AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft AI Exams: Fee, Length, Passing Score and Retakes

This guide compares AWS Certified AI Practitioner, Google Cloud Generative AI Leader, Microsoft AI-901, and Microsoft AI-103, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. See also whether you can register, vendor AI certifications compared, and the true cost of an AI certificate.

Fee, length, questions and pass mark side by side

Across the comparison table below, 2 exams show a US dollar registration fee on their pages, 3 exams publish a passing score of 700, and 1 fundamentals exam, Microsoft AI-901, carries 45 minutes of exam time and 65 minutes of seat time, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026.

Only 2 exams in the table display a US dollar fee (AIF-C01 at 100 USD and Generative AI Leader at $99 plus tax where applicable), while Microsoft prices AI-901 and AI-103 by country or region of proctoring, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Compare AWS AIF-C01 vs Google Generative AI Leader and Microsoft AI-901 vs AWS AIF-C01.

AWS AI Practitioner: 100 USD, 65 questions, 700 to pass

AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) is a Foundational exam priced at 100 USD per attempt with a 90-minute duration and 65 questions, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Passing requires at least 700 on a 100 to 1,000 scale, and failed attempts require a 14-calendar-day wait.

The AIF-C01 overview page lists the Foundational exam at 90 minutes, 65 questions, and 100 USD per exam, linking an exam pricing page for other currencies, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. The AIF-C01 exam guide splits those 65 items into 50 scored questions and 15 unidentified unscored questions, and scores unanswered questions as incorrect.

Results use a scaled score of 100 to 1,000 with a minimum passing score of 700 and a compensatory scoring model, so no individual section needs its own pass, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Under the AWS FAQ retake policy, candidates wait 14 calendar days after a fail, have no attempt limit, pay the full registration fee per attempt, and cannot retake a passed exam for two years.

Google Cloud Generative AI Leader: $99, no published pass mark

Google Cloud Generative AI Leader runs 90 minutes, includes 50 to 60 multiple choice questions, and costs $99 plus tax where applicable, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Neither the Generative AI Leader exam page nor the Google Cloud exam terms state a passing score or pass mark.

Google Cloud's retake policy varies by exam tier, and the Generative AI Leader page does not state its tier, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Foundational exams allow at most ten attempts in one year with at least 14 days between failed attempts; Associate and Professional exams allow at most four attempts in two years, waiting 14 days after a first fail, 60 days after a second, and 365 days after a third, with every attempt in any language counting.

Under Google Cloud exam terms, a no-show forfeits the exam fee with no refund, late rescheduling or cancellation fees may apply and vary by exam partner, and exam fees and the retake policy apply to renewal attempts, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Google Cloud's renewal help page adds that candidates get one beta exam attempt, and failing it does not count toward final-exam attempt limits (4 for Professional and Associate, 10 for Foundational).

Microsoft AI-901 and AI-103: priced by country, 700 to pass

Microsoft exams AI-901 and AI-103 both require a passing score of 700 or greater and price registration by the country or region of proctoring, with no US dollar figure shown, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Fundamentals exams run 45 minutes, whereas AI-103 allows 120 minutes.

Exam AI-901 (Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals) lists a passing score of 700 on its exam page, and its study guide requires 700 or greater to pass, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Pricing is based on the country or region where proctored (no US dollar figure shown), and candidates can request 30 extra minutes if the exam is unavailable in their preferred language.

Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (exam AI-103) gives 120 minutes for the proctored exam, requires a score of 700 or greater in its study guide, and prices registration by country or region of proctoring, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. A retake is possible 24 hours after the first attempt, with later waits varying.

Microsoft states that most certification exams contain 40 to 60 questions, though the number varies, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Fundamentals exams (such as AI-901) have 45 minutes of exam time (65 minutes seat time), while associate and expert role-based exams that may contain labs have 120 minutes (140 minutes seat time, including instructions and agreement).

Retakes: which provider is most forgiving

After a first failed attempt, Microsoft requires a 24-hour wait before retaking, whereas both AWS and Google Cloud require a 14-day wait, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. For repeat retakes, AWS sets no attempt cap, while Microsoft and Google Cloud enforce limits measured over 12 months, one year, or two years.

