Quick Answer: The AMP Research BedStep (about $329.99) is the best truck bed step overall in 2026 — it mounts to the truck’s frame under the rear bumper and auto-deploys, so it keeps working even with the tailgate down or a trailer hitched up. Budget buyers who don’t need the auto-fold mechanism should get the Lund BedStep instead (about $219.99), and anyone who just needs an occasional, stowable step should look at the CURT 45909 folding hitch step (about $127.99) or the Nilight foldable tailgate ladder (about $62.99) for the cheapest option of all.
Climbing into a full-size truck bed to load a rooftop tent, check tie-downs, or grab a cargo box from the front wall is a daily annoyance most owners just tolerate — until a step makes it a non-issue. Unlike a running board or nerf bar, which helps you reach the cab door, a bed step solves a different problem entirely: getting up and over the tailgate or bed rail itself. The four mounting styles below — frame, bolt-on frame, hitch, and tailgate-hanging — solve that at different price points and with different towing tradeoffs, so picking the wrong one for your setup means either an empty receiver you didn’t plan on or a step that folds away exactly when you need it.
Truck bed steps by the numbers
- Full-size truck beds sit roughly 34 inches off the ground, per Ford’s own F-150 spec sheet (varies by trim and tire size) — more than four times the rise of a typical 7-8 inch stair step, which is the actual gap these products are built to close.
- The Lund BedStep carries a published 300 lb weight rating, per Lund’s own product spec — a real number worth checking against your own body weight plus anything you’re carrying up with you, since not every step on this list publishes one.
- Hitch-mounted steps occupy your 2-inch receiver, the same conflict covered in our best truck bed extender and best hitch bike rack guides — a truck already running a hitch cargo carrier or bike rack can’t add a hitch step without giving up one of them.
Truck bed step picks at a glance
| Product | Mount type | Best for | Works while towing? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMP Research BedStep | Frame (under rear bumper) | Best overall | Yes | ~$329.99 |
| Lund BedStep | Frame (bolt-on, no drilling) | Best budget frame-mount | Yes | ~$219.99 |
| CURT 45909 Folding Hitch Step | Hitch (2" receiver) | Best cheap universal fit | No | ~$127.99 |
| Nilight Foldable Tailgate Ladder | Hangs on open tailgate | Best ultra-budget | N/A (tailgate must be down) | ~$62.99 |
1. AMP Research BedStep — Best Overall
AMP Research BedStep
- Frame-mounted under the rear bumper, not to the tailgate or hitch — stays usable with the tailgate down, up, or while towing a trailer.
- Auto-deploys and retracts; no manual folding step required before use.
- Vehicle-specific fitment across most current Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, Ram, and Toyota trucks.
- Durable cast-aluminum construction built to handle daily use in mud, snow, and road salt.
The BedStep earns the overall pick for the same reason the AMP Research BedXtender tailgate extenders top our other truck-bed guide: it solves the problem without creating a new one. Because it bolts to the truck’s frame instead of the hitch or tailgate, it keeps working in every situation — tailgate down for loading, tailgate up and locked for security, or a trailer hooked to the receiver for a camping trip. At $329.99 it’s the most expensive pick here, but it’s the only one on this list with zero towing or tailgate-position tradeoff.
Loading up the truck bed for the drive? Start a free Audible trial and queue up an audiobook before you hit the highway.
2. Lund BedStep — Best Budget Frame-Mount
Lund BedStep
- Die-cast aluminum construction with a published 300 lb weight rating.
- Bolts to existing factory mounting points — no drilling required.
- Non-slip step surface sized for a full boot, not just a toe-hold.
- Roughly $110 cheaper than the AMP Research BedStep while keeping the same frame-mounted, tow-friendly design.
The Lund BedStep keeps the exact advantage that makes the AMP Research pick worth the money — a frame mount that doesn’t care whether the tailgate is up, down, or towing a trailer — while dropping the auto-deploy mechanism in exchange for a flat $110 savings. It’s a simple bolt-on step rather than a motorized one, which also means fewer moving parts to eventually wear out. For a buyer who wants the frame-mounted advantage without paying for automation, it’s the clear value pick.
3. CURT 45909 Folding Hitch Step — Best Cheap Universal Fit
CURT 45909 Folding Hitch Step
- Fits any standard 2-inch receiver — no vehicle-specific fitment needed, works on trucks and SUVs alike.
- Adjustable channel mount accommodates a range of receiver heights.
- Folds up out of the way when not in use, folds down for stepping access.
- Occupies the 2-inch receiver — not compatible with towing a trailer or running a hitch bike rack/cargo carrier at the same time.
Where the AMP Research and Lund picks require correct frame fitment for a specific truck, the CURT 45909 only cares about one thing: a standard 2-inch receiver, which makes it the cheapest fit-anything option and a reasonable pick for an SUV or smaller truck without a dedicated frame-mount step available. The tradeoff, as with every hitch-mounted accessory on this site, is that it occupies the receiver — this isn’t the step for a truck that also tows a trailer, runs a hitch cargo carrier, or mounts a hitch bike rack on the same trip.
4. Nilight Foldable Tailgate Ladder — Best Ultra-Budget
Nilight Foldable Tailgate Ladder
- Hangs over the open tailgate — no bolting, drilling, or vehicle-specific fitment at all.
- Folds flat for storage in the bed or cab when not in use.
- Cheapest option on this list by a wide margin, at roughly half the price of the next-cheapest pick.
- Only usable with the tailgate down — not a substitute for a frame- or hitch-mounted step when the tailgate is up.
The Nilight is less a permanent accessory than a $63 answer to “I just need to get up there occasionally” — it requires no installation at all, folds flat to store behind the seat, and costs roughly half what the next-cheapest pick on this list runs. The real limitation is that it only works with the tailgate down, so it’s not a fit for anyone who regularly needs bed access with the tailgate closed and locked. For occasional use, though, it’s the lowest-cost way to stop climbing the tire to reach a rooftop tent’s annex poles.
How to choose a truck bed step
Start with whether you tow. If a trailer or a hitch-mounted accessory ever shares the receiver, go frame-mounted — the AMP Research BedStep or Lund BedStep — since neither touches the hitch and both work regardless of tailgate position. If you never tow and just want the cheapest fit-anything option, the CURT 45909 mounts to any standard 2-inch receiver in minutes, with the understanding that it gives up the receiver for anything else. If you only need occasional access and don’t want to install anything permanent, the Nilight tailgate ladder is the lowest-cost option, provided you’re fine with the tailgate being down every time you use it. Budget is the last factor, not the first — the $110 gap between the AMP Research and Lund picks buys auto-deploy convenience, not a functional difference in what the step can do.
The bottom line
For most truck owners who load and unload a rooftop tent, cargo box, or ladder rack regularly — and especially anyone who also tows — the AMP Research BedStep is the pick that works in every situation without a towing or tailgate-position tradeoff. Buyers who want that same frame-mounted advantage for less should get the Lund BedStep, and anyone without a vehicle-specific fitment available, or who doesn’t tow, should look at the CURT 45909 hitch-mounted step instead. For occasional use only, the Nilight tailgate ladder gets the job done for under $65. Once you’re actually up in the bed regularly, our best truck bed mat guide covers protecting the floor you’re standing on, and our best roof rack guide covers the platform you’re likely climbing up to reach.