Certification path
Google Cloud certification path
Google Cloud's ladder is unusually flat: one foundational exam, one associate exam, and then a wide row of Professional certifications that sit at the same level as each other. There are no prerequisites anywhere, and Google's Professional exams are two hours of case-study reasoning rather than recall.
Where to start
Associate Cloud Engineer is the exam worth having. Cloud Digital Leader is for people who buy cloud rather than build it, and going straight to a Professional without ACE behind you is possible but rarely comfortable.
- 01
Foundational
1 examNon-technical. Aimed at people making purchasing and strategy decisions rather than deploying anything.
- 02
Associate
2 examsThe hands-on entry point, and the exam the Professional tier quietly assumes you have passed.
- 03
Professional
10 examsNine role-based exams at the same level. Pick the one that matches your job; none is a prerequisite for another.
Professional Cloud Architect on Google Cloud Platform
10 free
Professional Data Engineer on Google Cloud Platform
10 free
Professional Cloud Developer
10 free
Professional Cloud DevOps Engineer
10 free
Professional Cloud Security Engineer
10 free
Professional Cloud Network Engineer
10 free
Professional Cloud Database Engineer
10 free
Professional Machine Learning Engineer
10 free
Professional Google Workspace Administrator
10 free
Professional Collaboration Engineer
10 free
Work the whole ladder on one plan
$39.99 a month covers all 13 exams on this page and every other exam on the site — which is the point of a path. Or read 10 questions from any of them first, free.
Common questions
- Where should I start on the Google Cloud certification path?
- Associate Cloud Engineer is the exam worth having. Cloud Digital Leader is for people who buy cloud rather than build it, and going straight to a Professional without ACE behind you is possible but rarely comfortable.
- How many Google Cloud exams are there?
- 13 of them are covered here, arranged into 3 tiers: foundational, associate, professional. Retired versions still in our catalogue are deliberately left off — the point of this page is what to sit next.
- Do I have to take the Google Cloud exams in order?
- Google Cloud's ladder is unusually flat: one foundational exam, one associate exam, and then a wide row of Professional certifications that sit at the same level as each other. There are no prerequisites anywhere, and Google's Professional exams are two hours of case-study reasoning rather than recall.
- Can I practise these before paying?
- Yes — 10 free questions on every exam on this page, with no card and no account. Each also has a timed practice test of 65 questions in 130 minutes.
- What does it cost to prepare for the whole path?
- $39.99 a month opens every exam on this page and every other exam on the site, which is the plan that makes sense if you are working through a ladder. A single exam on its own is a one-time $19.99 for 30 days.