Security Comparison

GOOGL vs GOOY: Which Is the Better Pick in 2026?

A head-to-head comparison of Alphabet Inc. Class A and YieldMax GOOGL Option Income Strategy ETF covering yield, cost, risk, and income potential.

Updated October 16, 2026

How these figures are calculated: methodology.

Best for

GOOGLInvestors who want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee.
GOOYInvestors who want to maximize current income — roughly 31.16%, generated by selling options premium.

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Visual comparison

Key metrics

Projected income on $10K

Projections assume the current yield and share price remain constant. Actual results will vary.

Total returns

100% reinvested · ex-date convention. Period returns use this fixed assumption, independent of chart settings. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year.

GOOGL has outpaced GOOY over the trailing twelve months, posting a 35.80% total return against 29.97%. The lead holds up over 3 years too: GOOGL has compounded at 35.20% a year, against 20.67% for GOOY. GOOY has been the steadier holding, though — annualized volatility of 24.2% against 30.5% for GOOGL. Figures are total returns: price change plus every distribution reinvested.

Total return and risk statistics by fund. Each row is one fund; each column is one period or statistic.
Symbol	YTD cumulative	1Y cumulative	3Y annualized	Since Jul 2023	Volatility	Sharpe	Sortino	Max drawdown
GOOGL	9.03%	35.80%	35.20%	34.44%	30.5%	0.85	1.25	-29.8%
GOOY	9.46%	29.97%	20.67%	20.58%	24.2%	0.61	0.84	-24.4%

Total return with all distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date), split-adjusted, as of October 16, 2026. YTD and 1Y are cumulative period returns; 3Y, 5Y, and 10Y are annualized. The shared Since-start window is annualized only when it covers at least one year. “Since Jul 2023” measures every fund from July 28, 2023 — the start of shared available history — so all funds share one comparison window. Volatility is the annualized standard deviation of daily total returns over the trailing 3 years. Sharpe and Sortino divide the annualized return in excess of the risk-free rate by, respectively, that volatility and the downside deviation (both over the trailing 3 years) — higher is better. Max drawdown is the largest peak-to-trough total-return decline over the same window — shallower is better.

Distribution rate, SEC yield and return of capital

Metric	GOOGL	GOOY
Forward distribution rate	0.26%	31.16%
Trailing 12-month yield	0.25%	48.87%
30-day SEC yield	—	3.23%
Return of capital	—	90.97%

Total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is the Total returns section above. Return of capital is the share of a recent distribution that was not income. A 30-day SEC yield can sit far from the headline distribution rate; both numbers are the fund's own published fields.

Side-by-side snapshot

Side-by-side snapshot. Each row is one metric; each column is one fund.
Metric	GOOGL	GOOY
Full name	Alphabet Inc. Class A	YieldMax GOOGL Option Income Strategy ETF
Issuer	Alphabet Inc.	YieldMax
Last Close	$340.59 as of October 16, 2026	$11.80 as of October 16, 2026
Distribution rate	0.26%	31.16%
Trailing 12-month yield	0.25%	48.87%
30-day SEC yield	—	3.23%
Distribution Safety Score™	96	31
Safety-Adjusted Yield	0.25%	9.66%
Expense ratio	—	1.14%
AUM	—	$230M
Distribution frequency	Quarterly	Weekly
Underlying index	—	Google (GOOGL)
Objective	Parent company of Google, providing internet search, advertising technologies, cloud computing, software, and hardware products. Also operates Waymo, Verily, and other ventures.	YieldMax GOOGL Option Income Strategy ETF seeks current income while providing indirect exposure to the share price returns of Alphabet Inc. common stock, subject to a limit on potential investment gains. The fund does not invest directly in Alphabet Inc.; it uses a synthetic covered call strategy built from standardized exchange-traded options.
Asset class	Equity	Equity
Inception date	N/A	07/27/2023
Beta	1.211	0.87
Last dividend	$0.22	$0.0707 payable today
Ex-dividend date	09/04/2026	10/15/2026

Bottom lineChoose GOOGL if you want direct ownership of the underlying business, with no fund wrapper or management fee. Choose GOOY if you want to maximize current income — roughly 31.16%, generated by selling options premium. There's no free lunch: GOOY's payout comes from selling options, which caps upside and can erode the share price over time, while GOOGL keeps full price exposure.

