Pokémon just revealed the starter trio for Winds & Waves as part of its 30th-anniversary rollout, and the questions trainers ask next are practical ones: what type combos beat the new lineup, which nature suits a competitive build, and what a fully evolved form's stat spread looks like. The mainline games and Pokémon GO do not answer those questions well on their own. A dedicated Pokedex app fills the gap with searchable movesets, evolution chains, breeding data, and type matchup charts that update faster than flipping through menus. The best Pokedex apps for Android turn a five-minute stat lookup into a five-second one, whether the goal is prepping a competitive team or just checking what a new starter evolves into. Testing focused on seven apps, weighing how current their data is, whether they work offline, and how much they charge for the features that matter.
What to look for in a Pokedex app
Not every Pokedex app tracks the same generation, and the gap matters more each time a new expansion lands. Before picking one, check these points.
- Full national dex coverage. A dex worth keeping updates through the current generation, including DLC forms and regional variants, not just the first eight games.
- Offline access. Trainers look things up mid-battle or without signal at a local tournament. A dex that needs a live connection for every search is a liability.
- Type matchup tools. A built-in weakness and resistance chart, ideally with a damage calculator, saves a tab switch to a browser.
- Breeding, IV, and EV data. Egg groups, hidden abilities, and stat calculators matter for anyone building a competitive team, not just checking flavor text.
- Evolution chains with conditions. Level, item, friendship, or trade evolutions should display clearly, not just an arrow between two sprites.
- Ad load and paywall placement. Free dex apps commonly gate team builders or ad removal behind a one-time purchase. Check whether the core lookup stays free either way.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pokémon HOME | Official cloud storage and cross-game dex tracking | Limited storage, ad-supported | Premium plan for full storage | 3.8 |
| dataDex | Free offline reference with a team builder | Full dex free | One-time Pro unlock | 4.2 |
| CTA Dex | Collectors tracking living dex and shiny hunts | Fully free | Free | 4.7 |
| MasterDex | Side-by-side stat comparisons and TCG lookups | Full dex free, ad-supported | One-time Pro unlock | 4.4 |
| PokePedia | EV, IV, and nature stat calculators | Fully free | Free | 4.5 |
| Smogon Pokedex | Competitive movesets, EV spreads, and tiers | Fully free, ad-supported | Free | 4.0 |
| Poke Genie | Pokémon GO players who want an IV checker plus a dex | Capped daily scans | Subscription for unlimited scans | 4.7 |
The best Pokedex apps for Android
1. Pokémon HOME — best for official cloud storage and cross-game dex tracking
Pokémon HOME is Game Freak's own cloud service, and it doubles as the most authoritative national Pokedex on Android. It tracks every Pokémon caught across the connected mainline titles, shows which forms and regional variants are still missing from the living dex, and lets a Pokémon learn certain egg moves during a transfer that would otherwise be unobtainable in that specific game.
Where it falls short: the free tier caps storage low enough that any serious collector hits the wall within a season, and reviews on the storefront skew mixed over the added subscription cost stacked on top of full-price games.
Pricing: free to install with limited box space; a premium plan unlocks full storage and move-relearning features.
Platforms: Android.
Bottom line: the only app here that moves real Pokémon between games, worth keeping installed even if a third-party dex handles daily lookups.
2. dataDex — best for a complete free offline reference with a team builder
dataDex covers all 1,025 Pokémon with detail on moves, abilities, items, and natures, and every screen works without a signal once the data is downloaded. Filtering by game version, generation, or type makes it fast to check whether a move or ability existed in an older title, and the Type Dex screen shows weaknesses and resistances for any type combination on demand.
Where it falls short: the team builder with full type-coverage analysis sits behind the Pro upgrade, and the location dex data lags a generation or two behind on the newest games.
Pricing: free for the core dex, item dex, and nature dex; a one-time Pro purchase unlocks the team builder and removes ads.
Platforms: Android.
Bottom line: the strongest all-around free pick when the priority is a fast, offline, no-nonsense dex.
3. CTA Dex — best for collectors tracking living dex and shiny hunts
CTA Dex spans every main series game from Red & Blue through Legends Z-A, plus Pokémon TCG Pocket and Pokopia, and tracks regular, living, and shiny living dex checklists side by side. Full evolution chains list every condition, hidden abilities are marked clearly, and a shiny hunt counter generates shareable milestone images for anyone chasing a specific encounter.
Where it falls short: the sheer number of tracked categories makes the settings menu dense at first; new users need a few minutes to find the checklist view they actually want.
Pricing: fully free, with no separate paid tier found on the storefront listing.
Platforms: Android.
Bottom line: the most current release of the group and the pick for anyone building out a complete collection, shiny forms included.
4. MasterDex — best for side-by-side stat comparisons and TCG lookups
MasterDex updates through Scarlet and Violet's forms, evolutions, and abilities, and its Comparator tool puts base stats and type resistances for two Pokémon on one screen, which speeds up deciding between two similar picks for a team slot. A TCG info panel adds card details, rarity, and prices for anyone also collecting the physical cards.
