10 Hardest Butterfree Pokémon Cards to Pull
Ranked by estimated pull rates from English booster packs.
Butterfree has both a colourful VMAX chase and a long trail of smaller foil cards. Full-art, rainbow and reverse-holo versions are separate collecting targets. This countdown brings their existing English pull-rate estimates together without using price to decide the order.
Estimated odds, limited coverage. This uses the same estimates as our pull-rate calculators, including labelled rough models and very-low-confidence assumptions. It does not establish the hardest Butterfree ever printed; nearby estimates may not represent a real difference in difficulty.
How the ranking works ↓We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through our eBay links. Card images are artwork references; edition stamps and foil finishes may differ.
Butterfree pull rates at a glance
A larger pack figure means a lower estimated chance. Figures are rounded to two significant digits; matching rounded estimates share a rank.
| Rank | Card & set | Estimated packs |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Butterfree VMAX (Secret) 190/189Darkness Ablaze · Holofoil | ~1 in 650 |
| 2 | Butterfree V (Full Art) 177/189Darkness Ablaze · Holofoil | ~1 in 330 |
| 3 | Butterfree 3/264Fusion Strike · Reverse Holofoil | ~1 in 220Rough estimate |
| 4 = | Butterfree VMAX 2/189Darkness Ablaze · Holofoil | ~1 in 180 |
| 4 = | Butterfree 4/214Unbroken Bonds · Reverse Holofoil | ~1 in 180Rough estimate |
| 6 = | Butterfree (38) 38/165Expedition · Reverse Holofoil | ~1 in 160Rough estimate |
| 6 = | Butterfree (5) 5/165Expedition · Reverse Holofoil | ~1 in 160Rough estimate |
| 8 | Butterfree 3/192Rebel Clash · Reverse Holofoil | ~1 in 150Rough estimate |
| 9 = | Butterfree 3/149Sun & Moon Base Set · Reverse Holofoil | ~1 in 140Rough estimate |
| 9 = | Butterfree FB 17/147Supreme Victors · Reverse Holofoil | ~1 in 140Rough estimate |
The hardest-to-pull Butterfree countdown
#9 (joint) · Butterfree FB
Supreme Victors · 17/147 · English · Reverse Holofoil
Rough estimate. Limited evidence; actual odds may vary greatly.
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 140 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Reverse Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$19.84 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
This Supreme Victors printing adds a reverse-holo version to the Pokémon’s checklist. The estimate concerns the exact collector number shown. An ordinary card with the same artwork does not count as this foil pull.
Where this estimate comes from
Assumes 1 effective ordinary reverse-holo slots per pack, shared equally across 140 eligible reverse printings. This simplifies special-card replacements and unequal print sheets; the slot allowance is a modelling assumption.
#9 (joint) · Butterfree
Sun & Moon Base Set · 3/149 · English · Reverse Holofoil
Rough estimate. Limited evidence; actual odds may vary greatly.
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 140 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Reverse Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$0.84 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
This Sun & Moon Base Set printing adds a reverse-holo version to the Pokémon’s checklist. The estimate concerns the exact collector number shown. An ordinary card with the same artwork does not count as this foil pull.
Where this estimate comes from
Assumes 1 effective ordinary reverse-holo slots per pack, shared equally across 136 eligible reverse printings. This simplifies special-card replacements and unequal print sheets; the slot allowance is a modelling assumption.
#8 · Butterfree
Rebel Clash · 3/192 · English · Reverse Holofoil
Rough estimate. Limited evidence; actual odds may vary greatly.
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 150 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Reverse Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$1.11 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
This Rebel Clash printing adds a reverse-holo version to the Pokémon’s checklist. The estimate concerns the exact collector number shown. An ordinary card with the same artwork does not count as this foil pull.
Where this estimate comes from
Assumes 1 effective ordinary reverse-holo slots per pack, shared equally across 151 eligible reverse printings. This simplifies special-card replacements and unequal print sheets; the slot allowance is a modelling assumption.
#6 (joint) · Butterfree (5)
Expedition · 5/165 · English · Reverse Holofoil
Rough estimate. Limited evidence; actual odds may vary greatly.
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 160 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Reverse Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$174.24 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
Expedition’s e-Reader-era design gives this printing a different look from modern cards. This entry ranks the reverse holo of the exact collector number shown, rather than every foil card with the same Pokémon name.
Where this estimate comes from
Assumes 1 effective ordinary reverse-holo slots per pack, shared equally across 159 eligible reverse printings. This simplifies special-card replacements and unequal print sheets; the slot allowance is a modelling assumption.
#6 (joint) · Butterfree (38)
Expedition · 38/165 · English · Reverse Holofoil
Rough estimate. Limited evidence; actual odds may vary greatly.
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 160 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Reverse Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$32.20 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
Expedition’s e-Reader-era design gives this printing a different look from modern cards. This entry ranks the reverse holo of the exact collector number shown, rather than every foil card with the same Pokémon name.
Where this estimate comes from
Assumes 1 effective ordinary reverse-holo slots per pack, shared equally across 159 eligible reverse printings. This simplifies special-card replacements and unequal print sheets; the slot allowance is a modelling assumption.
#4 (joint) · Butterfree
Unbroken Bonds · 4/214 · English · Reverse Holofoil
Rough estimate. Limited evidence; actual odds may vary greatly.
