By Quick answer: Which DevOps certification is best in 2027?
- Containers — CKA ($445, hands-on).
- Infrastructure as code — Terraform.
- Cloud — AWS SAA, AZ-104 or Google Cloud ACE.
- Process — ITIL 4 and PSM I.
Key takeaways
- DevOps roles want cloud + containers + automation; certify each layer.
- CKA's hands-on exam carries extra weight with hiring managers.
- A public pipeline repo is the best DevOps portfolio.
DevOps isn't one skill; it's a stack: a cloud, containers, infrastructure as code, CI/CD and the processes around them. The best DevOps certifications prove each layer. This ranking puts the hands-on Kubernetes exam first, then infrastructure as code, cloud and process.
Eight DevOps certifications at a glance
Ranked for this reader. Costs and formats come from each issuer's own page, checked on 3 November 2026; prices change, so confirm before you book.
| # | Certification | Cost | Time | Prove it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)Linux Foundation / CNCF | $4451 | 2-hour hands-on, performance-based exam | Free test |
| 2 | HashiCorp Certified: Terraform AssociateHashiCorp | Check the official page2 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 3 | AWS Certified Solutions Architect – AssociateAmazon Web Services | $1503 | 130 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
| 4 | Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104)Microsoft | Exam priced by country4 | 100 minutes; renew free every 12 months | Free test |
| 5 | Google Cloud Associate Cloud EngineerGoogle Cloud | $1255 | 2 hours, multiple choice | Free test |
| 6 | ITIL 4 FoundationPeopleCert / AXELOS | Check the official page6 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 7 | Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)Scrum.org | Check the official page7 | Check issuer | Free test |
| 8 | AWS Certified Cloud PractitionerAmazon Web Services | $1008 | 90 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
Prove it free before you pay for an exam
Take the free test first. Pay for an exam only when you pass.
Every pick above has a matching free practice test on Science of Apps, one of the world's largest libraries of free certification tests (1,200+). Check your level before you pay for an exam, or add a verifiable credential to LinkedIn while you study. (Disclosure: we publish these tests; the certifications above earn us nothing.)
- Kubernetes CKA & CKAD Practice ExamPractise for Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) before you pay.Start free test →
- Terraform Associate Practice ExamPractise for HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate before you pay.Start free test →
- AWS Solutions Architect Associate Practice ExamPractise for AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate before you pay.Start free test →
- Azure Administrator AZ-104 Practice TestPractise for Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104) before you pay.Start free test →
Each certification, and the DevOps skill it proves
- Linux FoundationCertified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)Container platforms$445
- HashiCorpHashiCorp Certified: Terraform AssociateInfrastructure as codeCheck the official page
- AWSAWS Certified Solutions Architect – AssociateDevOps on AWS$150
Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
- Cost
- $4451
- Format
- 2-hour hands-on, performance-based exam
A two-hour, performance-based exam in a live Kubernetes cluster. $445 with one free retake. The Linux Foundation's Certified Kubernetes Administrator is a two-hour, performance-based exam taken in a live cluster. It costs $445 including one free retake and is respected because it tests real hands-on skill.
Best forcontainer platforms
HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate
- Cost
- Check the official page2
Proves Terraform skills, which work across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. Check HashiCorp's page for the current fee. HashiCorp's associate exam proves infrastructure-as-code skills with Terraform, which works across AWS, Azure and Google Cloud. It suits DevOps and cloud engineers; check HashiCorp's page for the current fee.
Best forinfrastructure as code
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- Cost
- $1503
- Format
- 130 minutes, 65 questions
The most requested cloud credential: designing systems on AWS. $150, 130 minutes. AWS's associate exam tests designing secure, resilient, high-performing and cost-aware systems on AWS. It's 130 minutes with 65 questions and costs $150, and it's the cloud credential most often named in job posts.
Best forDevOps on AWS
Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104)
- Cost
- Exam priced by country4
- Format
- 100 minutes; renew free every 12 months
Proves Azure administration. Priced by country; renew free every year. Microsoft's associate exam proves you can manage Azure identity, storage, compute and networking. It's 100 minutes, priced by country, and renews free online every 12 months, which keeps long-term cost low.
