Ford F-150 vs Ram 1500: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (September 2026), the Ford F-150 typically lists for $47,899 against $42,071 for the Ram 1500 (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Ram 1500 takes fuel economy (19 MPG combined vs 17 MPG); the Ford F-150 leads on NCAP safety (4.8★ vs 4.4★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the SUPERCREW at $40,995 vs the SLT at $29,439; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ford F-150 SUPERCREW ($40,995) faces the Ram 1500 SLT ($29,439); the most common trims on the market are the SUPERCREW (38.9% of Ford F-150 listings) and the BIG HORN/LONESTAR (26.1% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the RAPTOR ($79,257) faces the LIMITED ($53,998). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Ford F-150 | Ram 1500 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| SUPERCREWMost popularCheapest | $40,995 | 38.9% | SLTCheapest | $29,439 | 3.0% |
| STX | $42,659 | 7.2% | TRADESMAN | $34,920 | 8.9% |
| XLT | $43,974 | 27.7% | BIG HORN | $35,227 | 14.5% |
| LARIAT | $56,632 | 9.2% | BIG HORN/LONESTARMost popular | $43,376 | 26.1% |
| TREMOR | $59,845 | 2.9% | LARAMIE | $43,487 | 24.6% |
| PLATINUM | $64,202 | 2.3% | REBEL | $48,398 | 10.2% |
| SUPERCREW-RAPTOR | $67,631 | 2.3% | LIMITEDPriciest | $53,998 | 6.5% |
| RAPTORPriciest | $79,257 | 3.7% | RHO | $70,398 | 2.3% |
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ford F-150 prices · Ram 1500 prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford F-150 typical | Ram 1500 typical | Difference | Ford F-150 MPG | Ram 1500 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $59,506 | $53,550 | Ford F-150 +$5,956 | 12–24 MPG | 12–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $47,899 | $42,071 | Ford F-150 +$5,828 | 12–23 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $44,297 | $34,082 | Ford F-150 +$10,215 | 12–23 MPG | 12–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $40,995 | $36,798 | Ford F-150 +$4,197 | 12–25 MPG | 12–24 MPG |
| 2022 | $37,241 | $33,947 | Ford F-150 +$3,294 | 15–25 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $33,150 | $30,572 | Ford F-150 +$2,578 | 15–25 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2020 | $28,251 | $28,595 | Ram 1500 +$344 | 16–24 MPG | 17–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $25,965 | $24,888 | Ford F-150 +$1,077 | 16–25 MPG | 17–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $23,784 | $19,995 | Ford F-150 +$3,789 | 16–25 MPG | 14–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $20,995 | $18,995 | Ford F-150 +$2,000 | 16–22 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $18,900 | $17,495 | Ford F-150 +$1,405 | 16–21 MPG | 15–24 MPG |
| 2015 | $17,816 | $15,950 | Ford F-150 +$1,866 | 17–22 MPG | 15–24 MPG |
| 2014 | $14,995 | $14,923 | Ford F-150 +$72 | 13–19 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2013 | $13,995 | $13,500 | Ford F-150 +$495 | 13–19 MPG | 15–21 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (September 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford F-150 or Ram 1500?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Ram 1500 is cheaper: it typically lists for $42,071 versus $47,899 for the Ford F-150 (national medians, September 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford F-150 or Ram 1500?
The Ram 1500: its typical rated version returns 19 MPG combined versus 17 MPG for the Ford F-150 (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Ford F-150 or Ram 1500?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford F-150 averages 4.8 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.4 for the Ram 1500. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Ford F-150 or Ram 1500?
NHTSA lists an average of 8.8 recalls per model year for the Ford F-150 and 14.0 for the Ram 1500 — an edge for the Ford F-150. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ford F-150 SUPERCREW typically lists for $40,995 vs $29,439 for a Ram 1500 SLT; the most common trims on the market are the SUPERCREW ($40,995, 38.9% of Ford F-150 listings) and the BIG HORN/LONESTAR ($43,376, 26.1% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the RAPTOR ($79,257) faces the LIMITED ($53,998). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/f-150/vs/ram/1500.
Dig deeper
Ford F-150 — live listings & specs Ram 1500 — live listings & specs Ford F-150 prices by year Ram 1500 prices by year Ford F-150 MPG by year Ram 1500 MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.