Stephane Maarek vs Tutorials Dojo Practice Exams: Which Should You Actually Buy?
Stephane Maarek and Tutorials Dojo solve different problems in AWS certification prep. Here’s how to choose — and why most candidates use both.
The short answer
Stephane Maarek and Tutorials Dojo are not the same type of product. Maarek sells Udemy video courses. Tutorials Dojo sells practice exams. The question is usually "which should I spend my time on?" The honest answer: use both for different stages.
If your budget is limited, prioritize Tutorials Dojo for practice exams. You can learn concepts from AWS docs, YouTube, or Maarek’s course later.
What Stephane Maarek does best
Stephane Maarek’s AWS courses are bestsellers on Udemy. His style is calm, visual, and structured around the exam domains. He explains services like S3, EC2, IAM, and VPC with hands-on demos.
Maarek is the better choice when:
you are learning AWS basics from scratch
you need a structured curriculum
you prefer video-based learning over documentation
you are preparing for an associate-level exam
The misspelling "Stephanie Maarek" is common, but the instructor’s name is Stéphane Maarek.
What Tutorials Dojo does best
Tutorials Dojo, created by Jon Bonso, is widely regarded as the gold standard for AWS practice exams. The question bank mimics the actual exam better than most alternatives. Each question includes detailed explanations, reference links, and the reasoning behind correct and incorrect answers.
Tutorials Dojo is stronger when:
you already understand core concepts
you need to build exam stamina
you want detailed explanations and cheat sheets
you are close to your exam date
On r/AWSCertifications, the most repeated advice is to pair Maarek’s course with Tutorials Dojo exams.
Practice exam experience: direct comparison
| Area | Stephane Maarek | Tutorials Dojo |
|---|---|---|
| Primary format | Video courses | Practice exams |
| Question difficulty | Moderate | High, close to real exam |
| Explanations | Good, in-course | Deep, per-question |
| Exam simulation | Not the focus | Strong |
| Price model | Udemy sale | One-time purchase/modes |
Maarek includes a small practice quiz at the end of some courses, but it is not a replacement for a full exam simulator. Tutorials Dojo has timed modes, review modes, section-based modes, and final test modes.
How to pair them
Start with Maarek’s course to learn the material. Then take one Tutorials Dojo practice test to find weak areas. Reopen Maarek’s sections or AWS docs for gaps. Repeat until you consistently score above 80% on Tutorials Dojo exams.
Final recommendation
Buy Tutorials Dojo practice exams if you only have budget for one. Buy Maarek’s course if you need a guided learning path. For most AWS certification candidates, the optimal combination is clear: Maarek for learning, Tutorials Dojo for testing.