By Quick answer: Can I get AWS certified for free?
- Free — Skill Builder courses, free tier.
- $100 — Cloud Practitioner, AI Practitioner.
- $150 — Solutions Architect – Associate.
- Tip — set billing alerts on the free tier.
Key takeaways
- You can prepare for AWS exams free.
- The free tier gives real practice; watch costs.
- Passing one AWS exam often brings discounts on the next; check AWS's terms.
AWS certifications are some of the most valuable in tech, and preparing for them can cost nothing. Here's what's free and what you'll pay.
Four AWS options
Training is free; exams are paid. Checked 3 November 2026.
| # | Certification | Cost | Time | Prove it free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWS Certified Cloud PractitionerAmazon Web Services | $1001 | 90 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
| 2 | AWS Certified AI PractitionerAmazon Web Services | $1002 | 90 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
| 3 | AWS Certified Solutions Architect – AssociateAmazon Web Services | $1503 | 130 minutes, 65 questions | Free test |
| 4 | Generative AI with Large Language ModelsDeepLearning.AI & AWS / Coursera | Coursera plan4 | 2 weeks at 10 hours a week | 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.)
- AWS Cloud Practitioner Practice ExamPractise for AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner before you pay.Start free test →
- AWS AI Practitioner Practice ExamPractise for AWS Certified AI Practitioner before you pay.Start free test →
- AWS Solutions Architect Associate Practice ExamPractise for AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate before you pay.Start free test →
- LLM Application Development CertificationPractise for Generative AI with Large Language Models before you pay.Start free test →
Each option, and what's free
- AWSAWS Certified Cloud PractitionerFree training, $100 exam$100
- AWSAWS Certified AI PractitionerFree training, $100 exam$100
- AWSAWS Certified Solutions Architect – AssociateFree training, $150 exam$150
AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
- Cost
- $1001
- Format
- 90 minutes, 65 questions
Free Skill Builder training; $100, 90-minute exam. 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 forfree training, $100 exam
AWS Certified AI Practitioner
- Cost
- $1002
- Format
- 90 minutes, 65 questions
Free training; $100, 90-minute exam. AWS's foundational exam covers AI, machine learning and generative AI concepts and how AWS services support them. It's 90 minutes with 65 questions and costs $100, so it suits cloud, tech and business staff who need AI literacy.
Best forfree training, $100 exam
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate
- Cost
- $1503
- Format
- 130 minutes, 65 questions
Free training; $150, 130-minute exam. 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 forfree training, $150 exam
Generative AI with Large Language Models
- Cost
- Coursera plan4
- Time
- 2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Free to audit on Coursera; about two weeks part-time. DeepLearning.AI and AWS's course explains how large language models work, how to fine-tune and evaluate them and how to deploy them. It takes about two weeks at ten hours a week and suits developers and data scientists with Python.
Best forfree to audit
Stay safe on the free tier
- Billing alerts — set before you start.
- Delete resources — after each lab.
- Check limits — free tier has caps.
How we ranked these picks
Details come from AWS training and certification pages, checked 3 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get AWS certified for free?
Training is free; exams are paid.
Is AWS Skill Builder free?
Many courses are free; some features are paid.
How much is the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam?
$100.
Is the AWS free tier really free?
Within its limits; set billing alerts.
Is there a free AWS practice test?
Yes. Science of Apps offers free AWS practice tests.
Sources
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified AI Practitioner, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- Amazon Web Services — AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, official page (checked 3 Nov 2026)
- DeepLearning.AI & AWS — Generative AI with Large Language Models, 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 Certification Providers & Platforms of 2027 — related guide
- Best AI Certifications of 2027: 10 Ranked by Career Impact — related guide
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027AWS certifications ranked from easiest to hardest for 2027, and the order to take themAWS certifications ranked from easiest to hardest for 2027: Cloud Practitioner, AI Practitioner, Solutions Architect Associate and ML Engineer Associate.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best AWS certifications in 2027: which exams are worth it, in what orderWhich AWS certifications are worth it in 2027: Cloud Practitioner ($100), AI Practitioner ($100), Solutions Architect ($150) and ML Engineer ($150), in order.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The best DevOps certifications of 2027: eight for cloud, containers, automation and deliveryThe 8 best DevOps certifications of 2027: CKA, Terraform, AWS Solutions Architect, Azure AZ-104, Google Cloud ACE, ITIL 4, PSM I and AWS Cloud Practitioner.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The AI certification roadmap for 2027: from first AI course to expert-level examsAn AI certification roadmap for 2027: AI Essentials and AI for Everyone, then AI-900 or AWS AI Practitioner, then ML and LLMs, then expert exams.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027Top 10 certifications and courses for 2027, ranked by what holders earn, and what that number really meansThe top 10 certifications for 2027 ranked by salary: CISSP, CISM, AWS Solutions Architect and CISA lead US pay data. See costs, prerequisites and links.
- Career guides by Science of Apps for 2027The highest-paying IT certifications for 2027, from Skillsoft's salary surveyThe highest-paying IT certifications for 2027 from Skillsoft survey data: CISSP, CISM, AWS Solutions Architect, CISA and AWS Cloud Practitioner, with fees.
Get the ideas, not the noise.
Sign up with Google and we’ll send you short UX psychology tips by email — why people tap, stall and leave, and what to do about it. Unsubscribe anytime. Prefer something to keep? Get the free Laws of UX guide as a PDF.
Prove the skill before you pay for the exam.
Start with the free AWS Cloud Practitioner Practice Exam. 1,200+ free, test-based certifications graded on our server. Pass and get a founder-signed certificate with a credential ID employers can verify.