Best forDevOps on Azure
Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer
- Cost
- $1255
- Format
- 2 hours, multiple choice
Google Cloud's hands-on associate exam. $125, two hours. Google Cloud's associate exam tests deploying, monitoring and managing projects on Google Cloud. It's two hours, costs $125 and rewards hands-on practice with the console and command line.
Best forDevOps on Google Cloud
ITIL 4 Foundation
- Cost
- Check the official page6
The foundation of IT service management, useful where DevOps meets operations. PeopleCert's ITIL 4 Foundation covers the core concepts of IT service management and continual improvement. It's foundation-level, quick to prepare for and especially common in IT service roles in the UK and Australia.
Best forservice management
Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I)
- Cost
- Check the official page7
Scrum.org's exam-only Scrum Master credential, useful for agile delivery. Scrum.org's Professional Scrum Master I is exam-only, with no course required, and it doesn't expire. Study the free Scrum Guide and practise before booking; check Scrum.org's page for the current fee.
Best foragile delivery
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Cost
- $1008
- Format
- 90 minutes, 65 questions
A $100 first cloud exam if you're new to cloud. AWS's entry exam covers cloud concepts, core services, security and billing. It's 90 minutes with 65 questions and costs $100, so it's the usual first cloud exam for beginners and non-technical staff.
Best fora first cloud step
A DevOps portfolio project
- App — a small web service in a container.
- Infrastructure — provisioned with Terraform.
- Pipeline — build, test and deploy on every push.
- Kubernetes — deployed to a cluster with health checks.
How we ranked these picks
We ranked DevOps certifications by how hands-on the exam is and how directly it maps to DevOps job requirements. Eight credible options, so we list eight. Fees come from official pages, checked 3 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best DevOps certification?
CKA for Kubernetes skills, plus a cloud associate exam such as AWS SAA.
Is there a DevOps certification for beginners?
Start with AWS Cloud Practitioner, then a cloud associate exam, before CKA.
Is CKA hard?
It's hands-on, so you need real practice in a cluster. Most people study for one to three months.
Is Terraform certification worth it?
Yes for DevOps and platform roles that use infrastructure as code.
Is there a free DevOps practice test?
Yes. Science of Apps offers free DevOps, Kubernetes and cloud practice tests with instant results.
Sources
- Linux Foundation — Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- HashiCorp — HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Microsoft — Microsoft Azure Administrator (AZ-104), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Google Cloud — Google Cloud Associate Cloud Engineer, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- PeopleCert — ITIL 4 Foundation, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Scrum.org — Professional Scrum Master I (PSM I), official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Checked November 4, 2026. Figures that change — fees, salaries, prices — are reviewed every six months; if something is out of date, tell us.
Where to go from here
- The best online certifications of 2027 — the full top 10 across every field
- Best DevOps Certifications of 2027: Top 10 Ranked — related guide
- Best AI Certifications of 2027: 10 Ranked by Career Impact — related guide
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 DevOps certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones job posts nameThe top 5 DevOps certifications to get hired in 2027: CKA, Terraform, AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104 and Google Cloud ACE.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best cloud computing certifications of 2027: ten across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and KubernetesThe 10 best cloud certifications of 2027: AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104, Google Cloud ACE, CKA, Terraform and more, with verified exam fees.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The top 10 certifications for software engineers in 2027: cloud, platform, security and AIThe top 10 certifications for software engineers in 2027: AWS Solutions Architect, CKA, Terraform, AZ-104, Google Cloud ACE, AI-102, AWS ML Engineer and more.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The cloud certification roadmap for 2027: from first cloud exam to platform engineerA cloud certification roadmap for 2027: Cloud Practitioner or AZ-900, then AWS SAA, AZ-104 or Google ACE, then CKA and Terraform, then ML on cloud.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 5 cloud computing certifications to get hired in 2027: the ones cloud job posts nameThe top 5 cloud certifications to get hired in 2027: AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104, Google Cloud ACE, CKA and Terraform, matched to job titles.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The DevOps certification roadmap for 2027: from beginner to expertA DevOps certification roadmap for 2027: cloud basics, AWS SAA or AZ-104, Terraform, CKA, then PSM I or ITIL 4 for delivery.
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