AWS Solutions Architect
SAA-C03
1Design Secure Architectures
30%
2Design Resilient Architectures
26%
3Design High-Performing Architectures
24%
4Design Cost-Optimized Architectures
20%
Certification comparison
AWS Solutions Architect vs Google Cloud Engineer
Each is the usual first technical certification on its cloud, but they aren’t the same job. The AWS exam is about designing solutions. Google’s Associate Cloud Engineer is about deploying and operating them.
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 Solutions Architect – Associate | Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | AWS | Google Cloud |
| Exam code | SAA-C03 | No exam code |
| Level | IntermediateAWS calls it Associate | IntermediateGoogle Cloud calls it Associate |
| Written for | Cloud engineer or architect | Cloud engineer or architect |
| Questions | 65 | 50–60 |
| Time | 130 min | 120 min |
| Passing score | 720 / 1000 | Not published by Google Cloud |
| Exam cost | $150Per attempt, before tax | $125Plus tax where applicable |
| Experience | 1 year designing solutions on AWSRecommended experience | 6+ months hands-on with Google CloudRecommended experience |
| Renewal | Every 3 years: pass the exam again | Every 3 years: renewal exam or courses |
| Exam outline | 4 domainsLargest: Design Secure Architectures (30%) | 4 domainsLargest: Planning and implementing a cloud solution (30%) |
| 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.
Google Cloud Engineer
Exam outline
1Setting up a cloud solution environment
20%
2Planning and implementing a cloud solution
30%
3Ensuring the successful operation of a cloud solution
30%
4Configuring access and security
20%
Which one
Which should you take?
Choose AWS Solutions Architect if
your employer, or the jobs you want, run on AWS.
Choose Google Cloud Engineer if
your employer, or the jobs you want, run on Google Cloud.
Which one first?
Choose by the cloud you’ll use. The concepts carry over, so a second cloud takes much less study than the first.
Beyond the numbers
What really differs
Designing against operating
The AWS exam gives you requirements and asks for the right design. The Google exam asks how to set up a cloud environment, deploy to it, and keep it running and secure.
The matching exam
For the same job on the other cloud, compare like with like: Google’s design exam is Professional Cloud Architect, and AWS’s operations exam is CloudOps Engineer – Associate.
Hands-on preparation
Both reward time spent in the console and on the command line. Google’s exam in particular expects you to know its command-line tools.
FAQs
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
Find quick answers or contact our support team.
Should I take AWS Solutions Architect or Google Cloud Engineer first?
Choose by the cloud you’ll use. The concepts carry over, so a second cloud takes much less study than the first.
Which is harder, AWS Solutions Architect or Google Cloud Engineer?
They sit at the same level: we rate both intermediate. 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 Solutions Architect and Google Cloud Engineer?
AWS Solutions Architect: AWS recommends 1 year designing solutions on AWS. It isn’t required to sit the exam. Google Cloud Engineer: Google Cloud recommends 6+ months hands-on with Google Cloud. It isn’t required to sit the exam.
Which costs more, AWS Solutions Architect or Google Cloud Engineer?
AWS Solutions Architect costs more: $150 against $125 for one attempt.
