GOOGL vs MSFT
How Alphabet Inc. and Microsoft Corporation compare on business model, dividends and risk — the structural picture, in plain English.
| GOOGL | MSFT | |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Communication Services | Technology |
| Industry | Internet Content & Information | Software — Infrastructure |
| Headquarters | Mountain View, California, USA | Redmond, Washington, USA |
| Founded | 1998 | 1975 |
| Pays a dividend | Yes | Yes |
| Volatility | Roughly market-level | Roughly market-level |
What each company does
Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL)
Alphabet is the parent of Google. It makes the large majority of its money from advertising across Google Search and YouTube, and also runs Google Cloud, the Android ecosystem and long-shot bets like Waymo self-driving.
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)
Microsoft sells Windows and the Microsoft 365 / Office suite, runs the Azure cloud platform, and owns LinkedIn and Xbox. Its cloud and AI investments — including a deep partnership with OpenAI — are the center of its growth story.
From the latest 10-K filings
| Metric | GOOGLFY 2025, ended Dec 31, 202510-K filed Feb 5, 2026 | MSFTFY 2026, ended Jun 30, 202610-K filed Jul 29, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $402.8B | $331.8B |
| Net income | $132.2B | $133.7B |
| Operating cash flow | $164.7B | $182.9B |
| Source | GOOGL 10-K on EDGAR ↗ | MSFT 10-K on EDGAR ↗ |
Alphabet’s fiscal 2025 revenue ($402.8B) was 1.21× Microsoft’s fiscal 2026 revenue ($331.8B). The fiscal years differ (GOOGL’s ended Dec 31, 2025, MSFT’s ended Jun 30, 2026), so the two columns cover different periods.
As reported to the SEC for each company’s own fiscal year; not a valuation or forecast.
Dividends
Both GOOGL and MSFT pay a dividend.
GOOGL: Alphabet began paying a small quarterly dividend in 2024 — a notable shift for a company that had never paid one. The yield is minimal.
MSFT: Pays a steady quarterly dividend with a long record of annual increases. The yield is modest; Microsoft also buys back stock.
Risk & volatility
Both have shown broadly similar volatility versus the market (GOOGL: ~1.0–1.1, MSFT: ~0.9–1.0) — long-run tendencies, not live figures.
Frequently asked
Does GOOGL or MSFT pay a dividend?
Both GOOGL and MSFT pay a dividend. Yields change with price, so check current figures in the app.
Is GOOGL or MSFT more volatile?
Historically both have shown similar volatility (roughly market-level versus the broad market) — a long-run tendency, not a live figure.
More comparisons
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Comparison is for educational purposes only and is not investment advice or a recommendation to buy or sell GOOGL or MSFT. Company profiles reflect long-term, structural facts; volatility bands are approximate historical tendencies, not live data. Always do your own research.