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As of June 2026 · INR-USD ~₹83-85/USD

CEH Certification Cost in India 2026 — Full Component Breakdown

Total CEH v13 cost in India 2026 ranges from ₹1,05,000 (self-study + direct EC-Council Aspen voucher) to ₹1,85,000 (EC-Council ATC bootcamp bundling voucher + iLabs + courseware). The official EC-Council exam fee is fixed at US$1,199 (~₹99,500-1,01,900 at June 2026 FX rates). At Networkers Home, the 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle at ₹1,20,000 incl. 18% GST embeds 1-2 cert vouchers (CEH typical), 6 monthly EMIs of ₹20,000, paid internship, and Placement Guarantee*.

Section 1 · Full cost breakdown

Total CEH v13 cost in India 2026 — what you actually pay for

Most CEH cost articles quote only the headline US$1,199 exam fee. Real India spend is higher once you add training, voucher routing, iLabs, GST, and retake risk. Below: every cost component, low-end vs high-end ranges, and what drives the spread. INR figures use the June 2026 INR-USD rate of ~₹83-85/USD — restate at current spot when budgeting.

Cost component Low end High end Notes
EC-Council CEH v13 exam fee (knowledge-based, MCQ) US$1,199 (~₹99,500) US$1,199 (~₹1,01,900) Fixed by EC-Council in USD. INR varies with FX rate (~₹83-85/USD as of June 2026).
Exam voucher application + eligibility fee US$100 US$100 Charged when taking the self-study (non-ATC) route. Waived when buying through an EC-Council Accredited Training Center (ATC) bundle.
Training — self-study (books + free YouTube) ₹0 ₹5,000 EC-Council Courseware ~US$850 if bought separately. Self-study path is cheapest but has highest failure rate for first-time candidates.
Training — EC-Council ATC instructor-led (incl. courseware + voucher) ₹65,000 ₹1,10,000 Most common path. Voucher + courseware bundled. Includes iLabs cyber-range subscription.
Training — Indian non-ATC institute (NH, Hacker School, SevenMentor) On request On request Voucher typically NOT bundled at this tier. Confirm separately before enrolling. Buyer purchases voucher direct from EC-Council Aspen or via reseller.
iLabs cyber-range subscription (6 months) US$199 US$499 Optional but recommended for self-study. Bundled in ATC training. Hands-on practice for 20 attack-defence modules.
Pearson VUE test-centre fee (in-person) ₹0 ₹2,500 Most Indian Pearson VUE centres charge ₹0 over voucher. Some metro centres add ₹500-2,500 for scheduling premium slots.
ProctorU online-proctored fee US$95 US$100 If you take the exam online from home. Add cost to voucher. India connectivity + proctoring rules apply.
Retake fee (if you fail) US$499 US$499 After first failure. Cannot retake same day. 14-day wait between attempts. Capped at 5 attempts per 12-month window.
ECE renewal (every 3 years — 120 credits) US$80 + credit cost US$300+ + credit cost EC-Council Continuing Education annual maintenance + credit-earning activities (webinars, conferences, publications, additional certs).
GST 18% on training + voucher reseller fees 18% 18% Applies to Indian training fees and Indian-resold vouchers. Direct EC-Council voucher in USD is not GST-stamped at source.
Total realistic India spend (self-study + voucher) ₹1,05,000 ₹1,25,000 Voucher + minimal courseware + retake risk-buffer + Pearson VUE. No training cost.
Total realistic India spend (ATC instructor-led path) ₹1,40,000 ₹1,85,000 Voucher + courseware + iLabs + 5-day bootcamp at EC-Council ATC. Highest pass-rate path.
Total realistic India spend (NH 5-week standalone track + voucher) On request + ~₹1,00,000 voucher On request + ~₹1,00,000 voucher NH CEH standalone track at Bangalore HSR Layout. Voucher purchased separately at EC-Council Aspen pricing.
Total realistic India spend (NH 8-month flagship — CEH bundled) ₹1,20,000 incl. GST ₹1,20,000 incl. GST 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle includes 1-2 cert vouchers chosen by target role (CEH typical). 6 × ₹20,000 EMI. Placement Guarantee*.

Sources: EC-Council Aspen pricing (US$1,199 voucher · US$499 retake · US$80 annual ECE), public ATC partner price lists, Indian institute published fees. INR conversion at ~₹83-85/USD as of June 2026.

Section 2 · CEH variants

CEH v13 vs CEH v12 vs CEH Practical vs CEH Master — cost matrix

EC-Council ships CEH in multiple flavours. Buyers routinely overspend by purchasing the wrong variant for their target role. The matrix below pins down format, exam fee, validity, and who each variant is built for so the buying decision lines up with the credential's market value.

Variant Format Exam fee Validity Who it's for Notes
CEH v13 (Knowledge-Based) 125 MCQ · 4 hours · 70% pass US$1,199 3 years (ECE) Entry-level ethical hackers, SOC L1 candidates, freshers building cert portfolio Most-bought CEH variant in India. Replaces CEH v12 as current generation. AI-enabled curriculum module added in v13.
CEH v12 (Legacy) 125 MCQ · 4 hours · 70% pass Discontinued for new candidates 3 years (ECE) Candidates who started v12 prep before v13 launch — grace period applies EC-Council phased v12 enrolment after v13 release. Existing v12 candidates can complete; new candidates default to v13.
CEH Practical 20 challenges · 6 hours · 70% pass · Cyber Range US$550 3 years (ECE) · stacks with Knowledge to earn CEH Master Engineers proving hands-on skills beyond MCQ — adds practical credibility to resume Performance-based exam on EC-Council Cyber Range. Real Linux/Windows VMs, real exploits. Highly recommended after the knowledge exam.
CEH Master Knowledge-based exam + Practical exam (both passed) US$1,199 + US$550 = US$1,749 3 years (ECE) Pen-testers + red-team candidates wanting the strongest CEH-tier credential before OSCP Not a separate exam — awarded automatically when both Knowledge + Practical are passed. Strongest CEH-tier signal on resume.
CEH AI (subset of v13) Integrated into v13 curriculum + assessment Included with CEH v13 3 years (ECE) All v13 candidates — covers AI-enabled attack/defence techniques (prompt injection, model poisoning, deepfake detection) New in v13. EC-Council positions this as a differentiator vs CompTIA PenTest+ and OSCP, both of which have lighter AI-attack coverage.
Section 3 · Provider comparison

