Ford F-250 vs GMC Sierra: Which Used Buy Wins?

As used buys (August 2026), the Ford F-250 typically lists for $65,260 against $49,351 for the GMC Sierra (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). the GMC Sierra leads on NCAP safety (4.8★ vs 4.4★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $55,911 vs the FLEET/BASE at $35,986; 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 GMC Sierra 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 Ford F-250 if you care most about fewer recalls per year.

Head to head

Typical used price (2024–2026)GMC Sierra
Ford F-250$65,260
GMC Sierra$49,351
EPA combined (typical version)
Ford F-25014 MPG
GMC Sierra
NCAP overall (avg of rated years)GMC Sierra
Ford F-2504.4★
GMC Sierra4.8★
NHTSA recalls / model yearFord F-250
Ford F-2502.2
GMC Sierra3.8
For sale on VehiSales now
Ford F-25015,815
GMC Sierra31,864

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-250 XLT ($55,911) faces the GMC Sierra FLEET/BASE ($35,986); the most common trims on the market are the LARIAT (48.7% of Ford F-250 listings) and the SLT (24.6% of GMC Sierra listings); at the top of the market, the PLATINUM ($93,974) faces the DENALI ULTIMATE ($64,530). 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-250 GMC Sierra
TrimTypical priceShare TrimTypical priceShare
XL SUPERCAB LB $35,995 0.6% FLEET/BASECheapest $35,986 4.4%
XL LB $42,340 1.0% SLE $42,198 4.1%
XL CREW CAB LB $43,220 1.4% ELEVATION-L $42,591 6.0%
XLTCheapest $55,911 24.8% SLTMost popular $45,089 24.6%
XL $56,129 19.5% ELEVATION $46,603 15.7%
LARIATMost popular $69,999 48.7% AT4 $54,974 14.8%
PLATINUMPriciest $93,974 4.1% DENALI $56,724 16.2%
DENALI ULTIMATEPriciest $64,530 6.5%

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-250 prices · GMC Sierra prices.

Used price by model year

YearFord F-250 typicalGMC Sierra typicalDifferenceFord F-250 MPGGMC Sierra MPG
2026 $72,793 $57,417 Ford F-250 +$15,376
2025 $63,299 $49,351 Ford F-250 +$13,948
2024 $65,260 $47,732 Ford F-250 +$17,528
2023 $57,999 $45,875 Ford F-250 +$12,124
2022 $49,919 $42,277 Ford F-250 +$7,642
2021 $47,899 $36,807 Ford F-250 +$11,092
2020 $41,847 $35,646 Ford F-250 +$6,201
2019 $36,693 $31,788 Ford F-250 +$4,905
2018 $35,047 $27,958 Ford F-250 +$7,089
2017 $33,000 $24,438 Ford F-250 +$8,562
2016 $25,996 $22,995 Ford F-250 +$3,001
2015 $23,993 $20,995 Ford F-250 +$2,998
2014 $23,090 $17,249 Ford F-250 +$5,841
2013 $21,950 $15,995 Ford F-250 +$5,955
2012 $19,995 $14,190 Ford F-250 +$5,805
2011 $18,997 $13,930 Ford F-250 +$5,067
2010 $15,995 $11,995 Ford F-250 +$4,000
2009 $14,940 $10,386 Ford F-250 +$4,554
2008 $14,844 $11,299 Ford F-250 +$3,545
2007 $12,000 $11,274 Ford F-250 +$726
2006 $12,999 $11,495 Ford F-250 +$1,504
2005 $12,990 $10,995 Ford F-250 +$1,995
2004 $12,600 $12,995 GMC Sierra +$395
2003 $12,998 $9,992 Ford F-250 +$3,006
2002 $13,500 $9,748 Ford F-250 +$3,752
2001 $12,224 $10,995 Ford F-250 +$1,229
2000 $11,204 $8,050 Ford F-250 +$3,154
1999 $11,735 $8,992 Ford F-250 +$2,743 12–14 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-250 or GMC Sierra?

Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the GMC Sierra is cheaper: it typically lists for $49,351 versus $65,260 for the Ford F-250 (national medians, August 2026).

Which is safer — Ford F-250 or GMC Sierra?

By NCAP overall crash-test rating the GMC Sierra averages 4.8 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.4 for the Ford F-250. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.

Which is more reliable — Ford F-250 or GMC Sierra?

NHTSA lists an average of 2.2 recalls per model year for the Ford F-250 and 3.8 for the GMC Sierra — an edge for the Ford F-250. 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-250 XLT typically lists for $55,911 vs $35,986 for a GMC Sierra FLEET/BASE; the most common trims on the market are the LARIAT ($69,999, 48.7% of Ford F-250 listings) and the SLT ($45,089, 24.6% of GMC Sierra listings); at the top of the market, the PLATINUM ($93,974) faces the DENALI ULTIMATE ($64,530). 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-250 vs GMC Sierra” with a link to https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/f-250/vs/gmc/sierra.

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.