Comparison of Entry-Level Offensive Cyber Security Certifications in 2026: PenTest+ vs eJPTv2 vs THM PT1 vs HTB CJCA

A cybersecurity professional with government background compared four entry-level offensive security certifications they completed in the past year. CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) costs $439 with no free retake, is knowledge-based with some hands-on questions, and has strong credibility in government/DoD roles. INE eJPTv2 costs $249 (or included with $299/year subscription), features a 48-hour hands-on lab exam with 35 questions requiring 70% to pass. TryHackMe PT1 costs $297 with one free retake, includes three 48-hour engagements (web, network, and Active Directory) plus a professional report requirement, and the author failed their first attempt due to weak web application skills. HTB CJCA covers both offensive and defensive domains, requires 120 hours with a professional report that takes up to 20 business days for manual review, costs approximately $490/year for Silver Annual subscription including one voucher with two attempts, and requires completing the entire Junior Cybersecurity Analyst job-role path before attempting the exam.