Ford F-150 vs Ram 2500: Which Used Buy Wins?

As used buys (August 2026), the Ford F-150 typically lists for $47,995 against $47,687 for the Ram 2500 (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). the Ford F-150 leads on NCAP safety (4.8★ vs 4.0★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the SUPERCREW at $40,998 vs the BIG HORN at $44,995; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.

Verdict: for most used-car buyers the Ford F-150 is the stronger pick right now — it wins 2 of the scored dimensions below (prices judged on the same model years, 2024–2026). Choose the Ram 2500 if you care most about a lower typical price.

Head to head

Typical used price (2024–2026)Ram 2500
Ford F-150$47,995
Ram 2500$47,687
EPA combined (typical version)
Ford F-15017 MPG
Ram 2500
NCAP overall (avg of rated years)Ford F-150
Ford F-1504.8★
Ram 25004.0★
NHTSA recalls / model yearFord F-150
Ford F-1507.4
Ram 250010.7
For sale on VehiSales now
Ford F-15081,416
Ram 250013,813

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 ($40,998) faces the Ram 2500 BIG HORN ($44,995); the most common trims on the market are the SUPERCREW (38.6% of Ford F-150 listings) and the BIG HORN (48.7% of Ram 2500 listings); at the top of the market, the RAPTOR ($79,292) faces the LARAMIE ($54,998). 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 2500
TrimTypical priceShare TrimTypical priceShare
SUPERCREWMost popularCheapest $40,998 38.6% BIG HORNMost popularCheapest $44,995 48.7%
STX $42,431 7.2% TRADESMAN $45,293 11.6%
XLT $43,998 27.9% BIG HORN/LONESTAR $46,296 11.9%
LARIAT $56,495 9.5% LARAMIEPriciest $54,998 22.8%
TREMOR $59,839 2.9% LONGHORN $65,713 0.8%
PLATINUM $64,017 2.4% POWER WAGON/REBEL $69,777 1.7%
SUPERCREW-RAPTOR $67,772 2.2% LIMITED $70,998 2.0%
RAPTORPriciest $79,292 3.5% LIMITED/LONGHORN $78,262 0.5%

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 2500 prices.

Used price by model year

YearFord F-150 typicalRam 2500 typicalDifferenceFord F-150 MPGRam 2500 MPG
2026 $59,667 $47,687 Ford F-150 +$11,980 12–24 MPG
2025 $47,995 $48,781 Ram 2500 +$786 12–23 MPG
2024 $44,294 $46,943 Ram 2500 +$2,649 12–23 MPG
2023 $41,037 $45,286 Ram 2500 +$4,249 12–25 MPG
2022 $37,389 $41,259 Ram 2500 +$3,870 15–25 MPG
2021 $32,998 $39,930 Ram 2500 +$6,932 15–25 MPG
2020 $28,267 $38,094 Ram 2500 +$9,827 16–24 MPG
2019 $25,989 $36,168 Ram 2500 +$10,179 16–25 MPG
2018 $23,863 $31,361 Ram 2500 +$7,498 16–25 MPG
2017 $20,999 $30,415 Ram 2500 +$9,416 16–22 MPG
2016 $18,900 $26,999 Ram 2500 +$8,099 16–21 MPG
2015 $17,835 $25,901 Ram 2500 +$8,066 17–22 MPG
2014 $14,995 $24,352 Ram 2500 +$9,357 13–19 MPG
2013 $13,995 $24,995 Ram 2500 +$11,000 13–19 MPG

Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford F-150 or Ram 2500?

Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Ram 2500 is cheaper: it typically lists for $47,687 versus $47,995 for the Ford F-150 (national medians, August 2026).

Which is safer — Ford F-150 or Ram 2500?

By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford F-150 averages 4.8 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.0 for the Ram 2500. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.

Which is more reliable — Ford F-150 or Ram 2500?

NHTSA lists an average of 7.4 recalls per model year for the Ford F-150 and 10.7 for the Ram 2500 — 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 $40,998 vs $44,995 for a Ram 2500 BIG HORN; the most common trims on the market are the SUPERCREW ($40,998, 38.6% of Ford F-150 listings) and the BIG HORN ($44,995, 48.7% of Ram 2500 listings); at the top of the market, the RAPTOR ($79,292) faces the LARAMIE ($54,998). 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.

About this data: prices and availability are national aggregates of live VehiSales inventory (August 2026), refreshed daily. Fuel economy: U.S. EPA/DOE (fueleconomy.gov). Safety & recalls: NHTSA. How to cite: “VehiSales Research, Ford F-150 vs Ram 2500” with a link to https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/f-150/vs/ram/2500.

Dig deeper

See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.

© 2026 VehiSales · Data from live US vehicle listings · Methodology · Editorial policy · About · Press: cite as “VehiSales Used Car Price Index” with a link to this page.