CompTIA Network+ vs Security+: which should you take first?
In the CompTIA Network+ vs Security+ choice, take Network+ first unless you already work with networks; CompTIA strongly recommends it before Security+. Network+ is CompTIA's networking certification and Security+ its core security certification. Of 2,745 US IT-support ads we counted in October 2026 (Adzuna, a job-ad search site), 163 named Network+ and 34 named Security+.
Both (Network+ and Security+) come from CompTIA, an IT industry body, and each takes one exam. The exam codes, N10-009 for Network+ and SY0-701 for Security+, are just the exams' names. In CompTIA's renewal hierarchy, Security+ sits one level above Network+. Neither exam has a formal prerequisite. In the US the Network+ voucher, a prepaid exam code, costs $399 and the Security+ voucher $439. Both certifications last three years.
Pick this if
- Network+: you want a first IT job, or your networking is weak.
- Security+: you already work with networks or systems administration, or you are aiming at security-analyst work (watching for and responding to attacks on a company's systems).
- Timing for Security+: the exam is changing. Version 8 (SY0-801) is expected on or around November 17, 2026, and the current SY0-701 stops being offered in English on June 11, 2027. Book SY0-701 only if your study material is for it and you can sit it by that date. If you cannot, prepare for version 8.
Which first · IT-support ads · Other job ads · Exam content · Difficulty · Cost · Renewal · New Security+ exam
| CompTIA Network+ | CompTIA Security+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Current exam | N10-009 (version 9) | SY0-701 (version 7) |
| Questions and time | Up to 90 questions, 90 minutes | Up to 90 questions, 90 minutes |
| Question types | Multiple-choice and performance-based (tasks in a simulated system) | Multiple-choice and performance-based (tasks in a simulated system) |
| Passing score | 720 (scaled score, 100 to 900) | 750 (scaled score, 100 to 900) |
| Recommended experience | A+ (the CompTIA certification below Network+) and 9 to 12 months as a junior network administrator or network support technician | Network+ and two years in a security or systems-administrator job |
| US exam voucher | $399 | $439 |
| Languages | English, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish | English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai |
| Renewal (keeping the certification valid) | 3 years; 30 continuing education units (CEUs, points for approved learning) and a $150 fee | 3 years; 50 CEUs and a $150 fee |
Source: CompTIA Network+ and Security+ V7 pages and continuing-education pages, read October 3 to 8, 2026.
Show the numbers
| Country | CompTIA Network+ | CompTIA Security+ |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 5.9% | 1.2% |
| India | 6% | 1 of 259 |
| United Kingdom | 10 of 1,286 | 1 of 1,286 |
| Brazil | 0 of 1,764 | 0 of 1,764 |
| Mexico | 0 of 355 | 0 of 355 |
| Spain | 0 of 208 | 0 of 208 |
| France | 0 of 1,382 | 0 of 1,382 |
| Germany | 0 of 1,973 | 0 of 1,973 |
CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Security+: which do employers name more?
Instant answer from October 2026 job ads. No email needed.
CompTIA Network+ is named in more job ads in the United States.
Source: Adzuna job ads, October 2026.
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On this page
- CompTIA Security+ vs Network+: which should you take first?
- Do IT-support job ads name Network+ or Security+?
- Where else do Network+ and Security+ appear in job ads?
- What do the Network+ and Security+ exams cover?
- Is Security+ harder than Network+?
- How much do Network+ and Security+ cost?
- How do Network+ and Security+ renew?
- What changes with the new Security+ exam?
- What comes after Network+ or Security+?
- What we did not check
- Sources
CompTIA Security+ vs Network+: which should you take first?
Network+ first, unless your networking is already solid. A CompTIA cybersecurity career-pathway blog post calls Network+ a strongly recommended prerequisite to Security+, though neither exam page makes it a condition.
- No IT job and no target job yet: if your goal is a first IT job, Network+ is the exam to aim at. CompTIA recommends A+ (its entry-level certification, below Network+) plus 9 to 12 months of network support work before Network+, but these are recommendations, so a beginner may start with Network+. The full CompTIA order is A+, then Network+, then Security+; our A+ vs Network+ and A+ vs Security+ comparisons cover the first step. To see what employers ask for in your area, spend an evening on a job website: search your city for
help desk,network technicianandsecurity analyst, open ten ads of each and note which credentials they name. - Working on a help desk (the team that answers staff computer problems) with weak networking: take Network+ first. CompTIA recommends it before Security+.
