Comparison
Nerf Bars vs Side Steps: Mostly the Same Product, Here Is the Part That Differs
On most truck listings, nerf bars and side steps are the same product under two names. One Tyger title calls a single rail side step, rail and nerf bars at once. What actually differs is shape and width. So pick a slim tube or a wider step for your cab, and ignore which word the seller used.
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Straight answer
Mostly the same thing. "Nerf bar" usually means a tube and "side step" is the looser term, but titles use both for slim rails, flat boards and hoop steps. Compare shape and width: 3 to 3.5 inches is a slim rail, 6 inches is a wider board. Our pick for a 2019-up GM crew cab is the Tyger Rider 3.5-inch. Check your exact year and cab on the listing.
Short verdict
Do not shop by either word. "Side step" is the loose one, and it covers rails, boards and hoops. "Nerf bar" leans toward a tube, but sellers stretch that too. Decide on the shape and the width, then buy the listing that names your truck.
Tyger Auto
Tyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ GM)
A 3.5-inch rail whose title names the Silverado and Sierra years, the HD split and the cab.
Why here: Its title uses both words on one 3.5-inch rail, and its part number leads to a maker sheet we could read.
- Fits, according to the listing
- 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab (as of November 2, 2026)
- Style
- Rail / nerf bar (as titled)
- Material
- Not stated in the title
- Weight rating
- Not stated in the title
- Install
- Bolt-on with 8 brackets; no drilling step in the sheet; assistance recommended
- Price class
- Mid-range
Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Why it makes the list
- The part number in the title (TG-SS2C35068) ties the listing to Tyger's own instruction sheet
- That sheet bolts 8 brackets to threaded holes behind plugs in the rocker area and has no drilling step
- Title separates the 1500 years from the 2500/3500HD years
Watch out for
- 3.5 inches wide per the title, narrower than the 6-inch boards
- No weight rating in the title, so none is printed here
- The title does not mention the 2019 LD/Limited; a sister Tyger listing groups that truck with the older body, so check before ordering
Best for: Crew cab owners on the 2019-up GM full-size who want a rail with a readable install sheet.
What the titles actually call things
We read these listing titles on November 2, 2026. Look at how little the words tell you.
| Part, as titled | Words in the title | What it is, per the title |
|---|---|---|
| Tyger Rider TG-SS2C35068 | Running Boards, Side Step, Rail, Nerf Bars | 3.5-inch rail |
| MaxMate for older GM trucks | Nerf Bars | 3-inch |
| APS for F-150 and Super Duty | Running Boards, Nerf Bars | 6-inch flat, black stainless steel |
| COMNOVA stainless for Silverado | Running Boards, Steps, Nerf Bars, Slider | 6-inch, stainless steel |
| Tyger Trax for GM | Side Steps, Running Board, Rail | Textured black rail |
| Bully BBS-1103 | Side Step Set | Separate steps, a pair, with brackets |
So a nerf bar can be 3 inches or a flat 6 inches. A side step can be a long rail or a pair of individual steps. No rule covers it, and the words do not guarantee a build.
Where the terms come from
Wikipedia describes a nerf bar as a tubular device fitted to the side of a race car, and notes that on a pickup or SUV it is fitted for convenience and may work as a step. That explains the lean toward tubes. "Side step" just describes where the part goes.
Makers are more careful than sellers. Westin sorts its lineup into nerf bars, running boards and steps. Its E-Series 3 is a 3-inch round tube with a recessed step area, and its PRO TRAXX uses 4-inch, 5-inch or 6-inch oval tube, both under nerf bars. Then look at where Westin uses the word "side": its Side Bed Steps sit by the bed, not below the doors. One maker's side step can be somewhere else entirely, which is one more reason to look at the part and not the label.
The differences that matter
| What you are deciding | Slim tube or rail | Wider flat step |
|---|---|---|
| Width in the titles we read | 3 to 3.5 inches | About 6 inches |
| Foot area | Less | More |
| Look | Slimmer along the cab | Bigger along the cab |
| Drilling | Named per part | Named per part |
| Weight rating | None in these titles | None in these titles |
Width
This is the real choice. The MaxMate is 3 inches according to its title and the Tyger Rider is 3.5. The APS is 6. A wider board gives your boot more to land on, and that is simple geometry and not a measurement of ours. If passengers or muddy boots are the issue, go wide. If you want the truck to look stock, go slim.
Height
If the first step is the actual problem, neither a straight tube nor a flat board fixes it. Look at drop steps, which put the pad lower.
Install
Tyger's sheet for the 2019-up GM Rider bolts 8 brackets to threaded holes behind plugs and has no drilling step. Listing-only parts may say nothing, so ask the seller before you buy. No part name changes that.
Load rating
Neither word comes with a shared number, and the Tyger sheets state none. Only a maker document can answer for a given part. Our weight page goes through what makers state.
