For me , answering this question would be very difficult .. 

To begin, Red and Ash are supposed to represent the same character, but both are RADICALLY different, in my opinion. The anime displays Ash as a very talkative, obdurate, and hot-headed person that just acts on impulse without fully thinking about his actions. They also display him as an absolute dumbhead. What kind of numbnut falls for Team Rocket's traps for what, 650 odd episodes? I'm surprised that they haven't been given the boot. They're surely running out of plans. Yes, I know the show is based for little kiddies and for the younger audience. HOWEVER, the show needs to be spiced up a bit more. And with the dub, they need to headshot the voice actor, he's absolute garbage. Let's talk about Red.

Red is the super legendary trainer from the original Gameboy color games Pokemon Gold, Silver, and Crystal. He has the most hacked Pokemon and he is a very silent one. When the character speaks to him to face off with him on the Mt. Silver, he merely responds with a "........." He's a legend with the most uber Pokemon to fight against in any game so far. What I really find disheartening is that while Red is displayed as the most powerful trainer in the games, the anime displays Ash as a talented trainer through and through, but he uses the most pathetic lineup of Pokemon, and arms them with the most PATHETIC moveset. What kind of idiot trainer uses IRON TAIL? Or Quick Attack? His only worthy Pokemon are held in the lab in Pallet Town. I don't see why he is considered the great trainer that people describe him as. He can be amazing if he uses his other Pokemon from his old adventures, but he uses such weak Pokemon. It's no wonder that he lost to Paul in that one match oh so long ago. A while back in the anime, Ash used to use his most powerful Pokemon and he displayed them proudly. Now he uses weaklings. To prove what? What are your thoughts on this? The game and the anime try to match each other as closely as they can, yet they make the star characters radically different.

I like Red far better, but as far for actual training skills go, I am pretty sure that Red would be able to stomp over Ash in a Pokemon battle.

So I have been watching the whole series over again and reading the manga too, Red is far better no doubt, but now I have a more thorough analysis on why. Through out the manga Red has defeated and shut down a terrorist organization (Team Rocket who interestingly had Sabrina, Koga, Lt. Surge and Blaine [although Blaine later sided with Red after catching Mewtwo]), and help defeat the Elite Four before they took over the world and made it strictly for Pokémon. Ash, just beats the same two members (three if you count Meowth) of Team Rocket, sometimes Butch and Cassidy, Ash has lost every league so far that he has been in except the Orange League (I'm at the end of the Johto League Champions currently in the series so he may have won more than that I'm not sure I haven't kept up after Johto), and Ash is sometimes super mean to his Pokémon all of a sudden. In Turning Over a New Bayleef (episode 200) Ash's newly evolved Bayleef tries to show him love and affection by accidentally tackling him, Ash in turn yells at Bayleef and says, "go away, and stay away!" I was stunned, I was wanting to yell at Ash, he hurt poor Bayleefs feelings. Later in the episode they are all like he didn't mean it, but still the fact remains that he said what he said! It was mean and very hurtful to his Pokémon. Red would have never of said that!

Well Ash's Pokémon hardly evolved, but in many cases Ash's Pokémon were better than their evolved form.   Charizard, Butterfree, and some of the newer Pokémon were some of his evolutions so Ash has evolved some of his Pokémon.   Pikachu defeated Raichu after a second go, that's one of a few ones that have happened.   But aside from having a large range of experience with Pokémon, if pitted with their best Pokémon yes Red would win.   Ash never captured any of the legendary Pokémon, only befriended them, which only helps during other legendary fights.   Pikachu is Ash's strongest Pokémon when they don't go to a new region.   

Red for one reason: he had made team rocket disband (silph.co according to Pokémon heart gold and a few more resource's) and ash can even make a small group of team rocket ( James,Jessie and mewoth) give up and Red also could beat the champion and take the rightful title as champion and ash can't and ash also (basically) gave charizard away (charrizard was probobly his best and could own his pikachu)

I like Red better because he's so great. Ash's skill level just increases, then plummets when he hits a new region. Red just stays at the same level of greatness. xD

red is better because they have the same pokemon but red has a better strategy and ash is not chill reds chill and he can get a good pokemon cuse of his chilness

Red should win easily, but it kind of what level Ash's Pikachu is. I mean, he's been through all this, so he must be a relatively high level. It shouldn't matter too much. Red is a beast.

  I think ash is the better trainer. He is always taking care of his pokemon and he loves them a lot. And then on top of that everyone he meets that is not a team rocket member grows to really like him, and being a good trainer is a big part in how people see you and whether they like you or not.

I can't say who's  great and who's not!
Red and Ash both are same,they're just game & anime counterparts.
If you want to know my desision,then probably I'll choose Ash.Red just stands atop Mt.Silver and has no friends to support.As seen in the games,he is DUMB.He cannot speak & cannot show or tell us what's he saying!
Ash loves his Pokemon,as they love him back.He tells them orders nicely so they obey him too.While Red can't talk,he uses gestures to tell his Pokemon.By the way,I like both Red and Ash.Red is typically Japanese and Ash is typically a British.

I LOE U ASH AND RED!!!!!!!

I thought Red WAS Ash. If I had to choose, I would choose Red. Nothing compared at all.

Red is totaly better hes much cooler then ash ash catches only weak pokemons

Red is totally powerful than Ash. For instance, Red has like Level 85 Pokémon while Ash has Level 15-60 Pokémon. The only strongest Pokémon that Ash has is Pikachu.

If there was a Pokémon battle between Ash vs. Red. Red will win because how powerful he is with his Pokémon.

 tj4bigred: i think ash is cause ash isnt the one to give up and the day he gives up is the day they cancel pokemon and the day ash dies 

It differents wich is ash team is it team kanto johto hoenn sinnoh or unova ?

Between Red and Ash? Red, hands down. Then again, I'm biased as a PokeSpe fangirl, sooooooo......... Red is just amazing, and Ash is just...... To quote Iris, he's "such a kid!"