Alphabet is the parent company that operates Google and YouTube and is regularly among the world’s largest companies by market value.
Google became a subsidiary of Alphabet in 2015, when the founders reorganized the business so that Google’s internet products could sit alongside other ventures. Alphabet’s major businesses include Google Search, YouTube, Android, Google Cloud, and advertising systems.
The restructuring did not replace the Google brand for consumers. Instead, Alphabet became the publicly traded parent company, while Google remained its largest operating subsidiary. This distinction matters when comparing market-capitalization lists, because the stock-market value belongs to Alphabet.
Alphabet’s name is sometimes confused with Google because Google remains the company’s best-known brand. Alphabet also includes non-Google projects, including research and so-called “Other Bets.”