- Already working with networks, or holding the CCNA (Cisco's associate-level networking certification): you can go straight to Security+. Our CCNA vs Security+ comparison covers that route.
- Aiming for a security-analyst job (watching for and responding to attacks): Security+ is the CompTIA exam of the two that fits. We counted its phrase in security-analyst ads and did not count Network+ there. CompTIA still recommends Network+ and two years in a security or systems-administrator job before it, so start with Network+ if you are new, and go straight to Security+ if you already have that experience.
- Aiming for a network-engineer job (building and maintaining a company's networks): Network+ is the CompTIA networking exam of the two; our CCNA vs Network+ comparison explains when the Cisco exam fits better.
- Taking both: take Network+ first and earn Security+ within Network+'s three-year cycle. CompTIA then counts Security+ as renewing Network+ and does not charge the Network+ renewal fee.
One wrinkle: the page for the new Security+ version 8 no longer names Network+ in its recommended experience. That makes Network+ a sensible first step, not a requirement; if you already have two years of hands-on security administration, skip it.
Do IT-support job ads name Network+ or Security+?
Both phrases appear in US IT-support ads. We count job ads with the title it support on Adzuna and check how many contain comptia network (our phrase for Network+) or comptia security (our phrase for Security+) anywhere in the text. Each phrase is counted separately, so an ad can contain both.
| Country | IT-support ads counted | Containing comptia network (Network+) |
Containing comptia security (Security+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2,745 | 163 | 34 |
| United Kingdom | 1,286 | 10 | 1 |
| India | 259 | 15 | 1 |
Source: Adzuna API, job ads with the title it support collected in October 2026. Analysis: CertWorthIt.
If your goal is a first US IT-support job, Network+ is the better bet on this evidence. Of the 2,745 US IT-support ads in October 2026, 163 contained comptia network and 34 contained comptia security (Adzuna). That count supports CompTIA's own advice; the order rests mainly on that advice. For the United Kingdom and India, check the ad total in the table before reading a count, because a small total means one posting can change the result from one month to the next.
Both phrases miss ads that write only the short name (Network+, Net+, Security+ or Sec+), so the counts are a minimum. A mention can mean required, preferred or one of several options; the count does not say which. Our methodology page explains the search, and our IT-support role page lists the other credentials and skills that IT-support ads name.
Where else do Network+ and Security+ appear in job ads?
We also counted Network+ in network-engineer ads and Security+ in security-analyst ads (our cybersecurity-analyst job title). These counts come from different job titles, so they are not a ranking of one certification against the other, and we did not count each certification in the other's role.
Network+ in network-engineer ads. Of the 9,475 US network-engineer ads in our October 2026 count (Adzuna), 139 contained comptia network. In the same Adzuna count for October 2026, 23 of the 658 UK network-engineer ads contained the phrase, and 6 of the 775 Indian ones. Our network-engineer role page shows what else those ads name.
Security+ in security-analyst ads. Of the 8,110 US security-analyst ads collected in October 2026 (Adzuna), 112 contained comptia security. In the same Adzuna count for October 2026, 12 of the 235 UK security-analyst ads contained the phrase, and 8 of the 250 Indian ones. Our cybersecurity-analyst role page covers that job.
What do the Network+ and Security+ exams cover?
By their domain names, Network+ tests networks and how to run and repair them; Security+ tests security work. CompTIA splits each exam into five domains, its name for the topic areas of an exam, and publishes the weight of each.
| Network+ domain (N10-009) | Share of the exam |
|---|---|
| Networking concepts | 23% |
| Network implementation | 20% |
| Network operations | 19% |
| Network security | 14% |
| Network troubleshooting | 24% |
Source: CompTIA's N10-009 overview. Domain names follow CompTIA's N10-009 materials, which word the first domain in two ways.
| Security+ domain (SY0-701) | Share of the exam |
|---|---|
| General security concepts | 12% |
| Threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigations | 22% |
| Security architecture | 18% |
| Security operations | 28% |
| Security program management and oversight | 20% |
Source: CompTIA Security+ V7 page.
