Exam fees side by side
The three clouds use different level names, so the table lines up the closest equivalents. AWS publishes one price per level; Microsoft and Google publish a price on each certification page. Microsoft notes that its price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored, and Google adds tax where applicable.
| Level | AWS | Microsoft Azure | Google Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | Foundational: $100 (Cloud Practitioner, 90 minutes, 65 questions) | AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals: $99 | Cloud Digital Leader: $99 plus tax (90 minutes) |
| Associate | Associate: $150 (Solutions Architect Associate, 130 minutes, 65 questions) | AZ-104 Azure Administrator: $165 | Associate Cloud Engineer: $125 plus tax (2 hours) |
| Professional or expert | Professional: $300; Specialty: $300 | AZ-305 Azure Solutions Architect Expert: $165, plus one prerequisite certification | Professional Cloud Architect: $200 plus tax (2 hours) |
| Validity | 3 years; recertifying adds 3 more years | Role-based certifications renew every 12 months | Digital Leader and Associate: 3 years; Professional Cloud Architect: 2 years |
Retake rules: what a failed attempt costs
None of the three offers a free retake as a standard policy, so budget each attempt at full price.
- AWS: after a failed exam you must wait 14 calendar days before retaking, and you pay the full registration fee for each attempt.
- Microsoft: wait 24 hours after a first failure, then 14 days between later attempts, with no more than five attempts in 12 months from the first attempt. Microsoft says you must pay to retake the exam.
- Google Cloud: we did not verify Google's current retake waiting periods for this guide. Check its certification policies before you book, and budget a retake at the full registration fee.
| Exam | First attempt | With one retake | Earliest retake |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS associate (for example Solutions Architect Associate) | $150 | $300 | 14 days after the failed attempt |
| Azure AZ-104 | $165 | $330 | 24 hours after the first failure |
| Google Associate Cloud Engineer | $125 plus tax | $250 plus tax | Check Google's policy |
Renewal costs after you pass
Renewal is where the three clouds differ most, and it changes the multi-year cost more than the first exam fee does.
Microsoft says role-based and specialty certifications expire unless renewed, and the AZ-104 page lists a 12-month renewal frequency. Renewal is free: you pass an online assessment on Microsoft Learn. Its retake policy says there is no limit on renewal assessment attempts; after the second try you wait at least 24 hours between attempts.
Google offers three renewal routes: retake the standard exam, take a shorter renewal exam, or complete designated courses or skill badges in Google Skills within the last year of the certification. The renewal exam costs $60 for Cloud Digital Leader, $75 for Associate Cloud Engineer and $100 for Professional Cloud Architect, plus tax, and renews for the full validity period. The course and skill badge route has a 1-year validity period, so it buys less time per renewal.
AWS says renewing gives 3 more years of validity and that the certification must be active to renew. Cloud Practitioner can be renewed through the AWS Cloud Quest recertification game with no exam, or by passing the latest Cloud Practitioner exam or any Associate or Professional exam. Associate certifications renew by passing the latest exam or a related Professional exam, or can be maintained on AWS Skill Builder for a 1-year extension. The recertification page says exam-based options can use the 50% discount voucher in your AWS Certification Account.
| Vendor | How often | Cheapest official renewal route |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | Every 3 years | Cloud Practitioner: free AWS Cloud Quest recertification game, no exam. Associate: pass the latest exam, where the 50% discount voucher can apply, or a maintenance option on AWS Skill Builder that extends validity by 1 year |
| Microsoft | Every 12 months for role-based certifications | Free online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn |
| Google Cloud | Every 3 years (2 for Professional Cloud Architect) | Designated courses or skill badges in Google Skills (renews for 1 year only), or a $60 to $100 renewal exam (renews for the full 3 years, or 2 for Professional Cloud Architect) |
Worked example: first associate certification with one retake
Scenario: a learner sits one associate exam, fails the first attempt, passes the second, and uses free official preparation. Exam fees only: AWS $300, Azure AZ-104 $330, Google Associate Cloud Engineer $250 plus tax.
