AZ-900 vs AZ-104: Which Microsoft Azure Cert Should You Take?
📅 Updated June 2026
⏱️ 10 min read
🎯 All levels
Side-by-side comparison of AZ-900 and AZ-104 — difficulty, topics, salary data, career paths, and which to take first based on where you are now.
At a Glance
Factor
AZ-900
AZ-104
Full name
Azure Fundamentals
Microsoft Azure Administrator
Level
Fundamentals
Associate
Cost
£130 / $165
£165 / $165
Questions
40–60
40–60
Duration
60 minutes
120 minutes
Pass mark
700 / 1000
700 / 1000
Difficulty
Beginner
Intermediate–Advanced
Hands-on required
No
Yes — essential
Prerequisites
None
None (AZ-900 recommended)
Typical study time
2 weeks
6–12 weeks
UK salary range
Entry level uplift
£45,000–£75,000
What Does Each Exam Cover?
AZ-900 — Azure Fundamentals
AZ-900 covers the concepts and services of cloud computing and Azure at a high level. You need to know what each Azure service does and why it exists — not how to configure it. The three domains are cloud concepts (25–30%), Azure architecture and services (35–40%), and Azure management and governance (30–35%).
There are no hands-on labs or configuration questions. A business analyst with no technical background can pass AZ-900 with 2 weeks of study.
AZ-104 — Azure Administrator
AZ-104 tests your ability to actually administer Azure. You need to know how to deploy and configure resources, manage identities, implement virtual networks, monitor and back up Azure infrastructure, and implement storage solutions. The five domains are:
Manage Azure Identities and Governance (15–20%) — RBAC, policies, subscriptions, Entra ID
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking (15–20%) — VNets, NSGs, VPN Gateway, load balancers, DNS
Monitor and Maintain Azure Resources (10–15%) — Azure Monitor, alerts, Log Analytics, backup and recovery
💡 The key difference: AZ-900 tests whether you understand Azure. AZ-104 tests whether you can use it. The gap in difficulty between them is significant — AZ-104 is one of the harder associate-level Microsoft exams.
How Much Harder is AZ-104?
AZ-104 is substantially harder than AZ-900. Most candidates who pass AZ-900 in 2 weeks need 6–12 weeks to prepare for AZ-104. The reasons:
Breadth and depth: AZ-104 covers more topics in far more detail. You can't just know what VPN Gateway is — you need to know when to use it vs ExpressRoute, how to configure it, and how to troubleshoot connectivity issues.
Scenario questions: Many questions present a real-world problem and ask which combination of services and configurations solves it correctly with the least cost or fewest steps.
Hands-on knowledge essential: You will struggle without real Azure experience. Microsoft's free Azure account or a Visual Studio subscription gives you credits to practise in a real environment.
Case studies: AZ-104 often includes case study sections where you read a scenario and answer multiple related questions. These require applying knowledge across service boundaries.
Salary Comparison
This is where the difference really shows:
AZ-900 only: Helps get an entry-level IT role or demonstrate cloud awareness. Rarely commands a direct salary premium on its own.
AZ-104: Qualifies you for Azure Administrator roles paying £45,000–£75,000 in the UK, with senior roles reaching £80,000+. Azure Administrator is one of the most in-demand roles in the Microsoft ecosystem.
AZ-900 + AZ-104: The strongest combination for someone transitioning into cloud. AZ-900 demonstrates breadth, AZ-104 demonstrates depth and practical skill.
Start with AZ-900 practice
Build your Azure fundamentals before moving to AZ-104. Try 10 free questions — no sign-up needed.
You want a low-risk confidence builder before AZ-104
You have less than 6 months Azure experience
⚡ Skip to AZ-104 if...
You already have 1+ year hands-on Azure experience
You're currently managing Azure resources at work
You have a strong general IT/sysadmin background
AZ-104 is specifically required for your target role
AZ-900 is not a prerequisite for AZ-104 — Microsoft doesn't require it. But most people benefit from taking it first as it builds a solid conceptual foundation, particularly around cloud concepts, the shared responsibility model, and Azure's service categorisation. Going straight to AZ-104 without any Azure background means learning concepts and configuration simultaneously, which is harder.
Certification Path Options
Path 1: Cloud career beginner
Best for: IT support, helpdesk, non-technical roles transitioning to cloud
Best for: Windows/Linux admins with infrastructure experience
AZ-104 directly → AZ-305 or AZ-500
Timeline: 6–12 months
End salary: £70,000–£100,000+
How to Prepare for Each
AZ-900 preparation
Microsoft Learn AZ-900 path — free, covers everything, 8–10 hours
Practice questions — 100+ questions before exam day
Study time: 2 weeks at 1 hour/day
No Azure subscription needed — everything is conceptual
AZ-104 preparation
Microsoft Learn AZ-104 path — free, but needs supplementing with hands-on practice
Free Azure account — £150/$200 of credits, essential for hands-on labs
John Savill's AZ-104 study guide (YouTube) — comprehensive, highly technical
Microsoft Learn sandbox labs — free guided labs within Microsoft Learn modules
Practice questions — 200+ before exam day, focused on scenario questions
Study time: 6–12 weeks at 1.5–2 hours/day
Our Verdict
If you're new to Azure — take AZ-900 first. It's achievable in 2 weeks, builds your foundation, and gives you a Microsoft certification to show immediately. Then commit to AZ-104 as your next target.
If you already have Azure hands-on experience and the fundamentals feel like revision — go straight to AZ-104. The time is better spent on an exam that will open genuinely higher-paying doors.
Either way, AZ-104 is the certification that makes Azure administrators out of candidates. It's one of the most career-transforming Microsoft certifications available and well worth the additional effort.