Indian CEH provider comparison — NH vs Hacker School vs Craw vs SevenMentor vs Simplilearn vs EC-Council ATC

The Indian CEH training market is fragmented across regional brands, ATC partners, and online aggregators. The matrix below compares the 8 most-bought CEH providers in India 2026 on fee, voucher inclusion, lab access, and placement infrastructure. Hacker School is included because they currently rank #5-8 on the head-term cost cluster — a buyer comparing CEH costs sees them in SERPs.

# Provider Location Standalone CEH fee Bundle fee Voucher in fee? Lab Placement Notes
#1 Networkers Home (NH) HSR Layout, Bangalore + Online (40 cities) On request (5-week CEH track) ₹1,20,000 incl. GST (8-month Cybersec + Cloud — CEH bundled) Bundled in 8-month flagship; separate for standalone Real hardware + 24×7 vpn.networkershome.com Placement Guarantee* in 8-month tier · 800+ partners · 45,000+ alumni placed since 2007 Founder Vikas Swami — Dual CCIE #22239. 19-year operating history. Bundled cert + paid internship in QSecure / BrowserFog / 24Observe / QSecNiti.
#2 Networkers Guru Multi-city India On request Bundle pricing on request On request — confirm before enrolling Cisco + multi-vendor lab Placement support · multi-city alumni network Established Indian networking + cybersec institute. Strong CEH batch track record in NCR and Bangalore.
#3 Hacker School Hyderabad-headquartered + online ₹35,000-55,000 standalone CEH track Combo cybersec packages ₹55,000-85,000 Voucher add-on typically separate (~₹95,000+) Online lab + EC-Council iLabs (in some tiers) Placement assistance · variable hiring partner network Strong head-term SEO presence (ranks #5-8 on CEH cost cluster). Curriculum solid; placement infrastructure smaller than NH.
#4 Craw Security Delhi + multi-city ₹40,000-60,000 standalone CEH track Diploma bundles ₹85,000-1,40,000 Bundled in higher tiers — confirm In-house lab + iLabs in EC-Council-aligned tiers Placement assistance (job-board access primarily) Heavy Delhi-NCR focus. Lower entry pricing than ATC route. Brand recognition weaker outside North India.
#5 SevenMentor Pune + Mumbai + online ₹30,000-45,000 standalone CEH track Cybersec diploma ₹65,000-95,000 Voucher separate — confirm at enrolment Online lab access Placement assistance · primarily Maharashtra hiring partners Strong Pune presence. Regional placement network. Most students self-purchase voucher from EC-Council Aspen.
#6 Simplilearn Online · global ₹35,000-55,000 self-paced ₹70,000-1,50,000 live bootcamp + batch Sometimes bundled in highest tier; separate at base tier Online labs + iLabs in EC-Council partner tier Placement assistance (career services platform) Heavy brand spend. Variable instructor quality across batches. Voucher inclusion changes by SKU — confirm carefully.
#7 EC-Council ATC India (direct) Authorised partners across India (e.g. Koenig, NIIT, IIHT) ₹95,000-1,40,000 (incl. voucher + iLabs) n/a — single bootcamp SKU Bundled (voucher + courseware + iLabs) EC-Council iLabs cyber range ATC-level placement varies by partner Highest pass-rate route per EC-Council data. Highest sticker. No 2-year experience waiver needed (ATC training counts).
#8 Besant Technologies Chennai + Bangalore + online ₹25,000-40,000 standalone CEH track Cybersec bundles ₹50,000-90,000 Voucher separate — confirm at enrolment Online lab access Placement assistance (variable) South India regional brand. Lower entry pricing. Curriculum freshness varies by trainer. Voucher inclusion needs explicit confirmation.

Ranking reflects buyer-fit composite across fee transparency, voucher routing clarity, lab realism, placement infrastructure, and operating record. Standalone fees are typical published ranges — confirm current pricing in counselling call.

Section 4 · Voucher routes

Official EC-Council CEH exam fee + voucher routes that actually work in India

Six legitimate routes plus one to avoid. The voucher is the same EC-Council credential regardless of where you buy — the difference is invoice channel, GST treatment, FX cost, and bundling. Pick the route that aligns with your funding source (cash vs EMI vs employer reimbursement) and training needs.

Route Typical price Pros / cons When to use
EC-Council Aspen direct (USD checkout) US$1,199 (~₹99,500-1,01,900) Most reliable. Voucher tied to your Aspen account. Pay via international credit card. Self-study candidates with valid 2+ year InfoSec experience proof. International credit card available.
EC-Council ATC bundle (training + voucher) ₹95,000-1,40,000 (incl. iLabs + courseware) Voucher embedded in bootcamp price. ATC training waives eligibility experience check. Buyers willing to pay premium for the highest-pass-rate path + waived eligibility.
Indian reseller / training partner (NH, Hacker School, SevenMentor, Besant, Craw) ₹95,000-1,15,000 (voucher only, GST applies) INR-priced. GST 18% applies. Same voucher — different invoicing channel. Buyers without international credit cards. Buyers wanting GST invoice for company reimbursement.
NH 8-month flagship bundle (voucher embedded) ₹1,20,000 incl. GST for full programme (CEH + Placement Guarantee* + paid internship + 1-2 vouchers) Voucher cost amortised across 8-month programme. Lowest effective per-component cost when training is wanted anyway. Career-switchers wanting full training + cert + placement bundle, not just exam voucher.
Aggregator marketplaces (Coursera, Udemy bundles) Voucher not typically included — courseware only ₹2,000-15,000 Cheap content. No exam voucher. Misleading marketing — confirm what is actually included. Refresh / exam prep content only — not as voucher source.
Grey-market discount vouchers Sub-₹70,000 'discount' offers High fraud risk. Vouchers may be revoked. EC-Council Aspen account can be banned. Not recommended. Never. EC-Council actively voids fraudulent vouchers.
Avoid

Grey-market discount voucher sellers offering CEH vouchers below ₹70,000. EC-Council actively voids fraudulent vouchers and bans associated Aspen accounts. A "deal" that voids your Aspen account before you sit the exam is the most expensive mistake in CEH buying.

