Google Stock Class A (GOOGL): What Investors Should Know

Have you ever searched for ‘Google stock,’ only to be met with two different options? One is called GOOGL, the other GOOG, and it’s a common point of confusion that makes a simple idea feel complicated. What many don’t realize is that when you buy shares, you are actually investing in its parent company, Alphabet, and those two codes represent two different types of ownership.

The good news is that the difference is surprisingly simple. Those codes, known as ticker symbols, are just market shortcuts. The single biggest distinction is that GOOGL represents Google stock Class A, which comes with one vote per share on company matters, while the other does not.

So, why does this split exist, and do voting rights matter for an everyday investor? Let’s clarify Alphabet’s share structure so you can make an informed choice.

First, Who Are You Actually Investing In? Google vs. Alphabet

One of the first things you’ll notice when you look up how to invest in Google is a different name: Alphabet Inc. It can be a little confusing, but the relationship is simple. Think of Alphabet as the parent company and Google as its most famous and successful child.

Years ago, the company decided to reorganize. Today, Alphabet acts as a holding company for a whole family of businesses. This includes the Google you know and use every day—like Search, Maps, and Android—but it also includes other ventures like the self-driving car company Waymo and life sciences projects.

This structure allows the main Google business to focus on what it does best, while the broader Alphabet company can explore new, futuristic ideas. So, when you buy a share of “Google stock,” you are actually buying a piece of the entire Alphabet portfolio, from search engines to self-driving cars.

GOOGL vs. GOOG: The One-Sentence Difference You Need to Know

Now that you know you’re investing in Alphabet, you’ll run into two main choices: stock with the ticker GOOGL and stock with the ticker GOOG. The difference between them boils down to one simple concept: voting rights.

The stock labeled GOOGL is what’s known as Class A stock. For every share you own, you get one vote on big company decisions, like electing the board of directors. On the other hand, the stock labeled GOOG is Class C stock, which holds no voting rights at all. Think of it like this: both tickets get you into the same movie, but only the Class A ticket lets you vote on which sequel gets made next.

For the average person buying a few shares, this distinction is more of a fun fact than a deciding factor. Both GOOGL and GOOG represent an identical slice of ownership in Alphabet, and their prices almost always move in lockstep.

A simple side-by-side graphic with two labels. Left side: "GOOGL = Class A Stock = 1 Share, 1 Vote". Right side: "GOOG = Class C Stock = 1 Share, 0 Votes". Both pointing to a central icon of a pie slice representing "Ownership in Alphabet"

What Exactly Is a ‘Stock Voting Right’ and Why Does It Exist?

Imagine you own a tiny part of an apartment building. A voting right is your ballot to help decide who manages the building or whether to approve major renovations. In the same way, owning a Class A (GOOGL) share lets you vote on fundamental company decisions, most importantly, electing the board of directors who oversee the company’s leadership. It’s the official way for owners—the shareholders—to have a say in the company’s long-term direction.

The reason for this system comes down to one word: control. When Google’s founders wanted to raise money by selling stock to the public, they faced a classic challenge. They needed funding to grow the company, but they didn’t want to give up the power to steer the ship. Their solution was to keep a special, super-voting class of stock for themselves (Class B, which you can’t buy) while offering the public shares with one vote (Class A) or no votes (Class C). This ensured the original vision for the company was protected.

Ultimately, this structure allows Alphabet’s leadership to focus on long-term innovation without being easily swayed by investors seeking quick profits. For huge investment funds that own millions of shares, voting rights are a serious consideration, as they determine how much influence they have.

Should I, as a Small Investor, Actually Care About Voting Rights?

For the vast majority of people with a handful of shares, the honest answer is no. Think of it this way: even if you own ten shares of GOOGL, your ten votes are cast alongside billions of others. It’s like adding a single drop of water to an ocean. While your vote is officially counted, it doesn’t have the weight to sway a decision on its own.

The real influence comes from large investment funds, like those that manage pension plans or mutual funds, that own millions of shares. When they vote, they do so as a massive, unified block, giving them a powerful voice that company leadership has to listen to. Compared to these giants, an individual’s vote is more of a symbolic nod of ownership than a true lever of power.

For your personal finances, what truly matters isn’t the vote but the stock’s performance. Whether you own voting Class A shares or non-voting Class C shares, your investment value rises and falls based on the same thing: Alphabet’s overall success. Because both stocks represent ownership in the same company, their prices move almost identically, meaning not having a vote doesn’t put you at a financial disadvantage.

GOOGL vs. GOOG: Which One Is Actually Better to Buy?

Since the vote is a non-factor for most, the decision comes down to performance. Here, the answer is refreshingly simple: neither is financially better. Because both stocks represent ownership in the same company, their prices move in lockstep. If you were to look at a chart of their performance, you’d see two lines moving in near-perfect unison, like two dance partners following the exact same steps. When Alphabet has a good day, both GOOGL and GOOG go up; when it has a bad day, they both go down together.

You might occasionally spot a small price difference between them—perhaps a few dollars. This tiny gap isn’t a secret signal that one is a hidden bargain or a “smarter” purchase. It’s just a minor quirk of the market. For someone buying a few shares, this small difference is unlikely to have any meaningful impact on your long-term investment return.

Since there’s no clear winner, you can break the tie with a simple, stress-free checklist:

Check the price: Is one share slightly cheaper today? Feel free to pick that one.
Check your broker: Does your trading app default to one over the other? It’s fine to take the path of least resistance.
Your personal preference: Do you want the symbolic voting right, just to have it? Then GOOGL is your choice.

Ultimately, the decision is less about complex financial strategy and more about simple convenience.

A simple line graph showing two lines (one labeled GOOGL, one GOOG) that are almost perfectly overlapping, moving up and down together over a fictional time period, illustrating they perform the same

The Quick History: How the 2014 Stock Split Created This System

This entire two-ticker system wasn’t around from the start. It all traces back to a key event in 2014: a special kind of stock split. This single decision is the origin story for the Class C (GOOG) shares and the reason you see two options today.

A stock split is like taking a whole pizza and cutting its slices in half. You now have twice as many slices, but each one is smaller, and you still own the same total amount of pizza. In 2014, Google (now Alphabet) did exactly this. For every single Class A (GOOGL) share an investor owned, the company gave them one brand-new, non-voting Class C (GOOG) share. Instantly, the number of shares doubled, the price of each share roughly halved, but an investor’s total ownership value remained the same.

The reason for this unique maneuver goes back to the founders wanting to preserve their control. By creating and distributing these new non-voting shares, they could continue to fund company growth and reward employees without diluting their own voting power. And that’s the “Google stock split history explained”: a move to maintain control that created the two-ticker choice investors have today.

Your GOOGL vs. GOOG Cheat Sheet: The Only 3 Things to Remember

The distinction between Google’s stock tickers is a common point of confusion, but now you have a clear understanding of Alphabet’s share structure. This insight alone puts you ahead of most investors.

To summarize, here are the three key takeaways:

GOOGL (Class A) has one vote; GOOG (Class C) has none.
Both represent ownership in the same company, Alphabet, and their prices almost always move together.
For the average investor, the vote is symbolic, so don’t stress over which one to choose.

The next time you see “GOOGL vs GOOG” on a trading app, you won’t see confusing letters. You’ll understand the company’s structure and know with confidence what it means for your investment.