Search for Google stock on almost any brokerage platform and you will see two tickers: GOOG and GOOGL. They trade at nearly the same price, represent the same company, and are technically different securities. Here is the one difference that actually matters, and which one I hold.
Verdict: For most investors, GOOGL is the better default. The price gap is usually under 1%.
GOOG vs GOOGL: The Core Difference
The fundamental difference between GOOG and GOOGL is voting rights. That is it. Everything else, including price, dividends, and economic exposure, is effectively the same.
- GOOGL (Class A shares): each share gives you one vote at shareholder meetings. These are the standard publicly traded shares with full shareholder rights.
- GOOG (Class C shares): these shares carry zero voting rights. You own a piece of Alphabet, but you have no say in how the company is governed.
There is also a Class B share that cannot be bought on the open market. These are held by founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and each Class B share carries 10 votes. This is how the founders maintain control of Alphabet despite owning a relatively small percentage of total shares outstanding.
Class B shares cannot be bought publicly. Larry Page and Sergey Brin hold them, which is how the founders keep control of Alphabet.
GOOG vs GOOGL: Full Comparison
Here is how the two share classes compare across every dimension that matters to a retail investor:
| Feature | GOOGL (Class A) | GOOG (Class C) |
|---|---|---|
| Voting rights | 1 per share | None |
| S&P 500 included | Yes | No |
| Trading volume | Higher | Lower |
| Dividend per share | Same | Same |
| Economic exposure | Identical | Identical |
| Price difference | Usually under 1% either way | |
| Share class | Class A | Class C |
Why Alphabet Has Two Public Share Classes
The dual-class structure dates back to 2014, when Google (pre-Alphabet rebrand) created Class C shares via a stock split. The goal was deliberate: issue new stock for employee pay and acquisitions without diluting founder voting power. Existing shareholders got one GOOG for every GOOGL they held, and both classes have traded at near-identical prices ever since. Alphabet's investor relations page lays out the full share class structure.
Meta and Snap use similar structures for the same reason, letting founders keep long-term control while still tapping public capital.
Which Google Stock Is in the S&P 500?
GOOGL, the Class A shares, is included in the S&P 500. GOOG is not.
This is a meaningful distinction for liquidity. Every index fund or ETF that tracks the S&P 500 must hold GOOGL. That includes products like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), which collectively manage trillions of dollars in assets. All of that institutional buying flows into GOOGL, not GOOG.
The practical result is that GOOGL typically sees higher daily trading volume and marginally tighter bid-ask spreads. For most retail investors the difference is not material, but it is a genuine structural advantage for GOOGL.
GOOG vs GOOGL Price: How Different Are They?
In practice, GOOG and GOOGL trade at nearly identical prices. The spread is usually under 1% and can go either way: GOOGL sometimes carries a small voting-rights premium, GOOG occasionally trades above GOOGL. Over a 5 or 10-year chart, the two lines are essentially indistinguishable.
If GOOG is at a clear discount on the day you buy, take it. Otherwise, do not time a purchase around a sub-1% gap.
GOOG vs GOOGL: Trading Volume and Liquidity
GOOGL consistently attracts more volume, driven by S&P 500 index membership. Passive funds, dividend reinvestment, and benchmarked active managers all buy GOOGL by default. For retail-sized orders the liquidity gap has no practical impact, both tickers are extremely liquid. It only starts to matter on very large block trades.
What About Dividends
In 2024, Alphabet announced its first-ever dividend. Both GOOGL and GOOG shareholders receive the exact same dividend per share. There is no difference in dividend treatment between the two classes. If income is part of your investment case for Alphabet, both tickers are equally valid on that dimension.
Which One Should You Buy?
I personally hold GOOGL, the Class A shares with voting rights, and that is what I would suggest to most investors as a default. Here is my reasoning.
While a single retail investor's vote in a company as large as Alphabet carries effectively zero weight, I prefer owning a share that comes with the full set of rights that come with ownership. It is a matter of principle: voting rights are part of what it means to be a shareholder, and I see no reason to voluntarily give them up for no price advantage.
Beyond voting rights, GOOGL's S&P 500 inclusion is a structural advantage. It means more institutional demand, higher volume, and tighter spreads. None of these things are decisive for a long-term buy-and-hold investor, but they all point in the same direction. When the two options are near-identical in price and GOOGL comes with more built-in support, there is no logical reason to choose GOOG.
The one exception: if GOOG is trading at a clear discount on the specific day you are buying, taking the cheaper shares makes sense. You get the same economic exposure for less money. But this situation is rare, and you should not wait around for it.
If you already own GOOG, there is no reason to sell and switch. The difference in long-term returns between the two classes is negligible, and selling would likely trigger a taxable event with no meaningful benefit.
Considerations for European Investors
If you are investing from Europe, a few additional points apply regardless of which ticker you choose:
- Currency exposure: both GOOG and GOOGL trade in USD on NASDAQ, so you will carry dollar risk either way
- Withholding tax on dividends: European investors typically face 15% to 30% withholding tax on US dividends depending on their country's tax treaty with the US. This applies equally to both share classes
- Broker availability: most major brokers including Interactive Brokers, Trading 212, and eToro list both tickers. Some platforms may only offer one, so check before assuming you have a choice
- Fractional shares: if your broker supports fractional investing, the distinction matters even less since you can buy any dollar amount of either ticker
The Bottom Line
The difference between GOOG and GOOGL is real but, for most individual investors, not particularly consequential. Both give you the same economic interest in one of the most dominant businesses on the planet. The only practical difference is that GOOGL carries voting rights and S&P 500 membership while GOOG does not.
My recommendation is GOOGL as the default. The voting rights, higher liquidity, and index inclusion make it the marginally better choice when prices are equal. What matters far more than ticker choice is whether Alphabet fits your thesis, what price you pay, and how it sits within your broader portfolio strategy. That is where your attention should go.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Both are Alphabet shares but different classes. GOOGL is Class A with one vote per share. GOOG is Class C with no voting rights. They trade at nearly the same price and pay the same dividend, but they are technically different securities.
GOOGL is the better default for most investors. It includes voting rights, S&P 500 membership, and higher trading volume. The price premium is usually under 1% and sometimes nonexistent. GOOG is a reasonable choice only if it is trading at a clear discount on the day you buy.
GOOGL (Class A) is included in the S&P 500. GOOG (Class C) is not. Every S&P 500 index fund and ETF holds GOOGL, which drives higher institutional demand and trading volume for that ticker.
Yes. Alphabet pays the same dividend per share to holders of both GOOG and GOOGL. The voting rights difference has no impact on dividend treatment.
No. There is no compelling reason to switch. The long-term return difference between the two classes has been negligible. Selling GOOG to buy GOOGL would likely create a taxable event while adding no meaningful benefit. If you own GOOG, keep it.
In 2014, Google created Class C shares (GOOG) to allow the company to issue new stock for employee compensation and acquisitions without diluting the founders' voting control. Larry Page and Sergey Brin hold Class B shares carrying 10 votes each, which is how they maintain governance control of Alphabet despite owning a relatively small share of the total stock.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing involves risk, and you may lose some or all of your investment. Always do your own research before making investment decisions. I hold GOOGL shares in my personal portfolio at the time of writing.