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 180 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Reverse Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$0.96 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
This reverse holo offers a smaller collecting target alongside Unbroken Bonds’ GX chases. Its estimated chance concerns this particular number and finish, not the probability of finding any reverse holo.
Where this estimate comes from
Assumes 1 effective ordinary reverse-holo slots per pack, shared equally across 179 eligible reverse printings. This simplifies special-card replacements and unequal print sheets; the slot allowance is a modelling assumption.
#4 (joint) · Butterfree VMAX
Darkness Ablaze · 2/189 · English · Holofoil
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 180 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$6.05 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
The regular Butterfree VMAX offers a different treatment from the rainbow secret card. They depict the same Pokémon form, but they are separate collecting targets and do not share the same rarity-pool estimate.
Where this estimate comes from
The estimated rarity frequency is divided across the eligible cards in that pool, assuming equal individual chances. It is not a measured count of this particular card.
Community opening frequencies; individual card estimates divide the category by its eligible card pool. Alternate-art allocations and ordinary reverse odds remain unavailable unless separately supported. Independent pack calculations do not reproduce print-sheet collation.
#3 · Butterfree
Fusion Strike · 3/264 · English · Reverse Holofoil
Rough estimate. Limited evidence; actual odds may vary greatly.
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 220 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Reverse Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$0.43 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
One exact reverse holo can be elusive within a large set even when its ordinary version is common. The estimate assumes equal chances across the reverse-holo pool; it is not evidence that this Pokémon is specially short-printed.
Where this estimate comes from
Assumes 1 effective ordinary reverse-holo slots per pack, shared equally across 217 eligible reverse printings. This simplifies special-card replacements and unequal print sheets; the slot allowance is a modelling assumption.
#2 · Butterfree V (Full Art)
Darkness Ablaze · 177/189 · English · Holofoil
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 330 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$5.93 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
Butterfree V’s full-art printing is a distinct card from its regular V and VMAX versions. Number 177/189 is the useful identifier when checking a listing or building a Darkness Ablaze collection.
Where this estimate comes from
The estimated rarity frequency is divided across the eligible cards in that pool, assuming equal individual chances. It is not a measured count of this particular card.
Community opening frequencies; individual card estimates divide the category by its eligible card pool. Alternate-art allocations and ordinary reverse odds remain unavailable unless separately supported. Independent pack calculations do not reproduce print-sheet collation.
#1 · Butterfree VMAX (Secret)
Darkness Ablaze · 190/189 · English · Holofoil
Estimated pull rate
About 1 in 650 packs
An average waiting time, never a guaranteed pull.
Holofoil · Estimated raw price
$17.29 USD
Price observed Nov 4, 2026 UTC
Rainbow Butterfree VMAX turns the Pokémon’s Gigantamax form into a colourful secret card. It is separate from the ordinary VMAX artwork at 002/189, with a different individual pull-rate estimate.
Where this estimate comes from
The estimated rarity frequency is divided across the eligible cards in that pool, assuming equal individual chances. It is not a measured count of this particular card.
Community opening frequencies; individual card estimates divide the category by its eligible card pool. Alternate-art allocations and ordinary reverse odds remain unavailable unless separately supported. Independent pack calculations do not reproduce print-sheet collation.
How we compare Butterfree pull rates
We compare the chance of pulling one exact card from one English pack of its release. A rarity’s overall hit rate is different from the odds of finding a particular Butterfree within that rarity. Evidence ranges from reported community openings and print-sheet models to rough comparisons and assumed rarity frequencies. Each rough estimate carries its warning beside the odds; expand its explanation for the actual basis.
Japanese cards, guaranteed promos, deck cards and box toppers are outside this ranking. Vintage editions with shared odds take one position. Distinct pack-pulled finishes can qualify separately. Prices do not affect the order, and a missing price does not remove an otherwise eligible card.
Up to ten cards are selected automatically from available estimates, with any tie at the cutoff kept together. Estimates are rounded to two significant digits for comparison, not presented as precise measurements. New cards can enter when a matching printing and estimate are available; prices refresh with the catalogue. Descriptions stay with their card when the order changes.
Butterfree pull-rate questions
Which Butterfree card is hardest to pull?
Butterfree VMAX (Secret) 190/189 (Darkness Ablaze, Holofoil) has the lowest estimated chance among the qualifying cards here: about 1 in 650 packs. This is the current model’s ordering, including any rough assumptions labelled above. It does not cover every Butterfree ever released.
Will opening 650 packs guarantee the top-ranked card?
No. For the first card listed at rank 1, opening 650 independent packs gives an estimated 63.3% chance of at least one copy. The average waiting time is not a promise; actual packs and factory collation can behave differently from this model.
Is the hardest Butterfree to pull also the most expensive?
Not necessarily. Artwork, demand, condition and how much product exists also matter to collectors. This guide ranks estimated pack odds. Our most expensive Butterfree guide compares available raw prices instead.
Do a booster box or an Elite Trainer Box guarantee a Butterfree?
These estimates do not establish any product-level guarantee. A named Butterfree promo included in a product is separate from the random cards inside its booster packs. Use the exact-card calculator to explore pack quantities and its stated assumptions.
Why can a reverse-holo Butterfree rank above a rarer-looking card?
This compares one exact printing. A large reverse-holo pool can make a particular card’s modelled chance small even when reverse holos overall are common. Most of these estimates assume equal chances within the pool. That does not prove this Pokémon is short-printed, and it does not describe the ordinary non-holo version.