CPTS vs OSCP
Two pentest exams that come up together — how they actually differ, and who each one is for.
Start with CPTS if you're building skills or watching your budget: at $210–490 it teaches modern, guided methodology and its 10-day exam rewards thoroughness over speed. Choose OSCP if you need the name recruiters still filter on and can afford $1,749 plus the advanced, proctored 24-hour pressure. Skills-first: CPTS. Recognition-first: OSCP. Ideally, CPTS then OSCP.
- CPTS
- intermediate, $210 exam voucher, or Silver Annual $490/yr (includes a voucher)
- OSCP
- advanced, $1,749 course + exam bundle (or $2,749/yr Learn One)
- Harder
- OSCP
| CPTS | OSCP | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Hack The Box | OffSec |
| Level | intermediate | advanced |
| Duration | 10-day window | 23h 45m + 24h report |
| Format | one 10-day window covering both the hack and a commercial report, fully practical, no MCQ | fully practical, proctored; 70/100 to pass |
| Cost | $210 exam voucher, or Silver Annual $490/yr (includes a voucher) | $1,749 course + exam bundle (or $2,749/yr Learn One) |
What each one is
CPTS (Certified Penetration Testing Specialist) is Hack The Box’s intermediate certification, earned through the HTB Academy Penetration Tester path and a long-form practical exam. It is built around modern, hands-on competency: enumeration, web and network attacks, Active Directory, privilege escalation and professional reporting. OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) is OffSec’s PEN-200 certification and the oldest big name in the field. It is widely treated as the advanced benchmark, and for years it has been the cert that hiring filters are built around.
The real difference
The gap is recognition and exam philosophy, not subject matter. OSCP is proctored, points-based and brutally time-boxed: under 24 hours to score 70 of 100 across an AD set and standalone machines, on camera and with tool restrictions. CPTS is an unproctored 10-day engagement where you must reach a minimum flag threshold and deliver a client-grade report that is graded strictly — people fail on the report alone. On content, most who hold both say CPTS is broader and more modern, while OSCP deliberately makes you fill gaps yourself, rewarding self-teaching and improvisation. CPTS tests operational endurance; OSCP tests speed and composure under observation.
Cost and time
CPTS is by far the cheaper route. The exam voucher is $210 if you already have HTB Academy access, or roughly $490 with a subscription that bundles the training, and the exam is a single 10-day window plus reporting. OSCP is a $1,749 bundle that includes 90 days of lab access and one exam attempt; the exam runs 23 hours 45 minutes with another 24 hours for the report, and retakes cost significantly more. For many people the price difference alone settles it.
Which one to choose
If you are starting from scratch, learning on a budget, or you mainly want to become a strong tester, CPTS is the smarter first move — the guided path builds real skill and the strict report grading trains market-ready writing. If your priority is getting past HR filters and landing interviews, OSCP still carries the name job adverts list, and that recognition is hard to replace today. If you can, do both: use CPTS to build the foundation, then take OSCP to prove you can apply it under pressure. Skills first, recognition second.
What people who sat these say
If starting from scratch then CPTS is the smarter first choice.
the CPTS course is more complete in both the breadth and depth of the subjects
Full detail on each: CPTS · OSCP. For where both sit in a longer plan, see the roadmap.