AAPL vs MSFT – Comparing 10-Year Total Returns & Dividend Growth of Apple vs. Microsoft

Compare the 10-year performance and dividend income and total return of two best performing stocks in the TECH field (as well as broader market): Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT).

Microsoft Corporation MSFT | NASDAQ

$504.21 $8.58 | 1.73%

10 Year Returns (with DRIP): 906.4%

Dividend (Quarterly): $0.91

Dividend Yield (FWD): 0.72%

Apple Inc. AAPL | NASDAQ

$335.13 $2.86 | 0.86%

10 Year Returns (with DRIP): 1,211.2%

Dividend (Quarterly): $0.27

Dividend Yield (FWD): 0.32%

10 years returns for AAPL & MSFT - dividends, price growth and total returns:

Stats below compares the performance of a $10,000 investment into each company 10 years ago, with dividends being automatically reinvested (DRIP) on the payout day, with no additional investments.

Here is a chart comparing the 10-year total returns of AAPL and MSFT, shown side-by-side. These total return figures take into account dividend reinvestment and represent the value of all shares owned at each respective point in time.

Estimate Dividend Snowball and total future returns for AAPL and MSFT with our dividend (DRIP) calculator.

Apple Inc. (AAPL) is a Consumer Electronics company listed on NASDAQ, while Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) is a Software - Infrastructure company on NASDAQ. AAPL is roughly 1.3x MSFT's size — a $4.8T market cap against $3.7T. Over the trailing twelve months, AAPL booked $466.8B in revenue against MSFT's $331.8B. On price, AAPL has been the faster grower — a 28.2%/yr CAGR over the last 10 years versus 24.52%/yr for MSFT. The numbers on this page — total returns of a $10,000 dividend-reinvested (DRIP) position, price history, dividend growth and long-run CAGR — come straight from our market data.

AAPL vs MSFT at a glance

Over the past 10 years, AAPL delivered the stronger run: a $10,000 position with dividends reinvested grew to $131,123, a 1,211.2% total return — far ahead of the same $10,000 in MSFT, which reached $100,643 (906.4%). That is a 304.8-point spread, measured, not projected.

On the dividend side, AAPL pays $0.27 quarterly — a 0.32% yield at today's $335.13 price — while MSFT pays $0.91 quarterly for a 0.72% yield at $504.21. Over the window, the $10,000 position collected $3,263 in AAPL dividends against $4,535 from MSFT. MSFT has raised its payout faster, compounding 9.07%/yr against 6.76%/yr for AAPL.

Every figure in this comparison is computed from DRIPCalc's own price and dividend history for AAPL and MSFT — the same data behind every chart and calculator on this page.

Compare Earnings, Free Cash Flow, Dividend Payout Ratios and other metrics for AAPL vs MSFT — or open each ticker's full history: AAPL, MSFT.

Here are 5 year price charts for AAPL & MSFT:

In the span of 10 years, the price of AAPL climbed 1,099%, from $27.94 to $335.13 — a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.2%.

In the span of 10 years, the price of MSFT climbed 796%, from $56.26 to $504.21 — a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.52%.

Dividend payments and yield graphs for AAPL & MSFT:

The 10-year window opened with AAPL paying $0.24 per share; the latest payment is $0.27 — a dividend CAGR of 6.76%. MSFT went from $0.75 to $0.91 over the same stretch, a 9.07% CAGR.

Expanded Chart

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Charts above show historic dividend payments for each company, with the Dividend Yield curve overlaying the payments and the Dividend CAGR for the last 1, 2, 5 and 10 years. A rising yield curve means the price was cheap relative to the dividend at those payment dates; a sloping-down curve means the stock was getting more expensive relative to its dividends.

Based on AAPL's 10-year CAGR, it would take 10.65 years to double your dividend yield-on-cost.
Based on MSFT's 10-year CAGR, it would take 7.94 years to double your dividend yield-on-cost.

Rule of 72: divide 72 by a growth rate to approximate the years it takes to double — the doubling times above come straight from each dividend CAGR on this page. One caution: extreme double-digit yields have historically often preceded dividend cuts.

Investing $10,000 in AAPL & MSFT today: Estimated Future Return & Dividends:

Looking across up to ten years of history, AAPL achieved a share price compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28.2%, accompanied by a dividend CAGR of 6.76%.

By the same measure, MSFT recorded a share price CAGR of 24.52%, along with a dividend CAGR of 9.07%.

How a $10,000 investment could perform based on these historic CAGR numbers:

If you invest $10000 today into one of these companies, applying these CAGR figures forecasts the 10-year path of your initial investment, assuming dividends are continuously reinvested (DRIP), as detailed below:

And here is how your $10,000 investment into Apple Inc. or Microsoft Corporation could perform based on the CAGR figures above, represented on a graph - a Dividend DRIP Snowball:

Try our dividend DRIP calculator: AAPL or MSFT - estimate your returns and dividend income!

Using our dividend calculator, you can customize initial investment, projected Dividend & Price growth rate, additional investment amount and frequency, to fit your investing style and goals.

The figures above are projections built on each stock's historical Dividend and Price CAGR under a DRIP assumption — estimations only, and actual returns will vary.

AAPL vs MSFT: quick answers