How Apple, Google, and Amazon Really Make Their Money (And What It Teaches Us)

Think you know how these giants make money?

Most people think Apple = iPhones, Google = Ads, Amazon = Online Shopping. But the real answers are way more strategic — and learning them can change how you look at every business.

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Apple: More Than Just an iPhone

What You Think:

“Apple makes most of its money from selling iPhones.”

The Truth:

You’re partly right — about 50% of Apple’s revenue is still iPhones. But the real shift is happening behind the scenes.

Where the Money Actually Comes From:

• Hardware: iPhones, iPads, Macs — still huge.

• Services: Apple Music, iCloud, App Store fees, Apple TV+, and more.

• Wearables: Apple Watch, AirPods, etc.

The services category is growing fastest. Why? Because subscriptions = recurring cash flow. That’s what Wall Street loves.

Apple’s “Services” revenue is over $80 billion a year — nearly the size of entire companies like Nike or McDonald’s.

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Google: The Ad King of the Internet

What You Think:

“Google is a search engine.”

The Truth:

Google is actually an advertising empire.

Where the Money Comes From:

• Ads on Search: Every time you Google something and click an ad, they get paid.

• YouTube Ads: Monetized videos = billions in revenue.

• Display Ads: Banners on websites all across the internet.

• Google Cloud: Smaller, but growing.

Over 80% of Google’s revenue comes from advertising. That’s why their tools (Gmail, Maps, Docs) are free — the more data and usage, the more they can sell ads.

🔍 You’re not the customer. You’re the product. Advertisers are the customer.

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Amazon: It’s Not Just Prime Boxes

What You Think:

“Amazon makes money from delivering stuff fast.”

The Truth:

Only part of it.

Where the Money Comes From:

• Online Store: The classic Amazon shopping experience.

• Marketplace Fees: They charge sellers to list and sell products.

• Prime Subscriptions: Recurring revenue from 200+ million members.

• AWS (Amazon Web Services): Their cloud computing arm — this is HUGE.

AWS alone made over $90 billion in 2024 — and is responsible for most of Amazon’s profit.

That means when you stream Netflix, use Zoom, or browse Reddit… you’re probably using Amazon’s servers without even realizing it.

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Quick Takeaway

Big lesson?

The world’s top companies use diversification and recurring income to build unstoppable machines.

Don’t just sell once. Sell again and again — or power other businesses behind the scenes.

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Real-Life Takeaway

If you’re building a business, selling haircuts, shirts, or tutoring — start thinking like these giants.

• Can you add a subscription model?

• Can you build something once and get paid over time?

• Can you own the platform, not just the product?

Even small businesses can learn from trillion-dollar companies.

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What’s One Business You Love?

What do they really make money from?

Share this with someone who still thinks Apple’s just a phone company.