Apple vs Microsoft: 25 Years of Investment Returns
Apple and Microsoft are the two most valuable companies in the world. Both have been publicly traded since the 1980s. Both have created massive wealth for shareholders. But which was the better investment?
$1,000 invested in 2000
Starting in January 2000 - right at the dot-com peak:
- $1,000 in Apple: worth $319,000+ today (+31,800%)
- $1,000 in Microsoft: worth $12,800+ today (+1,180%)
Apple wins overwhelmingly from this start date. In 2000, Apple was a struggling computer company trading at around $1 (split-adjusted). The iPod, iPhone, and iPad were all ahead of it. Microsoft was already a dominant monopoly priced accordingly.
$1,000 invested in 2015
From 2015, after both companies were well-established tech giants:
- $1,000 in Apple: worth ~$9,500 today
- $1,000 in Microsoft: worth ~$11,100 today
Microsoft edges ahead from 2015. This is the Satya Nadella effect: the Azure cloud platform, the shift to subscriptions, and the early bet on AI with OpenAI all drove Microsoft's recent outperformance.
Head-to-head comparison
See the full side-by-side data on our Apple vs Microsoft comparison page, or build your own comparison with any start date.
The lesson
Both stocks massively outperformed the S&P 500. The "wrong" choice between Apple and Microsoft still would have made you rich. The real mistake would have been staying in cash, which lost nearly half its purchasing power over the same period.