How the risk works

Read this before the income numbers below: the strategy mechanics on this page shape what those payouts can cost you.

Capped upside and premium dependence. GOOY generates income by selling options, which trades away part of a strong rally in exchange for premium. Distributions can include return of capital, and a payout the underlying assets cannot sustain shows up as NAV erosion over time — the big yield number is not free.

Learn the mechanics: Return of capital, explained · NAV erosion, explained

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Income calculator

See how much monthly income a hypothetical investment would generate in each security at current yields.

YieldMax

ETFs62

Total AUM$10.0B

ETFs and AUM reflect what Dividend Vision tracks — the issuer's full lineup may be larger.

YieldMax is known for specializing in options-based and income-focused ETFs that emphasize yield generation through covered call strategies and other income-producing methodologies. The firm operates a diverse lineup of 63 funds organized across multiple families including covered call strategies, 0DTE (zero days to expiration) options, double distribution approaches, and various target-date and performance-based portfolios designed to generate regular distributions. Notable offerings span popular underlying assets like major technology stocks and broad market indices, with a particular emphasis on providing enhanced income solutions for investors seeking regular cash flows through options strategies and other tactical approaches.

See our curated list of related YouTube videos on GOOY.

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Quick verdict

GOOGL (Alphabet Inc. Class A) is a stock, while GOOY (YieldMax GOOGL Option Income Strategy ETF) is an ETF — their trading structures differ.

GOOY offers the higher yield at 31.16% vs 0.26% for GOOGL. A higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, though it may come with different risk characteristics.

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Deep dive

Yield & income

On a $10,000 investment, GOOGL would generate roughly $6.50 cash per distribution, while GOOY would produce $59.92 cash per distribution, at current distribution rates.

GOOGL yield0.26%

GOOY yield31.16%

Cash diff on $10K$53.42

Cost & efficiency

GOOY charges a 1.14% expense ratio — roughly $1,140 over 10 years on $10,000 (simplified, not compounded). GOOGL is a stock, not a fund, so it charges no expense ratio.

GOOY ER1.14%

Strategy & risk

GOOGL is a stock built around internet & advertising exposure, while GOOY tracks Google (GOOGL) with a covered call approach. Beta is 1.211 for GOOGL and 0.87 for GOOY, making GOOY the less volatile of the two by this measure.

GOOGL beta1.211

GOOY beta0.87

Security details

GOOGL (Alphabet Inc. Class A) is a stock. GOOY is managed by YieldMax (launched 07/27/2023) with $230M in assets.

GOOY AUM$230M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the current distribution rate for GOOGL and GOOY?

GOOGL currently distributes 0.26% and GOOY 31.16%, based on fund data updated October 2026. Distribution rate moves with both the payout and the share price, so check the as-of date before relying on either figure.

Is GOOGL or GOOY better for dividend income?

It depends on your goals. GOOY currently offers the higher distribution yield, which means more income per dollar invested. However, a lower-yield fund may offer better total return or lower volatility. Consider your time horizon and risk tolerance.

What is the difference between GOOGL and GOOY?

GOOGL (Alphabet Inc. Class A) is a stock built around internet & advertising exposure, while GOOY (YieldMax GOOGL Option Income Strategy ETF) tracks Google (GOOGL) with a covered call approach. They are issued by Alphabet Inc. and YieldMax respectively.

Can I hold both GOOGL and GOOY?

Yes — nothing prevents holding both. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on how much the underlying exposures overlap, which isn't fully measurable from the data on this page; review each security's holdings, sector, and strategy before treating them as complementary.

Is GOOGL or GOOY safer?

