ITIL 5 vs COBIT 2019
Most candidates ask whether to do ITIL or COBIT. The candid answer is that they solve different problems. ITIL describes how a service organisation works day to day. COBIT describes how leadership governs that work. The best CIOs use both.
ITIL 5
Information Technology Infrastructure Library v5, by PeopleCert
ITIL 5 is the worlds most adopted service management framework. The Foundation exam covers the Service Value System, the four dimensions, 34 ITIL practices and the seven guiding principles. Higher levels (Managing Professional, Strategic Leader) deepen specialism.
COBIT 2019
Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies, by ISACA
COBIT 2019 is a governance framework that aligns enterprise IT with business goals. It defines 40 governance and management objectives and a maturity model that boards, auditors and risk committees can read. It is the audit framework asked for by name in regulated industries.
Side by side
| Dimension | ITIL 5 | COBIT 2019 |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | How to deliver and improve services | How to govern and direct IT |
| Issuing body | PeopleCert | ISACA |
| Scope | Operational and tactical | Strategic and governance |
| Typical buyer | Service Management Office | Office of the CIO, audit, risk |
| Best paired with | DevOps, SRE, Lean | ITIL, ISO 27001, NIST |
| Average salary band (global) | USD 65k to 110k | USD 85k to 155k |
| Renewal | 3 years, CPD via PeopleCert | 20 CPE hours per year (ISACA) |
Our candid verdict
Frequently asked
Is COBIT replacing ITIL?
No. COBIT and ITIL operate at different layers. Enterprises that take governance seriously usually map COBIT objectives down to ITIL practices.
Which is easier to clear?
ITIL 5 Foundation is widely considered the gentler exam, mostly because the syllabus is tighter and the question style is more direct.