The two certification programs compared here come from different kinds of provider: ACEDS, which describes itself as vendor-neutral and runs the Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS) exam, and Relativity, whose certifications are tiered around its own software.
This guide covers how each program's exam works, what CEDS costs as of October 2, 2026, how the CEDS renewal runs, and which credential makes sense to pursue first.
CEDS: the ACEDS certification for e-discovery
The Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS) is the credential ACEDS sells to people who work in eDiscovery.
ACEDS describes itself as vendor-neutral and states that it is owned and operated by BARBRI — worth knowing when you weigh it against a platform vendor's own program.
The exam runs 145 multiple-choice questions in one four-hour sitting.
ACEDS offers it year-round at Kryterion test centers or online-proctored, and results are immediate — you are not waiting on a scheduled administration or a score mailing.
You generally cannot buy the exam on its own.
ACEDS sells CEDS as packages: the Standard package is $1,495 — one exam attempt, the prep course, the manual and a one-year membership — and the Complete package is $1,995, which adds a second exam attempt.
Government and non-profit pricing is $1,249 and $1,595.
All of these figures are as of October 2, 2026.
On difficulty: the CEDS passing score is 69.6%, and the Canadian CEDS exam's is 70.4%.
ACEDS says about 70% of candidates pass, and it recommends at least 40 hours of independent study — plan that study time before you book, not after.
The credential is not one-and-done.
CEDS must be recertified every two years with at least 40 continuing education credits.
The recertification fee is $495 for members or $395 for government members, and it includes a two-year membership.
One gap to close before you budget: the education and experience criteria for sitting the exam are published in ACEDS's CEDS Candidate Handbook, and our research did not verify the current requirements.
Read the handbook first, so you know you are eligible before paying for a package.
Relativity certifications: Pro, Specialist and Advanced
Relativity's program certifies you on its own platform: its exams are about Relativity's software, organized in three tiers.
Pro certifications are the entry point and, per Relativity, they do not expire.
Above them sit the Specialist certifications and the Advanced certifications, such as the Relativity Certified Administrator (RCA) and Trainer.
The current study plans Relativity publishes cover the RCA exam; the Analytics, Data Management, Processing, Review Management and Project Management Specialist exams; and the Certified Pro, Review Pro and Privilege Pro certifications.
If your team runs one of those products, the matching exam is the one mapped to it.
Pricing is where the record goes quiet: our research verified the tier structure but not Relativity's exam fees, nor the renewal rules for the Specialist and Advanced tiers.
Check Relativity's certification pages for current fees and renewal terms before you plan a budget around a specific exam.
Relativity platform work also appears in the neighbouring litigation support role — the litigation support specialist career guide covers that role and the boundary it draws with eDiscovery work.
Which e-discovery certification should you get first?
Start from where you sit.
If you already work in Relativity all day, its own tiers are the natural ladder: the Pro certifications are the stated entry point, they do not expire, and they certify the platform your team actually runs.
If you want a credential that is not tied to one platform, CEDS is the one ACEDS sells — a body that describes itself as vendor-neutral.
Budget for the $1,495 Standard package, the study time ACEDS recommends (at least 40 hours), and the two-year recertification cycle (at least 40 credits each time).
Exam logistics matter when you are studying around a full-time job.
The CEDS exam runs year-round with an online-proctored option and immediate results, so you can sit it when you are ready rather than waiting for a scheduled administration.
What no comparison can honestly promise is a hiring outcome.
Our research for this page captured no placement or salary data from either program, so treat any claim that a certification raises pay with caution.
Check what employers in your market actually ask for: the e-discovery specialist career guide covers the role and the ladder the credentials support, and eDiscovery specialist jobs show how current postings describe them.
Career information, not legal advice. Certification details on this page come from ACEDS and Relativity; fees, formats and requirements change, so confirm anything you rely on with the certifying body before you act on it.
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