AZ-104 vs AZ-900: Which Azure Exam Should You Take First in the UK?

The straight answer

Take AZ-900 first if you're new to cloud. Take AZ-104 first only if you already have 6 to 12 months of hands-on Azure or equivalent cloud infrastructure experience. For most healthcare workers and career changers moving into IT, that means AZ-900 first. It costs less, takes 4 to 6 weeks to prepare for, and gives you a real foundation before tackling AZ-104's practical labs and scenario-based questions.

The exam fee difference is also real: AZ-900 is £80 to £99, AZ-104 is £99 to £165 depending on your region and any current Microsoft offers. More importantly, failing AZ-104 without AZ-900 prep usually costs you another £165, plus the time and demoralisation that comes with it.

What each exam actually tests

AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals)

This exam verifies you understand what cloud computing is, what Azure services exist, and basic security and compliance concepts. It's conceptual, not hands-on.

The content covers:

Cloud concepts (why organisations migrate to cloud, what IaaS, PaaS and SaaS mean in practice)

Core Azure services (VMs, App Service, databases, networking basics)

Azure security, privacy and compliance

Azure cost management and service level agreements

There's no lab component. You're answering multiple-choice questions about scenarios. For example: "A company needs to host a website that scales automatically. Which Azure service is most cost-effective?" You don't build anything; you pick the right answer.

AZ-104 (Azure Administrator)

This is a real exam for a real job. It tests whether you can actually administer Azure infrastructure: creating resource groups, managing identity and access, deploying virtual machines, configuring networking, managing storage, and monitoring resources.

The AZ-104 includes:

Hands-on labs embedded in the exam (you actually log into Azure and perform tasks)

Scenario-based questions where you diagnose real problems

Requirements for understanding how things connect (if you misconfigure a subnet, your VM won't talk to the network)

Time pressure: 120 minutes to complete the exam, which sounds long until you're troubleshooting a virtual network connectivity issue under exam conditions

You need practical experience to pass AZ-104 confidently. Theory alone doesn't cut it.

Why most people get the order wrong

The Microsoft marketing suggests AZ-900 is optional. It's not. It's a safety net, and here's why it matters for career changers specifically.

If you come from healthcare, you've probably never configured a firewall, managed user access at scale, or thought about what a resource group actually does. Azure uses its own language and logic. AZ-900 teaches you that language without the pressure of hands-on labs.

People who skip straight to AZ-104 often report:

Confusion over fundamental concepts (what's the difference between a storage account and a managed disk? Why do I need a virtual network?)

Exam anxiety because the labs are unfamiliar

Retakes costing an extra £165 and another two months of study

Lower confidence even after passing (you memorised answers, not understanding)

AZ-900 also gives you something tangible to show an employer while you're prepping for AZ-104. It's a real certification, valid for two years, and it signals you're serious about Azure.

Timeline and study effort comparison

AZ-900 pathway

Prep time: 4 to 6 weeks (part-time, 5 to 8 hours per week)

Hands-on lab time: minimal (you can follow along with Microsoft Learn for free, but it's not required)

Exam day: 60 minutes

Cost: £80 to £99

Valid for: 2 years

Then, after passing:

AZ-104 prep time: 8 to 12 weeks (part-time, 8 to 12 hours per week, includes lab work)

Hands-on lab time: essential (you need to spend time actually building things in Azure)

Exam day: 120 minutes

Cost: £99 to £165

Valid for: 3 years

Total timeline: 3 to 4 months, £180 to £264 in exam fees.

AZ-104 only (if you have experience)

Prep time: 8 to 12 weeks

Hands-on lab time: essential

Exam day: 120 minutes

Cost: £99 to £165

Valid for: 3 years

Timeline: 2 to 3 months, but only if you genuinely have prior experience. If you don't, you'll likely fail and retake.

Which path fits which career stage

You should start with AZ-900 if:

You're new to IT entirely (coming from healthcare, hospitality, education, etc.)

You've never used cloud services in a professional capacity

You want a clear qualification before applying for Azure Administrator or cloud support roles

You're concerned about exam failure and want a lower-stakes first step

You're part of the SmoothOps 365 IT Career Programme (CompTIA A+ focused) and planning to move into Azure roles next

You can go straight to AZ-104 if:

You've already passed CompTIA Security+ or equivalent

You've spent 6 to 12 months in a support role managing on-premises infrastructure (servers, networking, storage)

You've done hands-on labs in Azure or AWS already

You're confident with concepts like subnets, Active Directory, and storage accounts

Real salary impact in the UK 2026

Here's the practical reason to care about this decision: Azure Administrator roles in the UK are paying £28,000 to £45,000 depending on region and experience. Getting certified faster and correctly (rather than failing AZ-104 twice) matters.

According to recent UK IT salary data, Azure-certified professionals typically earn 12% to 18% more than non-certified peers in infrastructure roles, but that only applies if you're actually qualified and hired. Passing AZ-104 on your first attempt looks far better to recruiters than "passed after retake."

If you're trying to break into IT quickly from healthcare, AZ-900 first actually accelerates your total time to employment because you build a real foundation and avoid retake delays.

The SmoothOps recommendation

If you're working towards Azure roles while completing the IT Career Programme, your roadmap should be:

1. Complete CompTIA A+ (3 months)

2. Sit AZ-900 (Month 4)

3. Prep for AZ-104 with hands-on Azure lab practice (Months 5 to 7)

4. Sit AZ-104 (Month 8)

We recommend this because A+ teaches you infrastructure fundamentals, then AZ-900 teaches you how those concepts translate to cloud, then AZ-104 teaches you the practical Azure way.

If you're unsure whether this pathway fits your career goals or timescale, our free career pathway tool walks you through exactly which certifications make sense for your background and target role. Check it out here.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sit both AZ-900 and AZ-104 in the same month?

Technically yes, but we don't recommend it. Most people need 4 to 6 weeks to digest AZ-900 concepts before they make sense during AZ-104 labs. If you try to prepare for both simultaneously, you'll either study 15+ hours per week (unsustainable if you're working) or you'll pass AZ-900 but fail AZ-104. Space them at least 6 weeks apart.

Is AZ-900 worth getting if I only want the AZ-104?

Yes. AZ-900 gives you language and context for Azure fundamentals that make AZ-104 labs make sense. It also gives you a qualification to put on your CV immediately, which matters when you're job hunting. If you fail AZ-104, you at least have something to show employers.

Will employers care if I don't have AZ-900, only AZ-104?

Not really, if you pass AZ-104. AZ-104 is the job-level qualification. AZ-900 is the stepping stone. However, AZ-104 is harder to pass without AZ-900 foundation knowledge, so most people who skip it end up retaking AZ-104 anyway, which costs more time and money.

How much hands-on lab time do I actually need before AZ-104?

Aim for at least 40 to 60 hours of practical lab work: creating and managing VMs, configuring networking, setting up storage accounts, managing identity and access control. Microsoft Learn offers free labs for this. Don't just watch videos; actually build things in a free Azure trial account.

Is there a significant salary difference between AZ-104 and AZ-900 certified professionals?

Yes. AZ-104 certified professionals typically earn £30,000 to £45,000 in UK infrastructure roles, while AZ-900 alone won't qualify you for these positions. AZ-900 is a foundation qualification; AZ-104 is what gets you hired into Azure Administrator, Cloud Support Engineer, or Infrastructure roles. Think of AZ-900 as proof of intent, AZ-104 as proof of competence.