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 $372,671+ today (+37,167%)
• $1,000 in Microsoft: worth $12,534+ today (+1,153.4%)

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 ~$11,161 today
• $1,000 in Microsoft: worth ~$10,880 today

Apple edges ahead from 2015. The iPhone franchise, services growth, and buybacks have kept Apple's returns just ahead of Microsoft's own run over this shorter window.

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. Apple and Microsoft are also two of the seven names driving most of the index's recent returns - covered in Magnificent 7 vs the other 493.