Side by side
| Spec sheet | Our pick: Silverado and Sierra crewTyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ GM) | Our pick: Ram 1500 new body crewTyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ Ram 1500) | Our pick: Colorado and Canyon crewTyger Rider 3.5" (Colorado and Canyon) | Listing data onlyMaxMate 3" nerf bars (1999-2018 GM double cab) | Listing data onlyAPS 6" Flat (F-150 SuperCrew) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fits, according to the listing | 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab | 2019-2027 Ram 1500 (Not fit 19-24 Classic) | Crew Cab | 2015-2027 Chevy Colorado GMC Canyon | Crew Cab | 1999-2018 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500 2500 LD; 2001-2019 2500 3500HD; 2019 LD/Limited (Exclude SS) | Double Cab | Ford F150 2015-2026 SuperCrew Cab & F150 Lightning 2022-2026 & F-250 F-350 Super Duty 2017-2026 Crew Cab |
| Style | Rail / nerf bar (as titled) | Rail / nerf bar (as titled) | Rail / nerf bar (as titled) | Rail / nerf bar (as titled) | Running board / step bar (as titled) |
| Material | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Black stainless steel (title) |
| Weight rating | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title |
| Install | Bolt-on with 8 brackets; no drilling step in the sheet; assistance recommended | Bolt-on with 6 brackets to factory studs; no drilling step in the sheet; assistance recommended | Bolt-on with 6 brackets at existing mounting locations; no drilling step in the sheet; assistance recommended | Not stated in the title | Not stated in the title |
| Price class | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Best for | Crew cab owners on the 2019-up GM full-size who want a rail with a readable install sheet. | New-body Ram 1500 crew cab owners. Not for the Classic. | Colorado or Canyon crew cab owners who want a rail and a readable install. | Older GM double cab owners who want a plain round-tube look. | F-150 SuperCrew and Super Duty Crew owners who want a flat step. |
| On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon | On Amazon(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on Amazon |
Two notes on fit. The Silverado and Sierra title stops the 1500 at 2026 and only the 2500 and 3500HD run to 2027, so the 2027 Silverado 1500 is unverified. And "Double Cab" on the MaxMate is GM's Double Cab, which ARIES files under extended, while it files a Tacoma Double Cab under crew. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Which one should you take?
If you want a slim rail on a 2019-up GM crew cab → Tyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ GM)
Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2026 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500; 2020-2027 2500 3500HD | Crew Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you want a slim rail on a new-body Ram 1500 crew cab → Tyger Rider 3.5" (2019+ Ram 1500)
Fits, according to the listing: 2019-2027 Ram 1500 (Not fit 19-24 Classic) | Crew Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you want a slim rail on a Colorado or Canyon crew cab → Tyger Rider 3.5" (Colorado and Canyon)
Fits, according to the listing: 2015-2027 Chevy Colorado GMC Canyon | Crew Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you drive a 1999-2018 GM Double Cab and want a tube → MaxMate 3" nerf bars (1999-2018 GM double cab) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: 1999-2018 Chevy Silverado GMC Sierra 1500 2500 LD; 2001-2019 2500 3500HD; 2019 LD/Limited (Exclude SS) | Double Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you want a flat 6-inch step on an F-150 SuperCrew → APS 6" Flat (F-150 SuperCrew) · Listing data only
Fits, according to the listing: Ford F150 2015-2026 SuperCrew Cab & F150 Lightning 2022-2026 & F-250 F-350 Super Duty 2017-2026 Crew Cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
View(paid link to Amazon, opens in a new tab)Ad · paid link · check price & delivery on AmazonIf you drive something else
Want more depth on either side? The nerf bars guide has the tube picks by truck, and the side steps guide covers rails, boards and drop steps. If "running board" is the word bothering you, read running boards vs side steps. Our sourcing rules are on how we verify fitment.
Two related comparisons: hoop steps vs nerf bars and running boards vs side steps.
Tailgate questions
Are nerf bars and side steps the same thing?
On truck listings, usually yes. The Tyger TG-SS2C35068 title uses side step, rail and nerf bars for one part. Generally, a nerf bar means a tube, and a side step can mean nearly any step below the door. Go by the shape and width stated in the title, not the label.
Which is better, nerf bars or side steps?
Neither word is better, because they do not name two different products. Compare the part in front of you. A 3-inch to 3.5-inch tube looks slim and gives you less foot area. A 6-inch board gives you more foot area and a bigger look. Then confirm the listing names your truck and cab.
Are side steps wider than nerf bars?
Sometimes, but not because of the name. The APS title calls a flat 6-inch board nerf bars, and the Tyger Rider title calls a 3.5-inch rail a side step. If you are after width, read the inch figure in the title and skip the word.
Do nerf bars or side steps need drilling?
Neither word tells you. Tyger's sheets for its 2019-up GM, new-body Ram and Colorado Riders have no drilling step, while its sheet for the older Ram crew Rider prints DRILLING MAY BE REQUIRED. Hoop-style side steps can differ again. Read the sheet for your part number.
Where this comes from
Keep reading
- Buying guideNerf barsNerf bars for trucks by cab and year. What the name really covers, how wide the rails are, what the install sheets say, and our picks where we read a maker sheet.
- Buying guideSide stepsTruck side steps come as rails, 6-inch boards, drop steps and power steps. Compare styles by year and cab, with fit marked as the listing or maker states it.
- ComparisonBoards vs side stepsRunning boards vs side steps: makers and sellers use both words for overlapping parts. See who calls what by which name, and what to compare instead of the label.
- ComparisonNerf bars vs running boardsNerf bars vs running boards: usually a 3-inch tube against a 6-inch board, but titles mix the words. What differs, what no maker publishes, and which suits you.
- ExplainerWhat are nerf barsNerf bars are tube steps bolted below a truck's doors, named after a racing part. See how they mount, per Tyger's install sheets, and what the name does not promise.
- ComparisonBest running boardsThe best truck running boards are the ones listed for your year and cab. Our picks by truck and use, with no lab scores, only published fit and maker sheets.
Who writes this
runningboardsfortrucks.com Editorial Team
Fitment, buying advice and explainers
We are the editorial team at runningboardsfortrucks.com. We read listing titles, maker pages and instruction sheets, then write down which truck, year and cab each one states and where we read it. We do not run lab tests and we do not own a test fleet, and we say so openly.
- Fit quoted from the listing or maker
- Sources and dates on every page
- No lab tests, stated openly
- Publisher details in the imprint