If you’re beginning your journey with public cloud or planning to formally validate your competencies with a certificate, one of the first questions you’ll ask yourself is: AWS or Azure? This question isn’t just about choosing a technology — it’s about choosing a development path, career direction and often the ecosystem you’ll be working in for years to come. In 2026, both certification programmes have reached a level of maturity where there’s no unequivocally “better” choice — there’s a choice that’s more or less suited to your professional context, development plans and specifics of the job market in which you operate.
We’re talking about the two largest public cloud providers in the world, with a combined market share exceeding 60% of the global market. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has maintained its leadership position in infrastructure as a service for years, whilst Microsoft Azure is growing dynamically, particularly in corporate environments and wherever there’s a need for integration with the Microsoft ecosystem. Both certification programmes are extensive, multi-level and recognised by employers worldwide. Both open doors to roles with the highest salary brackets in the IT industry. But there are significant differences between them — in programme structure, costs, exam format and above all in the strategic context of the job market.
In this article, I present an in-depth comparison of both certification programmes from the perspective of someone facing the choice of their first (or next) cloud certification in 2026. I discuss the structure of both programmes, costs, exam format, technical requirements and above all — the job market context and real impact on career. This won’t be an overview for managers choosing a cloud provider for their company — it’s a guide for individual specialists who want to make an informed decision about which direction to take their professional development.
How do the structures of AWS and Azure certification programmes differ?
Understanding the structure of both certification programmes is the foundation of an informed choice. AWS and Microsoft have built their programmes based on different philosophies, which affects how you choose certificates and plan your development path.
Amazon Web Services uses a division into four main tracks parallel to proficiency levels. We have Foundational (Cloud Practitioner), Associate (Solutions Architect, SysOps Administrator, Developer), Professional (Solutions Architect Professional, DevOps Engineer Professional) and Specialty (Security, Machine Learning, Database, Networking, Data Analytics, SAP on AWS). The AWS structure is hierarchical — most people start at the Associate level, then move to Professional or choose specialisation in one of the Specialty areas. Associate certificates require 6 to 12 months of practical experience with AWS, Professional — a minimum of two years.
Microsoft Azure uses a slightly different model. Instead of hierarchical levels, Azure divides certificates into Fundamentals (AZ-900, AI-900, DP-900, SC-900), Role-based at Associate level (Administrator, Developer, Security Engineer, Data Engineer) and Expert (Solutions Architect Expert, DevOps Engineer Expert). In Azure, you can only obtain the Solutions Architect Expert certificate after previously passing an exam at Associate level (AZ-104 or AZ-204). This enforces a more structured development path but also provides certainty that the Expert certificate holder genuinely has fundamentals confirmed by an Associate certificate.
In practice, this means that AWS provides greater flexibility — you can take the Professional level exam directly without needing to pass Associate (although it’s more difficult without appropriate knowledge). Azure is more structured and enforces progression — you won’t obtain Solutions Architect Expert without first having Azure Administrator Associate. This difference is significant — if you already have many years of experience with AWS, you can directly take the Professional exam. In Azure, even as an experienced architect, you must go through the Associate level.
Which AWS and Azure certificates are most valuable in the job market?
Not all cloud certificates have the same impact on career and salary. In practice, the job market values Associate level and above — Foundational/Fundamentals certificates (AWS Cloud Practitioner, Azure AZ-900) are treated more as a basic introduction to cloud rather than as a significant argument in a salary negotiation.
In the AWS ecosystem, three certificates are most highly valued. AWS Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) is the most popular certificate in the entire cloud industry — in job adverts on the Polish market it appears more frequently than any other cloud certificate. This results in offers requiring SAA having a very wide salary range — from mid-level to senior. AWS Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02) is a premium certificate that consistently appears alongside offers for architects with the highest salary brackets. The third gem is AWS Security Specialty — in the face of growing compliance requirements and zero trust architecture, security specialists in AWS are sought after and highly paid.
In the Azure world, the hierarchy is similar. Azure Administrator Associate (AZ-104) is the foundation of the Azure path, a required certificate before taking the architectural exam. Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) ranks at the very top of certificates in terms of career impact — in job adverts requiring AZ-305 the salary ranges are comparable to those with AWS SA Professional. The third valuable certificate is Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500), which is gaining importance alongside increasingly stringent regulatory requirements in European companies (NIS2, DORA).