Where it falls short: the team builder and ad removal both sit behind the Pro tier, and some users report the free version's ad frequency getting in the way of quick lookups.
Pricing: free with ads; a one-time Pro purchase adds the team builder and removes ads.
Platforms: Android.
Bottom line: a good fit for trainers who also collect the trading card game and want stat comparisons without opening a second app.
5. PokePedia — best for EV, IV, and nature stat calculators
PokePedia puts a stats calculator front and center, working out a Pokémon's real potential from its level, EVs, IVs, and nature in a couple of taps. It covers all 1,025 species, offline mode is on by default, and moves, items, abilities, and natures are all two taps away from the main search. A PokeWordle-style daily puzzle is a small extra for anyone who wants a break between team-building sessions.
Where it falls short: the design leans utilitarian, and the team-building screen takes some getting used to compared with apps built around a single dex view.
Pricing: fully free.
Platforms: Android.
Bottom line: the app to reach for when the question is "what does this Pokémon's stat spread actually look like," not just "what does it evolve into."
6. Smogon Pokedex — best for competitive movesets, EV spreads, and tiers
Smogon Pokedex live-searches the Smogon competitive database for movesets, effort value spreads, abilities, items, and tier placements, which makes it the fastest way to check what a serious competitive build for the new Winds & Waves starters should look like once the community settles on a standard. Data pulls from Smogon's own site, so a new generation's sets show up as soon as the community publishes them.
Where it falls short: ads are frequent and include long unskippable video spots, and there is no paid tier to remove them.
Pricing: free, ad-supported, no premium option.
Platforms: Android.
Bottom line: skip this one if ads are a dealbreaker, but nothing else on this list gets competitive set data this current.
7. Poke Genie — best for Pokémon GO players who want an IV checker plus a dex
Poke Genie reads a screenshot or the in-game appraisal screen to work out a caught Pokémon's IVs, then folds that into raid coordination, a PvP IV calculator for Great and Ultra League, and a power-up and evolution simulator that shows exact CP and candy costs before spending anything. A built-in dex means GO players rarely need to leave the app to look something up.
Where it falls short: the free tier caps daily scans, and some users report the live data feed lagging by a few minutes during busy events.
Pricing: free with a capped number of daily scans; a subscription removes the cap and unlocks the full raid coordinator.
Platforms: Android.
Bottom line: the right call for anyone whose Pokedex needs start and end with Pokémon GO.
How to pick
If Pokémon is the mainline series and cross-game transfers matter, install Pokémon HOME regardless of which other app handles daily lookups; nothing else moves Pokémon between cartridges or teaches transfer-locked egg moves. If the goal is one fast, free, offline dex for general use, dataDex or PokePedia both cover the basics well, with PokePedia leaning toward stat calculators and dataDex leaning toward a cleaner offline browse.
Collectors chasing a living dex or shiny forms get more mileage from CTA Dex, which tracks that specific goal better than any general-purpose dex. Trainers who also collect the trading card game should look at MasterDex for its combined stat comparator and TCG data. Anyone building a competitive team around the new Winds & Waves starters gets the most current moveset and EV data from Smogon Pokedex, ad load aside. Pokémon GO players should skip the general dex apps entirely and go straight to Poke Genie, since it folds IV checking into the same app.
Most trainers end up running two apps: Pokémon HOME for storage and transfers, plus one general or competitive dex for daily lookups. That combination costs nothing beyond an optional storage or scan-limit upgrade.
FAQ
Do Pokedex apps need official Pokémon Company approval to include current data?
No. Most third-party dex apps compile publicly available game data and community research rather than licensing anything from the Pokémon Company, which is why fan-made apps can update within days of a new generation's release while an official app like Pokémon HOME follows a slower release schedule.
Which app updates fastest after a new game or DLC releases?
Community-driven apps like dataDex, CTA Dex, and Smogon Pokedex typically add new species, forms, and movesets within a week or two of a release, since their data comes from active fan communities rather than an internal review process.
Can a Pokedex app work without an internet connection?
Yes, for most of the apps on this list. dataDex, PokePedia, MasterDex, and CTA Dex all cache their core dex data locally after the first launch, so lookups work in airplane mode. Pokémon HOME and Smogon Pokedex need a connection more often since they pull live cloud or web data.
Is a separate app needed for competitive team building, or does a general dex cover it?
A general dex covers stats, types, and abilities well enough for casual planning, but competitive spreads change with the metagame. Smogon Pokedex tracks that shift directly, so anyone building a serious competitive team benefits from checking it alongside a general dex.
Do any of these apps help with breeding for a specific nature or hidden ability?
dataDex, PokePedia, and MasterDex all list egg groups, hidden abilities, and nature effects, which covers most breeding-chain planning. None of them simulate a full breeding tree the way a dedicated calculator on a web browser might, so pair one of these apps with a nature or IV calculator for the deepest breeding math.
Is Pokémon HOME required to play the new Winds & Waves games?
No. Pokémon HOME is an optional cloud storage service for moving Pokémon between compatible games and tracking a cross-title national dex. The mainline games work fully without it; HOME becomes useful once a trainer wants to bring Pokémon in from older titles.
