CAPE vs GPEN
| CAPE Hack The Box | GPEN GIAC (SANS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Offensive · Advanced | Offensive · Intermediate |
| Price | $350 Voucher with 2 attempts. You must first finish 100% of the HTB Academy Active Directory Penetration Tester path (15 modules, subscription extra); the Gold Annual plan (USD 1,400/year) includes it along with the CJCA one. | $979 Exam attempt only; the SANS SEC560 course costs over USD 8,000. |
| Study hours | 200–400 h | 80–120 h |
| Real difficulty | ●●●●● | ●●●○○ |
| Exam | Hands-on Length: 240 h | Multiple choice Length: 3 h |
| Validity | Does not expire | 4 years (credits + fee) |
| Job ads in United States | 0 | 941 |
| Avg. salary | – | $156,033 |
| Index | 25 | 65 |
| Summary | Active Directory in depth: Kerberos, NTLM, ADCS, trusts, Exchange and WSUS. A 10-day hands-on exam with a report. A step beyond CPTS and CRTP. | Well respected in large companies and the public sector, usually paid by the employer together with the SANS course. Open-book exam with lab questions. |
Highlighted: the best in that row.