Looking at the Polish job market in 2026, a comparison of the number of job adverts shows that AWS Solutions Architect Associate appears in approximately 40-45% of adverts requiring cloud certification, whilst Azure Administrator and Azure Solutions Architect Expert together account for approximately 35-40%. The remaining share goes to GCP certificates, specialist certificates (Kubernetes, Terraform) and others. However, this doesn’t mean that AWS is a “better” choice — Azure’s smaller share in the number of adverts is often compensated by higher salary ranges in the enterprise segment and public sector, where Microsoft has a strong position.
What are the costs of obtaining AWS and Azure certifications?
Cost is always a significant decision factor — particularly if you’re investing in your own certification and not using an employer’s training budget. The table below compares exam prices at particular levels of both programmes.
| Level | AWS | AWS Price | Azure | Azure Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals | Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) | $100 | AZ-900 (Fundamentals) | $99 |
| Associate | Solutions Architect (SAA-C03) | $150 | Administrator (AZ-104) | $165 |
| Associate | SysOps Administrator | $150 | Developer (AZ-204) | $165 |
| Associate | Developer | $150 | Security Engineer (AZ-500) | $165 |
| Professional | Solutions Architect Pro | $300 | Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305) | $165 |
| Professional | DevOps Engineer Pro | $300 | DevOps Engineer Expert (AZ-400) | $165 |
| Specialty | Security Specialty | $300 | - | - |
| Specialty | Machine Learning Specialty | $300 | - | - |
At first glance it might seem that Azure is cheaper — particularly at the Expert level, where the AZ-305 exam costs $165 compared to $300 for AWS SA Professional. However, this is an incomplete picture. To pass AZ-305, you must first pass AZ-104 ($165), giving a total cost of $330 for obtaining the Solutions Architect Expert certificate in Azure. In AWS you can theoretically take the Professional exam directly for $300, though in practice most people start with Associate ($150), giving a total of $450.
Beyond the exams themselves, it’s worth considering the costs of preparatory materials. For both platforms, high-quality online courses are available — Udemy, A Cloud Guru, Linux Academy, Whizlabs — priced from $15 to $50 per course (during promotions). Practice exams typically cost from $20 to $50. If you want to take official training from AWS or Microsoft, costs rise to the level of $1500-$3000 for multi-day instructor-led training. In practice, however, most people prepare independently or participate in training organised by their employer.
A significant difference is the recertification policy. AWS requires recertification every three years by retaking the exam or earning 50 Continuing Education points. Azure requires recertification annually, but this is done through a free online renewal exam available on the Microsoft Learn platform. This means that once you’ve obtained an Azure certificate you can maintain it throughout your career without additional costs — you just need to dedicate an hour annually to online renewal. In AWS, if you don’t collect Continuing Education points, you must pay for a repeat exam after three years.
How do exam formats and difficulty levels differ?
The exam format affects not only the preparation method but also how well the exam verifies a candidate’s real competencies.
AWS uses exams in multiple-choice and multiple-response question format. Associate exams last 130 minutes and contain 65 questions, Professional — 180 minutes and 75 questions. Question scenarios in AWS are often extensive and multi-threaded — you’ll get a description of a client situation with several requirements (scalability, security, cost, high availability) and must choose the best architectural solution from four or five options. Many questions are based on the elimination method — you must exclude solutions that don’t meet one of the requirements to reach the correct answer.
Azure uses a similar format — multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-gap, drag-and-drop questions and case studies. Associate exams last 100-120 minutes and contain 40-60 questions, Expert — 120-150 minutes. A characteristic feature of Azure exams is the presence of case studies — you get a multi-page description of a client environment with architecture documentation, compliance requirements and budget limits, then must answer a series of questions about this scenario. Case studies in Azure don’t allow you to return to previous questions after moving forward, which requires very careful reading of the description before starting to answer.
The difficulty level of both exams is comparable, though the philosophy differs. AWS is famous for “tricky” questions — the correct answer is often hidden in details, and distractors (incorrect answers) are very convincing. AWS exams require not only knowledge of how something works, but above all familiarity with best practices and the AWS Well-Architected Framework. Azure focuses on verifying practical experience — questions often relate to real administrative and configuration tasks that you perform in the Azure portal or from CLI.
Pass rates are difficult to assess precisely (AWS and Microsoft don’t publish official statistics), but based on reports from forums and discussion groups it can be estimated that the pass rate at first attempt is 55-65% for Associate exams in both platforms and falls to 40-50% for Professional/Expert level. This means both platforms maintain a high level of requirements — the certificate isn’t free and requires solid preparation.
