Ramps and steps solve the same basic problem, a dog that can't or shouldn't jump into a boot, in genuinely different ways, and the honest answer to "which one" depends more on your specific dog than on which product happens to be advertised at you. Since we sell steps rather than a ramp, it's worth being direct about that from the start, and about where a ramp is actually the better call.
What each one actually does
A ramp replaces the jump with a single, continuous incline, the dog walks up a slope rather than stepping up. Steps break the same height into several smaller, discrete steps instead. That structural difference is the whole basis for the rest of this guide, everything else follows from it.
Where a ramp wins
The clearest, most consistent piece of advice across veterinary and expert sources is about joint impact. PAW Vet Practice, a US veterinary practice, states plainly that for arthritic, large, or back-injured dogs, a gentle ramp is the safer, more comfortable choice, because the gradual incline spreads weight-bearing across the whole limb instead of asking a sore joint to bend sharply the way a step does. PetMD's guidance agrees, for dogs with arthritis or back conditions, a ramp is recommended over stairs specifically because of the reduced joint impact, and the American Kennel Club's own comparison makes the same underlying point, sloping ramps are gentler on arthritic joints than stairs, and dogs that are nervous of new equipment sometimes adjust to a ramp more easily since the incline angle can start shallow and increase gradually. Medium and large dogs, per PetMD, tend to prefer ramps over stairs generally, likely for the same weight-distribution reason.
If your dog has diagnosed arthritis, a back condition (breeds like Dachshunds and Corgis carry a specific known risk here), or is recovering from surgery under active vet guidance, a ramp is very likely the better product for that dog specifically, not the steps, and we'd rather say that plainly than sell you the wrong thing.
Where steps win
The same sources flip the advice for smaller dogs. PetMD notes that small dogs generally do well with stairs, while PAW Vet Practice is more specific about why, small breeds like Dachshunds and Chihuahuas can struggle with a long ramp incline simply because their leg length doesn't suit walking a shallow slope comfortably, a few defined steps suit their proportions better than one long walk upward. The American Kennel Club also points out a practical space argument, stairs occupy less floor room once positioned permanently against a sofa or a boot lip than an equivalent ramp does, since a ramp needs enough length to keep its slope gentle.
This is genuinely the space our Artemis Car Steps are built for, smaller and less confident dogs, and anyone who'd rather have four short, discrete steps than commit floor and boot space to a long single incline.
One real safety warning worth repeating
PAW Vet Practice raises a specific point worth including because it's easy to get wrong with either product: placing a ramp over existing steps, rather than replacing them, often creates a short, steep incline that's more dangerous than having no ramp at all, and they suggest roughly one foot of ramp length for every four to six inches of rise for an arthritic or weak dog, a properly shallow ramp needs real length. The equivalent risk with folding steps is skipping the "introduce it gradually" step, several sources agree it can take a dog real time to get comfortable with either product, and forcing early use of either one, before a nervous dog trusts it, is more likely to cause a fall or a refusal than a genuinely dangerous product ever is.
A caution on post-surgery use specifically
PAW Vet Practice makes a point worth taking seriously: what helps build range of motion in a healthy joint can overload one that's still healing, so a ramp or steps used post-surgery should be under a vet's specific guidance, not just picked up because "gentle incline sounds right." If your dog is recovering from surgery, this is a decision for your vet, not a shopping guide.
What the UK market actually looks like
Worth being straightforward about pricing so this reads as a genuine comparison rather than a sales pitch. Roveroo, a direct UK competitor, sells a ramp (not steps) at £60 on sale, £80 regular price, rated to hold 75kg. On Amazon UK, a well-reviewed 5-step ramp runs £89.95 with 1,200-plus reviews at 4.6 stars, while folding fabric-tread steps, the same construction as ours, sit in the £29 to £60 range depending on build quality and reviews. Our Artemis Car Steps are priced at £49.99, in the middle of that steps range. None of this tells you which product suits your dog, only what a fair price looks like once you've decided.
The honest bottom line
If your dog is small, or simply prefers a defined step over a long incline, steps are very likely the right call, and that's the product we sell. If your dog has arthritis, a back condition, is a larger breed, or is recovering from surgery under vet guidance, the evidence points fairly clearly toward a ramp instead, and we'd rather tell you that now than have you buy the wrong product and find out later.
Sources: American Kennel Club; PetMD; PAW Vet Practice (US-based); UK pricing verified against Roveroo and Amazon UK listings.