What you pay Confluent
Confluent sells the exam on its own in its training catalog, for USD 150. You take it online with a remote proctor watching, so you'll need a webcam, a microphone and Google Chrome.
That buys you one attempt. If you fail, Confluent's certification page says you have to wait 7 days before you can buy and take another one, so a second try costs another USD 150 and at least a week.
How long the certificate lasts
The certification expires after two years, and keeping it means passing the exam again. If your employer or your clients expect a current certificate, count on paying the fee again every two years.
What preparation adds
Preparing for it is where the prices start to differ a lot. These are the options that list a price:
| Option | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Apache Kafka documentation | Free | The reference, not organised around the exam |
| Kafka: The Definitive Guide e-book | Free from Confluent | A 485-page book on Kafka in general |
| Confluent Developer Skills for Building Apache Kafka | USD 2,000 | Confluent's instructor-led course |
| Confluent Developer Learning Path | USD 4,950 | Four Confluent courses |
| The CCDAK Prep bundle | USD 49 | Study guide, 1,007 questions and cheatsheets |
Keeping it to one attempt
Passing the first time saves you USD 150 and a week. Before you book, sit at least one full practice exam against the clock and spend your last days on your weakest exam topics. That's what the six mock exams in the bundle are for.
