The fixed cost: two exams, two vouchers
CompTIA's A+ page says you need to pass two exams: Core 1, covering hardware and networking, and Core 2, covering operating systems and security, in any order. On CompTIA's US product page for the current V15 version, the A+ Voucher is listed at $274 and is a single-use code for either Core 1 (220-1201) or Core 2 (220-1202). Two vouchers therefore cost $548 before any preparation.
The Core 1 page lists a maximum of 90 questions, 90 minutes, a passing score of 675 on a scale of 900, and a mix of multiple-choice, drag-and-drop and performance-based questions; CompTIA's A+ product page lists a passing score of 700 out of 900 for Core 2. CompTIA recommends 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support role. The V15 exams launched on March 25, 2025, and CompTIA estimates retirement around 2028, so plan to finish both exams on the same version.
Prices are the list prices shown on CompTIA's US page on October 30, 2026. If you buy outside the US, check the price CompTIA shows for your country.
What CompTIA sells around the voucher
The bundle arithmetic is worth doing. Two vouchers with retake assurance cost $718 bought separately, and CertMaster Practice costs $279, so the $748 Practice and Exam Bundle adds practice tests for $30 more than retake cover alone. That is only a saving if you would have bought practice tests anyway.
| Product (US list price) | What the page says it includes | When it can make sense |
|---|---|---|
| A+ Voucher, $274 | One attempt at Core 1 or Core 2; take the exam within 12 months of purchase | You expect to pass first time and use free prep |
| A+ Voucher Plus Retake Assurance, $359 | One attempt plus a retake of the same exam if you fail; 12-month validity | You want a fixed ceiling on one exam's cost |
| CertMaster Study, $179 | Self-paced study resource that CompTIA says covers 100% of the A+ exam objectives; 12 months of access | You want one structured paid text instead of free videos |
| CertMaster Practice, $279 | Timed and untimed practice tests and objective quizzes; CompTIA estimates 10 to 20 hours | Your weak point is exam readiness, not first learning |
| CertMaster Learn, $684 | Instructional content, video, simulated labs and practice tests; 25 to 40 hours | You need a full course and have no other source |
| CertMaster Perform, $844 | Learn-style content plus live and simulated labs; 30 to 60 hours | You cannot get hands-on practice any other way |
| Practice and Exam Bundle with Retake, $748 | Two exam vouchers, each with one retake, plus CertMaster Practice | You want retake cover on both exams and practice tests |
| Learn and Exam Bundle with Retake, $1,052; Complete Bundle with Retake, $1,293 | CertMaster Learn, or Perform plus Practice, with vouchers with retake assurance | Only when the included course replaces something you would otherwise buy |
Retakes, refunds and expiry: the rules that move the total
The practical effect: buy a voucher only when you can book a date within its 12-month window, and do not buy a voucher for an exam version close to retirement.
- Each attempt is paid. CompTIA's retake policy says candidates pay the exam price for each attempt and that it does not offer free retests or retake discounts; retake assurance is a product bought up front.
- No wait between your first and second attempt at an exam, but at least 14 calendar days before a third or later attempt.
- Voucher purchases are final: CompTIA's voucher terms say they cannot be returned, refunded or exchanged, or redeemed for cash.
- Vouchers must be used before they expire, expiry cannot be extended, and an exam's retirement date overrides a later voucher expiry.
- The retake option activates only after you take and do not pass the exam; if you never sit the exam, the voucher and retake option are void. Retake vouchers are exam-specific and cannot move to another version.
- Once you pass, you generally cannot retake the same exam code without CompTIA's consent; you wait for the next series.
Worked budget: three routes to A+ (illustrative plans, CompTIA list prices)
Retake assurance costs $85 more per exam than a standard voucher ($359 against $274). It pays off on an exam only if you fail that exam once. A candidate who passes both first time spends $170 more than necessary; one who fails one exam saves $104 by having bought retake assurance on both exams, compared with the standard route.