Section 5 · Hidden costs

Hidden costs most CEH buyers miss — retake, iLabs, ECE renewal, travel

The headline US$1,199 exam fee is the start, not the end. Eight cost categories regularly catch first-time CEH buyers off guard — collectively adding ₹50,000-1,50,000 over a 3-year ownership cycle.

#1

Retake fee — US$499 after first failure

Impact: Adds ~₹41,500 if you fail attempt #1. Industry first-time pass rate sits around 60-65% per EC-Council disclosures.

How to mitigate: Budget for one retake. Take 5-10 full-length mock exams scoring 80%+ before booking the real attempt.

#2

iLabs subscription extension — US$199-499

Impact: Adds ₹16,500-41,500 if your initial 6-month iLabs window expires before you take the exam.

How to mitigate: Book the exam within the iLabs window. Don't buy iLabs until 6-8 weeks before planned exam date.

#3

ECE renewal — 120 credits over 3 years + US$80 annual maintenance

Impact: Adds US$240 over 3 years just for annual maintenance fee. Credit-earning activities (conferences, courses) add ₹15,000-50,000+ over 3 years.

How to mitigate: Earn credits via free webinars + EC-Council newsletter articles + adding a second EC-Council cert (CHFI gives 120 credits at once).

#4

Pearson VUE rescheduling fee — US$25-100

Impact: Adds ₹2,000-8,300 if you reschedule within 24 hours. Multiple reschedules compound.

How to mitigate: Lock the exam date only when you've passed 3 consecutive mock exams at 80%+. Avoid back-to-back schedule moves.

#5

Travel to Pearson VUE centre (Tier-2/Tier-3 candidates)

Impact: Adds ₹2,000-10,000 for candidates living far from a metro Pearson VUE centre.

How to mitigate: Use online-proctored option (US$95 add-on) instead. Or schedule a single trip + stay near the centre for the day before.

#6

Eligibility application — US$100 for self-study route

Impact: Adds ₹8,300 if you take the non-ATC route. ATC training waives this.

How to mitigate: If you have 2+ years verifiable InfoSec experience, gather employer attestation letters early. Submit application 4-6 weeks before planned exam date.

#7

Courseware add-on — US$850 if bought separately

Impact: Adds ₹70,500 if you self-study without ATC bundle. Often unnecessary if you have alternate prep material.

How to mitigate: Skip official courseware. Use CEH v13 Matt Walker Bible (~₹3,000) + Boson practice exams (~₹8,000) + free YouTube prep instead.

#8

Time cost — average 120-180 hours of prep

Impact: If your hourly rate is ₹500-2,000, opportunity cost is ₹60,000-3,60,000. Often the largest 'hidden' cost.

How to mitigate: Concentrate prep into a focused 5-6 week window rather than dragging over 6 months. Higher pass probability + lower total opportunity cost.

Section 6 · Eligibility

CEH eligibility in India — 2-year InfoSec waiver vs ATC training path

You cannot just buy a CEH voucher and sit the exam — EC-Council enforces eligibility via one of three paths. Pick early because the application cycle adds 4-8 weeks of lead time.

Path Requirements Timeline Best for
Self-Study / Experience Waiver (2-year InfoSec Path) 2 years verifiable Information Security work experience · employer attestation letter on official letterhead · US$100 eligibility application fee · EC-Council Aspen application + approval 4-6 weeks for application review · plan 6-8 weeks before exam Working IT engineers already in InfoSec, SOC, network security, or sysadmin-with-security roles. Cheapest route IF you qualify.
EC-Council ATC Training Route Complete authorised CEH bootcamp at an EC-Council ATC · no separate experience proof required · ATC training waives the eligibility application fee Immediate — voucher issued at end of ATC training (~5 days) Candidates without 2 years InfoSec experience. Career-switchers. Freshers. Buyers willing to pay premium for waived eligibility.
Approved Academic Equivalent Degree in InfoSec / Cybersecurity / approved equivalent from EC-Council-recognised institution · transcripts + degree certificate · EC-Council Aspen application + approval 4-8 weeks for application review Recent M.Tech / M.Sc Cybersecurity graduates from EC-Council-approved Indian institutions.
Section 7 · ECE renewal math

CEH validity, ECE credits, and 3-year renewal cost math

CEH is valid for 3 years. To keep it active you must earn 120 EC-Council Continuing Education credits across the cycle plus pay US$80/year in annual maintenance. The credit-earning activity table below shows every path, the credit yield, and the indicative cost — most engineers cover the 120 credits via a mix of free webinars and one conference.

Activity Credits earned Indicative cost Notes
Add another EC-Council cert (CHFI, ECSA, CCISO) 120 credits (one-time) US$1,199 (CHFI) — additional cert spend Most efficient single-shot way to renew. Buys you the full 120 credits — but you pay for the second cert.
EC-Council Continuing Education courses + webinars 5-20 credits per activity US$0-200 per activity (many free) Steady drip approach. ~15-20 free EC-Council webinars per year typically suffice.
Attend approved cybersec conferences (Nullcon, c0c0n, Black Hat Asia) 10-25 credits per conference ₹15,000-1,50,000 per conference (registration + travel) High credit yield + networking. Most cost-effective when employer pays.
Publish whitepapers / articles / blog posts (peer-reviewed cybersec) 5-30 credits per article ₹0 (time investment) Effectively free if you write. Slowest method. EC-Council editorial review required.
Teach / present at cybersec meetups (OWASP, DEF CON groups) 10-20 credits per session ₹0 Free. Builds professional reputation. Most accessible for ECE renewal in India.
Annual maintenance fee (mandatory regardless of credits) n/a — admin fee US$80/year US$240 over 3 years. Skipping voids the cert — pay it on time.

