Satendra K Jul 10, 2025

CompTIA PenTest+ vs CEH: Which Is Better for Professionals in London?

The demand for ethical hackers and penetration testers has never been greater in London, especially as the UK increases its cyber safeguard strategies. Every year, cybercrime costs the UK over four billion pounds, and the number of penetration testing jobs available has significantly increased. This trend suggests that cybersecurity experts not only face challenges beyond compliance but also require employer-mandated credentials to tackle compliance threats. In the United Kingdom, both CompTIA PenTest+ and EC-Council’s Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH v13) are accepted offensive security certifications. But which one will advance your career further in London? Let’s find out the key differences between CompTIA Pentest+ and CEH.

What is CompTIA Pentest+?

PenTest+ by CompTIA focuses on mid-level hands-on penetration testing and vulnerability assessment. It is intended for cybersecurity professionals who wish to validate their skills in the planning, execution, and reporting of comprehensive pentests performed on various systems.

What is CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)?

The Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), a worldwide recognised certificate, is issued by the EC-Council and includes the hacker's toolbox, tactics, and methodologies. This qualification suits people who want to understand how attackers operate in order to strengthen their defensive strategies.

Key Differences Between CompTIA PenTest+ vs CEH

Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between CompTIA PenTest+ and CEH. This will help you choose the right certification based on your career goals, budget, and industry needs.

Certification Focus and Target Audience
Exam Format and Content Comparison
Market Recognition in the UK
Compliance and Regulatory Alignment
Career Opportunities and Salary Expectations
Cost and Training Considerations
Industry Preferences in London

Let’s explore each of these factors in detail to understand how PenTest+ and CEH compare across critical areas for cybersecurity professionals in London.

1. Certification Focus and Target Audience

PenTest+: PenTest+ certification is designed for professionals with some experience in the cybersecurity field and is practical in nature. It enhances skills in penetration testing through practice, particularly in scoping, vulnerability assessment, exploiting, scripting, and reporting. This makes it ideal for candidates pursuing roles that require actual penetration testing deliverables

CEH: The CEH has a higher focus on theory and is intended for newcomers to the field or those wanting to build basic knowledge of ethical hacking. It provides thorough coverage of the tools, techniques, and methodologies employed by threat actors, a great starting point for offensive security.

In simple words, CEH tackles the “what” and “why” behind hacking activities while PenTest+ provides insights into the execution phase, “how”.

2. Exam Format and Content Comparison

CEH: In CEH, the exam consists of 125 multiple-choice questions spanning over a period of 4 hours. It covers over 20 domains like malware, cryptography, web application hacking, and cloud security. It’s more knowledge-based and relies heavily on memorisation and conceptual understanding.

PenTest+: This has a combination of multiple-choice questions and performance-based assignments, spanning over 165 minutes. A report write-up up along with other real-world tasks such as vulnerability scanning, is performed as part of the examination. While it may seem difficult to some, this particular section offers an easier glimpse into what the job entails.

Only CEH has an optional separate practical exam (CEH Practical) at an extra cost. PenTest+ integrates practical testing by default.

3. Market Recognition in the UK

CEH: CEH is more well-known in the UK's cybersecurity job market, particularly within government and finance positions. It shows up in more than 65% of penetration testing job advertisements and is acknowledged by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

PenTest+: PenTest+ is gaining traction among many security consultancies and managed security service providers (MSSPs). While not as widely known, its reputation is growing because of its vendor-neutral, skill-based certification. Approximately 25% of listings for private-sector pentesting jobs in London now mention PenTest+ as a desirable certification.

4. Compliance and Regulatory Alignment

CEH: The NCSC endorses this qualification, and the CEH certification is in alignment with UK compliance frameworks as well as the UK Cyber Security Council, GDPR, and ISO/IEC 27001. It is often preferred in highly regulated sectors like finance or government.

PenTest+: While not formally endorsed by the NCSC, PenTest+ does support compliance application in practice, even though it is more technically focused relating to Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO auditing a framework's penetration.

5. Career Opportunities and Salary Expectations

CEH: In London, professionals with a CEH certification can expect to earn between £55,000–£65,000, with entry-level salaries ranging from £40,000–£52,000. This certification focuses on compliance and threat detection, making it ideal for roles such as SOC Analysts, Threat Intelligence Analysts, and Security Analysts.

PenTest+: With an average salary of £60,000–£70,000, PenTest+ professionals are in high demand. Roles like Vulnerability Assessor and Red Team Consultant, specializing in aggressive penetration testing, are gaining traction in valuable markets, making PenTest+ a strong career choice for those seeking competitive, high-impact opportunities.

6. Cost and Training Considerations

CEH: CEH requires formal training through EC-Council or an accredited provider unless candidates have two or more years of experience. CEH expenses total between £1,000 and £1,200, inclusive of materials.

PenTest+: Certain institutes offer self-study and training courses, so PenTest+ is slightly less expensive than others at roughly £330 for the exam. Lack of mandatory lessons makes staying within budget simple. For professionals looking for high ROI and budget-friendly options, PenTest+ is more accessible.

7. Industry Preferences in London

CEH: For working in financial services and even in the government sector, CEH tends to be a prerequisite because it is NCSC-accredited. Employers looking for compliance or audit readiness are mostly inclined towards CEH.

PenTest+: Tech consultancies, startups, and private-sector defensive security teams tend to prefer PenTest+, which is more focused on practical skills. PenTest+ remains appealing to professionals due to its growing demand in red teaming/offensive security roles across London.

Both certifications serve important purposes in healthcare IT and education. CEH is often included as part of syllabi, whereas PenTest+ is featured prominently in hands-on labs.

Check out: In-Demand Cybersecurity Skills

Which Certification Should You Choose?

If you are starting your journey in cybersecurity or aim to work in sectors like banking or government, CEH is well recognized and aligned with compliance. For those looking to advance into more practical penetration testing roles and already possess some technical experience, PenTest+ would be a better fit as it demonstrates your ability to apply skills in practice. Both certifications could coexist in your career path. It is common for professionals to obtain the CEH first and then pursue PenTest+ or OSCP later.

Do You Want to Launch Your Career in Cybersecurity?

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Satendra K

Chief Technology Officer & Cyber Security Expert Trainer

Satendra Singh Khari is a renowned cybersecurity expert and the Chief Technology Officer at Edoxi, where he leads the CEH v13 AI program. With over 12 years of experience, he has trained more than 10,000 professionals and earned recognition in the Circle of Excellence for 2023 and 2024. Mr. Khari holds multiple industry certifications, including CISSP, CISM, CEH, CPENT, and CREST, which showcase his expertise in vulnerability assessment, penetration testing, and incident handling.

His practical insights, gained during his tenure as Head of Information Security in Malaysia, enhance the learning experience by providing students with essential technical skills and a clear path to career advancement. Recognized as a leader in his field, he has received the Internet 2.0 Outstanding Leadership Award for three consecutive years (2022-2024), reflecting his dedication to empowering the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.