Under Microsoft's retake policy for role-based, specialty, and fundamentals exams, candidates wait 24 hours after a first fail and 14 days between later attempts, with at most five attempts in 12 months from the first attempt, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. A passed exam cannot be retaken unless the certification has expired, and candidates pay to retake (if applicable).

AWS requires a 14-calendar-day wait after any fail with no limit on attempts, full registration fee per attempt, and a two-year bar on retaking a passed exam, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Google Cloud requires at least 14 days between failed attempts on Foundational exams (at most 10 in one year) or waits of 14, 60, and 365 days on Associate and Professional exams (at most 4 in two years) across all languages, excluding one beta attempt.

Hidden costs and failure points

Retake charges and scoring rules are the failure points to plan for, including paying the full registration fee for every AWS attempt and forfeiting the Google Cloud exam fee for a no-show with no refund, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Unanswered AIF-C01 questions also score as incorrect.

• Full fee per AWS attempt: AWS charges the full registration fee (100 USD on AIF-C01) for every attempt after the 14-calendar-day wait, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026.
• Unscored and blank items on AWS AIF-C01: AIF-C01 includes 50 scored questions and 15 unidentified unscored questions, and unanswered items score as incorrect.
• Google Cloud no-show and partner fees: A Google Cloud no-show forfeits the exam fee with no refund, late rescheduling or cancellation fees may apply and vary by partner, and fees and retake rules apply to renewals.
• Microsoft retake fees and seat time: Microsoft candidates pay to retake (if applicable) within the cap of five attempts in 12 months from the first attempt, and seat time runs 65 minutes for fundamentals exams or 140 minutes for associate and expert role-based exams that may contain labs.

FAQ

The 4 questions below summarize the 700 passing score at AWS, the 100 to 1,000 scaled scoring model, the 24-hour and 14-day retake waits, and per-attempt fee rules across the 4 cloud AI exams compared here, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Every answer reflects the official vendor pages.

What is the passing score for AWS Certified AI Practitioner?

The minimum passing score for AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) is 700 on a scaled score of 100 to 1,000, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. The exam includes 50 scored questions and 15 unidentified unscored questions, and unanswered questions are scored as incorrect. Because AIF-C01 uses a compensatory scoring model, you do not need to pass each individual section.

Does Google publish a passing score for Generative AI Leader?

No passing score or pass mark is stated for Google Cloud Generative AI Leader on its official exam page or in the Google Cloud exam terms and conditions, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. While the exam page specifies a 90-minute duration, a $99 registration fee plus tax where applicable, and 50 to 60 multiple choice questions, neither page states a minimum score or cut score.

How soon can I retake a Microsoft AI exam?

Under Microsoft's retake policy for role-based, specialty, and fundamentals exams, you must wait 24 hours after a first failed attempt, then wait 14 days between later attempts, with at most five attempts allowed in 12 months from the first attempt, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Candidates pay to retake if applicable, and a passed exam cannot be retaken unless the certification has expired.

Do I pay again to retake the AWS exam?

Yes. Under the AWS certification retake policy, you must pay the full registration fee for each exam attempt, as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. If you fail an exam, you must wait 14 calendar days before you are eligible to retake the exam. AWS sets no limit on the number of exam attempts, and once you pass an exam you cannot retake the same exam for two years.

Sources

The 12 official provider pages listed below support the figures and policy details for the 4 cloud AI certification exams compared in this guide, each as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026. Every link points directly to the published AWS, Google Cloud, or Microsoft source page.

1. AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
2. AWS Certified AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) Exam Guide (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
3. AWS Training and Certification FAQs (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
4. Google Cloud Generative AI Leader Certification (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
5. Google Cloud Certification Exam Terms and Conditions (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
6. Google Cloud Certification Renewal Options (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
7. Exam AI-901: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
8. Study Guide for Exam AI-901: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
9. Microsoft Certified: Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate (Exam AI-103) (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
10. Study Guide for Exam AI-103: Developing AI Apps and Agents on Azure (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
11. Microsoft Exam Duration and Exam Experience (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)
12. Microsoft Exam Retake Policy (as shown in the United States on 28 October 2026)

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Last reviewed: 28 October 2026. See the editorial policy.

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