The only Network+ domain with security in its name is network security, 14% of that exam. All five Security+ domains are about security, and the largest, security operations, is 28%. We compared domain names and weights only, not the exam objectives, so we cannot say how much the topics inside them overlap. Network troubleshooting, the largest Network+ domain, has no matching Security+ domain.
Show the numbers
| Item | CompTIA Network+ | CompTIA Security+ |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 90 questions | 90 questions |
| Exam time | 90 minutes (1 h 30 min) | 90 minutes (1 h 30 min) |
| Passing score | 720 (scale 100–900) | 750 (scale 100–900) |
| Format | Multiple choice, performance-based tasks | Multiple choice, performance-based tasks |
| Languages | 5 languages | 5 languages |
Is Security+ harder than Network+?
CompTIA publishes no pass rate for either exam, so there is no official answer, and we did not find an independent one. The formats match: up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice and performance-based questions (tasks in a simulated system).
The passing scores differ, 720 for Network+ and 750 for Security+ on the same 100-to-900 scale, but they belong to separate exams, so they do not show which one is harder. The recommended experience differs more: 9 to 12 months of network support work for Network+, and two years in a security or systems-administrator job for Security+. To judge for yourself, read the two domain tables above: the exam whose topics match work you already do will probably feel easier. For an exam in German, only Network+ is an option; Security+ SY0-701 is offered in Thai instead.
How much do Network+ and Security+ cost?
In CompTIA's US store, the Network+ voucher costs $399 and the Security+ voucher $439, a gap of $40. One attempt at each comes to $838 in vouchers, or $988 once you add the first $150 renewal fee.
| Network+ | Security+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Exam voucher (US) | $399 | $439 |
| Voucher plus one renewal fee | $399 + $150 = $549 | $439 + $150 = $589 |
| Renewal fee per three-year cycle | $150 | $150 |
| Voucher with CompTIA's Retake Assurance option (terms not checked) | $519 | $579 |
Source: CompTIA US store on the Network+ and Security+ V7 pages, read October 3, 2026 (Security+ checked again October 6, 2026); continuing-education renewal fees. Totals exclude Retake Assurance, training and tax.
If you take both in order, $399 plus $439 comes to $838 in vouchers. Earning Security+ within Network+'s three-year cycle renews Network+, and CompTIA does not charge the Network+ fee, so the first renewal fee on that path is the $150 Security+ fee, due about three years after you earn Security+: $988 over two cycles. The fee applies only when you renew by earning CEUs, and the CEU activities cost extra. The $439 and the totals are SY0-701 prices; we did not check the price of version 8, so if you book after November 17, 2026, check its page.
Show the numbers
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| CompTIA Network+: Fees to get certified: Exam | $399 |
| CompTIA Network+: Fees to get certified: Renewal, every 3 years | $150 |
| CompTIA Security+: Fees to get certified: Exam | $439 |
| CompTIA Security+: Fees to get certified: Renewal, every 3 years | $150 |
How do Network+ and Security+ renew?
Both last three years. Renewing means keeping the certification valid for another cycle. Network+ renews with 30 CEUs and Security+ with 50, each plus a $150 continuing education (CE) fee for the cycle, or with CertMaster CE, CompTIA's renewal course, as a single activity.
The two are linked. CompTIA lists Security+ as fully renewing a Network+ or A+ you already hold, and it does not charge the CE fee for the certification renewed this way. CompTIA's renewal hierarchy, from high to low, runs SecurityX (the top of that list) at the top, then CySA+ and PenTest+, then Security+, Network+ and A+.
What changes with the new Security+ exam?
Security+ version 8 (exam SY0-801) is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026. The current SY0-701 stops being offered in English on June 11, 2027, and in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai on August 13, 2027. V8 keeps up to 90 questions, 90 minutes and a passing score of 750, in English.
The V8 page lists its recommended experience as two years of hands-on work (practical, on-the-job) as a security administrator, without naming Network+, and the domain weights shift. The SY0-701 table and the $439 price on this page describe the current exam. Network+ N10-009 launched June 20, 2024, and CompTIA estimates its retirement in 2027 without a fixed date.
