Even though there are hundreds of beings who can be considered stronger than DC’s Superman, he remains the signature character for what it means to possess strength. Accompanying him on this, though, is his cousin Supergirl. Featuring much of the same abilities as the Man of Steel, Supergirl is another immensely powerful superhero.

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Due to their similarities, there’s a fair question over which one of the two might be stronger than the other. However, what’s important to remember is that being “strong” doesn’t mean just raw super abilities. Instead, it’s a wide range of attributes - including some that can’t be physically gauged - that prove pure strength. That said, let’s see who between Superman or Supergirl is stronger.

10 Ruthlessness: Supergirl

Since she was older than Superman on Krypton, and was old enough to remember her time there, Supergirl wasn’t engrained in the concept of restraint like her cousin. For this reason, she tends to go all-out in her fights.

Given a situation where it’s a do-or-die battle, there’s no doubt that Supergirl is a more effective character as there’s hardly any second guessing for her, which makes her more dangerous. Superman has lost many fights in the past due to him holding back, something that has denied him the chance to explore his full power numerous times.

9 Experience: Superman

This one goes without saying, as Superman was already active before Supergirl began her career as a superhero. Not only that, but Superman has also faced many personal issues, such as learning what it is to be a hero, knowing how to separate right from wrong.

This kind of experience in maturity has allowed Superman to remain headstrong where Supergirl has lost her cool due to her naivete. Superman’s collaboration with the likes of Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, and Batman have enabled him to gain knowledge of several worlds and cultures. He’s been able to harness this experience in his fights, too, while Supergirl has largely relied on raw power and Kryptonian heritage.

8 Fighting Skill: Supergirl

DC's Supergirl breaking free from chains

Superman has been notorious for being a character who’s vastly powerful but lacks the adequate skills of a true fighter. While many recent adaptations have shown him to have some skills, he still doesn’t have the background that Supergirl does.

In her time in Argo City on Krypton, Supergirl has been trained extensively in the art of combat, which she retained later on as well. So, if both characters were to be stripped of their powers, then Supergirl would be the better person to bet on for a fight as she is more than equipped to take down opponents based on fighting skills.

7 Enemy Power Level: Superman

Superman has perhaps faced the most powerful beings in the DC Universe, and this can never be scoffed at. Considering the fact that he’s not only fought, but won against the likes of Darkseid, Brainiac, Lobo, among others, these feats certainly count toward his power level.

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In theory, Supergirl can lock horns against these beings as well, but she’s almost exclusively been portrayed as being part of a team when facing these villains. In a solo match-up, without the benefit of plot armor, one just can’t see her having the kind of success Superman has had.

6 Power Potential: Supergirl

Supergirl DC

As far as the propensity for acquiring more powers is concerned, it’s Supergirl who gets one over Superman. In Supergirl: Power, a number of heroes had observed how she seemed to be better at absorbing and retaining energy, with even Batman pointing this out.

While it’s not wholly confirmed that she outstrips Superman in overall power, the capacity for additional abilities exists in Supergirl in larger amounts. If this is taken into account, then Supergirl does come away with the win based on potential.

5 Leadership & Tactics: Superman

Yes, this does count as part of a character’s strength, seeing as most enemies out there require team-ups to beat. Superman has proven himself to be a born leader, being the spearhead for the Justice League where he’s been in charge of thousands of superheroes.

Supergirl is considered to have a genius level of intellect, but she hasn’t employed these in the matters of conflict. Superman’s compassion and use of tactics where needed has allowed him to save countless lives, both of normal people and his league members. Even Supergirl has benefitted from Superman’s leadership, making this a crucial part of his strength as a leading figure.

4 Speed: Supergirl

Both characters are pretty much equal in terms of pure speed, as in they can run around the same pace without anything to separate the two. However, the thing that puts Supergirl at an advantage is her ability for “phasing.”

This was taught to her by The Flash in Supergirl #55, in a story where she learned to control her speed in a way that allowed her to phase through anything. This is basically a way where she can render herself incorporeal, meaning there aren’t many barriers that can keep her out.

3 Durability: Tied

Superman and Supergirl in DC Comics

As these two are cousins, and develop their powers based on the yellow sun, there’s nothing separating them here. They’ve both been handed severe beatings by incredibly powerful beings, and have either recovered due to their durability or stayed down because of its limits.

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It can certainly be argued that Superman is superior in this area due to his feats of surviving bashings by the likes of Doomsday and Darkseid, but that doesn’t mean Supergirl wouldn’t fare the same way. For this reason, these two are equals in this area.

2 Inherent Strength: Superman

There have been many jokes made over just how ridiculously strong Superman is, although even those jokes can’t argue that the guy really does back up his strength. According to All-Star Superman, the superhero can lift as much as 200 quintillion tons, without even breaking a sweat!

In the same story, he revealed he had a key for the Fortress of Solitude that weighed half a million tons carved out of a star. Supergirl has displayed similar levels of strength, but they’ve been on par with the base level Superman, without big feats that could prove she’s inherently stronger.

1 Winner: Superman

The value of experience, tactics, and hugely powerful enemies to face just can’t be beaten, no matter how many supplementary abilities one might have. There’s also the matter of his extreme amounts of pure strength, which allows him the ability of his super punches; these tend to win him battles instantly.

Supergirl has more potential, but she hasn’t had the kind of feats that Superman has shown. Due to her reliance on raw power, Supergirl is susceptible to strategies being played against her, something that doesn’t impact Superman as much due to his much larger amount of experience. With that in mind, the overall “stronger” character has to be the Man of Steel.

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