Skipping the US$80/year annual maintenance voids the cert regardless of credits earned. Pay it on time.

Section 8 · Salary delta

CEH salary delta India 2026 — pre-CEH vs post-CEH by role

What the CEH actually moves in compensation. Ranges are India 2026 market averages for engineers in active interview cycles — outcomes vary significantly by employer, city, prior portfolio, and negotiation. Detailed role-by-role salary intelligence: /ethical-hacking-salary-india-ceh-vs-oscp/.

Role Pre-CEH baseline Post-CEH salary Delta Typical hirers
SOC L1 Analyst ₹3-4 LPA (without security cert) ₹4-7 LPA +₹1-3 LPA Wipro, Infosys, TCS, HCL, NTT, Mphasis, Saviynt cybersec partners
SOC L2 Analyst (CEH + 2-3 yr exp) ₹5-7 LPA (L1) ₹8-14 LPA +₹3-7 LPA Same as L1 + Razorpay, Flipkart, Paytm, product cos hiring detection engineers
Junior Penetration Tester ₹3-5 LPA (no cert) ₹5-9 LPA +₹2-4 LPA Deloitte, EY, PwC, KPMG audit + advisory practices; NotSoSecure, Lucideus, BlueAlly boutique pen-test shops
Mid Penetration Tester (CEH + OSCP stacked) ₹5-9 LPA (CEH only) ₹12-22 LPA (CEH + OSCP) +₹6-13 LPA over CEH-only Big-4 advisory, product cos building red teams, US/EU MSSPs hiring India-based pen-testers
Network Security Engineer ₹4-6 LPA (network eng without cybersec cert) ₹6-12 LPA (CEH + PCNSE / NSE 4 stacked) +₹2-6 LPA Cisco, Palo Alto, Check Point, Fortinet partner ecosystems; F5, Akamai, Cloudflare India
Cloud Security Analyst (CEH + AWS SCS-C02) ₹5-7 LPA (cloud admin without sec cert) ₹8-15 LPA +₹3-8 LPA AWS partners, Indian GCCs (Walmart, Target, Goldman, JP Morgan India)
Blue Team / Detection Engineer (CEH + Splunk) ₹4-6 LPA (basic SIEM admin) ₹7-13 LPA +₹3-7 LPA MSSPs (NTT, Wipro Cybersec, HCL Tech Cybersec), product cos with internal detection teams
Section 9 · ROI payback

CEH ROI in India — total spend vs first-year salary uplift

ROI breakdown across the six most-bought CEH paths in India. Payback time is the number of months of post-cert salary required to recover total spend. The NH 8-month flagship wins on payback because it bundles training + voucher + paid internship + Placement Guarantee* into a single ₹1,20,000 spend.

Path Total spend Yr-1 uplift Payback Notes
NH 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle (₹1,20,000 incl. GST) ₹1,20,000 ₹3-6 LPA salary uplift (career-switcher entry) 3-5 months from first salary post-placement Best ROI for non-IT graduates and career-switchers. Bundle includes CEH voucher + 1-2 additional certs + Placement Guarantee* + paid internship.
NH 5-week standalone CEH track + separately purchased voucher On request + ~₹1,00,000 voucher ₹1-3 LPA uplift (already-employed engineer) 6-12 months from first salary increment Best for working IT engineers wanting CEH credential added to existing role. Voucher purchased separately at EC-Council Aspen pricing.
EC-Council ATC bootcamp (5 days + voucher + iLabs) ₹1,40,000-1,85,000 ₹2-4 LPA uplift (already-employed engineer) 6-12 months Highest pass-rate path per EC-Council disclosures. Best for time-constrained working pros with budget.
Hacker School standalone CEH + separately purchased voucher ~₹1,35,000-1,50,000 ₹1.5-3 LPA uplift 6-12 months Decent regional option. Confirm voucher inclusion at enrolment — most tiers exclude voucher.
Simplilearn online + voucher add-on ₹1,30,000-2,00,000 ₹1.5-3 LPA uplift 6-15 months Variable batch quality. Heavy brand marketing premium baked into pricing.
Self-study + Aspen voucher (no formal training) ₹1,05,000-1,25,000 ₹1-2.5 LPA uplift 5-12 months Cheapest path. Higher failure rate adds retake risk (~₹41,500). Best for highly self-disciplined engineers with existing security background.
Section 10 · EMI options

EMI options for CEH in India — NH bundled vs standalone

The CEH price tag triggers EMI for most Indian buyers. Six EMI routes mapped below — note that "0% EMI" headlines often hide partner-finance interest rates of 13-18% APR. The NH 8-month bundle's in-house EMI is genuine 0% with no processing fee or credit card requirement.

Provider Total fee EMI plan Interest What is included
Networkers Home — 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle ₹1,20,000 incl. GST 6 × ₹20,000 monthly (in-house EMI · no card required) 0% in-house · no processing fee Training + paid internship + Placement Guarantee* + 1-2 cert vouchers (CEH typical) + NHPREP.com 12-month access
Networkers Home — 5-week standalone CEH On request In-house EMI on request 0% in-house Training + lab access only. Voucher purchased separately.
EC-Council ATC bootcamp (Koenig / NIIT) ₹1,40,000-1,85,000 3-12 month EMI via Bajaj Finserv / HDFC / ICICI credit cards 13-18% APR via partner finance · 0% on select credit cards 5-day bootcamp + voucher + courseware + iLabs
Hacker School standalone CEH ₹35,000-55,000 standalone (voucher separate) 3-6 month EMI on credit card · partner-finance available Variable Training only. Voucher separate.
Simplilearn online bootcamp ₹35,000-1,50,000 by tier 3-24 month EMI via partner finance (Eduvanz, Propelld) 10-15% APR Self-paced + batch tiers. Voucher inclusion varies by SKU.
Self-study + Aspen voucher ₹1,05,000-1,25,000 Voucher is one-shot USD charge · credit card EMI on the foreign-currency charge Card-issuer EMI rates apply (12-18% APR typical) Voucher only. No training. No support.
Section 11 · Cost-per-LPA comparison

