Comparison
Running Boards vs Side Steps: What the Terms Mean on Amazon and at Truck Makers
There is no fixed line between them. A running board is a step below the doors, and side step is a looser name that makers and sellers use for the same job. LUVERNE files all of it under one heading, and one Tyger title uses both words for a single rail. So compare width, shape and reach, and pick the part built for your truck and cab.
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Straight answer
Neither word is better, because they do not name two separate products. Makers overlap them, and one Tyger title says running boards and side step on a single 3.5-inch rail. Compare the part instead. In the titles we read, a rail runs 3 to 3.5 inches and a flat board about 6 inches. Our pick for a 2019-up GM crew cab is the Tyger Rider.
Short verdict
You will hear that a running board is wide and flat and a side step is a slim tube. Makers and listing titles do not hold to that, so you cannot shop by it. If you came here for the truck side steps buying guide, that page has the parts by truck. This one settles the vocabulary.
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 calls one 3.5-inch rail running boards, side step, rail and nerf bars at once, 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.
How makers use the words
Read November 2, 2026. This is how each source labels its own products.
| Source | Words it uses | What that shows |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia | "Running board", also footboard: a narrow step under the side doors | A job and a place, no fixed shape. The entry does not define side step |
| LUVERNE | "Running Boards & Side Steps" as one heading | Calls its stainless Side Entry Steps classic truck running boards, and its MegaStep side steps that combine a nerf bar look with full-length running boards |
| Westin | Page title: nerf bars, side steps, running boards. Page heading: nerf bars and running boards | "Side steps" appears only in the page title, and product names say nerf step bars |
| Ford | Catalog heading: running boards, step bars and rock rails | The F-150 entries we read are all named step bars |
| CBI Offroad Fab | "Side steps" for Colorado entry steps | It warns they are not rock sliders, so that maker's side step is a body-mounted step and nothing more |
Chevrolet's and Ram's accessory stores refused to open for us, so they are not in this table, and we state nothing on what those two call their parts.
How listing titles use them
| 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 |
| Tyger Rider TG-SS2D35098 | Running Boards, Side Step, Rail, Nerf Bars | 3.5-inch rail for the Ram 1500 |
| Tyger Rider TG-SS2C35168 | Running Boards, Side Step, Rail, Nerf Bars | 3.5-inch rail for the Colorado and Canyon |
| MaxMate WB2C35007 | Nerf Bars, Side Step Rails, Running Boards | 3-inch |
| APS for F-150 and Super Duty | Running Boards, Nerf Bars | 6-inch flat |
On a title, then, the same 3.5-inch rail is a running board and a side step in one breath, and a flat 6-inch step is called nerf bars. The words are search terms, and they are no build guarantee. Nerf bars vs side steps runs the same exercise on that pair.
The differences that do matter
| What you are deciding | Slim rail | Wide 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 and shape
A wider step gives your boot more to land on. That is geometry, not a measurement of ours. If passengers or muddy boots are why you are shopping, go wide. If you want the truck to look close to stock, go slim.
Reach
This is the one real distinction people mean to ask about, and neither word covers it. ARIES splits cab-length boards, which run along the cab, from wheel-to-wheel boards, which run from the front wheel to the rear wheel. Those also serve as a platform for reaching the truck bed, and they cost more. LUVERNE says most of its boards and side steps come in both versions. See wheel-to-wheel running boards.
Height
A straight rail or a flat board sits where its brackets put it. If the first step is your real complaint, look at drop steps, which put the pad lower.
Mount and drilling
Neither name tells you. Tyger's sheet for TG-SS2C35068 uses 8 brackets on threaded holes behind plugs and has no drilling step, and TG-SS2D35098 uses 6 brackets on factory studs. Its older Ram sheet, TG-SS2D35318, says drilling may be required. Read the sheet for your part number.
Load rating
Neither word comes with a number, and the Tyger sheets state none. How much weight running boards can hold covers what makers do publish.
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 reminders on fit. The Tyger GM title stops the 1500 at 2026 and only the 2500 and 3500HD run to 2027, so the 2027 Silverado 1500 is unverified. And the MaxMate's "Double Cab" is GM's, 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.
Take a slim rail if, take a wide board if
Take a slim rail if you want the truck to look close to stock and you mainly need a step for your own boot. Take a wide flat step if you carry passengers or want more room to land on. In both cases, the name on the title is the last thing to care about.
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
New to the part itself? Start with what are running boards. For the tube question, see nerf bars vs running boards. Our sourcing rules are on how we verify fitment.
Tailgate questions
Which is better, running boards or side steps?
The words will not tell you. Makers and sellers use them for overlapping parts, so a part called a side step can be wider than one called a running board. Compare width, shape and reach. Then make sure the listing names your year and cab. Check your exact year and cab on the listing before you buy.
Are running boards and side steps the same thing?
They do the same job, and on many listings they are the same part under two names. LUVERNE files its whole lineup under running boards and side steps, and Westin's page title uses nerf bars, side steps and running boards together. Each maker draws its own lines, so read the description.
Are side steps narrower than running boards?
Sometimes, but do not count on it from the name. LUVERNE calls a stainless line Side Entry Steps while also describing it as classic truck running boards. Read the width in the title. The Tyger Rider says 3.5 inches, and the APS says 6 inches.
Do side steps or running boards hold more weight?
Neither word comes with a rating. The Tyger sheets we read state none, and a maker document is the only source we print. Westin states 300 lbs. of weight capacity per side for its Pro-e, and that covers that part only. See our weight page for more.
Where this comes from
- LUVERNE: running boards and side steps, learn more
- Westin Automotive: nerf bars, side steps and running boards category
- Ford Accessories: running boards, step bars and rock rails for the F-150
- ARIES Automotive: truck cab guide (cab-length vs wheel-to-wheel)
- Wikipedia: Running board
- CBI Offroad Fab: Colorado ZR2 and Z71 side steps
Keep reading
- 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.
- 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.
- ComparisonNerf bars vs side stepsNerf bars and side steps overlap on most listings. The word settles nothing; shape and width do. See how titles use both terms and which one fits your truck.
- ExplainerWhat are running boardsA running board is a step mounted below a truck's doors. What running boards are for, what the steps on a truck are called, the types, and how they mount.
- Buying guideWheel-to-wheel boardsWheel-to-wheel running boards run from front wheel to rear wheel, so your bed length picks the part. Maker rows for Ram, Ford and GM, and why brackets matter.
- 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