AI Overview: Clash Royale upgrade costs once stopped at level 14, with cards and gold listed for each rarity. The level cap is now 16, and several old numbers fell. Every figure is based on the October 2026 card data. Each cost was totaled from the official card list.
Last Updated: October 2026
Key Points:
- The level cap is 16 since the November 24, 2025 update.
- Gold per level is the same for every rarity: 15,000 at level 11, 25,000 at 12, 40,000 at 13, 60,000 at 14, 90,000 at 15 and 120,000 at 16.
- Maxing one card from level 1 to 16 takes about 365,625 gold. A full eight-card deck takes nearly 3 million.
- Copies to max: about 23,000 Commons, 4,800 Rares, 600 Epics, 70 Legendaries and 42 Champions.
2026: Levels 11 to 14
Take level 13. The 2026 table asks for 40,000 gold and 2,500 Commons. The 2026 numbers come from one guide, Timesaver.gg, so they are flagged as a single source.
| Level | Gold (old to 2026) | Common | Rare | Epic | Legendary | Champion |
| 11 | 15,000 | 1,000 | 400 to 300 | 40 to 30 | 4 | 1 |
| 12 | 35,000 to 25,000 | 1,500 | 500 to 400 | 50 | 6 | 2 |
| 13 | 75,000 to 40,000 | 3,000 to 2,500 | 750 to 550 | 100 to 70 | 10 to 9 | 8 to 5 |
| 14 | 100,000 to 60,000 | 5,000 to 3,500 | 1,250 to 750 | 200 to 100 | 20 to 12 | 20 to 8 |
One number means no change. Level 11 is unchanged except for Rares (400 to 300) and Epics (40 to 30).
Why it matters: a Common at level 14 once took 5,000 copies and 100,000 gold. It now takes 3,500 copies and 60,000 gold, which is 30% fewer copies and 40% less gold. That is a real cut for anyone climbing from 13 to 14.
Costs rose again at levels 15 and 16, so the savings at 12 to 14 only go so far. The negative effect: players who relax at level 14 may find the last two levels harder than expected, and free players could stall there.
Levels 15 and 16, and the Cost to Max
| Level | Gold | Common | Rare | Epic | Legendary | Champion |
| 15 | 90,000 | 5,500 | 1,000 | 130 | 14 | 11 |
| 16 | 120,000 | 7,500 | 1,400 | 180 | 20 | 15 |
The full bill. Add every level and one card costs about 365,625 gold, whatever its rarity. Copies differ: about 23,000 for a Common, 4,800 for a Rare, 600 for an Epic, 70 for a Legendary and 42 for a Champion. A full deck of eight cards at level 16 adds up to nearly 3 million gold.
Same loop as before. Since the November 24, 2025 update, Elite Wild Cards became Gems, Books of Cards became Wild Cards and Magic Coins became Gold, so the top levels use regular cards plus gold once more. Star Levels are a cosmetic skin and do nothing to hitpoints or damage.
Where the cards and gold come from is covered in the chests-are-gone guide and the gems guide.
A 120,000-gold last step is a big wall for casual players. The negative effect: if gold income stays flat while costs climb, the gap between daily grinders and weekend players may grow, and matches at the top could be decided by levels more than skill.
What the Old Strategy Still Gets Right
Pick a core deck. Upgrade the eight cards you play most, not every card at once. With one card costing 365,625 gold to max, that advice is stronger now than it was at level 14. A single card at level 16 costs about 365,625 gold, so spreading gold over 20 cards means no deck is ever strong.
Do the quests and events. They were a source of cards and gold then, and events and Pass Royale still are. The old claim that each level adds about 10% to hitpoints and damage, and the XP table, were not rechecked for 2026 and are kept as history.
Reading the ratios: at level 16 a Common needs 7,500 copies, a Rare 1,400, an Epic 180, a Legendary 20 and a Champion 15. A Common takes 5.4 times the copies of a Rare, about 42 times an Epic, 375 times a Legendary and 500 times a Champion. Rare cards need few copies, but they arrive slowly, which is why the gold bill (the same for all) is the number that decides most upgrades.
Plan the deck first with the deck building guide and the Deck Builder, then spend gold on those eight cards.
No level 17 appears in any source used here, but caps have risen before, from 14 to 15 and then 16. The negative effect: if the cap moves again, a deck that took months to max may be behind the day after, and every saved gold coin would need a new target.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the max card level in Clash Royale?
Level 16, since the November 24, 2025 update.
How much gold does it cost to max a card?
About 365,625 gold from level 1 to 16, and it is the same for every rarity.
How many copies does a Legendary need?
About 70 copies to reach level 16. A Champion needs about 42.
How much gold is level 16?
120,000 gold, on top of 7,500 Commons, 1,400 Rares, 180 Epics, 20 Legendaries or 15 Champions.
Do Star Levels make a card stronger?
No. They are a cosmetic gold skin with no effect on hitpoints or damage.
Sources
Researched from the following (no links, listed for transparency):
- Timesaver.gg, Clash Royale card levels explained (September 2026)
- RoyaleAPI blog, “RIP chests” (2025 Q1 update) and Lucky Drop 2.0 update (2024 Q3), read through search summaries
- Supercell, Clash Royale release notes on chests and Lucky Drops, and the support page on discounts, offers and drop rates (page summaries)