AWS vs Azure — the job market in Poland in 2026
The key question you should ask yourself when choosing certification is: which technology will give me more employment opportunities and higher earnings in Polish reality?
Data from recruitment portals (Just Join IT, Bulldogjob, No Fluff Jobs) for February 2026 shows that job adverts requiring or preferring AWS certification constitute approximately 44% of all cloud adverts, Azure — 38%, GCP — 12%, and the rest goes to other technologies (Kubernetes, Terraform, multi-cloud). In absolute numbers, this means that on the Polish market in a given month approximately 350-400 adverts appear requiring AWS competencies and approximately 300-350 requiring Azure.
Looking at salary ranges, the picture becomes more complex. Adverts requiring AWS Solutions Architect Associate show ranges from 12,000 PLN gross (mid-level) to 26,000 PLN gross (senior), with an average of approximately 18,000 PLN. Adverts requiring AWS Solutions Architect Professional start from 20,000 PLN and reach 35,000 PLN, with an average of approximately 26,000 PLN. In Azure, adverts requiring Azure Administrator Associate show ranges of 11,000-24,000 PLN (average 17,000 PLN), and Azure Solutions Architect Expert — 19,000-33,000 PLN (average 25,000 PLN).
In practice, this means that differences in earnings between certified AWS and Azure specialists are minimal — average salary differs by approximately 1000-2000 PLN monthly at Associate level and practically equalises at Professional/Expert level. The certification level (Associate vs Professional) matters more than the choice of provider (AWS vs Azure).
A significant difference is the profile of employers. AWS dominates in technology startups, software companies, e-commerce, fintechs and wherever the priority is rapid development and scalability. Azure is significantly stronger in the enterprise segment, international corporations, public sector, banking and wherever the organisation uses Office 365, Active Directory and the Microsoft ecosystem. If you’re planning a career in a corporation, Azure may be a better strategic choice. If you prefer a startup and product environment — AWS.
When to choose AWS and when Azure?
There’s no universal answer, but there are scenarios in which one choice is clearly better than the other.
Choose AWS if:
- You work (or want to work) in a startup environment, product company or e-commerce
- Your technology stack is diverse and you’re not dependent on the Microsoft ecosystem
- You prefer greater flexibility and extensive configuration options (often at the cost of greater complexity)
- You’re interested in advanced serverless services (Lambda, Step Functions) or data engineering services (Redshift, Glue, Athena)
- You’re planning international work or for clients from the USA — AWS has a dominant position there
Choose Azure if:
- You work (or want to work) in a corporation, public sector or banking
- Your organisation intensively uses Office 365, Active Directory, Dynamics 365 or other Microsoft infrastructure
- You prefer a more structured certification path and lower costs of maintaining certificates
- You’re interested in integration with .NET, Windows Server, SQL Server and other Microsoft technologies
- You’re planning a career in an enterprise environment, where Azure has a strong position in Poland and Europe
It’s also worth remembering that this isn’t a choice for life. Many people obtain certificates in both platforms — particularly in architectural and DevOps positions, where multi-cloud competencies are increasingly desired. If you’re starting your adventure with cloud, more important than choosing a provider is obtaining solid foundations — understanding the IaaS/PaaS/SaaS model, cloud networking, security policies, automation and Infrastructure as Code. These skills transfer between platforms.
Is it worth having certificates from both cloud providers?
More and more organisations are implementing multi-cloud strategies — using services from both AWS and Azure (often also GCP), to avoid vendor lock-in, optimise costs or utilise best-in-class services from different providers. In this context, certifications in more than one platform become an asset — particularly in architectural positions, where you must design solutions spanning different clouds.
If you’re considering obtaining certificates in both platforms, a sensible strategy is to start with one platform and reach Professional/Expert level in it, and only then add a certificate in the second cloud at Associate level. Having AWS SA Professional and Azure Administrator Associate is significantly more valuable than having both certificates at Fundamentals level. Employers are looking for deep knowledge in at least one platform, not superficial familiarity with all.
A second argument for having certificates in both platforms is minimising risk associated with changing employer. If you’re currently at a company using AWS but in the future are considering moving to a corporation using Azure, having an Azure certificate will facilitate this change. In practice, however, most employers are willing to employ someone with a certificate in the “other” platform if they demonstrate solid cloud foundations and readiness to learn — particularly at senior level, where experience and ability to learn new technologies quickly count.
