Start with the jobs you want
The best first certification is the one that matches the jobs you'll apply for. Search for cloud roles in your area and note which platform appears most often. If you already work somewhere, find out which cloud your organisation uses. Your first certification is far more valuable when you can use it straight away.
When Azure is the better first choice
- Your employer, or the employers you're targeting, already use Microsoft 365, Windows Server or Active Directory.
- You're aiming for public sector, healthcare, education or large enterprise IT roles, where Microsoft is often the main supplier.
- You want a quick first exam: AZ-900 is 45 minutes long.
When AWS is the better first choice
- You're targeting tech companies, start-ups, e-commerce or software teams.
- You want to move on to AWS Solutions Architect Associate, a widely recognised associate-level certification.
- You want a certification that stays valid for three years before recertifying.
The two entry-level exams compared
| AWS Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) | Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) | |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Foundational | Fundamentals |
| Time | 90 minutes, 65 questions | 45 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 out of 1,000 | 700 |
| Fee | 100 USD | Set by Microsoft by country |
| Validity | 3 years | Doesn't expire |
| Usual next step | Solutions Architect Associate | AZ-104 Azure Administrator |
Exam details change, so always check the official AWS and Microsoft pages before you book.
Can you do both?
Yes, and many people do. Once you understand cloud concepts on one platform, the second fundamentals exam is much quicker, because ideas like regions, virtual machines, identity and pricing work in similar ways. Knowing two clouds also helps in organisations that use both.
Our recommendation
If you have no preference and no employer in mind, start with whichever course you find more engaging, pass it, then move straight on to the associate level on that platform. Depth on one cloud gets you hired faster than shallow knowledge of three.