CompTIA Security+ Exam Cost 2026
A single SY0-701 voucher lists around $425 USD — but that is not the whole story. Here is the true total cost to get CompTIA Security+ certified, including retakes, three-year renewal, how the fee compares across CompTIA tiers, and the smart ways to pay less.
01 How much does the SY0-701 cost?
The good news is that the list price is the ceiling, not the floor. Unlike some vendors, CompTIA vouchers are widely resold by authorized training partners, and verified students can buy through the academic store for far less. So while $425 is the official sticker, very few well-prepared candidates actually pay it. Always price-check a discounted or bundled voucher before booking — it is the easiest money you will save.
One important detail: a CompTIA voucher is not open-ended. Most vouchers are valid for roughly nine to twelve months from the date of purchase, so do not buy one until you have a realistic exam date in mind. Buying early to "lock in" today's price can backfire if your study timeline slips past the expiry. The voucher covers a single attempt, delivered either at a Pearson VUE test centre or through online proctoring from home — the price is the same either way, so choose whichever delivery format you sit more comfortably in.
It is also worth understanding why the figure moved. CompTIA adjusted Security+ pricing upward over the 2024–2025 period, which is why older guides still quote $392 or $404 while newer listings show $425 or more. Currency conversion and local tax can shift what you actually pay outside the US, too. The takeaway is simple: never trust a static number in a blog post (including this one) as gospel — open CompTIA's own store, add the voucher to the cart, and read the real total before you commit.
02 The true total cost of getting certified
The number on the voucher page is rarely what people actually spend. Once you add preparation and the real-world chance of a resit, the total for a typical self-study candidate looks like this:
Typical self-study path to a first-time pass
Read that table as a range, not a single number. A candidate who already works in IT, studies from free resources, and grabs a discounted voucher might get certified for under $300 all-in. Someone who buys the full-price voucher, a premium video course, a lab subscription, and then fails once can easily clear $850. The two biggest swing factors are entirely in your control: the voucher source you choose and whether you pass first time.
This is why we treat practice exams as the best-value line in the whole budget. A solid bank of realistic questions costs a tiny fraction of the voucher, yet it is the single thing most likely to keep you from paying the voucher twice. Spending $30 to avoid a $425 resit is not an expense — it is the cheapest insurance policy in the entire certification.
03 How the price compares across CompTIA exams
The ~$425 fee is upper-mid for CompTIA. Voucher prices climb with the difficulty tier, so knowing where Security+ sits helps you plan a certification path and budget the journey:
04 Every fee, explained
Beyond the headline price, here is every charge you might meet across the life of the certification — and the ones that are reassuringly free. The renewal lines matter more than first-timers expect: Security+ expires after three years, so the cost of keeping the credential is part of the real picture, not an afterthought.
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Exam voucher | ~$425 | Per attempt; list price, often cheaper via reseller or academic store |
| Retake | ~$425 | No free resit; no wait before the 2nd attempt, 14-day wait from the 3rd |
| Reschedule | Free | Via Pearson VUE if you change the date more than 24 hours ahead |
| No-show / late cancel | Forfeit ~$425 | Miss the slot or cancel inside 24h and you lose the voucher |
| Renewal (CEU path) | ~$50/yr | 50 CEUs over 3 years + the CE fee (~$150 for the cycle) |
| Renewal (CertMaster CE) | ~$129 one-time | Single course that includes the CE fee and renews you automatically |
The renewal choice usually comes down to time versus money. If you are active in security and naturally accumulate training, conference, or project hours, the CEU path lets you renew almost for free aside from the modest CE fee — you are simply logging activity you would do anyway. If you would rather not track 50 units across three years, the CertMaster CE course is a single, predictable purchase that bundles the CE fee and renews you the moment you finish. And if you climb the ladder — passing CySA+, PenTest+, or another higher CompTIA cert — your Security+ renews automatically at no extra cost, so the renewal question can solve itself.
05 How to spend less getting certified
You may not be able to haggle the official fee, but you rarely need to pay it in full — and you can avoid the costly resit entirely.
Pass on the first try
By far the biggest saving. Practice that mirrors the real 90-question exam removes the ~$425 retake from your budget. This is where preparation pays for itself many times over.
Use a voucher or academic discount
Authorized resellers routinely sell the same voucher below list, and verified students can buy through the CompTIA academic store for a fraction of the price. Always price-check before booking.
Buy an exam + CertMaster bundle
CompTIA bundles that pair the voucher with CertMaster training or a retake voucher can cost less than buying each piece separately — real savings if you wanted the study material anyway.
Ask your employer
Many companies reimburse certification fees or buy vouchers in bulk, and Security+ is on plenty of approved-training lists. A quick ask can move the whole cost off your own card.
06 FAQ
How much does the CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 exam cost?
A single SY0-701 voucher is about $425 USD at list price in 2026 (up from roughly $404 in 2025, so confirm the current figure at checkout). You pay the full fee for every attempt, including retakes. Authorized resellers and academic stores routinely sell the same voucher for less, so the list price is the ceiling, not the floor.
Do you have to pay again to retake Security+?
Yes — there is no free retake; each attempt needs a full voucher. CompTIA imposes no mandatory wait before your second attempt, but you must wait 14 days before a third or later attempt. Because a resit is another ~$425, passing first time is the biggest cost to avoid; a retake-bundle voucher (about $49 extra) is the cheapest insurance if you are unsure.
Is there a renewal fee for CompTIA Security+?
Security+ is valid three years. You renew through CompTIA Continuing Education by earning 50 CEUs over the cycle and paying the CE fee (about $50 per year, or $150 for the three-year cycle), or by completing a single CertMaster CE course — a one-time purchase, commonly around $129, that includes the CE fee and renews you automatically. Earning a higher CompTIA cert also renews Security+ for free.
What is the true total cost to get certified?
For a self-study candidate who passes first time, roughly $440–480: the voucher plus a little for quality practice. A paid course or lab pushes it toward $500–800. A discounted or academic voucher plus free study material can pull the all-in figure well below $300, while a resit can push it past $850.
