Google Project Management Certificate vs PMP: Which should you choose?

If you’re weighing up the Google Project Management Certificate against the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, you’re not alone. It’s a decision many aspiring and early-career project managers face.

I’ve done the Google Certificate and been a PMI member for years, working closely with PMP training companies for some of that time. So I’ve seen both, mentored new PMs, and led teams of experienced professionals. In this article, I’ll give you my take on what to expect from each one to help you decide which path is right for you.

Key things to know

• The Google Certificate and the PMP certification are for different stages of your project management career.
• Take the Google certificate if you’re a beginner or job switcher.
• Take the PMP if you’ve got 3-5 years of project experience.
• Both are great!

Google Project Management Certificate vs PMP: A quick summary

Let’s see how the training and qualifications stack up.

Feature	Google Certificate	PMP Certification
Cost	~£32/month via Coursera	~£400–£500 exam fee + training
Time to Complete	1–6 months	Varies; 35 hours of training required
Experience Needed	None	3–5 years of project experience
Exam?	No, graded assignments	Yes, 180-question exam
Best for	Beginners, job switchers	Experienced project professionals
Format	Online, self-paced	Exam-based, instructor-led or self-paced
Recognized by	Entry-level employers, Google partners	Global employers, formal PM roles

That table doesn’t answer what project management certification is best, but it will give you a quick reference guide so you can start making the right decision for you.

Read how the Google course compares to the IBM Project Management Certificate.

The Google Project Management Certificate – a quick overview

The Google Project Management Certificate, delivered via Coursera, is designed for beginners.

You don’t need prior experience or a degree, and the content is structured to guide you from the absolute basics of project delivery to hands-on documentation in a final Capstone project.

You’ll learn:

• Project lifecycle and methodologies (predictive and iterative/incremental aka Agile and waterfall)
• Stakeholder communication and soft skills
• Risk, scheduling, planning and budgeting
• How to draft project charters, plans, and reports

The course includes video content, practice quizzes, real-world scenarios, and a comprehensive case study (I’ve written about how to get through the Sauce & Spoon case study in a previous article).

You’ll also receive a Credly badge to showcase your achievement.

You can complete it in 1–2 months if you move quickly, but Google estimates a 6-month pace at 10 hours/week.

Read how I managed to complete the course in a week.

Want to get started today? Join the Google Project Management Certificate on Coursera and learn at your own pace.

PMP Certification – a quick overview

The PMP® (Project Management Professional) is offered by PMI (Project Management Institute) and is considered the gold standard for experienced project managers by many employers and candidates (although as a UK-based PM, I would say that APM’s ChPP is the gold standard over here).

To qualify for the PMP, you must meet the following:

• 36 months of project leadership experience (with a degree)
• OR 60 months without a degree
• 35 hours of formal PM education (the Google certificate can count toward this!)

You’ll sit a 180-question exam covering all aspects of project management.

The PMP is globally recognized and often sought out for senior or mid-level PM roles in regulated industries, enterprise organisations, or public sector jobs.

Key differences between Google PM Certificate and PMP

1. Experience level

• Google Certificate: The best PM certification for career switchers, new graduates, or those wanting to explore PM. No experience needed.
• PMP: For established professionals who have led teams or projects. You have to be able to demonstrate your experience.

2. Assessment

• Google: Peer-reviewed assignments and quizzes (open book). The quality of peer reviews was hit and miss when I did it.
• PMP: Proctored, closed-book multiple-choice exam (with scenario-based questions). In other words, harder!

3. Cost

• Google: Subscription-based via Coursera, although you can pre-pay for the specialization if you prefer (~£32/month). The faster you finish, the cheaper it is (another reason why it’s the best project management certification for beginners).
• PMP: Exam fee ($405 for PMI members), plus cost of exam prep (~$500+ for a decent course).

4. Time commitment

• Google: Study at your own pace. Some finish in a few weeks, I did it in a week (probably not recommended, in hindsight)
• PMP: Requires prep time and a formal exam slot. Allow at least 3 months.

5. Career outcomes

• Google: Helps you apply for entry-level roles like Project Coordinator, PM Assistant, or Junior Project Manager.
• PMP: Opens doors to senior PM roles and is often required in sectors like construction, IT, healthcare, and finance.

Read my tips on how to get a job with the Google PM certificate.

Which is harder: PMP or the Google Project Management Certificate?

‘Hard’ is subjective. When I took the Google certificate, I found it easy, but that’s because I already had 10+ years in project management at the time. As a beginner, you might find it harder as there are a lot of new concepts and business processes to learn.

However, I’d say that PMP is harder. There is more to learn, the assessment is more rigorous, the exam is punishing, and the standard is really high.

Don’t let that put you off – it’s a very worthwhile certificate!

Do employers recognize the Google PM courses or PMP?

The Google Career Certificates Employer Consortium includes over 150 companies (like Deloitte, Accenture, and T-Mobile) who consider Google certificate graduates for open roles. The course is hosted on Coursera, one of the most widely recognized learning platforms.

Meanwhile, PMP is often required in job descriptions for mid-level or senior PM roles, especially in industries like defense, government, and construction.

However, in reality it’s more nuanced than that. I’ve interviewed a number of executives about what employers think of the Google Career Certificates.

Gerry Wallace, Managing Director of Greenline, a company that designs and delivers large-scale shade structures for schools, councils, and commercial spaces across Australia, summed it up.

“Whenever we hire, we’re looking for people who can actually run a site, communicate clearly with institutions and clients,” he said. “A certificate doesn’t tell us how well a candidate can do that. It only tells us they have the knowledge.”

He added:

“I think adding it to your resume and briefly bringing it up in the interview is fine. But it should be secondary to showcasing actual project work. Anyone who’s hiring for this role wants to see the kind of projects completed. Certificates alone don’t paint a very detailed picture, and they never will.”

Which one should you choose?

It’s actually a very simple choice.

• For beginners? Google certificate.
• For experienced PMs? PMP.
• For career switchers? Start with Google, then aim for PMP.

Choose Google if…	Choose PMP if…
You’re new to project management	You already lead projects
You want to build foundational skills	You need global recognition
You’re looking for a flexible, affordable course	You’re aiming for senior PM roles
You want a practical, low-barrier introduction	You’re eligible and want a salary boost

Still unsure? Many project managers start with the Google Certificate and later pursue the PMP (or another certificate like ChPP or an industry-specific one) once they have the experience.

It doesn’t have to be either/or, it’s a progression as you build your career.

Your next steps

There is really no right or wrong answer – both courses are good. I took the Google certificate late in my project management career (because it wasn’t available when I started). If it had been available earlier, I would have taken it earlier as it’s a very solid course for beginners.

The key is to choose what’s right for your career stage and goals.