What this means for you: if your study material is for SY0-701 and you can take the exam by June 11, 2027 (English), the tables on this page apply. If you start later, or your material is for version 8, prepare for V8 and check its page for the current price and topic list.
What comes after Network+ or Security+?
After Network+, the choice is between network work and security work. For network jobs, the CCNA is the next exam our CCNA vs Network+ comparison looks at; for security, Security+ is the next CompTIA level. After Security+, CompTIA ranks CySA+ (its security-analyst certification) and PenTest+ (its penetration-testing certification) one level higher in its renewal hierarchy.
What we did not check
- Exam prices outside the US. We used CompTIA's US store prices only.
- The price of Security+ version 8. All prices here are for the current exams.
- CertMaster CE and training prices. We did not price the renewal course or the activities that earn CEUs.
- Pass rates. CompTIA publishes none on the pages we read.
- Study time. We did not check how many hours people need for either exam.
- Retake Assurance terms. We saw the prices but not what the option covers.
- Salaries. We found no dated official source that compares pay for Network+ and Security+ holders.
Sources
- CompTIA: Network+, N10-009 overview, Security+ V7, Security+ V8, cybersecurity career pathway, earning CEUs, continuing-education renewal fees, renewing with a higher-level certification, continuing-education FAQ. Prices read October 3, 2026; other pages read October 3 to 8, 2026.
- Job ads: Adzuna API, October 2026, IT-support, network-engineer and security-analyst ads; phrases
comptia networkandcomptia security. Analysis: CertWorthIt. Method.
Questions people ask
Should I take Network+ or Security+ first?
Take CompTIA Network+ (CompTIA's networking certification) first unless you already work with networks. CompTIA strongly recommends Network+ before Security+, its core security certification, but requires neither. Of the 2,745 US IT-support ads we counted in October 2026 on Adzuna, a job-ad search site, 163 contained the phrase comptia network and 34 contained comptia security. The order rests mainly on CompTIA's recommendation; the ad counts are a second signal. If you already handle networks, you can book Security+ directly.
Do I need Network+ before Security+?
No. CompTIA sets no formal prerequisite for Security+ (exam SY0-701). Its Security+ page recommends CompTIA Network+ and two years in a security or systems-administrator job, and a CompTIA career-pathway blog post calls Network+ a strongly recommended prerequisite. Both are recommendations: you can book Security+ without holding Network+. In CompTIA's US store, read in October 2026, the Security+ voucher, a prepaid exam code, costs $439.
Is Security+ harder than Network+?
CompTIA publishes no pass rate for either exam, so there is no official answer, and we did not find an independent one. Both exams have up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions (tasks in a simulated system). Network+ (N10-009) needs 720 and Security+ (SY0-701) needs 750, both on a scale of 100 to 900; these are separate exams, so the scores do not show which is harder. CompTIA recommends more work experience before Security+. The exam whose topic list matches work you already do will probably feel easier.
How much do Network+ and Security+ cost together?
In CompTIA's US store, read in October 2026, the Network+ voucher (a prepaid exam code) costs $399 and the Security+ voucher $439, so one attempt at each comes to $838. If you earn Security+ within Network+'s three-year cycle, it renews Network+ and CompTIA does not charge the Network+ renewal fee. The first renewal fee you then pay is the $150 Security+ continuing education fee, due about three years after you earn Security+: $988 in all over two cycles, plus the cost of the 50 continuing education units (CEUs, points for approved learning) it asks for. These are SY0-701 prices; we did not check the price of the new version.
Does Security+ renew Network+?
Yes. CompTIA lists Security+ as fully renewing Network+ and A+ that you already hold, and it waives the continuing education fee for the certification that is renewed this way. Both certifications last three years.
Which is better for IT-support jobs, Network+ or Security+?
For a first IT-support job, Network+ is the one to start with. In October 2026, 163 of 2,745 US IT-support ads on Adzuna named comptia network, against 34 for comptia security. The counts are a minimum: ads that write only Network+ or Security+ are not counted, and a mention can mean required, preferred or one option among several.