Cloud computing stocks give investors exposure to the companies that power how data, software, and digital services run today. These businesses provide the infrastructure and platforms that let organizations store information, run applications, and scale operations over the internet -- a foundation that’s becoming more critical every year.
After gaining traction in the 2010s, cloud adoption accelerated during the shift to remote work and is now entering a new growth phase driven by generative AI, 5G, and connected devices.
For investors, cloud computing stocks offer exposure to long-term digital transformation, access to leading tech innovators, and participation in some of the fastest-growing areas of the technology sector, making cloud a compelling investment theme for 2026 and beyond.
Top cloud computing stocks
To get started, these five public cloud giants offer exposure to the cloud computing industry:
- Amazon (AMZN -0.21%) Web Services (AWS)
- Microsoft (MSFT +4.64%) Azure
- Alphabet's (GOOGL +1.28%) (GOOG +1.21%) Google Cloud
- Oracle (ORCL +4.18%) Cloud
- IBM (IBM +1.88%) Cloud
Although these companies aren't pure plays in the cloud industry, all five provide infrastructure and services to organizations undertaking digital transformation (a term that encompasses migrating to cloud-based operations). They have the most comprehensive software ecosystem and partnerships with third-party software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers.
Beyond those big five, here are seven additional companies that provide more direct exposure to the development of the cloud:
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Current price | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) | $163.9 billion | $177.60 | Software |
| Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) | $98.9 billion | $244.66 | Software |
| Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW) | $49.9 billion | $144.48 | IT Services |
| Zoom Communications (NASDAQ:ZM) | $26.2 billion | $89.03 | Software |
| ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) | $98.5 billion | $94.19 | Software |
| The Trade Desk (NASDAQ:TTD) | $10.7 billion | $22.38 | Media |
| DigitalOcean (NYSE:DOCN) | $8.0 billion | $77.71 | IT Services |
1. Salesforce
Salesforce (CRM +3.69%) is a customer relationship management (CRM) specialist that pioneered cloud-based software in the late 1990s. Salesforce has since branched out to other areas of enterprise software via organic growth and a steady stream of acquisitions.
NYSE: CRM
Key Data Points
Offering a complete suite of software to help business teams manage data and get work done efficiently, Salesforce has become a full-blown tech platform for businesses of all types and sizes. Plus, it's a top way to play smaller cloud upstarts, as it often invests in or acquires stakes in its peers.
Salesforce fell on hard times in 2022 and faced activist investor pressure to boost profit margins. Founder and CEO Marc Benioff and the top team have made progress, though, and hope to become the world's largest and most profitable enterprise software company within the next few years.
It seems to be on the right track. Salesforce grew diluted earnings per share (EPS) in fiscal 2026 to $7.80 from $6.36 in fiscal 2025, and management projects diluted EPS of $7.85 to $7.93.
2. Adobe
Software company Adobe (ADBE +3.79%) got its start in an IT era that predates both the cloud and the internet. But it has transformed itself into a leader in cloud services by adapting its large and expanding platform to the cloud era. Adobe's core competencies in providing creativity software and document editing have made it a staple of digital transformation.
NASDAQ: ADBE
Key Data Points
As a creative software specialist, Adobe is well-suited to tackle the new era of generative AI. Its work with top chip designer Nvidia (NVDA +1.31%) helped it quickly release its Firefly suite of apps aimed at helping creatives increase their image and video creation and expand editing capabilities.
Paired with the organic growth that Adobe's legacy offerings continue to generate, this firm is a top free cash flow generator in the cloud industry. ⠀r fiscal years 2021 to 2025, Adobe averaged a free cash flow margin (free cash flow divided by revenue) of 39.9%.
3. Snowflake
The cloud increases a company's flexibility, unlocking cost savings and helping it get more done with the data it has regarding its operations and customers. Managing the substantial data that comes with cloud adoption, however, is a complex task. That's where Snowflake (SNOW +6.65%) comes in.
NYSE: SNOW
Key Data Points
Snowflake is an important business that has pioneered new ways for businesses to store, migrate, and process massive amounts of digital information.
Consistently generating strong cash flow, Snowflake reported free cash flow of $884.1 million in fiscal year 2025 and $1.1 billion in 2026.
Snowflake is a young company, though, and the stock will likely be highly volatile for some time. It's all about growth for this business right now, and even small changes in management's expectations can cause some wild fluctuations in share price. Snowflake could nevertheless be a very promising long-term investment.
4. Zoom Video Communications
Few companies have skyrocketed out of obscurity and into household-name status as quickly as Zoom (ZM +8.05%), which became a household name when the videoconferencing service helped family members and business teams stay in touch from afar during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NASDAQ: ZM
Key Data Points
Poised to remain a basic necessity of corporate communications services for the foreseeable future, Zoom is eyeing a bigger share of the massive global telecom industry by targeting large business communications accounts.
