CEH v13 or OSCP+: Which Pentest Certification Should You Choose?

EC-Council's CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) and OffSec's OSCP+ are the two names that come up most often in any discussion of penetration testing certifications. They are often pitted against each other as if you had to pick a side. In reality, they do not measure the same thing and they do not target exactly the same stage of a career.

CEH v13, branded "CEH AI", validates broad knowledge of the ethical hacking methodology: reconnaissance, scanning, enumeration, exploitation, maintaining access, web, wireless, cloud and IoT attacks, and now the use of AI on both the attacking and defending side. Its main exam (312-50) checks that you know these techniques, tools and the related vocabulary.

OSCP+, earned after the PEN-200 course, validates something else: your ability to actually compromise machines, on your own, under pressure, and then prove it in a professional report. Put simply, CEH shows you know what a pentest is made of; OSCP+ shows you can run one.

This is the most visible difference. The CEH 312-50 exam has 125 multiple-choice questions in 4 hours, with a passing score between 60% and 85% depending on the exam form you receive. It is taken online with remote proctoring or at an approved test centre. Questions are scenario-based, with commands and tool output to interpret: memorising definitions is not enough, but you do not exploit anything yourself.

EC-Council also offers an optional CEH Practical: 6 hours, 20 challenges on a live environment, with a 70% passing score. It partly answers the "too theoretical" criticism of CEH, and candidates who pass both exams can claim the CEH Master title.

The OSCP+ exam is entirely practical: 23 hours 45 minutes to compromise an Active Directory set and several standalone machines, proctored via webcam and screen sharing, followed by another 24 hours to submit a pentest report. You need 70 out of 100 points. There are no boxes to tick: every point is earned by gaining access and documenting it with evidence. Managing time, fatigue and stress is part of the test.

CEH v13 is an intermediate-level certification. It requires solid TCP/IP networking basics, hands-on Windows and Linux command-line experience, and some security knowledge; EC-Council recommends two years of experience, but attending official training waives the eligibility application. A motivated system or network administrator, or a graduate with a strong technical foundation, can prepare for it seriously.

OSCP+ is an advanced certification. It assumes strong Linux skills, good Windows and Active Directory knowledge, networking fluency (DNS, HTTP, SMB and so on) and the ability to read and adapt Bash, Python or PowerShell scripts. Its difficulty lies less in the complexity of any single technique than in the autonomy it demands: when you face a machine, nobody tells you which lead is the right one. Many candidates need more than one attempt, which is nothing unusual.

Here are the two certifications side by side, with the public prices of our training in Morocco (exam voucher or attempt included).

CEH is one of the most frequently cited certifications in offensive security job ads, and it appears in several official job frameworks, such as the US Department of Defense DoD 8140 framework. In practice, this matters at the HR screening stage: when a recruiter or an applicant tracking system searches for "CEH", your application gets through. In Morocco, banks, insurers, telecom operators, integrators and public bodies subject to Law 05-20 know it well, including for roles that are not purely offensive.

OSCP+ enjoys a different kind of credibility: that of technical teams. A pentest lead knows that a holder spent nearly 24 hours compromising machines and produced an accepted report. Audit firms, red teams and providers running penetration tests for European clients from Casablanca or Rabat mention it regularly. On the other hand, it is sometimes less familiar to generalist HR departments and public procurement grids.

Both are recognised, then, but not by the same people or for the same reasons. That is exactly what makes holding both worthwhile.

On budget, our training starts at 21,900 MAD for CEH v13 (5 days, official labs, EC-Council courseware and the 312-50 voucher included) and at 29,900 MAD for OSCP+ (80 hours of coaching, PEN-200 lab access and one exam attempt). For OSCP+, keep in mind that an extra attempt or a lab extension may come at an additional cost.

On time, CEH usually takes a few weeks of revision after the course for someone who already has the basics. OSCP+ asks for more: beyond the coaching, most candidates need many hours of personal practice in the labs, often spread over several months depending on their starting point. It is better to block that time in your calendar than to rely on early enthusiasm alone.

If you come from system or network administration or a SOC and are new to offensive security, CEH v13 is usually the best first step: it structures your knowledge, covers a wide scope and gives you a title that reads instantly on a CV. If you are already comfortable with Linux, have practised on CTF-style platforms and your goal is clearly to become a pentester, you can go straight for OSCP+. CompTIA PenTest+ (from 12,900 MAD) is a useful middle-ground alternative, with a focus on scoping and reporting.

Many professionals end up holding both, and it is not badge collecting: CEH gets you through HR screening and provides a complete methodological view, while OSCP+ proves practical skill to technical teams. CEH followed by OSCP+ is the most common order, since the first lays the groundwork for the second.

At GATech, we offer both tracks in Casablanca, Rabat or live online, with an experienced trainer and the exam included. If you are unsure, a short call with our advisers will help assess your level and choose the right order.