CEH vs OSCP vs CompTIA Security+ — cost-per-LPA-uplift for Indian buyers

Single-metric comparison — cost per ₹1 LPA of first-year salary uplift. OSCP wins on raw ROI if you can pass it. CEH wins on industry breadth and recruiter-keyword recognition in Indian IT services / BFSI / GCC hiring. Security+ wins on cheapest entry point. Most cybersec careers in India stack all three over 3-5 years.

Certification India cost Yr-1 LPA uplift Cost per LPA Best for
CEH v13 (knowledge-based) ₹1,05,000-1,85,000 (voucher + training) ₹2-4 LPA first year ₹26,000-92,500 per LPA uplift Career-starters + SOC L1/L2 candidates. Industry-recognised entry-level pen-test cert. Strong in BFSI, IT services, GCC hiring.
OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) US$1,649 (~₹1,37,000) lab+exam · self-study ₹5-10 LPA first year (especially if stacked on CEH) ₹13,700-27,400 per LPA uplift Mid-career engineers targeting hardcore pen-test / red-team roles. Highest practical credibility. Best ROI if you can pass it.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) US$370 (~₹30,700) voucher · self-study or ~₹50,000 training ₹1-2 LPA first year ₹15,000-50,000 per LPA uplift Entry-level career-starters. DoD 8570 baseline (relevant for US-aligned GCC roles). Cheapest legitimate cybersec cert.
CEH Master (Knowledge + Practical) US$1,749 (~₹1,45,500) voucher + ATC training optional ₹3-6 LPA first year ₹24,000-48,500 per LPA uplift Engineers wanting strongest CEH-tier credential without committing to OSCP timeline. Stronger than CEH alone.
GIAC GPEN US$2,499-7,999 (training-bundled) ₹3-6 LPA first year ₹40,000-1,10,000 per LPA uplift US/UK-targeted pen-testers. Premium pricing limits Indian-market ROI vs OSCP. SANS training quality is excellent.
Section 12 · Scam-spotting

How to spot CEH pricing scams in the Indian market

The CEH price tag attracts predatory operators. Seven warning signs separate legitimate training partners from operations that take your money without delivering the credential.

#1

Vouchers offered below ₹70,000

Risk: EC-Council voids fraudulent vouchers and bans associated Aspen accounts. You lose the money AND the ability to take the exam.

#2

'100% guarantee' on cert pass without written terms

Risk: Legitimate trainers offer Placement Guarantee* with publicly accessible written terms (NH terms at /placement-guarantee-terms/). 'Pass guarantees' without terms = marketing without recourse.

#3

Pricing only shared after a high-pressure sales call

Risk: Quality institutes publish standard fee ranges openly. If pricing is gated, the operator is filtering for negotiation rather than serving buyers.

#4

Anonymous founders / no verifiable cert credentials

Risk: EC-Council, Cisco, ISC2 maintain public certification databases. Legitimate trainers have verifiable credentials. If you cannot verify the founder on a public database, treat the institute as unverified.

#5

Sub-3-month operation history with aggressive Google Ads

Risk: Most India training scams operate 6-18 months then disappear. 5+ years operating with continuous monthly batches is a strong baseline trust signal.

#6

No real hardware lab — Packet Tracer / GNS3 / EVE-NG only

Risk: Simulated labs cannot replicate exam pen-test scenarios. Genuine institutes maintain real Cisco / Palo Alto / Fortinet / Kali Linux infrastructure.

#7

'Free' voucher claims with hidden 'service charges'

Risk: EC-Council does not offer free vouchers. Anyone advertising free CEH vouchers is either fraudulent or running a bait-and-switch on service fees.

Section 13 · NH CEH paths

Networkers Home CEH offerings — Bangalore standalone vs 8-month flagship bundle

NH offers CEH on two tracks from HSR Layout Bangalore (and live-online across 40 Indian cities). Founder Vikas Swami — Dual CCIE #22239 (verifiable on Cisco's public CCIE database) — personally takes Saturday lab sessions on selected programmes. Pick the path that matches your career stage.

5-week cert track

NH 5-week Standalone CEH Track (Bangalore HSR Layout + Online)

Fee: On request

Duration: 5 weeks · weekday or weekend batches · live online available

What's covered: Full CEH v13 blueprint · 20 attack-defence modules · Kali Linux + Burp Suite + Metasploit + Nmap labs · OWASP Top 10 · exam-pattern question banks · 5 full-length mock exams

Placement: Placement support (not Placement Guarantee*) · cert-track does not include placement obligation

Voucher: Voucher purchased separately at EC-Council Aspen pricing (~US$1,199 / ₹99,500-1,01,900)

Best for: Working IT engineers wanting CEH credential added to existing role · already-employed candidates

NH CEH Bangalore details →
★ Flagship · 8 months

NH 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle (CEH bundled)

Fee: ₹1,20,000 incl. 18% GST

Duration: 8 months training + 4-month paid internship · weekday or weekend batches

What's covered: Foundation month (networking + Linux + Python) + full CEH v13 + Palo Alto PAN-OS 11 + FortiGate 7.4 + Check Point R82 + AWS Security (GuardDuty, IAM, CloudTrail) + Azure Sentinel SIEM + Splunk SPL + ethical hacking + SOC analyst skills

Placement: Placement Guarantee* with written terms at /placement-guarantee-terms/ · 800+ hiring partners pan-India · 45,000+ alumni placed since 2007

Voucher: 1-2 cert vouchers bundled (CEH typical · alternate options: PCNSE, NSE 4, AWS SCS-C02, AZ-500, CompTIA Security+)

Best for: Career-switchers · non-IT graduates · final-year students · working pros wanting full training + cert + placement bundle

8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle details →
Decision tree

Step-by-step CEH cost decision tree — pick your path

Six common starting points and the CEH spending path that fits each. If none of these match exactly, the counselling call clarifies in 15 minutes.