The costs of dual certification are manageable — if you already have AWS SA Associate ($150) and are planning to obtain Azure Administrator ($165) and Azure Solutions Architect Expert ($165), the total cost is $480. This is an investment that can pay for itself in your first job change if it opens access to adverts with higher salary ranges.
How does EITT support preparation for cloud certifications?
Obtaining AWS or Azure certification is a process that requires not only independent study from books and online courses, but above all practical experience and understanding of the business context of cloud solutions. EITT has specialised for over a decade in preparing IT specialists for certification in cloud technologies — AWS, Azure and Google Cloud Platform.
Our certification preparation training differs from typical online courses available on e-learning platforms. Instead of passively watching recordings, you participate in intensive sessions with over 500 experts who not only hold certificates but above all work daily with cloud technologies in production environments. Thanks to this, training isn’t limited to theory from documentation — you get practical advice, real-world scenarios and knowledge about how to solve problems you’ll encounter in work, not just in the exam.
We offer training at all levels — from fundamentals for people starting their cloud adventure, through Associate courses preparing for the first serious certification, to advanced Professional and Expert programmes for architects and technical leaders. With each training we include access to a laboratory environment, thanks to which you can practise configurations and scenarios in a real AWS or Azure environment without fear of unexpected costs.
For companies that want to build cloud competencies in teams, we design development paths tailored to the organisation’s specifics. If your company is planning migration to AWS, we prepare a certification programme for the entire DevOps team that will not only prepare them to pass exams but above all equip them with practical skills needed to carry out the migration. If you need to build an Azure team in an enterprise environment, we’ll help design a path from Azure Fundamentals through Administrator to Solutions Architect Expert taking into account your industry specifics.
Our pass rates for exams by EITT training graduates consistently remain above 85% — significantly above the market average. This happens because EITT training isn’t merely “exam preparation” — it’s a comprehensive competency development programme in which the certification exam is a natural consequence of knowledge and skills gained.
If you’re considering starting your adventure with cloud certifications or want to plan a development path for yourself or your team, we invite you to contact our advisers. We’ll help you choose the appropriate certification, match the training level to your experience and plan a schedule that will allow you to achieve certification goals in optimal time.
Summary — how to make an informed decision?
The choice between AWS and Azure as your first (or next) cloud certification shouldn’t be an impulse decision or the result of “what’s trendy now”. It’s a strategic decision that should consider several key factors.
First, assess your current professional context. If you work at a company using Azure, the most natural and valuable approach will be starting with Azure certification. Similarly, if your organisation is built on AWS, AWS certification will give you immediate value in your current work. If you’re just starting your career or planning to change employer, analyse job adverts in the segment that interests you — startup vs corporation, product vs enterprise, fintech vs e-commerce — and see which platform dominates in those adverts.
Second, consider your technology stack. If your experience contains mainly open-source technologies, Linux, Docker, Kubernetes and languages such as Python or Node.js, AWS may be more natural. If you work with .NET, Windows Server, SQL Server and other Microsoft technologies, Azure will be a better choice.
Third, think long-term. Certification isn’t a goal in itself — it’s a career development tool. Where do you see yourself in five years? If you’re planning an architect career in a multi-cloud environment, start with one platform, reach Expert/Professional level, then add the second. If you see yourself as a cloud-native infrastructure and Kubernetes specialist, remember that both AWS (EKS) and Azure (AKS) offer managed Kubernetes, so the choice of provider will matter less than deep understanding of Kubernetes itself.
Regardless of whether you choose AWS, Azure or eventually both, the key to success is consistency, practice and understanding of the business context of cloud technology. A certificate isn’t a magic wand — it’s confirmation of competencies you must genuinely possess. Companies are looking for people who can design, implement and maintain cloud infrastructure, solve problems and optimise costs — not people who simply have a certificate.
If you feel you need support in this process — regardless of whether it’s about choosing the right path, preparing for an exam or developing practical skills — EITT is here to help. With over 2500 training courses delivered and a 4.8/5 rating from our graduates, we know how to guide IT specialists through the process of developing cloud competencies — from fundamentals to the most advanced certifications.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I pass AWS Solutions Architect Professional without first having Associate?
Yes, you can — AWS doesn’t formally require holding an Associate certificate before taking the Professional exam. However, in practice it’s very difficult without solid AWS experience. The Professional exam assumes you’ve already mastered the Associate level material and goes much deeper into advanced architectural scenarios. Most people who try to “skip” the Associate level without appropriate experience don’t pass the exam at first attempt. A sensible strategy is to start with SAA, gain 12-18 months of practical experience, and only then take SAP.
