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 certification body 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.
I am choosing a certificationWho each one fits, what the certification body requires and which way to prepare.My employer may payWhat to put in the request, the numbers your manager needs and the repayment terms to check.I am planning for a teamPublic seats, a private class or self-paced training: what each costs for a group.I want help choosingTell us what you need and when you want to start. We reply by email.
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
- CompTIAA+: a first IT certification in two examsFirst attempt $548 to $4,003
- CompTIACySA+: are you ready, and which exam version?First attempt $439 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
- CompTIACloud+ 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 examsENCOR first attempt $628 to $4,700; the concentration exam is extra
- 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
- AWSCloud Practitioner: take it first or skip it?First attempt $100 to $995
- AWSSolutions Architect Associate: experience and prepFirst attempt $150 to $2,935
- MicrosoftAZ-900: who needs it and who can skip itFirst attempt $99 to $895
- MicrosoftAZ-104: the admin job it certifies and how to prepareFirst attempt $165 to $2,660
- ISC2CC: 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 CloudAssociate 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
- AWSAI Practitioner: AI literacy for people who work beside the buildersFirst attempt $100 to $795
- AWSDeveloper Associate: DVA-C03 from December 1First attempt $150 to $2,935
- AWSSolutions Architect Professional: the SAP-C03 changeFirst attempt $300 to $3,085
- AWSCloudOps Engineer Associate (formerly SysOps)First attempt $150 to $2,245
- AWSSecurity Specialty: SCS-C03 for security engineersFirst attempt $300 to $3,085
- Google CloudProfessional 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 price and exam rule 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. Study-time figures are our estimates and totals are our arithmetic, and we label both. Our first-attempt cost index is free to reuse as CSV.
We name the providers
Every price links to the provider's own page. Payment from a provider never changes a recommendation. How we make money
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We show what we do not know
If a provider does not say whether the exam voucher is included, the page says so instead of guessing.