Non-IT graduate / career-switcher, no prior cybersec experience
NH 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle (₹1,20,000 incl. GST)
Bundles foundation + CEH + 4 more vendor stacks + voucher + Placement Guarantee* + paid internship — lowest effective per-component cost for full career-switch.
Working IT engineer (2+ yr InfoSec exp) wanting only the CEH credential
Self-study + direct EC-Council Aspen voucher
Cheapest legitimate route (~₹1,05,000-1,25,000). You qualify for the 2-year experience waiver. Budget for one retake at US$499.
Working IT engineer, no InfoSec experience yet, time-constrained
EC-Council ATC bootcamp
ATC training waives the eligibility experience check. Highest pass-rate path. Highest sticker price (₹1,40,000-1,85,000).
Working IT engineer wanting CEH credential + structured Indian training (not bundled bootcamp)
NH 5-week standalone CEH cert track + separately purchased voucher
Lower-than-ATC training cost + voucher purchased separately at Aspen pricing. Best of structured-Indian-training and self-served voucher path.
Looking for CEH + OSCP stacked path over 12-18 months
NH 8-month bundle (CEH bundled) + OSCP self-study after
Bundle delivers CEH + supporting stack early. Use the year-1 salary uplift to fund OSCP lab+exam (~₹1,37,000) in year 2.
Tier-2/Tier-3 city aspirant or Gulf NRI
NH 8-month bundle via live-online + Pearson VUE online-proctored exam
Live Zoom + 24×7 vpn.networkershome.com lab. Online-proctored exam (US$95 add-on) removes the metro Pearson VUE travel cost.
Why Networkers Home for CEH

The verifiable facts behind Networkers Home CEH training

Founder is the trainer

Vikas Swami — Dual CCIE #22239 (Routing & Switching + Security). Verifiable on Cisco's public CCIE database. Personally takes Saturday lab sessions on selected programmes and runs a monthly Founder AI Workshop open to all enrolled students.

Real hardware lab, not simulator

Kali Linux + Burp Suite + Metasploit + Nmap on real attack/defence ranges. Cisco IOS-XE, Palo Alto PAN-OS 11, FortiGate 7.4, Check Point R82 for adjacent enterprise-security modules. Accessible 24×7 via vpn.networkershome.com. No Packet Tracer / GNS3 / EVE-NG.

800+ hiring partners across India

Operating since 2007 — 19 years of recruiting relationships. Structured placement support: resume prep, mock interviews, real interview drives. Written Placement Guarantee* terms at /placement-guarantee-terms/. 45,000+ engineers placed since 2007.

Paid internships in founder products

From month 4 of the 8-month flagship, students intern inside the founder's product portfolio — AEONITI, QSecure, BrowserFog, QSecNiti, 24Observe, 21tunnel, NHPREP, AgentFog, QuickSDWAN. Paid work on real customer products before graduation — Verified Experience Letter at programme end.

Independent third-party signals

4.7★ on 1,173 Google reviews. 4.5★ on 1,345 JustDial reviews. 172,000+ @NetworkersHome YouTube subscribers. 45,000+ engineers placed across 19 years.

Not Network Bulls

Often confused — different institute. Networkers Home was founded 2007 in HSR Layout Bangalore by Vikas Swami. Network Bulls is a separate company founded 2008 in Gurgaon by different founders. Full disambiguation: /networkers-home-vs-network-bulls/.

Quick answers · 19 FAQs

CEH certification cost in India 2026 — FAQ

Short, factual answers to the questions visitors search before enrolling in any CEH path.

