A+ Core 1 vs Network+
A+ is two exams and covers everything a support technician touches. Network+ is one exam and goes deep on one of those things.
The question is usually whether A+ is worth $506 across two sittings when Network+ is the certification that sounds more advanced. For a first IT job, it usually is.
Side by side
| A+ Core 1 | Network+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Exams required | Two: Core 1 and Core 2, both must pass. | One. |
| Exam cost | $253 each, $506 total. | $369. |
| Scope | Hardware, mobile, networking basics, operating systems, security, troubleshooting, procedures. | Topologies, addressing, routing, switching, wireless, network troubleshooting. |
| Depth on networking | Enough to plug things in and identify a cable. | Subnetting, protocols, routing behaviour, and why a link is failing. |
| Study time | Eight to twelve weeks for both, from no background. | Six to eight weeks from scratch. |
| Experience assumed | None. Designed as a first certification. | None enforced. CompTIA suggests A+ and nine months in a support role. |
| Typical roles | Help desk, desktop support, field technician. The certification those postings name most. | NOC technician, junior network administrator. Named less often for entry positions. |
| Hands-on assumed | Yes. Questions describe physical situations. | Some. Mostly logical rather than physical. |
| Renewal | Three years, 20 CEUs. Network+ renews A+. | Three years, 30 CEUs. |
| Best first certification | For somebody with no IT job yet. | For somebody already working support who wants to move to networking. |
Which one to take first
A+ first if you do not have an IT job. It is the certification that gets past the filter on help desk and field technician postings, and those are the jobs that produce the experience everything else needs.
Network+ first if you already work in support. A+ certifies what you already do all day, and the money is better spent on the certification that opens the next door rather than the one you are standing in.
Taking A+ then Network+ gives you six years from two credentials, because Network+ renews A+. Taking them the other way round does not work in reverse.
When the answer is the other one
Take Network+ instead if you already work in IT
A+ is designed for people who have not yet had the job. If you already reset passwords, image machines and replace hardware for a living, A+ is $506 to certify your current Tuesday. Network+ moves you.
Take Security+ instead if the target is a security role
Neither A+ nor Network+ is named in security postings, and Security+ renews both if you hold them. Somebody with IT experience aiming at security can go straight there.
Take CCNA instead if you are certain about networking
Network+ is vendor-neutral and broad. CCNA costs less at $300, goes considerably deeper, and is the credential networking teams actually recognise. Network+ is the safer choice only if you are not yet sure.
The short version
No IT job yet: A+ first, and it is the single best-value certification CompTIA sells for that situation.
Already working support: skip A+ and take Network+ or Security+ depending on which direction you want.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need A+ before Network+?
No. CompTIA recommends it and does not enforce it. A+ is about getting the first job rather than about preparing you for Network+.
Is A+ worth it if I already have an IT job?
Usually not. Its value is passing the hiring filter for entry roles. Once you are through that filter, the money is better spent on Network+ or Security+.
Does Network+ renew A+?
Yes. Higher-level CompTIA certifications renew lower ones in the same cycle, so passing Network+ extends an active A+ certification.
Answer a few from each.
Free sample questions for both, with the full explanation on every answer. Nothing tells you which exam suits you like sitting a few of its questions.