A reasonable rule: if the free practice questions and your own timed tests show you comfortably above the passing level on every objective domain, buy standard vouchers. If you have no way to judge readiness, the Practice and Exam Bundle is the cheapest way to get both practice tests and a capped exam cost.
| Route | Prep cost | Total if both pass first time | Total with one failed attempt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free prep, standard vouchers | $0 | $548 | $822 (one extra $274 voucher) |
| Free prep, two vouchers with retake assurance | $0 | $718 | $718 |
| Practice and Exam Bundle with Retake | Included | $748 | $748 |
| Free prep for learning, CertMaster Practice bought separately, standard vouchers | $279 | $827 | $1,101 |
Free preparation that can replace paid courses
Professor Messer publishes a free video course for Core 1 (220-1201): the course page lists 63 videos with a total run time of 10 hours and 11 minutes and says all of his training videos are free. Course notes, practice exams and downloadable videos are offered separately as paid extras. CompTIA's own A+ cost article lists the A+ exam objectives and A+ practice questions among its downloads.
A free route looks like this: download the exam objectives, watch the matching videos for one domain at a time, then test yourself without notes on each objective before moving on. Free videos teach, but they do not give you the hands-on time CompTIA recommends; an old PC, a virtual machine or a home router you are allowed to reconfigure fills that gap better than a more expensive course.
Pay for CertMaster Practice when you have studied every objective and still cannot tell whether you are ready. Pay for Learn or Perform only if you need a single structured course with labs and have no other way to practise.
Renewal after you pass
A+ renews on a three-year continuing education cycle that starts on the date you earn the certification; CompTIA's example is a January 15, 2025 pass renewing by January 15, 2028. CompTIA's CEU page lists 20 CEUs for A+, and at least 50% of a course's content must relate to the exam objectives of the certification you are renewing.
The A+ continuing education fee is $75 for the three-year period, and CompTIA says you do not have to pay it annually; it must be paid by the expiration date. Fee-free routes include passing the latest A+ exam, earning a higher-level CompTIA certification, or completing a CertMaster CE course, whose fee includes the CE fee. The A+ CertMaster CE course is listed at $139 and is described for holders of A+ V14 or earlier.
So the three-year cost of keeping A+ through submitted activities is $75 plus the cost of whatever 20 CEUs of activity you choose.
Before you buy: checklist
- Confirm the current version (V15: 220-1201 and 220-1202) and its estimated retirement.
- Check the price on CompTIA's store page for your country, not a third-party summary.
- Pick a test date first; buy the voucher only if you can sit within 12 months.
- Decide between standard and retake-assured vouchers using your practice results, not hope.
- Ask your employer or school whether they already provide vouchers or CertMaster access.
- Put the three-year renewal date and the $75 CE fee in your calendar the day you pass.
Questions before you decide
How much does CompTIA A+ cost in total?
At CompTIA's US list price of $274 per voucher, the two required exams cost $548. Add $274 for each failed attempt on a standard voucher, any paid prep you choose, and a $75 continuing education fee per three-year renewal cycle if you renew by submitting CEUs.
Is there a waiting period to retake an A+ exam?
Not for the second attempt. CompTIA requires at least 14 calendar days before a third or later attempt, and you pay for every attempt unless you bought a voucher with retake assurance.
Can I get a refund on an unused CompTIA voucher?
No. CompTIA's voucher terms say all voucher purchases are final and cannot be returned, refunded, exchanged or extended, so buy only when you can test within the 12-month validity.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- CompTIA: A+ certification overview (two exams required) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA: A+ Core 1 and 2 V15 products and US list prices Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA: A+ Core 1 V15 exam details Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA certification retake policy Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA voucher terms and conditions Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA: continuing education renewal fees Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA: CE renewal cycle Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA: earn continuing education units (CEUs) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA: continuing education renewal options Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- CompTIA blog: how much does the A+ certification cost Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Professor Messer: free CompTIA A+ 220-1201 training course Accessed 30 Oct 2026
Sources link directly to providers. Product buttons may use separately labeled affiliate links. Read our disclosure.