Salesforce Trailhead provides free learning modules, hands-on challenges and certification preparation in practice Salesforce environments. Live training is sold separately through Trailhead Academy.
An r/salesforce poster who passed the Administrator exam after four months used Trailhead trailmixes, project modules and superbadges, then built a personal portfolio project and bought Focus on Force practice exams, which they found harder than other practice tests.
After a failed Administrator attempt, a commenter recommends Focus on Force because its practice test is close to the real exam's terminology, and says to use Trailhead to fix the weak areas shown in the score breakdown.
A September 2026 poster who has used Salesforce as an end user for years says they have repeatedly failed to finish the 75-hour Admin 101 trail and are looking at alternatives, including Focus on Force.
Salesforce's own Trailhead modules for the exam, with hands-on challenges you complete in a free practice org. The Trailmix is built around the exam guide, so you work through the topics the exam tests.
Great fit if you want the official route at no cost
Poor fit if you want timed practice exams; add K2U's practice exams
Three short Cert Prep modules from Salesforce that review the exam sections with scenarios and flashcards. It is a quick topic review rather than a scored exam, so use it before full-length tests.
Great fit if you want free, official revision before you pay for a question bank.
Poor fit if you want timed, scored full exams; use Salesforce Ben's set or K2U.
Salesforce's own Trailhead module of about 40 minutes that reviews the key topics in each exam section. It shows what the exam covers rather than teaching Tableau from the start.
Great fit if you want an official check of what each section covers
Poor fit if you need to learn Tableau from the start; choose Jed Guinto
A Trailhead module with scenarios and click-to-reveal interactivities for each of the four exam sections. It reviews key topics from the exam guide rather than testing you with a scored exam.
Great fit if you want free, official revision of the four exam sections before you buy practice questions.
Poor fit if you want scored, timed tests; use the Udemy sets below.
Salesforce's short study trail with four modules, one for each exam section, with scenarios and flashcards. It is a review tool and takes about an hour and a quarter.
Great fit if you want an official review of each section
Poor fit if you need to learn Apex from the start; choose Deepika Khanna
Four Cert Prep modules from Salesforce, one per exam section, with scenarios and flashcards. It reviews what each section tests rather than giving you a scored exam.
Great fit if you want free, official revision of the four exam sections before you buy practice questions.
Poor fit if you want scored, timed full exams; use K2U.
Yes. Every module, trail, project, superbadge and Trailhead Playground is free. The only costs are optional Trailhead Academy classes and the exam fee paid to Salesforce.
It can be, especially for Administrator. For timed, exam-style questions, add a practice-test provider such as Focus on Force.
Trailhead is the free, self-paced platform. Trailhead Academy is where you book paid instructor-led classes and bootcamps.
Administrator-tier exams cost $200 with a $100 retake. Other exam tiers have their own prices on Salesforce's certification pricing page.
Last updated October 2026