How much does CEH v13 certification cost in India in 2026? +
Total CEH v13 cost in India in 2026 ranges from ₹1,05,000 (self-study + direct EC-Council Aspen voucher) to ₹1,85,000 (EC-Council ATC bootcamp with voucher + iLabs + courseware bundled). The single largest cost is the official EC-Council exam fee at US$1,199 (~₹99,500-1,01,900 at June 2026 FX rates of ~₹83-85/USD). At Networkers Home the 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle costs ₹1,20,000 incl. 18% GST and embeds 1-2 cert vouchers (CEH typical) plus paid internship and Placement Guarantee*. Standalone NH CEH track pricing is on request — voucher purchased separately.
What is the official EC-Council CEH v13 exam fee in US dollars and rupees? +
The official EC-Council CEH v13 knowledge-based exam fee is US$1,199 globally. Converted at the June 2026 INR-USD rate of ~₹83-85/USD, that works out to ~₹99,500-1,01,900 for the voucher alone. Add a US$100 eligibility application fee if you take the self-study (non-ATC) route. Add 18% GST if you buy the voucher through an Indian reseller. CEH Practical adds US$550 (~₹45,700). CEH Master, which requires passing both Knowledge and Practical, totals US$1,749 (~₹1,45,500) in exam fees alone.
Does the CEH v13 cost include training or only the exam? +
The official EC-Council CEH v13 voucher of US$1,199 is only the exam — it does NOT include training, lab access, courseware, or iLabs. Self-study candidates pay the voucher alone (~₹99,500-1,01,900) but must self-source training. EC-Council ATC bundles add ₹65,000-1,10,000 on top for instructor-led training + courseware + iLabs. Indian non-ATC institutes like Networkers Home, Hacker School, Craw, and SevenMentor bundle training but require the buyer to purchase the voucher separately in most tiers. The NH 8-month flagship at ₹1,20,000 incl. GST bundles 1-2 cert vouchers (CEH typical) into the programme fee.
How much does CEH v13 training cost at Networkers Home in Bangalore? +
Networkers Home offers two CEH paths from its HSR Layout Bangalore campus (and online to 40 Indian cities). The 5-week standalone CEH cert track is priced On request — voucher purchased separately at EC-Council Aspen pricing (~US$1,199 / ₹99,500-1,01,900). The 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle at ₹1,20,000 incl. 18% GST (6 monthly EMIs of ₹20,000) includes CEH plus Palo Alto, Fortinet, Check Point, AWS Security, Azure Sentinel, Splunk, ethical hacking, SOC training, 1-2 cert vouchers, 4-month paid internship in founder products (QSecure, BrowserFog, QSecNiti), and Placement Guarantee* with written terms at /placement-guarantee-terms/.
What is the cheapest legitimate way to get CEH v13 certified in India? +
The cheapest legitimate route is self-study with a direct EC-Council Aspen voucher purchase — total spend ~₹1,05,000-1,25,000. Steps: (1) confirm you have 2+ years verifiable InfoSec experience for the self-study eligibility waiver, (2) gather employer attestation letters, (3) submit eligibility application + US$100 fee on EC-Council Aspen, (4) buy voucher at US$1,199, (5) self-study using Matt Walker CEH v13 Bible + Boson practice exams + free YouTube prep, (6) schedule Pearson VUE exam. This route has the highest failure rate (~35-40% first-time), so budget for one retake at US$499. NOT recommended: grey-market discount vouchers — EC-Council voids them.
What is the difference in cost between CEH v13, CEH v12, CEH Practical, and CEH Master? +
CEH v13 (Knowledge-based) — US$1,199 exam fee, current generation. CEH v12 — discontinued for new candidates after v13 launch; existing v12 candidates can complete under a grace period. CEH Practical — US$550 exam fee, 6-hour performance-based exam on EC-Council Cyber Range, real Linux/Windows VMs with real exploits. CEH Master — awarded automatically when both Knowledge and Practical are passed, total exam fees US$1,749 (~₹1,45,500). Practical adds significant resume credibility because it forces hands-on demonstration. Most Indian buyers stop at CEH v13 Knowledge; engineers targeting pen-test roles stack Practical for the Master credential.
How much does the CEH v13 retake exam cost if I fail the first attempt? +
If you fail CEH v13 on the first attempt, the retake fee is US$499 (~₹41,500) for attempt #2. EC-Council requires a 14-day wait between attempts and caps you at 5 attempts per 12-month window. Industry first-time pass rate sits around 60-65% per EC-Council disclosures — meaning roughly 1 in 3 candidates pays the retake. Budget for this risk explicitly. Mitigation: take 5-10 full-length mock exams scoring 80%+ before booking the real attempt. Networkers Home includes 5 full-length mocks in both the standalone and bundled CEH offerings to reduce first-attempt failure rate.
What is the CEH ECE renewal cost every 3 years and how do I earn the 120 credits? +
CEH ECE (EC-Council Continuing Education) requires 120 credits earned across a 3-year cycle plus a US$80 annual maintenance fee (US$240 over the 3-year cycle). Credits can be earned via: (1) adding another EC-Council cert like CHFI — 120 credits one-shot, (2) attending approved cybersec conferences (Nullcon, c0c0n, Black Hat Asia) — 10-25 credits each, (3) free EC-Council webinars — 5-20 credits each, (4) publishing peer-reviewed cybersec articles — 5-30 credits each, (5) teaching at meetups (OWASP, DEF CON groups) — 10-20 credits each. Most India-based engineers cover the 120 credits via 15-20 free webinars over 3 years.
Is the CEH iLabs subscription mandatory and how much does it add to the total cost? +
iLabs is NOT mandatory for the CEH v13 knowledge-based exam — it is strongly recommended for hands-on practice. A 6-month iLabs subscription costs US$199-499 (~₹16,500-41,500) depending on tier. iLabs is bundled into EC-Council ATC bootcamps at no extra cost. Self-study candidates either subscribe to iLabs directly or substitute with TryHackMe (₹0-₹1,000/month), HackTheBox Academy (₹2,500-5,000/month), or PortSwigger Web Security Academy (free). For the CEH Practical exam, iLabs-equivalent hands-on practice is mandatory — you cannot pass the performance-based exam without significant lab time.
Can I pay for CEH v13 training in India on EMI? +
Yes — multiple EMI routes exist. Networkers Home offers in-house 0% EMI of 6 × ₹20,000 on the ₹1,20,000 Cybersec + Cloud Bundle (no credit card or processing fee required). EC-Council ATC bootcamps (Koenig, NIIT) accept 3-12 month EMI via Bajaj Finserv, HDFC, ICICI credit cards — 13-18% APR via partner finance, 0% on select credit cards. Simplilearn partners with Eduvanz and Propelld for 3-24 month EMI at 10-15% APR. Self-study voucher purchases via EC-Council Aspen can be EMI-converted on the foreign-currency credit card charge at the card issuer's standard EMI rates.
