Jasmine Birtles
Your money-making expert. Financial journalist, TV and radio personality.
How to Invest in Google in 2025
Ruby Layram
9th Jul 2025
Google is a member of the Magnificent 7 and one of the most popular tech stocks to buy in 2025. Therefore, it’s no surprise that many UK investors want to add it to their portfolio.
Luckily, investing in Google is relatively straightforward in the UK. In this guide, we will explain how to invest in Google through Alphabet shares and tech ETFs.
Is Google a Good Investment in 2025?
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, is more than a search engine. With a sprawling empire across cloud services, AI, YouTube, Waymo, and data centres. It’s a powerhouse.
What’s more, Alphabet has announced a massive $75 billion investment in AI infrastructure for 2025. Well above analyst expectations!
Almost all revenue still comes from Ads, but cloud is growing fast. Q4 profit jumped sharply year‑on‑year. That’s exactly why investors in 2025 are excited about its potential: it’s a tech juggernaut with a solid track record and serious momentum in AI.
Google is a good investment to consider if you would like to gain exposure to big tech giants and the AI revolution.
However, it’s worth noting that tech stocks can be volatile, so it’s better suited to the risk-tolerant investor. It’s also useful to understand that Google is a blue-chip company, which means that it might not have as much room for growth as smaller, less-established tech companies.
Read: The pros and cons of investing in blue chip stocks
How to Buy Alphabet Shares Directly
One of the most popular ways to invest in Google is to buy Alphabet shares directly.
To buy Alphabet shares from the UK, start with a broker or investment platform that provides access to US stock markets. Think platforms like Trading 212, Interactive Investor, or eToro.
Once your account’s open and verified, transfer GBP and convert it to USD.
Now it’s time to search for Alphabet: you’ll find two stock tickers. GOOGL gives you voting shares; GOOG gives you the non‑voting version.
You can find out more about the difference between voting and non-voting shares here.
Check the share price, current P/E ratio (~17) and earnings per share (~9.15).
When you’re ready, choose your trade type (market or limit), enter the number of shares, and click “buy.” Congratulations, you’re now a Google shareholder!
How to Invest in Google Through ETFs
If picking individual stocks feels a bit nerve‑wracking, ETFs (exchange‑traded funds) that include Alphabet offer a smoother ride. Many global or tech‑focused ETFs list on UK platforms, like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VUSA) or iShares MSCI USA ETF (IUSA), both of which hold Google among their top tech picks.
Here’s how to invest via ETF:
- Open your brokerage account (same as before).
- Search for your chosen ETF by name or ticker.
- Review the expense ratio (fees are typically between 0.04–0.20%).
- Buy your shares. This gives you exposure to Google plus other tech giants.
Investing through an ETF is a great way to diversify your portfolio.
What to Keep In Mind Before You Invest
Investing in Alphabet or tech-heavy ETFs is exciting, but here are a few things to watch:
Like all Big Tech, Alphabet has faced antitrust scrutiny, including a major court ruling in 2024. Regulatory risks can also weigh on share prices. So it is important to stay up to date with the news!
Sentiment has been mixed: Google is down around 9 % this year amid wider tech sell‑offs, even though hedge funds remain optimistic about the future of the tech giant.
Also keep an eye on how entrenched Google is within global portfolios. For example, the Vanguard FTSE All‑World ETF holds Google alongside other tech giants, meaning a bounce or drop in GOOG can sway your whole ETF performance.
Final Thoughts
Looking to invest in Google? If you believe in AI’s future and Alphabet’s dominance in search, cloud, and ad markets, buying direct shares (GOOGL/GOOG) lets you fully bet on the trend.
However, if you would prefer to diversify your investment with something a little more passive, ETFs like VUSA or IUSA offer broader exposure with less stress.
As always, make an informed choice, understand what you’re buying, and keep your tech holdings sensible within a balanced portfolio.
As with any type of investing, you capital is at risk. To learn more about investing, do sign up to our fortnightly MoneyMagpie Investing Newsletter. It’s free and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Disclaimer: MoneyMagpie is not a licensed financial advisor and therefore information found here including opinions, commentary, suggestions or strategies are for informational, entertainment or educational purposes only. This should not be considered as financial advice.
Leave a Reply