AAPL vs. MSFT: Returns, Risk and $10,000 Compared

AAPL vs. MSFT Calculator

Spreadsheet

Free calculator by ROI.fyi

What would $10,000 in AAPL vs. MSFT be worth?

Invested	AAPL	MSFT	AAPL per year	MSFT per year
1 year	$12,166	$10,373	+21.7%	+3.7%
3 years	$18,027	$13,669	+21.7%	+11.0%
5 years	$20,952	$15,956	+15.9%	+9.8%
10 years	$133,181	$94,147	+29.6%	+25.1%
15 years	$295,967	$254,780	+25.3%	+24.1%
20 years	$1,234,114	$245,732	+27.2%	+17.4%
25 years	$10,622,292	$259,681	+32.1%	+13.9%

AAPL vs. MSFT returns by year

Year	AAPL	MSFT	Ahead
2026 (so far)	+24.8%	+5.5%	AAPL
2025	+9.0%	+15.6%	MSFT
2024	+30.7%	+12.9%	AAPL
2023	+49.0%	+58.2%	MSFT
2022	-26.4%	-28.0%	AAPL
2021	+34.6%	+52.5%	MSFT
2020	+82.3%	+42.5%	AAPL
2019	+89.0%	+57.6%	AAPL
2018	-5.4%	+20.8%	MSFT
2017	+48.5%	+40.7%	AAPL
2016	+12.5%	+15.1%	MSFT
2015	-3.0%	+22.7%	MSFT
2014	+40.6%	+27.5%	AAPL
2013	+8.1%	+44.3%	MSFT
2012	+32.6%	+5.8%	AAPL

Prices run through 2026-11-02, with dividends reinvested.

Which has returned more, AAPL or MSFT?

Over the last 10 years, AAPL returned 29.6% a year and MSFT returned 25.1%, with dividends reinvested. So $10,000 in AAPL would be worth about $133,181 now, against $94,147 in MSFT. Over 25 years, the longest stretch both have prices for, the yearly figures are 32.1% for AAPL and 13.9% for MSFT. We use month-end prices through November 2026, adjusted for splits and dividends, before taxes and fees.

The ride matters as much as the result. AAPL's monthly returns swung about 37.3% a year, measured as annualized standard deviation, against 28.1% for MSFT, so MSFT has been the calmer of the two. AAPL's largest fall from a high was 79.2%, from March 2000 to March 2003. MSFT's was 66.8%, from December 1999 to February 2009.

Year by year, AAPL beat MSFT in 15 of 26 full calendar years. AAPL's best year was 2004, at 201.3%, and MSFT's was 2009, at 60.5%. Both had their worst year in 2000, when AAPL returned -71.1% and MSFT returned -62.8%. Month to month, they moved fairly independently, with a correlation of 0.48. That difference is why some investors hold both: one can soften the other's bad stretches, though not always.

Buying a little each month narrows the gap from timing. Putting $100 a month into each for the last 10 years would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $49,359 in AAPL and $36,648 in MSFT. These results are historical and hypothetical, and past performance doesn't indicate future results. A single company can fall far more than the market and may never recover, so most investors keep any one stock to a small part of their portfolio. See each on its own on our AAPL calculator and MSFT calculator.

How we compare AAPL and MSFT

We line up both histories by month, starting December 1999, the first month both have prices. The calculator above runs any amount and period for AAPL, and shows the same money in MSFT beside it. Price data from Alpha Vantage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is AAPL or MSFT better?

Neither is better for everyone. AAPL has returned more over the last 10 years, 29.6% a year against 25.1%, and it has also swung more. Consider what you already own, how long you'll stay invested and how you'd handle a large drop. Nothing here is investment advice.

What is the 10-year return of AAPL vs. MSFT?

Over the last 10 years, AAPL returned 29.6% a year and MSFT returned 25.1% a year, with dividends reinvested. That's a total return of 1231.8% for AAPL and 841.5% for MSFT. The table above shows other periods, and the calculator runs any dates you choose.

How much would $10,000 in AAPL vs. MSFT be worth today?

Invested 25 years ago, $10,000 would be worth about $10,622,292 in AAPL and $259,681 in MSFT, as of November 2026. Over 10 years, it's $133,181 and $94,147. These assume dividends were reinvested, and leave out taxes and fees.

Which is riskier, AAPL or MSFT?

By how much each swung, AAPL has been riskier: about 37.3% a year against 28.1%. AAPL has had the deeper fall, 79.2% from its high, measured at month ends. Higher swings mean a wider range of outcomes, so the dates you buy and sell matter more.

How did AAPL and MSFT do in their worst years?

Both had their worst full calendar year in 2000. AAPL returned -71.1% and MSFT returned -62.8%. Bad years tend to arrive together for investments that move fairly independently.

How often has AAPL beaten MSFT?

AAPL came out ahead in 15 of 26 full calendar years, or 58% of the time, and MSFT in the rest. So far in 2026, through November 2026, AAPL is up 24.8% and MSFT is up 5.5%. Leadership often changes from year to year, which is hard to predict ahead of time.

Should I invest in both AAPL and MSFT?

It depends on how much they overlap. Their monthly returns have a correlation of 0.48, where 1 means they move exactly together. That's low enough that owning both has spread your risk somewhat, since one hasn't always fallen when the other did. Check what each holds before splitting your money.

What if I invested $100 a month in AAPL or MSFT?

Over the last 10 years, $100 at each month end would have cost $12,000 and be worth about $49,359 in AAPL and $36,648 in MSFT, with dividends reinvested. Monthly buying spreads your entry prices, so the result depends less on one lucky or unlucky start date. Use the Buying option above to test it.

Are AAPL and MSFT the same kind of investment?

They're both stocks. Apple trades as AAPL, and Microsoft trades as MSFT. Their returns have often differed, which suggests different holdings or strategies. Read each one's prospectus or annual report for fees and holdings, which we don't cover here.

Do these returns include dividends?

Yes. We use prices adjusted for splits and dividends, which assumes every dividend was reinvested. That matters most when one pays out more than the other, because a plain price chart would understate its return. Our figures leave out brokerage fees and the tax you'd owe on dividends in a regular account.

How are gains on AAPL and MSFT taxed?

In a taxable US account, you owe capital gains tax when you sell at a profit, at long-term rates of 0%, 15% or 20% if you held for more than a year. Dividends are usually taxed in the year you receive them. In a Roth IRA or 401(k), different rules apply. Check IRS guidance or ask a tax professional about your situation.