Prep toolsPrep resources
CEH prep resources, compared on what can be checked
Pick a CEH course by eligibility before quality: if you cannot document two years of information-security work, EC-Council's own training is a first-time candidate's only route to the exam, and the choice is made. Everything else here is self-study material, compared only on what the seller's page states as of Oct 11, 2026.
- Exam
- 312-50
- Updated
- Oct 11, 2026
Settle eligibility, then shop
EC-Council gives first-time candidates two routes to the CEH exam: its own training (instructor-led at a training center, iClass online, or an academic program), or two years of information-security work plus a $100 eligibility application. EC-Council's CEH page adds that self-study videos are not accepted as a method of study on that application. If the two years are out of reach, buy the training and stop comparing; EC-Council's kits include the exam voucher.
With the experience in hand, training becomes optional and the budget moves to a book and a question bank. The CEH exam cost page lists the voucher prices for that route, and the page on whether a free CEH certification exists covers what costs nothing. Cisco's free Ethical Hacker course is weighed against CEH in CEH vs Cisco's Ethical Hacker course.
The shortlist, on checkable facts
| Resource | Format | What the seller states | Price (US$) | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EC-Council training | Course and labs | Structured as a 5-day boot camp; 20 modules, 221 hands-on labs; kits include eCourseware for one year, an exam voucher and six months of labs | Not published; varies by region and partner | Anyone without two years of documented information-security work, for whom it is the eligibility route |
| Sybex CEH v13 Study Guide (William Panek) | Book | 752 pages, published May 2026, with online practice tests | $50 ebook; $63 print | Self-study candidates who want one text written for v13 |
| Boson ExSim-Max for Ethical Hacking (312-50) | Practice exams | 3 full-length exams, 375 questions; no CEH version label on the page | $99 for one year | Final weeks, when you want timed full-length runs |
| Scopefile (this site) | Web practice | Practice test by domain, a timed mock exam and domain files | Free | Finding your weak domains before you buy anything |
| CEH Test Prep app (by the same team) | iPhone and Android | Practice questions on iPhone and Android | See the App Store or Google Play listing | Short practice sessions on a phone |
Sources: EC-Council CEH course page, Wiley, CEH v13 Study Guide, Boson ExSim-Max for Ethical Hacking. Prices change without notice; recheck before you pay.
Named, not reviewed
- Matt Walker, CEH All-in-One Exam Guide (McGraw Hill)
- A long-running CEH title. No edition written for v13 could be confirmed on Oct 11, 2026, so match the version on the cover against what CEH v13 covers before you buy.
- Udemy courses (Dion Training and others)
- Video courses not opened for this page, so no counts, ratings or prices here. Keep EC-Council's position in mind: self-study videos do not count toward the eligibility application.
- Quizlet sets
- User-made decks of mixed age and version. For the pure-recall terms, the CEH flashcards on this site are a shorter deck.
- Pocket Prep
- A phone app for exam practice. Not opened, so nothing to compare.
A prep stack that does not duplicate itself
- One theory source: the courseware if you took the training, otherwise one study guide written for v13
- One question source you drill daily, filtered to the domain you are studying
- Timed full-length runs in the final weeks, never in week one
- Flashcards only for the terms you keep missing
- No second or third video course; those hours go to Network and Perimeter Hacking, 24% of the exam under blueprint v5.0 (checked Oct 11, 2026)
- Nothing labeled v12 or older unless it costs nothing
Choosing CEH prep: short answers
Do I have to take EC-Council's course to sit CEH?
Only if you cannot use the experience route. With two years of information-security work endorsed by an employer and a $100 approved application, you can sit the exam without EC-Council training (cert.eccouncil.org, Oct 11, 2026).
How long is EC-Council's CEH training?
EC-Council describes the course as structured as a 5-day boot camp, with the exam typically at the end of day 5 (eccouncil.org, Oct 11, 2026). That is the course format; it says nothing about how long you need.
Is the Sybex study guide current?
The William Panek guide is written for CEH v13; Wiley lists it as published May 2026 at $50 for the ebook (wiley.com, Oct 11, 2026).