The proportion of patients with end-stage ankle arthritis is increasing. The leading surgical methods for treating patients with end-stage ankle arthritis are ankle arthrodesis and total ankle arthroplasty. Ankle arthrodesis is considered the standard treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis. Many studies have been conducted on the two procedures, but it is unclear which is superior, and total ankle arthroplasty cannot be said to be a clear indication. Therefore, this review compares the advantages and disadvantages of two representative surgical methods for treating end-stage ankle arthritis.