Is Azure easier to learn than AWS for someone without cloud experience?
It depends on your technological background. If you have experience with Windows Server systems, Active Directory and the Microsoft ecosystem, Azure will be more intuitive — many concepts and nomenclature will be familiar to you. If your experience is mainly Linux and open-source, AWS may be equally accessible or even easier. From the perspective of certification programme structure, Azure enforces more structured progression (Associate before Expert), which can be an advantage for people who prefer a clearly defined development path. AWS provides greater flexibility, which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.
How much time is needed to prepare for the first cloud certification?
For someone with 2-3 years’ experience in IT but without previous contact with public cloud, a realistic preparation time for an Associate level exam (AWS SAA or Azure AZ-104) is 8-12 weeks of intensive study — approximately 10-15 hours weekly. If you already work with the given platform daily, the time may shorten to 4-6 weeks. The key isn’t just completing an online course, but above all practice in the environment — building real solutions, experimenting with configurations, fixing errors. Simply watching video courses without practice usually isn’t enough to pass the exam.
Do cloud certificates lose value if the market becomes saturated with them?
It’s true that the number of people with cloud certificates is growing — but demand for cloud specialists is growing equally fast. In 2026, we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of cloud-related job adverts globally, and the competency gap is still widening. What’s changing is that certificate quality matters increasingly. A Fundamentals certificate is today a standard that surprises no one. An Associate level certificate is a good foundation but doesn’t distinguish you from the crowd. Real value begins at Professional/Expert level and in specialist certificates (Security, Machine Learning, DevOps). If you combine a certificate with real project experience and soft skills, your market value remains high.
Which certificate — AWS or Azure — will give me higher earnings in Poland?
In practice, differences in earnings between AWS and Azure at the same certification level are minimal — of the order of 1000-2000 PLN monthly, which is within the margin of statistical error. The certification level (Associate vs Professional) and your practical experience matter much more. A Professional/Expert certificate in AWS or Azure with 4-5 years’ experience can open doors to adverts with salary ranges of 24,000-32,000 PLN gross. The same certificate without project experience won’t give you such ranges. Instead of asking “which certificate will give me higher earnings”, it’s better to ask “which platform better suits my experience and development direction”, and earnings will come as a consequence of competencies.
Do I need a course and training, or can I prepare independently?
Both paths are possible and both lead to success — the question is which is better for you. Independent study from online courses (Udemy, A Cloud Guru), documentation and practice in a test environment is the path most people take — it’s cheaper and allows your own pace. However, it requires considerable self-discipline, ability to separate essential knowledge from information noise and the risk of getting stuck on problems that an expert would solve in five minutes. Instructor-led training gives you access to experienced trainers who will not only pass on knowledge but also point out exam pitfalls, show real-world best practices and answer questions tailored to your context. If you have a training budget from your employer — use it. If you’re paying from your own pocket — start with independent study, and if after a month you feel you need structure — then consider training.
Are certificates important for seniors and architects, or only at the start of a career?
Fundamentals or Associate level certificates indeed have greatest importance for junior and mid-level people — they confirm basic competencies and open doors to first cloud roles. For seniors and architects the importance of certificates changes — they’re no longer proof that you “can do it” (project experience proves that better), but are a signal of commitment to development and consciously following changes in technology. A Professional or Expert certificate for an architect is a way to show that your knowledge is current and formal, which matters in tenders, projects for regulated clients (public sector, banking) and in building trust in the team. In many organisations certificates are also a formal requirement for architectural roles or form part of career path and salary systems.
Ready for the next step? Contact EITT
Regardless of whether you’re just starting your public cloud adventure, planning to obtain your first Associate certificate, or want to reach Professional/Expert level — EITT is ready to support you in this process. We invite you to our cloud training page where you’ll find a complete offer of AWS, Azure and Google Cloud courses at all proficiency levels.
If you’re not sure which training will be best for your level and goals, or want to discuss an individual development path — contact us through the contact form. Our advisers will help you plan the optimal path to certification, tailored to your experience, budget and professional plans.
EITT — Creating the future of IT competencies.
Read Also
- AWS Certification Roadmap 2026 - From Cloud Practitioner to SA Professional
- Azure AZ-900 vs AZ-104 vs AZ-305 - Which Certification and When
- IT Certification Costs in 2026 — Complete Pricing Guide
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