If you add a paid course, the total rises by whatever that course costs. One reference point: Coursera Plus listed $59 a month on October 30, 2026, so one to three months of a general course subscription adds $59 to $177. With that, the scenario runs from about $250 to $507.
AWS has a route worth pricing out. AWS lists a 50% discount voucher for a future exam among the benefits certified people can access in their AWS Certification Account, so someone who starts with Cloud Practitioner ($100) and uses the voucher on an associate exam would pay $100 plus $75 for two certifications, if both pass first time. That is $25 more than the associate exam alone at full price, for an extra certification. Check the voucher terms in your account before relying on it.
| Path | Exam fees, pass first time | Exam fees, one retake | One retake plus 3 months of a $59 course |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS associate only | $150 | $300 | $477 |
| AWS Cloud Practitioner, then associate with 50% voucher | $175 | $325 if the retake is at full price | $502 |
| Azure AZ-104 | $165 | $330 | $507 |
| Google Associate Cloud Engineer | $125 plus tax | $250 plus tax | $427 plus tax |
Free preparation that comes from the vendors
AWS's associate certification page points to free live webinars led by AWS instructors, free Exam Readiness digital courses, and an Official Practice Question Set. Microsoft links an exam study guide and an exam sandbox from each certification page, and the AZ-900 page offers a practice assessment. Google ties one renewal path to designated courses and skill badges in Google Skills, which can also serve as first-time study material.
Paid preparation makes sense for one reason: hands-on practice you cannot get otherwise. Read the exam guide, work through the free vendor material, and pay only for the specific gap that remains.
Before you register: checklist
- Check the price on the vendor's own exam page for the country where you will test.
- Read the retake rules: AWS 14 days, Microsoft 24 hours then 14 days, and Google's current policy.
- For Azure expert exams, confirm the prerequisite certification before paying.
- If you already hold an AWS certification, look for the 50% discount voucher in your AWS Certification Account.
- Put the renewal date in your calendar: 12 months for Microsoft role-based certifications, 3 years for AWS, 2 or 3 years for Google Cloud.
- Ask your employer or school about vouchers before buying at list price.
Questions before you decide
Which cloud certification exam is cheapest?
At the entry level the three are within a dollar: Azure AZ-900 and Google Cloud Digital Leader list $99 and AWS Cloud Practitioner lists $100. At associate level, Google Associate Cloud Engineer was cheapest at $125 plus tax, against $150 for AWS and $165 for Azure AZ-104.
Do I have to pay again if I fail a cloud exam?
Yes, under the standard policies we checked. AWS requires the full registration fee for each attempt after a 14-day wait, and Microsoft says you must pay to retake, with a 24-hour wait after the first failure and 14 days between later attempts.
How much does it cost to keep a cloud certification?
Microsoft renewals for role-based certifications are free online assessments every 12 months. Google renewal exams cost $60 to $100 plus tax, or you can renew for 1 year through designated Google Skills courses or skill badges. AWS renewals last 3 years; Cloud Practitioner can be renewed through the free AWS Cloud Quest recertification game, and AWS lists a 50% discount voucher that can apply to exam-based renewal options.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- AWS Certification: exam pricing by level and voucher terms Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- AWS Certification: retake policy after testing Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam details Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate exam details and free prep Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- AWS Certification: recertification and 50% discount voucher Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) price Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) price and renewal Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) price and prerequisite Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Microsoft Learn: exam retake policies Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Google Cloud: Cloud Digital Leader exam and renewal Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Google Cloud: Associate Cloud Engineer exam and renewal Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Google Cloud: Professional Cloud Architect exam and renewal Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Coursera Plus: monthly price used for the prep reference point Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- AWS Certification: benefits, including the 50% exam discount voucher Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.