By Dividend Vision's Distribution Safety Score — a rules-based 0–100 estimate of how resilient a distribution looks, where higher is safer — GOOGL scores 96, GOOY scores 31, so GOOGL's payout currently looks the more resilient of the two. GOOY has also shown lower price volatility (beta 0.87 vs 1.21 for GOOGL). No score makes an investment risk-free — treat this as a screening signal, not a guarantee, and the leverage, options-income, or crypto caveats flagged on this page apply regardless of score.

Which has lower fees, GOOGL or GOOY?

GOOY charges a 1.14% expense ratio. GOOGL is a stock, not a fund, so it has no expense ratio — owning it directly costs nothing in ongoing fund fees.

How much income does $10,000 in GOOGL vs GOOY generate?

At current rates, $10,000 in GOOGL would generate roughly $6.50 cash per distribution ($26.00 annually). The same in GOOY would produce about $59.92 cash per distribution ($3,116.00 annually).

Which has performed better historically, GOOGL or GOOY?

More comparisons to explore

Popular comparisons

GOOGL vs GOOY — at a glance

Generated October 17, 2026.

Overview

GOOGL is Alphabet Inc.'s Class A stock, the parent company behind Google search, advertising, cloud services, and ventures like Waymo. The core distinction: GOOGL offers direct ownership and growth potential; GOOY trades growth for high current income via options overlay.

How they differ

The biggest difference is structure and income source. GOOGL is a stock with a 0.26% annual dividend yield paid quarterly. That yield gap reflects the cost of the strategy: GOOY charges 1.14% in fees and sacrifices upside above a capped strike price each week, whereas GOOGL has no management fee reported and retains full appreciation potential.

Second, GOOY has a much younger track record. GOOY launched 07/27/2023, making it roughly months old; GOOGL has traded since 08/19/2004. GOOY's short history means less data on how the options strategy performs across market cycles, including sharp rallies and selloffs.

Third, volatility and leverage look different on paper. GOOGL has a beta of 1.211, meaning it swings roughly 21% more than the broad market. GOOY reports a beta of 0.87, which is materially lower.

Who each is best for

GOOGL: Investors seeking direct exposure to Alphabet's long-term earnings growth and competitive positioning in search, advertising, and cloud, with comfort accepting minimal dividend income and full price appreciation or depreciation.

GOOY: Investors prioritizing weekly cash distributions and willing to accept capped upside (a predetermined ceiling on price gains each week) and options-related risks in exchange for the synthetic income-generation strategy and lower measured volatility.

Key risks to know

NAV erosion at extreme yield levels. 31.16% annualized is well above typical equity dividend yields. This is especially pronounced if GOOGL trades sideways or falls.

Options expiry and cap risk. GOOY resets its covered calls weekly. If GOOGL rallies sharply, the call strike gets breached, and shareholders' gains are capped at that week's strike level. A sustained bull market benefits GOOGL directly but leaves GOOY holders behind. Conversely, if GOOGL drops, both funds decline, but GOOY's high payout may feel like returning capital rather than income.

Limited track record for strategy resilience. GOOY launched in mid-2023, spanning a period of relatively strong market performance. Its behavior during a prolonged market correction or high-volatility regime is untested. The covered-call strategy's income generation and capital preservation in a down market remain unproven.

Concentration in a single stock. Both securities expose the portfolio entirely to Alphabet's business risks. GOOY's synthetic structure and options overlay do not diversify company-specific risk; they only trade growth for income on that single company. In periods of stressed liquidity or wide bid-ask spreads, the fund's ability to establish calls at favorable prices can deteriorate, directly impacting the income GOOY can distribute.

Bottom line

If you want direct ownership of Alphabet with full upside and are comfortable with minimal dividends, GOOGL is the straightforward path. Past performance does not predict future results, and GOOY's short lifespan means its resilience through a market downturn remains to be tested.

AI-generated analysis for educational purposes only. Verify important details independently; past performance does not guarantee future results.

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The metrics behind this comparison, explained in the Academy.

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These comparisons follow the Dividend Vision methodology.