CLF-C02 and AZ-900 are the beginner cloud certifications for AWS and Azure. CLF-C02 (AWS Cloud Practitioner) and AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals) are both broad, conceptual exams that need no experience and prove you understand cloud basics on their platform. Neither is harder than the other in any meaningful way; the real question is which cloud you want to work with.
AWS CLF-C02 vs AZ-900 at a glance
| AWS CLF-C02 | AZ-900 | |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Foundational | Foundational |
| Best for | Beginners choosing the AWS ecosystem | Beginners choosing the Microsoft Azure ecosystem |
| Main focus | AWS cloud concepts, core services, security, and pricing | Azure cloud concepts, core services, pricing, and governance |
| Prerequisites | None | None |
| Difficulty | Beginner - broad and conceptual | Beginner - broad and conceptual |
| Exam length | 90 min | 45 min |
| Passing score | 70% | 70% |
Key differences
- Ecosystem. CLF-C02 teaches the AWS vocabulary, services, and pricing model. AZ-900 does the same for Microsoft Azure. The concepts overlap; the service names and portals differ.
- Career direction. Choose based on the platform your target employers or projects use. AWS has the largest market share; Azure is dominant in Microsoft-centric enterprises.
- Difficulty. Both are entry-level and mostly conceptual. Either can be prepared for in a few weeks, and neither requires hands-on experience.
Which should you take?
Pick the one that matches the cloud you want to work in. If your target employers use AWS, take CLF-C02; if they are a Microsoft shop, take AZ-900. If you are undecided, AWS has the broadest market and Azure is strongest in enterprises already using Microsoft 365 - and there is nothing stopping you from doing both to compare.
Frequently asked questions
Should I take AWS CLF-C02 or Azure AZ-900 first?
Take the one for the cloud you plan to work with. Both are beginner certifications of similar difficulty, so the platform - not the exam - should drive the choice.
Is one of them easier?
Not meaningfully. CLF-C02 and AZ-900 are both broad, conceptual, entry-level exams that most people can prepare for in a few weeks without hands-on experience.
Can I take both AZ-900 and CLF-C02?
Yes, and some people do to compare the ecosystems or because they work across both clouds. They share many concepts, so the second one is faster after the first.