Independent IT certification research
Choose the right certification, and the right way to prepare for it.
Whether it fits your goal and background, what the exam really requires, how long it takes, which kind of training suits you, what it all costs and how you keep it. Checked against each certification body and named providers. Provider payment never changes what we recommend.
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Certification guides
All certifications- PMIPMP: whether you qualify, the 35 hours and the costFirst attempt $1,474 to $4,025
- PMICAPM: who it is for, and when to go straight to PMPFirst attempt $700 to $3,295
- CiscoCCNA: who it suits, what it takes and how to prepareFirst attempt $300 to $4,495
- ISACACISM: fit for security managers, experience and the examFirst attempt $1,159 to $3,850
- ISACACISA: requirements, exam areas and study routesFirst attempt $1,159 to $4,010
- ISC2CCSP: the five-year rule and the cloud security examFirst attempt $1,149 to $4,295
- ISC2SSCP: the one-year ISC2 practitioner credentialFirst attempt $609 to $3,875
- ISACACRISC: whether IT risk work qualifies youFirst attempt $1,159 to $3,850
- CompTIANetwork+: the next step from support work?First attempt $399 to $3,294
- CompTIACompTIA A+: a first IT certification in two examsFirst attempt $548 to $4,003
- CompTIACySA+: are you ready, and which exam version?First attempt $593 to $3,534
- CompTIASecurity+ V7 or V8: which exam to study for nowFirst attempt $439 to $2,790
- CompTIAPenTest+ PT0-003 for people who already testFirst attempt $593 to $3,734
- CompTIASecurityX (formerly CASP+): the expert-level CompTIA examFirst attempt $748 to $3,839
- CompTIACompTIA Cloud+ CV0-004 for multi-cloud adminsFirst attempt $548 to $3,294
- CompTIALinux+ V8 (XK0-006) for working Linux adminsFirst attempt $399 to $3,194
- CompTIAProject+ or CAPM: the CompTIA project exam for IT staffFirst attempt $548 to $3,349
- CiscoCCNP Enterprise: moving past CCNA, two examsFirst attempt $529 to $4,700
- CiscoCCNP Security after the SCOR v2.0 updateFirst attempt $469.99 to $4,700
- CiscoCCNA Cybersecurity (formerly CyberOps Associate)First attempt $349.99 to $4,695
- CiscoCCNA Automation (formerly DevNet Associate)First attempt $300 to $4,800
- ISC2CISSP: the experience rule, the exam and preparationFirst attempt $818 to $4,295
- AWSAWS Cloud Practitioner: take it first or skip it?First attempt $100 to $995
- AWSAWS Solutions Architect Associate: experience and prepFirst attempt $150 to $2,935
- MicrosoftAZ-900: who needs it and who can skip itFirst attempt $99 to $794
- MicrosoftAZ-104: the admin job it certifies and how to prepareFirst attempt $165 to $2,660
- ISC2ISC2 CC: who it helps now the free exam is goneFirst attempt $199 to $3,145
- OffSecOSCP: readiness, packages and keeping OSCP+First attempt $1,699 to $2,749
- Linux FoundationCKA: does the Kubernetes admin exam match your work?First attempt $445 to $3,495
- HashiCorpTerraform Associate: what it adds to a cloud certFirst attempt $70.50 to $250.50
- Google CloudGoogle Associate Cloud Engineer: is Google Cloud your platform?First attempt $125 to $524
- MicrosoftAzure Solutions Architect Expert: AZ-104 first, then AZ-305First attempt $165 to $2,660
- MicrosoftAZ-204 retired: where Azure developers go now (AI-200)First attempt $165 to $2,960
- MicrosoftAZ-500 retired: the SC-500 route for security engineersFirst attempt $165 to $2,560
- MicrosoftSC-900: a security and identity primer for non-specialistsFirst attempt $99 to $794
- MicrosoftSC-200: Sentinel, Defender XDR and KQL for SOC analystsFirst attempt $165 to $3,140
- MicrosoftAzure AI Fundamentals: AI-900 replaced by AI-901First attempt $99 to $794
- MicrosoftAZ-400 DevOps Engineer Expert: the prerequisite after AZ-204First attempt $165 to $2,760
- MicrosoftSC-300: the Entra ID identity and access examFirst attempt $165 to $2,760
- MicrosoftAI-102 retired: Azure AI engineers now take AI-103First attempt $165 to $2,760
- MicrosoftMS-102 retires November 30: AB-650 for Microsoft 365 adminsFirst attempt $165 to $2,460
- MicrosoftPL-300 Power BI Data Analyst: DAX and Power QueryFirst attempt $165 to $2,460
- MicrosoftDP-900 Azure Data Fundamentals: a first data examFirst attempt $99 to $794
- AWSAWS AI Practitioner: AI literacy for people who work beside the buildersFirst attempt $100 to $795
- AWSAWS Developer Associate: DVA-C03 from December 1First attempt $150 to $2,935
- AWSAWS Solutions Architect Professional: the SAP-C03 changeFirst attempt $300 to $3,085
- AWSAWS CloudOps Engineer Associate (formerly SysOps)First attempt $150 to $2,245
- AWSAWS Security Specialty: SCS-C03 for security engineersFirst attempt $300 to $3,085
- Google CloudGoogle Professional Cloud Architect: case studies and renewalFirst attempt $200 to $2,985
- PeopleCertITIL 4 Foundation or Version 5: which Foundation to buy nowFirst attempt $690 to $2,515
- Scrum.org and Scrum AlliancePSM I or CSM: picking one Scrum Master certificationFirst attempt $200 to $1,295
- PeopleCertPRINCE2 Foundation (Version 7): the exam and how it is soldFirst attempt $701 to $2,490
- Linux FoundationCKAD: the Kubernetes developer exam and what to buyFirst attempt $445 to $3,495
- PMIPMI-ACP: qualifying on agile experience and the 21 hours
- EC-CouncilCEH v13: the experience route, official training and the voucherFirst attempt $1,050 to $4,445
Our data
Every fact we publish is sourced and dated.
Exam rules come from the certification body; course details and prices from each provider's own page, with the day we read them. Our first-attempt cost index is free to reuse as CSV.
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