When Pokémon Go first launched, many ambitious players invested time and resources into setting up interactive maps and trackers to assist players in finding everything in the game, from raids to rare Pokémon spawns. While some of this was great for everyone involved, it also put a lot of strain on Niantic and brought up concerns about cheating. Through a concerted effort on Niantic's part, changes were made to the back end of the game that make it more difficult for trackers and maps to work. Most of these sites have since gone offline, but a handful still remain.
These few sites have found legitimate ways to provide players with guidance to finding things in-game. And we're here to walk you through the remaining options. Also, be sure to check out our best Pokémon Go accessories, so you can be fully equipped on your Pokémon journey!
Why use a map or tracker in Pokémon Go in the first place?
While the information each map or tracker can provide varies and the quality of that information can be spotty in many areas, these tools can give players direction and save them a lot of time. If you're trying to find a Machop nest so you can power up your Machamp, some maps lay out all of the nests in an area and what Pokémon are spawning there. If you're looking for a particular raid battle, there are maps for that too. If you're visiting a new area and want to know where the biggest clusters of gyms and PokéStops are, there are also maps for that. One site even tries to keep track of rare Pokémon spawns.
While some players consider some or even all of these tools to be cheating, they can provide invaluable guidance for those who use them. Of those that are still up and running, four stand out.
Go Map for Pokémon Go
GO Map is a collaborative, real-time map that lists PokéStops and gyms, as well as Pokémon spawns. Because this site relies on players to report locations and spawns, it is more useful in some areas than others. This site also offers an interactive Pokédex with statistics and in-depth details about each Pokémon. They offer a PVP guide that provides not only step-by-step instructions, but also a break down of their preferred Pokémon for PVP battles. You can sort Pokémon by country and city as well for major cities, or use it as a more traditional map.
PokeHunter for Pokémon Go
PokeHunter is one of the maps and trackers that runs remarkably well. They offer detailed information on gyms, including which Team has control at any moment, how many spaces remain in a gym, and where raids are happening. It'd be a perfect tool save for one massive downside: it only works for a handful of cities in three US states. If you happen to live or work in one of the following cities, this is a fantastic tool:
- California (Cupertino, Downtown Campbell, Mountain View, North San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Pasadena, and Los Banos)
- Minnesota (North Saint Paul, Apple Valley, Eagan, Savage, Burnsville, Prior Lake, South Minneapolis, and Lakeville)
- Oregon (Downtown Portland, Happy Valley, Gresham, and Hillsboro)
PogoMap for Pokémon Go
PogoMap is a comprehensive map of all Gyms, PokéStops, and Nests and one of my personal favorites for one particular reason: it differentiates between normal Gyms and Gyms that have the potential to hand out EX Raid Passes. Although EX Raids aren't happening at the moment, when they are happening, this is an invaluable tool.
While this map has the ability to report lots of useful details, such as which Pokémon are spawning in a current Nest, when Team Go Rocket has invaded a PokéStop or even which Field Research tasks any particular PokéStop is handing out, I found these features to be underutilized in my area despite being near multiple large cities. In some areas with more active players, these tools could be handy, but even without them, I find the information on this particular map to be super helpful.
The Silph Road
Saving the best for last, The Silph Road has remained the biggest and best-organized site for Pokémon Go players to collaborate. In addition to their comprehensive Pokédex and countless guides on Pokémon Go, they have a map that has all the Nest locations with both confirmed and rumored Nest spawns. Plus, there's an unofficial League Map that provides locations for real-world meet-ups of all varieties. Their site offers more information on Pokémon Go than any other I've ever found, and the people running it from all around the world are some of the most knowledgeable and dedicated players in the game. It's easy to see why they are the go-to authority on all things Pokémon Go.
Other options for Pokémon Go
Maybe, for some reason or another, these tools just aren't cutting it for you. While there will never be the number or quality of tools for Pokémon Go players as existed in its early days, there are still other options. Namely, the best thing you can do for real-time information on Pokémon Go is to connect with other local players. Many social platforms, such as Facebook and Reddit, run local Pokémon Go communities. These groups often have active Facebook Messengers Groups and Discord Chats, where you can connect with other local players who share locations of rare Pokémon spawns, Raids, coveted Research tasks, and more. If these tools just aren't enough, your best bet is to connect with other players through these groups.
Questions about maps and trackers in Pokémon Go?
Do you have any questions about how to use these tools to up your Pokémon Go game? Have you found another map or tracker that isn't listed here to be particularly useful? Drop us a comment below, and be sure to check out our other Pokémon Go Guides so you too can become a Pokémon Master!
