"The Ladder" was released on vinyl and CD in September 1999 by Eagle Records in the UK and by Beyond Music in the US. It was a greater commercial success than "Open Your Eyes" in both countries after the latter had failed to enter the UK Albums Chart. For its one-week presence on the UK chart, the album reached No. 36 for the week of 2 October 1999. In the US, the album peaked at No. 99 on the "Billboard" 200 chart during its two-week stay in the same month. The album included a digital preview of the game "Homeworld" which was also included when "The Ladder" was reissued for the Yes album compilation box set, "Essentially Yes" (2006).