Apple vs Microsoft: performance comparison
Over the 12 months to Oct 2, 2026, Apple returned +30.0% and Microsoft -2.1%. This page puts the two side by side on the same dates — current prices, performance charts rebased to 100, returns from one month to five years, volatility, the deepest falls and how closely the two move together — recalculated daily from closing prices.
Performance, rebased to 100
Both lines start at 100 on the first shared date: a value of 150 means +50% since then.
- Apple+30.0%
- Microsoft-2.1%
- Apple+133.0%
- Microsoft+78.1%
Returns
| Period | Apple | Microsoft | Better |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +2.7% | +4.2% | Microsoft |
| 3 months | +8.1% | +32.5% | Microsoft |
| 6 months | +30.4% | +38.6% | Microsoft |
| Year to date | +22.7% | +7.0% | Apple |
| 1 year | +30.0% | -2.1% | Apple |
| 3 years | +87.6% | +60.5% | Apple |
| 5 years | +133.0% | +78.1% | Apple |
Price returns between closing prices on the same dates for both assets; dividends and interest are not included. All prices are in US dollars. Data to Oct 2, 2026.
Risk
| Measure | Apple | Microsoft |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility, 1 year (annualized) | 24.9% | 32.4% |
| Volatility, 5 years (annualized, weekly) | 27.6% | 27.5% |
| Deepest fall, 5 years | -27.8%Dec 2021 – Jan 2023 | -35.5%Nov 2021 – Oct 2022 |
| Correlation, 1 year (daily returns) | 0.14 | |
| Correlation, 5 years (weekly returns) | 0.40 | |
Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of returns — higher means bigger swings. The deepest fall is the largest drop from a previous high. Correlation runs from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (in lockstep).
What the numbers say
Over five years (Oct 2021 to Oct 2026), Apple returned +133.0% and Microsoft +78.1%. Apple came out ahead over both one and five years.
Annualized volatility over the past year: Apple 24.9%, Microsoft 32.4% — Microsoft was about 1.3× as volatile. Deepest fall over the period: Apple -27.8% (Dec 2021 – Jan 2023), Microsoft -35.5% (Nov 2021 – Oct 2022).
The correlation of their daily returns over the past year was 0.14. That is almost no relationship: they have moved largely independently. Over five years of weekly returns it was 0.40.
Past performance does not predict future returns.
Key differences
- Business mix: Apple earns most of its revenue from hardware, led by the iPhone, plus a fast-growing services business; Microsoft earns most of its revenue from cloud and software.
- Customers: Apple sells mainly to consumers; Microsoft mainly to businesses and governments, which makes much of its revenue recurring subscriptions.
- Shareholder returns: both pay dividends and buy back large amounts of stock; dividends are not included in the price returns shown here.
The two assets
Apple
Apple designs the iPhone, Mac, iPad and wearables and earns a growing share of its profit from services such as the App Store, iCloud and Apple Music. iPhone demand, services growth and large share buybacks shape the stock.
Apple chart and analysis →Microsoft
Microsoft sells cloud computing (Azure), Microsoft 365 and Windows software, LinkedIn and Xbox gaming, mostly to businesses. Growth in Azure and enterprise demand for AI services are the most closely watched drivers of its stock.
Microsoft chart and analysis →Frequently asked questions
Which performed better over the past year, Apple or Microsoft?
Apple. In the 12 months to Oct 2, 2026, Apple returned +30.0% and Microsoft -2.1%, a difference of 32.1 percentage points. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which performed better over the past five years, Apple or Microsoft?
Apple. From Oct 2021 to Oct 2026, Apple returned +133.0% and Microsoft +78.1%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is more volatile, Apple or Microsoft?
Microsoft — about 1.3 times as volatile as Apple. Annualized volatility over the past year: Apple 24.9%, Microsoft 32.4%. Deepest fall over five years: Apple -27.8%, Microsoft -35.5%.
Do Apple and Microsoft move together?
Almost no relationship: they have moved largely independently. The correlation of their daily returns over the past year was 0.14, on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) to +1 (moving in lockstep). Over five years of weekly returns it was 0.40.
How we calculate
Both series are aligned on the trading days (or weeks) they share, so every return covers the same dates for both assets. Periods up to one year use daily closes; three and five years use weekly closes. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of log returns, the deepest fall is measured on weekly closes, and correlation is the Pearson coefficient of returns over identical intervals. Data: Yahoo Finance and OKX, refreshed daily. All prices are in US dollars.