These three names almost always appear together when someone is looking for a penetration testing certification. They are more different than one might think — and the "best" one depends entirely on where you stand.
Comparison Chart
| PenTest+ (PT0-003) | CEH | OSCP | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Issuing Organization | CompTIA | EC-Council | Offensive Security |
| Exam Format | Multiple-choice + PBQ, 165 minutes | Multiple-choice (Practical version has separate labs) | 24-hour practical lab + report |
| Focus | Full testing lifecycle, including reporting | Knowledge, tools, attack techniques | Pure practical exploitation |
| What if you fail | Buy new voucher, can retake immediately | Retake fee | Buy new attempt, most expensive |
| Cost | Medium | High | High |
| Typical preparation time | 3–4 months | 2–3 months | 6–12 months |
| Practical requirement level | High | Medium (standard version) | Very high |
| Mentioned in Vietnamese job postings | Increasing | Most frequently | Less, but for senior positions |
PenTest+ — covers the process, includes reporting
Strengths: This is the only certification among the three that dedicates a domain to testing project management and reporting — accounting for 13% of the exam.
It may sound dry, but in the real world, that's what clients pay for. No one buys a shell; they buy a report that clearly states where their system is vulnerable, how severe it is, and how to fix it.
The exam combines multiple-choice questions with performance-based questions, lasting 165 minutes. You don't have to endure a 24-hour lab exam, but you also can't pass by just reading a book.
Choose PenTest+ if: you want a widely recognized pentest certification that covers both process and techniques, with a reasonable cost and time investment.
Skip if: you specifically need a certification name that employers require, and that name is CEH.
CEH — most frequently mentioned in Vietnam
Strengths: Recognition. In the Vietnamese market, CEH is the most frequently mentioned pentest certification in job postings, especially in large enterprises and government agencies. Many job descriptions explicitly state "CEH required."
Considerations: The standard exam version is heavily multiple-choice, which proves what you know rather than what you can do. EC-Council offers a Practical version with separate labs to compensate for this, but it's a separate exam and costs extra.
The cost is also significantly higher than PenTest+.
Choose CEH if: your target employer specifically requires it, or you need the certification to meet tender standards or company competency profiles.
OSCP — the hardest, and most respected in technical circles
Strengths: This is a true hands-on practical exam. You sit in front of a lab environment and must successfully exploit it within 24 hours, then submit a report. No multiple-choice, no room for guessing.
Therefore, OSCP has very high credibility within the technical community — someone with an OSCP can definitely get the job done.
Considerations: Preparation time typically ranges from half a year to a year. The failure rate is high. The cost is significant. And in the Vietnamese market, the number of job postings mentioning OSCP is much lower than CEH — not because it's less valuable, but because positions requiring that level of skill are inherently fewer.
Choose OSCP if: you are targeting a practical pentester position, have 6–12 months to invest, and already have a solid foundation.
Choose based on your situation
You just got Security+ and want to move into offensive security → PenTest+. It's the next tier in the CompTIA roadmap, and passing it will automatically renew your Security+.
Your target employer explicitly states "CEH" → CEH. Don't overcomplicate it. The certification that helps your resume pass the screening is the right one.
You want to be a professional pentester long-term → PenTest+ first, then OSCP. This order is logical because PenTest+ builds your mindset and process framework — including the report writing skills that OSCP also requires — while OSCP hones your practical skills.
You are working in SOC and want to understand the attacker's perspective → PenTest+. You don't need OSCP level skills to improve your defensive work.
Limited budget and time → PenTest+. It offers the best value-for-money ratio among the three.
Something few people talk about
These three certifications are not mutually exclusive, and experienced professionals often hold more than one.
But the order matters. Getting the hardest certification before you have a sufficient foundation won't make you faster — it will just make you fail more expensively. And getting the easiest certification and stopping there means you have a piece of paper without commensurate ability, and that will be revealed in the first technical interview.
A common thread among all three: none of them can replace the time you spend in the lab.
Related products at Security365:
- PT0-003 Exam Voucher with exam insurance — 01 free retake — 7,500,000₫ (original price 9,500,000₫).
- Online PenTest+ Course (PT0-003) — includes genuine CertMaster Perform — 5,490,000₫ (original price 8,000,000₫).
Security365 also distributes genuine CEH vouchers — see our product catalog.
See also: What is CompTIA PenTest+ PT0-003? · Already have Security+, should the next step be PenTest+ or CySA+? · PT0-003 Exam Experience