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Find the right CompTIA
certification path.

Explore certifications, compare paths, download free practice PDFs, and test your readiness — before booking the exam.

Built to help learners choose the right path, prepare smarter, and avoid booking an exam before they're ready.

12 certs mapped
Across 6 paths
Free sample PDFs
No signup for samples
Free readiness tests
Score with explanations
Exam costs included
+ official booking links
What's inside

Tools to make the next step less ambiguous

Each tool is built around a real question people post repeatedly: which cert, how long, am I ready, what's next. None require an account.

Browse certifications

All 12 CompTIA certifications

Each card includes a free sample PDF, a free readiness test, exam cost, and exam code. Click any card for full details, prerequisites, salary range, and recommended resources.

Beginner

CompTIA Tech+ (ITF+)

FC0-U71

An entry-point certification for people exploring whether IT is the right career. Covers core terminology, hardware basics, software, security awareness, and database fundamentals.

3–6 weeks
~$138–$159 USD
Difficulty
Beginner

CompTIA A+

220-1101 / 220-1102

The standard starting certification for IT support careers. Covers hardware, mobile devices, networking basics, virtualization, and troubleshooting across two exams (Core 1 and Core 2).

8–14 weeks
~$253–$265 USD (per exam — A+ requires two)
Difficulty
Intermediate

CompTIA Network+

N10-009

A vendor-neutral networking certification that builds the foundation needed for cybersecurity, cloud, and infrastructure roles. Covers networking concepts, implementation, operations, security, and troubleshooting.

8–12 weeks
~$369–$390 USD
Difficulty
Intermediate

CompTIA Security+

SY0-701

The most common entry-level cybersecurity certification. A frequent baseline requirement for SOC, security analyst, and cleared US government roles. Covers core concepts, threats, architecture, operations, and program management.

6–12 weeks
~$404–$425 USD
Difficulty
Intermediate

CompTIA CySA+

CS0-003

A defensive (blue team) cybersecurity certification focused on threat detection, incident response, vulnerability management, and security operations. Common next step after Security+ for SOC analysts.

8–14 weeks
~$404–$425 USD
Difficulty
Advanced

CompTIA PenTest+

PT0-003

An offensive (red team) cybersecurity certification focused on planning, scoping, and executing penetration tests. Covers reconnaissance, vulnerability discovery, attacks, and post-exploitation.

10–16 weeks
~$404–$425 USD
Difficulty
Intermediate

CompTIA Linux+

XK0-005

Validates Linux administration skills including system management, security, scripting, containers, and troubleshooting. Useful for sysadmin, DevOps, cloud, and SRE pathways.

8–14 weeks
~$369–$390 USD
Difficulty
Intermediate

CompTIA Server+

SK0-005

Vendor-neutral certification covering on-premise and hybrid server environments: hardware, administration, security, disaster recovery, and troubleshooting.

8–12 weeks
~$369–$390 USD
Difficulty
Beginner

CompTIA Cloud Essentials+

CLO-002

A business-and-technology cloud certification covering cloud concepts, business principles, technical operations, and governance. Designed for non-engineering professionals working alongside cloud teams.

4–8 weeks
~$138–$159 USD
Difficulty
Intermediate

CompTIA Cloud+

CV0-003

A performance-based cloud infrastructure certification covering architecture, security, deployment, operations, and troubleshooting across multi-cloud environments.

8–14 weeks
~$369–$390 USD
Difficulty
Intermediate

CompTIA Data+

DA0-001

An early-career data analytics certification covering data concepts, mining, analysis, visualization, and governance. Vendor-neutral and analyst-oriented rather than engineer-focused.

8–12 weeks
~$246–$265 USD
Difficulty
Intermediate

CompTIA Project+

PK0-005

A vendor- and methodology-neutral project management certification covering concepts, lifecycle phases, tools, and IT/governance basics. Useful when project management is part of an IT role rather than the whole job.

6–10 weeks
~$348–$369 USD
Difficulty