Alphabet 
This guide uses Vantafin live market data, quarterly earnings results, and financial filings to break down the comparison across every key dimension. Whether you are evaluating a position in one or both companies, the data below provides the foundation for a data-driven decision.
Market Cap and Scale
The size gap between Alphabet and Meta is substantial. As of August 2026, Alphabet commands a market capitalization of $4.28 trillion, making it one of the three most valuable companies in the world. Meta Platforms sits at $1.40 trillion, roughly three times smaller but still among the top tier of global technology companies.
| Metric | Alphabet (GOOG) | Meta (META) |
|---|---|---|
| Market Cap | $4.28 trillion | $1.40 trillion |
| Share Price | $354.24 | $553.22 |
| Shares Outstanding | 12.09 billion | 2.54 billion |
| Float | 10.82 billion | 2.19 billion |
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 26.76 | 19.79 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 10.14 | 6.53 |
| TTM EPS | $13.24 | $27.96 |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 37.91% | 32.84% |
Alphabet's scale advantage is rooted in its search monopoly. Google processes over 90% of global search queries, generating cash flows that fund AI research, cloud infrastructure, and shareholder returns. Meta's $1.40 trillion valuation reflects a pure-play social media and AI advertising business that has grown rapidly since pivoting to Reels, AI-powered ad targeting, and the metaverse-adjacent Reality Labs division.
Stock Performance: Recent Price Action
Both GOOG and META have experienced significant volatility in 2026, reflecting investor sensitivity to AI spending, interest rate expectations, and earnings guidance.
The chart shows a notable divergence. GOOG traded in a range between $318 and $374 over the 90-day window, closing near the top of that range at $356.65 on July 31, 2026. META pushed to highs above $681 in mid-July before pulling back sharply to $556.71 by month-end, a decline of roughly 18% from its peak. Both stocks retreated on July 23 following a broad tech selloff driven by concerns about AI capex spending.
Revenue Deep Dive: Scale and Growth Trajectory
Alphabet generates nearly double the quarterly revenue of Meta. In Q1 2026, Alphabet reported $109.90 billion in revenue, representing 22% year-over-year growth. Meta reported $56.31 billion in the same quarter, up 33% year-over-year.
The revenue chart reveals a consistent gap of roughly $50 billion per quarter between the two companies. Alphabet's trailing twelve-month revenue reached $422.57 billion in Q1 2026, compared to Meta's $214.96 billion TTM figure. However, Meta's year-over-year growth rate of 33% in Q1 2026 outpaces Alphabet's 22%, suggesting Meta is closing the absolute gap faster.
Alphabet's Q2 2026 earnings report (released July 22, 2026) showed revenue of $119.80 billion, beating a $116.53 billion consensus estimate. That report also included a substantial EPS beat at $9.11 versus $2.87 expected, driven by a non-recurring gain. Stripping that out, underlying earnings remain strong.
Earnings Beats and Profitability
Both companies have established consistent track records of beating Wall Street estimates.
Alphabet's Q2 2026 EPS of $9.11 was inflated by a significant one-time gain. On a normalized basis, earnings remain in the $2.80 to $3.00 range per quarter, consistent with the underlying business trajectory.
Meta has beaten EPS estimates in every single reported quarter over the past eight periods. The most recent Q1 2026 print showed $7.31 EPS versus a $6.70 estimate, a 9% positive surprise. Meta's Q4 2025 EPS of $8.88 was a particular standout, nearly 50 cents above the $8.19 consensus.
Valuation: Which Is Cheaper?
Comparing valuations between GOOG and META requires nuance. On a trailing P/E basis, META at 19.79 appears cheaper than GOOG at 26.76. However, GOOG's revenue diversity and cloud business provide exposure to higher-growth segments that command premium multiples.
| Metric | Alphabet (GOOG) | Meta (META) |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 26.76 | 19.79 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 10.14 | 6.53 |
| TTM Net Margin | 37.91% | 32.84% |
| TTM EPS | $13.24 | $27.96 |
| TTM Revenue | $422.57 billion | $214.96 billion |
Meta's P/S ratio of 6.53 reflects its more concentrated business model relative to Alphabet's diversified portfolio. GOOG's P/S of 10.14 is elevated because investors assign a higher multiple to Google Search cash flows and assign significant optionality value to Google Cloud's AI-driven growth.
Business Segment Breakdown
Alphabet operates across multiple distinct businesses. Google Search remains the cash engine, generating approximately $60 billion per quarter in Q1 2026. YouTube Advertising added nearly $10 billion in the same period. Google Cloud reached $20.03 billion in Q1 2026, growing rapidly as enterprises adopt AI infrastructure. This segment is Alphabet's primary growth engine beyond advertising.
Meta's revenue comes almost entirely from advertising across its Family of Apps, which includes Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. In Q1 2026, Family of Apps revenue reached $55.91 billion. Reality Labs contributed $402 million, a small fraction representing early-stage investment in spatial computing and AR/VR products.
The structural difference is diversification. Alphabet hedges its reliance on advertising through cloud services. Meta is predominantly an advertising business, though its AI investments are beginning to show up in product features like AI Studio, AI-powered ad targeting, and Meta AI assistant integration.
Bottom Line: GOOG vs META
Alphabet and Meta serve different roles in a technology portfolio.
Choose GOOG if you want:
- Exposure to the dominant search advertising platform
- Cloud growth at scale (Google Cloud hitting $20 billion-plus quarters)
- Higher absolute revenue and profit base
- Diversification beyond advertising
Choose META if you want:
- A lower valuation multiple (P/E of 19.79 vs 26.76)
- Faster reported revenue growth (33% YoY vs 22%)
- Stronger EPS beat streak (8 consecutive quarters)
- Pure-play social media and AI advertising exposure
For many investors, holding both provides diversified exposure to digital advertising and AI transformation. Alphabet's $4.28 trillion market cap and multi-segment revenue make it the more conservative large-cap tech choice. Meta's valuation and growth rate appeal to investors seeking relative value within the ad-tech ecosystem.
Monitor both tickers through Vantafin's GOOG profile and META profile for real-time quotes, earnings data, and filing alerts. For more on technology sector comparisons, explore our Company Profiles hub covering earnings analysis and strategic positioning across the tech landscape.