competitive meta, and you’ll see a clear Eevee evolution ranking Pokémon GO players agree on. This isn’t just a popularity contest—it reflects how these Pokémon actually perform for you in 2026.
#1 – Umbreon Best for PvP Ultra League
If you live for PvP, stop looking. Umbreon is widely considered the best Eevee evolution for Ultra League 2026. You don’t pick it for raw damage; you pick it for extreme durability and consistency.
Why Umbreon Is Ranked #1
Umbreon is a tank. Its bulk allows you to survive long battles while slowly wearing opponents down. In Ultra League, this makes it one of the most reliable Dark-type Pokémon you can own.
When you give Umbreon Last Resort, you gain crucial coverage that prevents you from getting walled by hard counters. Importantly, you usually want PvP-optimized IVs, not Hundos.
For the most effective performance, equip your Umbreon with Snarl as its Fast Move, paired with Foul Play and Last Resort as its Charged Moves.
Just remember that Last Resort requires an Elite Charged TM. When you power it all the way up to Level 50, Umbreon reaches a maximum CP of 2,416.
How to Get Umbreon Without Name Trick
To guarantee Umbreon without wasting the nickname trick, you need to walk Eevee for 10km as your buddy. Once you hit that distance, keep Eevee as your buddy and evolve it at night.
The evolution costs 25 Eevee Candy and will always give you Umbreon if you do it right.
Start by making Eevee your Buddy and walking it for 10km. Make sure you earn at least two candies to verify the game registered the distance.
Once the distance is locked in, keep Eevee as your Buddy and evolve it while the in-game map is dark (indicating nighttime).
Before you tap confirm, always check the evolution button. It must show a silhouette of Umbreon rather than a question mark. If you don’t see the silhouette, the game hasn’t registered your progress yet.
Remember that a 100% IV Eevee is often not ideal for PvP Umbreon. Lower Attack with higher Defense and HP usually gets you better results in CP-limited leagues.
Important 2026 Meta Update: There is one major exception to the IV rule! For Ultra League, because Umbreon maxes out around 2416 CP (Level 50), you actually DO want a 100% IV (Hundo) Eevee to get as close to the 2500 CP cap as possible. The “Low Attack” rule applies mainly to Great League.
#2 – Sylveon Best All-Round Eeveelution
Want one Eevee that works well almost everywhere? Sylveon is your safest bet. It is often recommended as the best Eevee evolution for raids, while also holding its own in Master League and general gameplay.
Why Players Love Sylveon
You’ll love Sylveon’s Fairy typing because it destroys Dragon, Dark, and Fighting types, which are everywhere in raids, PvP, and Team Rocket battles.
It also scales amazingly well with high IVs, making it one of the best answers if you’re asking “what to evolve a 100 IV Eevee into?” On top of that, Sylveon is consistently ranked among the best shiny Eevee evolutions.
For optimal damage, run Charm as its Fast Move alongside Moonblast and Psyshock as its Charged Moves. When fully maximized to Level 50, it achieves a substantial Max CP of 3,470.
Pro Tip: While Florges and Primarina are top-tier Fairy types in 2026, Sylveon is much easier for you to obtain, making it the “budget powerhouse” for Master League.
Sylveon Evolution Requirements
To get Sylveon, you must earn 70 Buddy Hearts while Eevee is your buddy. Once you hit that number, evolving Eevee while it remains your buddy guarantees Sylveon for 25 Eevee Candy. This method is reliable and works day or night.
You can earn these 70 hearts faster by feeding your Eevee a Poffin, which doubles the hearts you earn that day to over 20.
Also, consistently taking snapshots, playing with your buddy, battling Team Leaders or Team Rocket three times a day, and spinning new PokéStops will help you reach the goal quickly.
Sylveon is ideal if you are a beginner, a raid-focused player, a shiny collector, or someone planning a long-term investment into Master League.
#3 – Glaceon Situational Raid Pick
Glaceon might rank lower overall, but don’t sleep on it if you need specific coverage. Think of it as a situational Ice-type raid attacker rather than a core meta Pokémon.
Why Choose Glaceon
You choose Glaceon for solid Ice-type damage against Dragon, Flying, and Grass-type raid bosses. If your account lacks strong Ice attackers, Glaceon can temporarily fill that gap nicely.
The recommended moveset for Glaceon consists of Frost Breath as the Fast Move and Avalanche as the Charged Move. At Level 50, Glaceon reaches a Max CP of 3,535.
Note: Glaceon actually has very high DPS (Damage Per Second). If you don’t have Shadow Mamoswine or Galarian Darmanitan, Glaceon is often the best standard Ice-type attacker available to you.
How to Get Glaceon
To get Glaceon, you must use a Glacial Lure Module at a PokéStop and evolve Eevee within range. The evolution costs 25 Eevee Candy and is guaranteed when done correctly. Due to low bulk, you shouldn’t use Glaceon for PvP.
