Certification comparison
AZ-104 (Azure Administrator) and AZ-305 (Designing Azure Infrastructure Solutions) are both Azure certifications but at different levels. AZ-104 is the hands-on admin cert; AZ-305 is the architect-level design exam.
| Factor | AZ-104 | AZ-305 |
|---|---|---|
| Level | Associate (Administrator) | Expert (Architect) |
| Focus | Day-to-day Azure operations | Infrastructure design and solutions |
| Prerequisite | AZ-900 recommended | AZ-104 required |
| Difficulty | Moderate | Hard |
| Cost | ~$165 USD | ~$165 USD |
| Validity | Annual renewal (free online assessment) | Annual renewal (free online assessment) |
| Study time | 100–200 hrs | 150–250 hrs |
| Target role | Azure Admin, Cloud Ops | Cloud Architect, Solutions Architect |
Our verdict
Take AZ-104 first — it's the prerequisite for AZ-305. The natural progression is AZ-900 → AZ-104 → AZ-305. AZ-305 is for experienced Azure professionals who want to move into architecture roles.
Try a sample practice test for each cert. The one that feels more relevant to your work is usually the right call.