Bonded stepped repairs to aircraft composite structures offer many advantages, such as a smooth aerodynamic surface, high strength, and low mass addition. However, their design remains challenging due to the varying stiffness along the bondline in a thin laminate. This study investigates, numerically and experimentally, to what extent an “equivalent” stepped joint can be used to design a stepped repaired panel. In the proposed case, failure is driven by laminate fracture instead of patch disbonding. Tension tests on stepped repairs at the scale of coupons and panels were carried out in 11 different configurations. Specimens were obtained by hot-bonding as it would be done to perform in-situ repairs. Finite element modelling was performed with cohesive zone modelling to account for disbonding and delamination, and continuum damage mechanics to simulate composite failure. This multiscale experimental study showed that stepped repaired coupons have a similar behaviour to repaired panels in terms of damage mechanisms, failure onset location, and tensile strength. It supports the idea to use coupons instead of whole panels to carry out experimental testing of stepped repairs. A good agreement with 2D and 3D numerical simulations was also found. They predicted accurately the strength of the repairs and highlighted a failure location compatible with the experimental results. As a conclusion, an equivalent stepped joint can be representative for the strength of a stepped repaired panel, including when failure occurs inside the laminates.