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Google certifications

Google issues learning credentials of two kinds. The Google Career Certificates are Coursera programmes for career changers, billed by the month and earned by finishing the courses. Skillshop offers free training and product certifications for Google Ads, Analytics and other Google tools. Google Cloud's proctored exams are a separate programme with their own hub.

Exam delivery: No proctored exams: the Career Certificates are earned by completing courses on Coursera; Skillshop certifications are online assessments on Google Skillshop

Foundational

Associate

Choosing within Google

Each verdict is written from the first exam's page; the reverse view, where one exists, is written from the other's.

AI-Powered Shopping ads Certification against Google Ads Search Certification
Search is the broader and more requested certificate. Shopping is the specialist add-on for anyone whose client or employer sells products.
AI-Powered Shopping ads Certification against Google Ads Measurement Certification
Measurement explains how to prove what Shopping campaigns earned. For retail the two belong together.
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing against Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate
Google's paid Coursera programme: longer, hands-on in several tools, and it covers running an online shop. Take the free course first to test your interest, then decide whether the paid one is worth it.
Google Ads Display Certification against Google Ads Search Certification
Search is the one employers name first and the better opening move. Display adds reach once intent-based buying is understood.
Google Ads Display Certification against Google Ads Video Certification
Video covers the same funnel thinking on YouTube. If your organisation makes video, Video is the more distinctive of the two.
Google Ads Measurement Certification against Google Analytics Certification
The Analytics certificate goes deep on one product's data model and reports. Measurement is broader across methods and narrower on the tool. Analysts benefit from both.
Google Ads Measurement Certification against Google Ads Search Certification
Search is the spend, Measurement is the proof. Take Search first if you run campaigns; take Measurement first if you judge them.
Google Ads Search Certification against Google Ads Measurement Certification
The natural second certificate. Search teaches you to spend; Measurement teaches you to prove what the spend achieved.
Google Ads Video Certification against Google Ads Display Certification
Display uses the same funnel logic for image and responsive ads across websites. Video is the stronger signal if your organisation already produces video.
Google Analytics Certification against Google Ads Measurement Certification
Measurement covers methods such as incrementality and mix modelling across the whole advertising question. Analytics goes deeper into one product. Choose by whether your gap is the tool or the method.
Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate against Google IT Support Professional Certificate
Google's IT foundations programme. If computers and networks are new to you, it is the better first step and makes this one easier.
Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate against Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate
The follow-on programme for people who finished this one: statistics, regression and machine learning in Python. Do not start there without the SQL and cleaning habits taught here.
Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate against Fundamentals of Digital Marketing
Google's free marketing course with a completion award. Shorter and broader on channels, silent on running a shop. Start there to see whether marketing suits you, then pay for this programme if it does.
Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate against Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
For marketers who find the measurement course the most interesting, the analytics programme is the natural sideways step into data work.
Google UX Design Professional Certificate against Google Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate
The sister programme for people who want to grow an audience rather than shape a product. Choose UX if you enjoy watching users struggle and fixing why; choose marketing if you enjoy measuring campaigns.
Google UX Design Professional Certificate against Google Project Management Professional Certificate
A route into coordinating product work rather than designing it. Some career changers weigh the two; the UX programme demands more creative output, the project programme more documentation.
Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate against Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
The entry programme this one assumes. Take it first unless you already do analysis at work.
Google Business Intelligence Professional Certificate against Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate
Its prerequisite in all but name. If SQL is still new, start there.

Official certification portal: www.coursera.org/google-career-certificates

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Last reviewed 29 August 2026 · Getting Digital