TL;DR: Take Network+ first if you want a general IT infrastructure career (network support, network administration, systems administration) or you are still learning how networks work. Take Security+ first if your target is a security role, a government or contractor job that lists Security+, or you already have working networking knowledge. Both exams are up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based items, and both are scored on a 100 to 900 scale. Network+ (N10-009) passes at 720. Security+ (SY0-701) passes at 750. Neither requires the other, and CompTIA’s pages call prior certifications and experience recommendations, not requirements. One timing note: Security+ is moving from Version 7 (SY0-701) to Version 8 (SY0-801), which CompTIA lists as launching in November 2026, so read our SY0-701 vs SY0-801 guide before you buy a voucher.
Key Takeaways
- They answer different questions. Network+ is about how networks are built, run, secured and fixed. Security+ is about how to protect systems, detect threats and manage risk.
- The formats are close. Both allow up to 90 questions in 90 minutes with multiple-choice and performance-based questions.
- Passing scores differ. Network+ N10-009: 720. Security+ SY0-701: 750. Both on a 100 to 900 scale.
- Neither is a hard prerequisite. The Network+ page recommends A+ and 9 to 12 months of hands-on network experience. The Security+ V7 page recommends Network+ and two years in a security or systems administrator role. These are recommendations, and you can book either exam without the other.
- Overlap is real. Network+ has a 14% network security domain. Security+ assumes you understand ports, protocols and network design.
- Cost is in the same range. CompTIA’s blog gives a retail price of USD 369 for the N10-009 exam. A third-party article citing CompTIA’s store gave USD 425 for SY0-701 as of mid-2025. Prices change, so check CompTIA’s store.
- Career direction decides the order, not which credential sounds more advanced.
Quick Facts
| Network+ (N10-009) | Security+ (SY0-701) | |
| Focus | Networking: concepts, implementation, operations, security, troubleshooting | Security: concepts, threats, architecture, operations, program management |
| Questions | Up to 90 | Up to 90 |
| Question types | Multiple choice and performance-based | Multiple choice and performance-based |
| Time | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 720 on a 100 to 900 scale | 750 on a 100 to 900 scale |
| Recommended experience | A+ and 9 to 12 months as a junior network administrator or network support technician | Network+ and 2 years in a security or systems administrator role (V7 page) |
| Languages | English, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish | English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai (SY0-701) |
| Exam price (reported) | USD 369 (CompTIA blog) | USD 425 (third-party report of CompTIA’s store, mid-2025) |
| Validity | 3 years | 3 years |
| Version status | N10-009 launched June 20, 2024. CompTIA lists retirement as usually about three years after launch, estimated 2027 | SY0-701 English retires June 11, 2027. SY0-801 is listed as launching in November 2026 |
Figures come from CompTIA’s pages and blog, plus the third-party price report noted above, and were checked in November 2026. CompTIA does not list prices on its certification pages, so confirm current prices, versions and retirement dates in CompTIA’s store and on its site before you register.
What Is CompTIA Network+?
Network+ validates the skills of a junior network administrator or network support technician. It covers designing and implementing networks, operating and monitoring them, securing them and troubleshooting problems. CompTIA’s page maps it to work roles including technical support specialist, network operations specialist and system administrator.
Key facts:
- Exam code: N10-009 (Version 9), launched June 20, 2024. It replaced N10-008, whose English version retired in December 2024.
- Format: Up to 90 questions, multiple-choice and performance-based, 90 minutes.
- Passing score: 720 on a 100 to 900 scale.
- Recommended experience: CompTIA A+ plus 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience in network support or administration. The CompTIA blog also describes at least one year of total IT experience as a recommendation.
- Validity: Three years, with renewal through continuing education or by earning a higher-level CompTIA certification, per CompTIA’s blog.
What Is CompTIA Security+?
Security+ is CompTIA’s best-known entry-level cybersecurity certification. It validates baseline skills for security roles: assessing and mitigating threats, securing architectures, handling incidents and applying governance and compliance concepts.
Key facts:
- Exam code: SY0-701 (Version 7), launched November 7, 2023. The English version retires on June 11, 2027, per CompTIA’s V7 page.
- Format: Up to 90 questions, multiple-choice and performance-based, 90 minutes.
- Passing score: 750 on a 100 to 900 scale.
- Recommended experience: The V7 page recommends Network+ and two years in a security or systems administrator role. The V8 page recommends two years of hands-on experience as a security administrator.
- Validity: Three years. CompTIA’s continuing education pages describe renewal through 50 continuing education units, a recertification exam or a higher certification.
- Version change: CompTIA’s V8 page lists SY0-801 as launching in November 2026. Our SY0-701 vs SY0-801 guide explains the differences and the timing.
