CPTS vs GPEN
| CPTS Hack The Box | GPEN GIAC (SANS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Offensive · Intermediate | Offensive · Intermediate |
| Price | $210 Exam voucher; you also need to finish the HTB Academy path (subscription). | $979 Exam attempt only; the SANS SEC560 course costs over USD 8,000. |
| Study hours | 250–450 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 | – | – |
| Avg. salary | – | – |
| Index | – | – |
| Summary | A 10-day exam with a professional report. Very demanding and increasingly recognised as an OSCP alternative. | 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.