Best Eevee Evolution for PvP By League
If you’re playing PvP seriously, your Eeveelutions perform very differently depending on the league.
In the Great League 1500 CP, you are mostly out of luck. Eeveelutions generally struggle here, though Umbreon can be usable with specific low-attack IVs.
In the Ultra League 2500 CP, Umbreon stands out as a top-tier pick due to its bulk and reliability, though keep in mind it requires a heavy investment to reach Level 50.
Finally, in the Master League No Limit, Sylveon becomes your best option thanks to its Fairy-type pressure and higher stat scaling, allowing you to effectively counter common dragons like Giratina and Dialga.
Best Eevee Evolution for Raids in 2026
If you just want to top the damage charts in raids, Sylveon is your strongest overall Eeveelution thanks to its Fairy typing and solid moveset.
Glaceon works as a solid secondary option for Ice-type coverage. Espeon remains usable, but let’s be honest, it is largely outclassed by stronger Psychic attackers like Mewtwo.
Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon are generally considered outdated for serious raid performance in 2026.
What to Evolve a 100% IV Eevee Into?
So you caught a 100% IV Eevee. Nice. Now, what do you do with it?
Sylveon is the top pick for raids and Master League because it benefits heavily from those perfect IVs.
Alternatively, Umbreon is recommended if you plan to fully invest in Ultra League XL play, where you actually need the 100% IVs to reach the CP cap. Keep in mind that PvP IVs and Hundos are not always the same thing.
How to Evolve Eevee in Pokémon GO: Guaranteed Methods 2026
Eevee Nickname Trick 2026
Yes, the Eevee name trick still works in 2026, but remember: you can only use each nickname once per evolution. After that, the nickname won’t work again.
The official nickname list requires you to rename Eevee to:
| Evolution | Nickname |
|---|---|
| Vaporeon | Rainer |
| Jolteon | Sparky |
| Flareon | Pyro |
| Espeon | Sakura |
| Umbreon | Tamao |
| Leafeon | Linnea |
| Glaceon | Rea |
| Sylveon | Kira |
Eevee Evolution Without Name Trick
Used up your nicknames? You have to do it the hard way.
Umbreon and Espeon require you to walk Eevee for 10km, earn two candies, and then evolve it during the night or day, respectively.
Sylveon requires you to earn a total of 70 Buddy Hearts, achieving “Great Buddy” status.
Leafeon and Glaceon require you to be within range of an active Mossy Lure Module or Glacial Lure Module; always spin the stop first to verify the zone is active.
Finally, Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon evolve randomly. There is no trick to force these three specific forms after you have used their respective names.
Eevee Evolution Requirements Chart 2026
Umbreon requires 25 Eevee Candy, a 10km walk, and nighttime evolution, making it best for PvP.
Sylveon also costs 25 Candy but requires 70 Buddy Hearts, making it ideal for raids and Master League.
Glaceon and Leafeon depend on lure modules and serve niche roles. Vaporeon evolves randomly and is mostly a casual option.
Is Vaporeon Still Good in Pokémon GO 2026?
Let’s be real: Vaporeon isn’t the beast it used to be. While it has decent bulk, it is outclassed by stronger Water-type Pokémon (like Kyogre and Swampert). You rarely see it in PvP, and it is mainly chosen today for nostalgia or casual play rather than performance.
Best Eevee Evolution for Shiny Eevee
Got a shiny Eevee? The community consensus strongly favors Sylveon and Umbreon.
Sylveon’s blue-and-pink color scheme stands out visually, while Umbreon’s glowing blue rings remain one of the most iconic shiny designs in the game. Both choices combine visual appeal with real usefulness.
Shiny Tip: For Sylveon, Umbreon, Espeon, Glaceon, and Leafeon, look at the evolution button! If you have met the requirements correctly (Hearts/Walking/Lure), you will see the specific silhouette or icon of that Pokémon on the evolve button instead of a question mark (?).
FAQ: Eevee Evolutions in Pokémon GO
Which Eevee evolution is the strongest in Pokémon GO?
For PvP, Umbreon is your strongest choice (Great/Ultra League). For raids and Master League, Sylveon performs best.
Is the Eevee name trick permanent?
No. Each nickname works only once per evolution.
Can you get Sylveon in Pokémon GO?
Yes. You can evolve Eevee into Sylveon by earning 70 Buddy Hearts.
How to get Espeon without walking?
You can’t. The 10km walking requirement is mandatory (unless you have a spare use of the name trick “Sakura“).
Final Verdict Which Eevee Evolution Should You Choose?
If you focus on PvP, Umbreon should be your top priority.
If you care more about raids, Master League, or overall flexibility, Sylveon is the best Eevee evolution Pokémon GO offers in 2026.
Glaceon works if you desperately need Ice-type damage, while shiny collectors should lean toward Sylveon or Umbreon. If you can only evolve one Eevee this year, Sylveon remains the safest and smartest choice for you.
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