Exam Domains Side by Side
Network+ (N10-009)
| Domain | Weight |
| Network troubleshooting | 24% |
| Networking concepts | 23% |
| Network implementation | 20% |
| Network operations | 19% |
| Network security | 14% |
Security+ (SY0-701)
| Domain | Weight |
| General Security Concepts | 12% |
| Threats, Vulnerabilities and Mitigations | 22% |
| Security Architecture | 18% |
| Security Operations | 28% |
| Security Program Management and Oversight | 20% |
What the weights tell you:
- Network+ is hands-on and troubleshooting-heavy. Troubleshooting is the largest domain at 24%, and concepts, implementation and operations make up most of the rest.
- Security+ is operations-heavy. Security Operations is the biggest domain at 28%, and governance and program management add 20%.
- Network security is a slice of Network+ (14%), while it is a building block under several Security+ domains, such as architecture and operations.
- The two exams test different habits. Network+ asks you to diagnose and configure. Security+ asks you to identify risk and choose the right control.
How Do the Two Exams Overlap?
Topics that appear in both, at different depths:
| Topic | In Network+ | In Security+ |
| Ports and protocols | Core knowledge | Assumed knowledge, applied to threats and controls |
| Network segmentation and design | Implementation and concepts | Security architecture |
| Firewalls, VPNs and wireless | Configuration and operation | Controls and attack surface |
| Monitoring and logging | Network operations | Security operations |
| Authentication and access | Network security domain | Identity and access management |
| Troubleshooting | Largest domain | Incident response and analysis |
The practical effect: candidates who study Network+ first usually find the Security+ ports, protocols and architecture questions familiar. Candidates who jump straight to Security+ can pass, but they need to fill in networking fundamentals as they go. Our network security basics guide covers the networking foundation that both exams lean on.
Which Exam Is Harder?
CompTIA does not publish pass rates on the pages we reviewed, so any rate you see online is unofficial. The difficulty is different in kind:
- Network+ difficulty comes from technical detail: subnetting, routing and switching concepts, cabling, wireless and troubleshooting methodology. If you have never configured or diagnosed a network, expect a steep first month. See our guide on how hard Network+ is.
- Security+ difficulty comes from breadth and wording. The exam spans many topics, and several answer options often sound plausible, so you must choose the best control for a scenario. See our Security+ study guide for a structured plan.
- Your background decides. People from help desk or networking roles often find Network+ familiar and Security+ new. People from security or compliance roles often find the reverse.
Cost and Timing
| Item | Network+ | Security+ |
| Exam price (reported) | USD 369 | USD 425 |
| Validity | 3 years | 3 years |
| Version risk | N10-009 retirement is estimated for 2027, so confirm before you book | SY0-701 English retires June 11, 2027. SY0-801 is listed for November 2026 |
| Study materials | Extra | Extra |
Notes on cost:
- Vouchers are exam-specific. CompTIA’s blog says N10-008 vouchers can be used for N10-009. For Security+, vouchers are tied to an exam code, so confirm with CompTIA before you buy an SY0-701 voucher you may not use in time.
- Plan for study cost as well as the voucher. Courses, books, labs and practice tests are separate.
- Taking both costs more but can shorten the second. Overlapping knowledge means your second study period is often shorter.
CompTIA lists renewal options through continuing education or higher-level certifications. Check CompTIA’s continuing education page for the current unit counts and fees.
Which Should You Take First?
Take Network+ first if:
- You want a network support, network administration or systems administration role.
- You have little or no networking experience and want a base before security topics.
- Your goal is a general IT career, and you may add cloud, systems or security later.
- You plan to follow it with Cisco-style networking paths. See our Network+ vs CCNA guide for that comparison.
Take Security+ first if:
- You are targeting a security analyst, security administrator or similar role.
- A job posting or contract lists Security+ specifically. DoD 8140 work role mappings are published on CompTIA’s pages, and requirements are usually stated by certification name, so check the posting itself.
- You already work with networks and understand ports, protocols and basic design.
- You want the credential that appears most often in entry-level security job postings in your market.
Take both, in this order, if:
- You are new to IT and want a security career. Network+ builds the base, then Security+ builds the specialty.
- You have the time and budget, and want the stronger foundation.
Skip Network+ and go straight to Security+ if:
- You are changing careers into security and already understand core networking.
- You are short on time, and the security role you want does not require Network+.
Decision Table
| Your situation | Better first exam |
| Help desk worker moving to network support | Network+ |
| Student with no IT experience, security goal | Network+, then Security+ |
| Network technician moving into security | Security+ |
| Systems administrator adding security skills | Security+ |
| Career changer targeting a SOC analyst entry role | Security+ (add networking study alongside) |
| Contractor role that lists Security+ | Security+ |
| Someone who wants the broadest IT base | Network+ |
What Comes After Each Exam?
- After Network+: Security+, a vendor networking certification, cloud certifications or systems administration paths, depending on your direction.
- After Security+: Intermediate security certifications such as CySA+. See our CySA+ vs Security+ guide.
- Alternatives at the same level: If you are weighing entry-level security options beyond CompTIA, our ISC2 CC vs Security+ guide compares them.
