AWS Cloud Practitioner
CLF-C02
1Cloud Concepts
24%
2Security and Compliance
30%
3Cloud Technology and Services
34%
4Billing, Pricing and Support
12%
Certification comparison
AWS Cloud Practitioner vs AZ-900
They’re the same kind of exam for two different clouds: an entry-level check that you understand cloud concepts, the main services, security, pricing and support. Choose the cloud you’ll actually use.
Last updated
Side by side
The two exams at a glance
Every figure comes from the vendor’s own pages, through our exam guides, and is checked every week.
| AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner | Microsoft Azure Fundamentals | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | AWS | Microsoft |
| Exam code | CLF-C02 | AZ-900 |
| Level | BeginnerAWS calls it Foundational | Beginner |
| Written for | Cloud engineer or architect | Cloud engineer or architect |
| Questions | 65 | Usually 40–60 |
| Time | 90 min | 45 min |
| Passing score | 700 / 1000 | 700 / 1000 |
| Exam cost | $100Per attempt, before tax | $99In the United States; set by country |
| Experience | Up to 6 months of exposure to AWSRecommended experience | NonePrerequisites |
| Renewal | Every 3 years: pass the exam again | Doesn’t expire |
| Exam outline | 4 domainsLargest: Cloud Technology and Services (34%) | 3 domainsLargest: Azure Architecture and Services (35–40%) |
| What’s changing | No change announced | No change announced |
Levels are our own rating, from the level each vendor gives its exam. How we check our facts
Exam domains
What each exam covers
Each domain’s share of the exam, as the vendor publishes it. Where one exam has two versions on sale, this is the newer one.
AZ-900
AZ-900
1Cloud Concepts
25–30%
2Azure Architecture and Services
35–40%
3Azure Management and Governance
30–35%
Which one
Which should you take?
Choose AWS Cloud Practitioner if
your employer, or the jobs you want, run on AWS.
Choose AZ-900 if
your employer, or the jobs you want, run on Microsoft Azure, or you already work with Microsoft 365 and Windows Server.
Which one first?
You only need one to start. The concepts carry over, so the second takes much less study if you later need both clouds.
Beyond the numbers
What really differs
Same level, different platform
Neither expects you to build anything. Both ask what the cloud is, which service does what, how security is shared with the provider and how billing works, each for its own platform.
Keeping it
Microsoft’s Fundamentals certifications don’t expire. AWS certifications last three years, and passing a higher AWS exam renews the ones below it.
What comes next
On AWS, the usual next step is Solutions Architect – Associate. On Azure, it’s the Azure Administrator exam, AZ-104.
FAQs
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
Find quick answers or contact our support team.
Should I take AWS Cloud Practitioner or AZ-900 first?
You only need one to start. The concepts carry over, so the second takes much less study if you later need both clouds.
Which is harder, AWS Cloud Practitioner or AZ-900?
They sit at the same level: we rate both beginner. What differs is what they cover, so the harder one is usually the one further from your own experience.
What experience do I need for AWS Cloud Practitioner and AZ-900?
AWS Cloud Practitioner: AWS recommends up to 6 months of exposure to AWS. It isn’t required to sit the exam. AZ-900: Microsoft sets no prerequisites for AZ-900. Knowing the exam’s domains well is what counts.
Which costs more, AWS Cloud Practitioner or AZ-900?
AWS Cloud Practitioner costs more: $100 against $99 for one attempt.
