| Measure | Associate | Professional | Advanced |
| List price | $70.50 | $200 | $295 |
| Format and duration | Multiple choice, online proctored, 1 hour | Multiple choice, online proctored, 90 minutes | Lab scenarios plus multiple choice, 4 hours with one 15-minute break |
| Free retake included | No | No | Yes |
| Attempts covered by one purchase | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Cost of a second attempt | $70.50 | $200 | $0 |
| Cost per year of credential | $35.25 | $100.00 | $147.50 |
| Product version tested | Terraform 1.12 | Terraform 1.15 | Terraform 1.6 |
One computed figure changes the obvious assumption.
- Cost of a second attempt - a second Advanced attempt costs $0 because the free retake is included. A second Associate attempt costs $70.50.
Paying more does not buy a newer product line. The Associate tests Terraform 1.12 and the Professional tests 1.15. The $295 Advanced tests Terraform 1.6, an older line. The extra money buys a lab-based exam and a free retake instead.
A simple buying rule follows.
- Associate - the lowest entry price at $70.50, with no free retake.
- Associate and Professional pair - two exams for $270.50, with no free retake on either.
- Advanced - $295 with one free retake, but it tests the older 1.6 line.
The AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam is priced at 150 USD. It runs 130 minutes with 65 multiple-choice or multiple-response questions. Once you hold any AWS Certification, you get a 50% discount on your next certification exam.
Our AWS certification cost 2026 guide covers the wider AWS range.
The Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam is sold by the Linux Foundation for $445 as an exam-only bundle. It is online, proctored and performance-based. It runs two hours and includes two total attempts. That certification stays valid for two years. Our CKA certification cost 2026 guide sets out that exam in more detail.
| Exam | Price (USD) | Duration | Attempts included | Price divided by attempts included |
| Terraform Associate (004) | $70.50 | 1 hour | 1, no free retake | $70.50 |
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate | $150 | 130 minutes | Not advertised | $150 |
| Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) | $445 | 2 hours | 2, one retake included | $222.50 |
Compare attempts, not hours. The CKA price of $445 covers two attempts, which is $222.50 each if you use both. The terraform associate exam cost stays lowest in cash terms, but it covers one attempt only. Our best cloud certifications for career growth guide compares these paths by career goal.
Every HashiCorp price above is in US dollars and excludes local tax. The UK standard VAT rate is 20%, and it has been since 4 January 2011. Some goods and services carry a reduced rate of 5%, and others are zero rated. Tax is part of the terraform associate exam cost for anyone paying VAT.
Add 20% to the Associate price and you get $84.60, since $70.50 times 1.20 gives $84.60. Apply the same step to the expected-cost table. The range runs from $94.00 at a 90% pass rate to $211.50 at 40%. A fail and a pass with VAT comes to $169.20, because $141.00 times 1.20 gives $169.20.
If you sit the exam outside the UK, use your own country's rate on the same USD figures. Keep the two parts apart when you compare prices: the exam fee and the tax on it. If you only need the flat fee, our Terraform Associate certification cost 2026 guide covers that on its own.
What should you do next?
Start with the free study path. The three official prep tutorials cost $0, and they show you what the exam asks.
Then choose your rung by budget and attempts. The Associate is $70.50 with no free retake. The Associate and Professional pair is $270.50. The $295 Advanced is the only exam with a free retake.
Check the tax line before you pay, and keep one extra $70.50 in your budget for a retake. The credential lasts two years, and the exam page lists no renewal discount. Budget another $70.50 plus tax for a second cycle.
Here is the short version. The Associate exam costs $70.50 before tax, and a retake is a full second fee. The $200 Professional has no free retake either. The $295 Advanced includes one, but it tests the older Terraform 1.6 line. Tax, retries and renewal turn the list price into your real spend.
Photo: stevepb, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/building-blocks-lego-construction-674828/)
Fazlur Rahman