- The wider map: Our best cybersecurity certifications guide shows how these credentials fit into a longer path.
Is It Worth It?
Employers and job postings decide this, not the certification alone. Neither CompTIA nor the pages we reviewed publish a salary figure for either credential, and pay varies by role, region and experience. For a deeper look at the value of the security credential, see our Is Security+ worth it analysis. For Network+, review job postings for network support roles in your market and note how often the credential appears.
Study Plan Ideas
These are suggestions, not CompTIA requirements. CompTIA’s own learning products for related exams list estimates of roughly 10 to 60 hours depending on the product, and a total of 60 to 120 hours is a reasonable planning range for someone with some IT background, and more for a beginner. That range is our planning estimate, not a CompTIA figure.
Network+ plan (about 8 weeks)
- Weeks 1 to 2: Networking concepts: OSI model, protocols, ports, addressing and subnetting.
- Weeks 3 to 4: Implementation: routing, switching, wireless, cabling.
- Weeks 5 to 6: Operations and security: monitoring, high availability, access controls.
- Weeks 7 to 8: Troubleshooting methodology, timed practice sets and performance-based question practice.
Security+ plan (about 8 weeks)
- Weeks 1 to 2: General security concepts, cryptography basics and identity and access management.
- Weeks 3 to 4: Threats, vulnerabilities and mitigations, plus security architecture.
- Weeks 5 to 6: Security operations, incident response and automation.
- Weeks 7 to 8: Program management, governance, timed practice and performance-based questions.
Use our Security+ study guide, linked above, for the current-version details.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating Security+ as a networking exam. It assumes networking knowledge but does not teach it from scratch.
- Treating Network+ as optional for a security career. It is not required, but weak networking fundamentals make Security+ and later security work harder.
- Buying the wrong version. Check the exam code on your voucher and study material against the version you plan to sit.
- Waiting without a plan for SY0-801. If you are ready for SY0-701 soon, our version guide explains when it makes sense to book.
- Memorizing without labs. Performance-based questions reward hands-on practice.
- Ignoring renewal. Both certifications are valid for three years, with continuing education or a higher certification as renewal options.
FAQS
Should I take Network+ or Security+ first?
Take Network+ first if you want a networking or general IT path or lack networking fundamentals. Take Security+ first if you are targeting a security role or a job that lists it, and you already understand networks.
Do I need Network+ before Security+?
No. CompTIA’s V7 page recommends Network+ and two years of experience, but these are recommendations. The V8 page recommends two years of hands-on experience as a security administrator.
Is Network+ or Security+ harder?
They are hard in different ways. Network+ is technical and troubleshooting-heavy. Security+ is broad and scenario-based. CompTIA does not publish pass rates on the pages we reviewed.
How many questions are on Network+ and Security+?
Both have up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based items.
What is the passing score for Network+ and Security+?
Network+ N10-009 passes at 720 on a scale of 100 to 900. Security+ SY0-701 passes at 750 on a scale of 100 to 900.
How much do Network+ and Security+ cost?
CompTIA’s blog gives USD 369 for the N10-009 exam. A third-party article citing CompTIA’s store gave USD 425 for SY0-701 as of mid-2025. CompTIA does not list prices on its certification pages, so check its store.
Can I take Security+ without any IT experience?
Yes. CompTIA lists experience as a recommendation, not a requirement. Beginners should expect a longer study period and should build networking fundamentals first.
Is Network+ worth it if I want a security career?
It can be, because it builds networking foundations that Security+ and later security work rely on. It is optional, and some career changers skip it if they already understand networks.
How long are Network+ and Security+ valid?
Three years each. CompTIA’s pages describe renewal through continuing education units or by earning a higher-level CompTIA certification. Confirm current unit counts on CompTIA’s site.
Will Network+ N10-009 be retired soon?
CompTIA’s Network+ page says retirement is usually about three years after launch, with an estimate of 2027. N10-009 launched June 20, 2024. Confirm the date on CompTIA’s site before you book.
Should I wait for Security+ SY0-801?
CompTIA lists SY0-801 as launching in November 2026. If you can sit SY0-701 soon, it remains available until June 11, 2027 in English. See our SY0-701 vs SY0-801 guide for the full comparison.
Which one do employers ask for more?
It depends on the role. Security roles and government or contractor roles commonly list Security+, and network support roles commonly list Network+. Check job postings in your market, which is the most reliable signal.
Can I take both in the same year?
Yes. Many candidates take Network+ first, then Security+ a few months later, since the overlapping topics shorten the second study period. Plan the timing around exam versions and your own study capacity.
Final Thoughts
The right first exam is the one that matches your target job. If you want to run, support and fix networks, start with Network+. If you want to protect systems and your target roles list Security+, start there, and fill in networking fundamentals as you go. If you are new to IT and aiming at security, doing both in order gives you the strongest base. Before you register, confirm current prices, versions and retirement dates on CompTIA’s official Network+ page and in its store, since exam codes and policies change.
