Apple vs. Microsoft: A $10,000 Bet Five Years Later Reveals a $5,462 Gap
As seen on the 24/7 Wall St. homepage on October 12, 2026.
Same $10,000 into Apple five years ago is worth $24,680 today. The identical bet on Microsoft sits at $19,218, a $5,462 gap between the two biggest names in the market.
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The same $10,000 placed in Apple and Microsoft on October 12, 2021 is now $5,462 apart.
Apple returned 146.8% over the five years while Microsoft returned 92.2%, so stock selection within the same tier of the market carried a real cost.
Neither path was smooth: Apple's position dipped below its starting value, touching a low near $9,574, before recovering to new highs.
Treating these two mega-cap names as interchangeable technology bets is what created the gap.