CLF-C02 vs AZ-900: Which Cloud Certification Should You Get First?

CLF-C02 vs AZ-900 is the first decision for most people starting a cloud career. CLF-C02 is the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. AZ-900 is Microsoft Azure Fundamentals. Both are entry level, both cover cloud basics, and both are a good first step. The right one for you depends mostly on which cloud you will use at work. This comparison shows how they differ and how to choose.

Quick answers

• Which is easier? Both are entry level and test concepts, not configuration. Neither requires coding.
• Which is more valuable? The one for the cloud your employer or target employer uses.
• Do they expire? Microsoft Fundamentals certifications, including AZ-900, do not expire. AWS certifications need recertification to stay active, and renewing adds three years.
• Should I take both? Usually not. Take one, then move to an associate level exam such as SAA-C03 or AZ-104.

CLF-C02 vs AZ-900 at a glance

CLF-C02 domains and weights

CLF-C02 is heavy on recognizing AWS services. Many questions describe a need, such as “detect threats”, “scan for vulnerabilities” or “find sensitive data in S3”, and ask which service fits: GuardDuty, Inspector or Macie. Security and compliance is almost a third of the exam, including the shared responsibility model.

AZ-900 domains and weights

AZ-900 spends more of its weight on general cloud concepts (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, public, private and hybrid cloud, consumption pricing) and on governance: Azure Policy, resource locks, tags, the pricing calculator, Cost Management and Service Health.

How they really differ

Service recognition vs concepts and governance

CLF-C02 expects you to know many AWS services by name and purpose. AZ-900 also covers services, but a larger share of the exam is about cloud models and how you govern and control cost in Azure. People who like clear definitions often find AZ-900 more comfortable. People who enjoy matching tools to problems tend to like CLF-C02.

Security emphasis

CLF-C02 puts 30% on security and compliance and goes deep on which AWS security service does what. AZ-900 covers identity and security through Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access, Azure RBAC, Zero Trust and Defender for Cloud, inside its architecture and services domain.

Where they lead

CLF-C02 leads naturally to the Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) or, for AI, the AWS AI Practitioner (AIF-C01). AZ-900 leads to the Azure Administrator (AZ-104) or, for AI, AI-901.

How to decide in five minutes

1. Already work somewhere? Ask which cloud your company uses. Pick that one.
2. Job hunting? Open ten job posts for the role you want and count how often AWS and Azure appear. Pick the winner.
3. Your company runs on Microsoft 365? Azure is often the natural choice, because identity and licensing already live in Microsoft Entra ID.
4. Want AI next? Both clouds have strong AI paths. Our AIF-C01 vs AI-901 comparison covers the next step.
5. Still a tie? Choose the one with the study plan you are more excited to start. Momentum matters more than the logo.

Study plans that work

CLF-C02 in four weeks

• Week 1, cloud concepts: the six advantages of cloud computing, the Well-Architected pillars, Regions and Availability Zones, and the migration strategies.
• Week 2, security: secure the root user with MFA, use IAM roles instead of keys, turn on GuardDuty and explore CloudTrail.
• Week 3, services: launch EC2, build the same task in Lambda, compare RDS, Aurora, DynamoDB and Redshift, and learn VPC basics.
• Week 4, billing and review: create a Budget alert, compare pricing models, review Trusted Advisor and the support plans, then do a timed practice set.

AZ-900 in four weeks

• Week 1, cloud concepts: create a free Azure account, draw the shared responsibility model and compare pricing options.
• Week 2, architecture: build the hierarchy of management groups, subscriptions and resource groups, deploy a VM and an App Service app, and peer two virtual networks.
• Week 3, storage and identity: try blob access tiers and redundancy options, enable MFA and assign an RBAC role.
• Week 4, governance and review: use the pricing calculator, tags, budgets, Azure Policy and locks, then take the free official Microsoft practice assessment.

Common mistakes on fundamentals exams

• Overstudying. These exams test what services are for, not how to configure them in detail. Do not spend weeks on deep configuration.
• Mixing up similar services. On AWS, GuardDuty detects threats, Inspector scans for vulnerabilities and Macie finds sensitive data in S3. On Azure, Azure Policy enforces rules while RBAC controls who can act.
• Skipping pricing. Both exams test pricing models and cost tools. Know when Spot, Savings Plans and reservations make sense, and which tool estimates cost before you build.
• Collecting fundamentals badges. One fundamentals exam is useful. After that, an associate exam does much more for your career.

Try one original question from each

These are original practice examples written for this article, not real exam questions.

Frequently asked questions

Is AZ-900 easier than CLF-C02?

Many people find AZ-900 slightly more conceptual and CLF-C02 slightly more service heavy. Both are very achievable in a few weeks of steady study.

Can I skip the fundamentals exam?

Yes. There is no prerequisite for SAA-C03 or AZ-104. If you already work with the cloud, going straight to associate level saves time.

Does AZ-900 expire?

No. Microsoft Fundamentals certifications do not expire. Associate certifications such as AZ-104 renew yearly with a free online assessment.

Start with free practice questions

Try the free questions on the CLF-C02 page and the AZ-900 page to see which exam style suits you. Each complete guide is $19 with a full question bank, every option explained, a four week plan and a cheat sheet. If you plan to continue to associate level, the All-Access Pass includes every guide, plus new ones for 12 months.