While Zoom struggled with many individual and small-business subscribers canceling their service in the wake of the pandemic, it has improved its financials over the past couple of years. Zoom grew its free cash flow by 6.4% year over year to $1.9 billion in fiscal 2026.
The company is still benefiting from changes in communications, but it's no longer a growth company. Zoom's top priority now is managing modest revenue expansion while figuring out how to steadily increase earnings for shareholders.
5. ServiceNow
There are greater complexities involved in managing large-scale cloud computing infrastructure, but the cloud also enables continuous streamlining and automation of operations. That's ServiceNow's (NOW +7.18%) software specialty.
NYSE: NOW
Key Data Points
ServiceNow helps about 8,800 companies worldwide identify chokepoints in their digital customer experiences, employee workflow management, or software development operations. Once these pain points are found, ServiceNow can help suggest and automate fixes.
In a new era of artificial intelligence (AI), ServiceNow could be a big winner, building on its recent success. After growing subscription revenue 21% year over year to $12.9 billion in fiscal 2025, management projects subscription revenue will grow another 21% this year and total about $15.6 billion in fiscal 2026.
In addition to steady growth, ServiceNow recently turned profitable across all metrics. This could be a great stock holding for the next decade and beyond as the cloud continues to infiltrate more of the world's corporate operations.
6. The Trade Desk
After Netflix (NFLX +1.41%) made streaming TV from the cloud an everyday staple, many new internet-based services have come to market. This has been a boon for digital advertising technologists. Among the successes has been The Trade Desk (TTD +6.45%), a cloud-based offering that helps marketers automate the purchase of digital advertising (known as programmatic advertising). In fact, the company now ranks as the largest independent digital ad management software company.
NASDAQ: TTD
Key Data Points
And its rapidly escalating top-line growth further reflects the massive success it has achieved. From 2015 through 2025, when it reported sales of $2.9 billion, the company has increased revenue at a massive 38% compound annual growth rate.
Despite massive internet growth over the past decade, just over half of marketing spending is in digital formats. Digital ads will remain a fast-growing industry over the next decade as streaming services add millions of new household subscribers and deliver billions of additional viewing hours. That creates a significant opportunity for The Trade Desk as it manages connected TV advertising.
7. DigitalOcean
A public cloud infrastructure and software provider similar to AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud, DigitalOcean (DOCN +5.69%) targets the massive yet underserved community of small businesses and start-ups, while the big three focus on large enterprises.
NYSE: DOCN
Key Data Points
Besides offering cloud infrastructure for small businesses to test and host web-based services and apps, it also offers services for the non-tech-savvy outfit. It acquired Cloudways, a company that offers website building and hosting.
Despite its tiny size, DigitalOcean operates efficiently. It generates healthy, growing free cash flow, and net income. The company reported 2025 diluted earnings per share of $2.52.
Projecting year-over-year sales growth of approximately 21% in fiscal year 2026 and 30% in 2027, DigitalOcean could be a quality small- to mid-cap stock worth investing in for the long haul.
How to buy cloud computing stocks
If you think you're ready to start investing in cloud computing stocks, there are a few basic steps you must take.
- Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments. If you don't have one yet, take a look at our favorite brokers and trading platforms to find the right one for you.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
Benefits and risks of investing in cloud computing stocks
Investing in cloud computing stocks may be a compelling opportunity for some, but investors must examine both the benefits and risks before proceeding.
Benefits
- Global cloud spending is expected to grow considerably, the industry is projected to grow from about $752 billion in 2024 to $2.4 trillion by 2030, according to Grand View Research.
- More efficient than legacy IT, cloud computing enhances technology such as AI, machine learning, and gaming.
- Cloud computing stocks can help investors diversify their portfolios.
Risks
- There's intense competition, and smaller cloud computing stocks may struggle if larger players become too dominant.
- Leading cloud computing stocks may suffer if companies fail to innovate.
- Many cloud computing stocks trade at high valuations, and if the companies fail to deliver on the lofty expectations baked into their prices, the market may punish them.
Should you invest in cloud computing stocks?
Cloud computing picked up steam during the COVID-19 pandemic and has remained an enduring growth story since.
As with all high-growth stocks, though, investing in cloud companies will have its bumps in the road. Investors should stay focused on the long-term potential, not just on stock price performance over a year or two.
Related investing topics
FAQ
Investing in Cloud Computing Stocks FAQ
About the Author
Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Adobe, Alphabet, Amazon, DigitalOcean, International Business Machines, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Monday.com, Netflix, Nvidia, Oracle, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Snowflake, The Trade Desk, and Zoom Communications. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2028 $330 calls on Adobe and short January 2028 $340 calls on Adobe. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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