The Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900 is one of the most popular cloud certifications in the world — and one of the most accessible. It is designed for people with no prior cloud experience, covers foundational Azure concepts, and is increasingly listed as a baseline requirement for roles involving Microsoft cloud services.
But "accessible" does not mean you can walk in unprepared. The exam tests conceptual understanding across six domains, and the questions are designed to catch candidates who have memorised definitions without understanding how Azure services actually work.
This guide compares the main AZ-900 practice test options available in 2026, with a focus on what UK learners actually need.
The AZ-900 Exam at a Glance
Before comparing providers, it helps to know what you are preparing for.
- Questions: 40–60 (multiple-choice, multi-select, drag-and-drop, scenario-based)
- Time limit: 45 minutes
- Passing score: 700 out of 1000
- Cost: £95 (UK, Pearson VUE or online proctored)
- Renewal: Free through Microsoft Learn assessments every year
The six exam domains and their approximate weightings:
| Domain | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Cloud concepts | 25–30% |
| Azure architecture and services | 35–40% |
| Azure management and governance | 30–35% |
The largest domain — Azure architecture and services — covers compute, networking, storage, identity, and security services. This is where most candidates lose marks, because the breadth of services covered is wider than it appears.
Microsoft Learn (Free)
Microsoft's own learning platform includes free AZ-900 learning paths and a practice assessment with around 50 questions.
Strengths:
- Free
- Written by Microsoft — questions reflect the official exam style
- The learning paths are well-structured and cover all domains
- Practice assessment gives you a sense of the real question format
Weaknesses:
- Only ~50 practice questions — not enough for thorough preparation
- No timed exam simulation
- No domain-level scoring to identify weak areas
- Questions are generally easier than the real exam
Verdict: Use Microsoft Learn for your study content — the learning paths are excellent. But do not rely on the practice assessment alone to prepare for the exam.
Whizlabs
Whizlabs is one of the most widely used third-party certification prep platforms, with a large AZ-900 question bank.
Strengths:
- Large question bank (300+ questions)
- Covers all exam domains
- Includes some scenario-based questions
- Reasonably priced (around £15–20)
Weaknesses:
- Question quality is inconsistent — some questions are noticeably easier than the real exam, others feel outdated
- Explanations vary in depth
- Interface is functional but dated
- Subscription model on some plans
Verdict: A reasonable option for building question volume, but the inconsistent quality means you should not use it as your sole preparation resource.
MeasureUp
MeasureUp is Microsoft's official practice test partner for AZ-900. Their tests are the closest to the real exam in terms of format and difficulty.
Strengths:
- Official Microsoft partner — questions are closely aligned to the real exam
- Includes performance-based question types
- Detailed explanations
- Timed exam simulation mode
Weaknesses:
- Expensive — typically £50–70 for a single exam licence
- Subscription expires (usually 12 months)
- Overkill for a fundamentals-level exam
Verdict: The gold standard for exam realism, but the price is hard to justify for AZ-900 specifically. Better suited to higher-stakes exams like AZ-104 or AZ-305.
ICT Exam Academy
ICT Exam Academy's AZ-900 practice exams offer five full 45-minute mock exams — 200 questions total — with domain-level scoring and detailed explanations.
Strengths:
- Five complete timed mock exams in exam-simulation format
- Domain-level scoring after each attempt — shows exactly where you are weak
- Detailed explanations for every question, including why wrong answers are wrong
- Questions calibrated to AZ-900 difficulty, including scenario-based items
- One-time payment of £7.99 with lifetime access
- No subscription, no expiry
Weaknesses:
- Smaller total question bank than Whizlabs
- No free sample questions before purchase
Verdict: The best value option for UK learners who want realistic exam simulation without paying MeasureUp prices. Five full timed mock exams with domain scoring is exactly the right preparation format for the final two weeks before your exam.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Provider | Questions | Timed Simulation | Domain Scoring | Price | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Learn | ~50 | No | No | Free | Perpetual |
| Whizlabs | 300+ | Partial | No | £15–20 | Subscription |
| MeasureUp | ~200 | Yes | Partial | £50–70 | 12 months |
| ICT Exam Academy | 200 | Yes (5 × 45 min) | Yes | £7.99 | Lifetime |
The Recommended Approach for AZ-900
The AZ-900 is a conceptual exam — it tests whether you understand what Azure services do and when you would use them, not whether you can configure them. The candidates who fail are usually those who have memorised service names without understanding the use cases.
Weeks 1–2: Work through the Microsoft Learn AZ-900 learning paths. They are free, well-structured, and cover everything on the exam. Pay particular attention to the Azure architecture and services domain — it is the largest and broadest.
Week 3: Take your first full timed mock exam. Review every explanation, including questions you got right. Check your domain scores and identify your weakest area.
Week 4: Focus your remaining study on weak domains, then take two more full mock exams in the final few days. If you are consistently scoring above 80% on mock exams, you are ready.
ICT Exam Academy's AZ-900 practice exams give you five full mock exams to work through — more than enough to identify and close any gaps before exam day.
Is AZ-900 Worth It in 2026?
Yes — particularly if you are working in or moving towards a role that involves Microsoft cloud services. AZ-900 is increasingly listed as a baseline requirement or strong preference for roles in IT support, project management, business analysis, and sales engineering at organisations using Azure.
It is also a natural stepping stone to more advanced Azure certifications: AZ-104 (Azure Administrator), AZ-204 (Azure Developer), and AZ-305 (Azure Solutions Architect) all build on the foundational knowledge AZ-900 covers.
For the price of the exam and the time investment required, AZ-900 is one of the most efficient certifications you can earn in 2026.
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