The Most Common Certification Dilemma
If you are starting your cloud certification journey in 2024, the first question is almost always the same: Azure or AWS?
Both have excellent entry-level certifications. Both are globally recognised. Both lead to well-paid careers. This guide gives you a direct comparison so you can make the right choice for your situation.
Market Share: AWS Still Leads, Azure is Catching Up
Global cloud market share (2024): - AWS: 31% - Microsoft Azure: 25% - Google Cloud: 11% - Others: 33%
AWS has the largest market share globally. But Azure is growing fastest in enterprise and has a significant advantage in organisations already using Microsoft 365 and Windows Server.
What this means for you: - More total AWS jobs globally - More Azure jobs in enterprise, government, and education sectors - Geographic variation — Azure is stronger in Europe and Asia than AWS
Job Market Comparison
AWS Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) certified: - Average starting salary: £35,000 to £50,000 (UK) - Typical next role: Junior Cloud Engineer, Solutions Architect, DevOps Engineer - Industries: Technology, e-commerce, startups
Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) certified: - Average starting salary: £32,000 to £48,000 (UK) - Typical next role: Cloud Administrator, Azure Engineer, IT Analyst - Industries: Enterprise, financial services, government, NHS
Certification Comparison
| Criteria | Microsoft AZ-900 | AWS CLF-C02 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $165 / £125 | $100 / £80 |
| Questions | 40 to 60 | 65 |
| Duration | 45 to 65 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 700/1000 | 700/1000 |
| Validity | Lifetime | 3 years |
| Free study | Yes (Microsoft Learn) | Yes (AWS Skill Builder) |
| Difficulty | Slightly easier | Slightly harder |
| Recommended study | 2 to 3 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks |
Cost difference: AZ-900 costs $65 more than CLF-C02 in the US, but is valid for life vs CLF-C02's 3-year expiry.
Which is Easier to Pass?
Both exams test conceptual understanding, not hands-on skills. Neither requires you to build anything.
AZ-900 is slightly easier because: - Fewer questions (40 to 60 vs 65) - Fewer services to memorise - Microsoft Learn provides a perfectly structured free study path that aligns exactly with exam content - The exam is less scenario-heavy
CLF-C02 is slightly harder because: - More questions and more services to know - Security domain is 30% of the exam (a lot of content) - AWS naming conventions are less intuitive (e.g. EC2, S3, VPC, IAM — not self-descriptive) - More scenario-based questions
Which Should You Choose?
Choose AZ-900 if: - You work in or want to work in enterprise, government, or education - Your employer uses Microsoft 365, Teams, or Windows Server - You want to continue to AZ-104 (Azure Administrator) or AI-900 (Azure AI) - You are in the UK, Europe, or Asia-Pacific where Azure is strong - You want the cheapest path to start (AZ-900 has more free study material)
Choose CLF-C02 if: - You want to work at a tech startup or in e-commerce - Your employer or target company uses AWS - You want to move towards AWS Solutions Architect (SAA-C03) - You are in the US, where AWS is the stronger brand - You want to add cloud to a DevOps or backend engineering background
If you cannot decide: Start with AZ-900. It's cheaper to study (entirely free on Microsoft Learn), costs only slightly more, is slightly easier to pass, and valid for life. Once you have one cloud cert, adding the second is significantly easier — the cloud concepts transfer completely.
Beyond the Entry-Level Cert
Both clouds have rich certification paths beyond the fundamentals:
Azure path: AZ-900 → AZ-104 (Admin) → AZ-305 (Architect) → specialise in AI, Data, Security, or Networking
AWS path: CLF-C02 → SAA-C03 (Solutions Architect) → SAP-C02 (Solutions Architect Pro) → specialise in DevOps, Data Analytics, Security, or ML
Associate-level certifications (AZ-104 or SAA-C03) are where salaries jump significantly: £55,000 to £80,000 in the UK. Both have roughly equivalent recognition and pay at the associate level.
The Honest Answer
Most cloud professionals end up with both Azure and AWS certifications within a few years. The cloud market is multi-cloud and employers increasingly value breadth.
Pick the one that matches your immediate employer situation and career goal. Pass it. Then add the other. The foundations transfer completely and the second one is always faster to achieve than the first.