Cloud Certification for Beginners in 2025

Kick off your cloud journey in 2025 with these beginner-friendly certifications. Whether your background is technical or non-technical, these certifications equip you with essential cloud knowledge and industry credibility.

1. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)

What is it?
Amazon’s foundational cloud certification offering a broad overview of AWS essentials.

Target Audience:
Both technical and non-technical professionals who need to understand AWS fundamentals.

What You Need to Know:

• Cloud architecture and best practices

• Security and compliance features in AWS

• Core services: EC2 (compute), S3 (storage), IAM (identity management)

• Pricing models: on-demand, reserved, and spot pricing

Prerequisites: None
Cost: $100 USD

2. Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)

What is it?
An entry-level certification validating foundational cloud knowledge and Azure services.

Target Audience:
Beginners (technical or non-technical) looking to understand how Azure functions and delivers cloud solutions.

What You Need to Know:

• Cloud concepts: IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and consumption-based models

• Core Azure services: Virtual machines, storage, networking, serverless

• Azure management and governance tools: Azure Portal, CLI, PowerShell

• Monitoring and cost management tools: Azure Monitor, Application Insights, Azure Advisor

• Governance and policy features: Azure Policy, resource locks, tagging strategies

Prerequisites: None
 

3. Google Cloud Digital Leader

What is it?
This certification validates your understanding of Google Cloud's core services and how they drive business transformation.

Target Audience:
Anyone, regardless of technical background, who wants to be confident in cloud fundamentals—especially from a business-use perspective.

What You Need to Know:

• Digital transformation using Google Cloud

• Data strategy and AI capability on Google Cloud

• Modernizing infrastructure and applications

• Cloud security, trust, and scalability

• Operations and scaling in Google Cloud

Exam Details:

• Format: 50–60 multiple-choice questions

• Duration: 90 minutes

• Cost: $99 USD (standard), $60 USD (renewal)

• Delivery: Online-proctored or onsite-proctored

• Validity: 3 years

Final Thoughts

Each certification equips you with a foundational understanding of a leading cloud platform, regardless of your background. Choosing the right one depends on your interests and your organization’s tech stack—or your career goals. If you're still unsure where to start, the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is widely recognized and a great entry point.