Am I eligible for CEH v13 without EC-Council training — what is the 2-year InfoSec waiver? +
Yes — the self-study eligibility waiver lets you sit the CEH v13 exam without attending an EC-Council ATC bootcamp, provided you have 2 years of verifiable Information Security work experience. Requirements: (1) employer attestation letter on official company letterhead confirming InfoSec role and tenure, (2) submission of the eligibility application via EC-Council Aspen, (3) US$100 eligibility application fee, (4) EC-Council review and approval (typically 4-6 weeks). Roles that qualify: SOC analyst, network security engineer, sysadmin with security responsibilities, IT auditor, penetration tester, GRC analyst. ATC training fully waives this experience check — making it the preferred route for career-switchers and freshers.
How does the CEH cost compare to OSCP and CompTIA Security+ for Indian buyers? +
Cost-per-LPA-uplift comparison for Indian buyers: CompTIA Security+ — ₹30,700 voucher (US$370) yields ₹1-2 LPA first-year uplift, ~₹15,000-50,000 cost per LPA. CEH v13 — ₹1,05,000-1,85,000 total spend yields ₹2-4 LPA first-year uplift, ~₹26,000-92,500 cost per LPA. OSCP — ~₹1,37,000 (US$1,649 lab+exam) self-study yields ₹5-10 LPA first-year uplift, ~₹13,700-27,400 cost per LPA. OSCP wins on raw ROI IF you can pass it (~40% pass rate). CEH wins on industry breadth and recruiter-name-recognition in Indian IT services / BFSI / GCC hiring. Security+ wins on cheapest entry point. Most career trajectories stack all three over 3-5 years.
What is the average salary increase in India after passing CEH v13? +
Typical first-year salary uplift after CEH v13 in India 2026: SOC L1 Analyst — ₹1-3 LPA increase from a ₹3-4 LPA non-cert baseline to ₹4-7 LPA post-CEH. Junior Penetration Tester — ₹2-4 LPA increase from ₹3-5 LPA to ₹5-9 LPA. Network Security Engineer — ₹2-6 LPA increase when CEH stacks with PCNSE / NSE 4. Cloud Security Analyst — ₹3-8 LPA increase when CEH stacks with AWS SCS-C02. Stacking CEH + OSCP boosts mid-career pen-tester compensation to ₹12-22 LPA. Outcomes vary significantly by employer, city, negotiation, and overall portfolio. Detailed salary breakdown: /ethical-hacking-salary-india-ceh-vs-oscp/.
Why is CEH so much more expensive in India than CompTIA Security+ or Azure AZ-500? +
CEH v13 at US$1,199 is roughly 3.2x more expensive than CompTIA Security+ (US$370) and 7.3x more than Azure AZ-500 (US$165) for three reasons. (1) EC-Council prices for the US enterprise / DoD 8570 market where US$1,199 is reasonable; the price isn't INR-adjusted for Indian buyers. (2) CompTIA and Microsoft sell on volume across many certs and subsidise individual cert pricing. EC-Council depends heavily on CEH as flagship revenue. (3) The CEH brand carries strong Indian IT services hiring weight (Wipro, Infosys, TCS, HCL all reference it in JD requirements) — EC-Council prices to that demand. Honest take: CEH delivers cert-name recognition in Indian hiring that Security+ and AZ-500 don't fully match, but the per-LPA-uplift cost is higher.
Do Networkers Home CEH courses include the EC-Council voucher in the fee? +
It depends on which NH offering. The NH 8-month Cybersec + Cloud Bundle at ₹1,20,000 incl. GST embeds 1-2 cert vouchers (CEH is the typical choice — alternates include PCNSE, NSE 4, AWS SCS-C02, AZ-500, or CompTIA Security+ based on student's target role). The NH 5-week standalone CEH cert track at On request pricing does NOT include the voucher — voucher purchased separately by the student at EC-Council Aspen pricing (~US$1,199 / ₹99,500-1,01,900). The 8-month bundle route gives lower effective per-component cost when training is wanted anyway. Standalone is better for working engineers wanting only the credential.
Should I buy the CEH v13 voucher directly from EC-Council Aspen or through an Indian ATC? +
Buy direct from EC-Council Aspen if: you have an international credit card, you qualify for the 2-year InfoSec experience waiver, and you do not need GST invoicing for company reimbursement. Buy via Indian ATC bundle if: you need ATC training to waive the eligibility experience check, you want the highest pass-rate route, or you need a GST-stamped invoice. Buy via Indian reseller / training partner (NH, Hacker School, Craw, SevenMentor, Besant) if you want INR pricing with GST invoice but not a full ATC bootcamp. Never buy from grey-market discount sellers — EC-Council actively voids fraudulent vouchers and bans Aspen accounts.
How long does CEH v13 certification stay valid before renewal is required? +
CEH v13 certification is valid for 3 years from the date of certification. Renewal requires earning 120 EC-Council Continuing Education (ECE) credits across the 3-year cycle plus paying an annual maintenance fee of US$80 (US$240 over the 3-year cycle). Failing to renew voids the cert. Credits can be earned through additional EC-Council certs (CHFI, ECSA, CCISO each grant 120 one-shot), approved conferences, EC-Council webinars, peer-reviewed articles, or teaching at cybersec meetups. Plan ahead — many CEH holders procrastinate ECE credits and end up paying for a cert renewal sprint in year 3.
Is CEH v13 worth the cost in India given that OSCP is more respected for pen-testing roles? +
CEH and OSCP serve different career segments in India. CEH is the recruiter-keyword cert — Wipro, Infosys, TCS, HCL, NTT, BFSI security teams, and GCC hiring managers screen CVs against CEH in JD requirements. OSCP is the practical-credibility cert — boutique pen-test shops (NotSoSecure, Lucideus, BlueAlly), Big-4 advisory red teams, and product-co security teams demand it for senior pen-test roles. For first cybersec job in India, CEH delivers more interviews. For mid-career pen-test depth and credibility, OSCP delivers more offers and higher pay. Most strong cybersec trajectories in India do CEH first (years 1-2) then OSCP (years 3-4). Detailed comparison: /is-ceh-worth-it-2026/.
What hidden costs do most Indian CEH buyers miss when budgeting for the certification? +
Eight hidden costs most CEH buyers in India miss: (1) US$499 retake fee if you fail attempt #1 — budget for one retake given ~60-65% first-time pass rate, (2) iLabs subscription extension at US$199-499 if your 6-month window expires before the exam, (3) ECE renewal at US$80/year + 120 credits over 3 years adding ₹15,000-50,000+ for credit-earning activities, (4) Pearson VUE rescheduling fee US$25-100, (5) travel cost to a metro Pearson VUE centre for Tier-2/Tier-3 candidates, (6) US$100 eligibility application fee on self-study route, (7) US$850 courseware add-on if bought separately, (8) opportunity cost of 120-180 hours of prep time. Total hidden costs can add ₹50,000-1,50,000 over 3 years beyond the headline voucher price.