How much does the CompTIA A+ exam cost?

Each CompTIA A+ exam voucher costs $274 in the US, and you need two of them, one for Core 1 (220-1201) and one for Core 2 (220-1202), so the certification costs $548 before any training. The prices below were checked on October 8, 2026 in CompTIA's own store.

CompTIA A+ prices at a glance

What you pay for, exam by exam

• One voucher per exam. Each A+ voucher is single use and covers either Core 1 (220-1201) or Core 2 (220-1202). You can take the two exams in any order, but both must be from the same version (V15).
• Valid for about a year. Vouchers typically expire one year after purchase, and CompTIA does not extend them.
• Non-refundable. CompTIA does not refund exam vouchers, so buy one when you are close to booking your exam.
• Redeemed in CompTIA Central. You redeem the code and schedule the exam, online with OnVUE or at a Pearson VUE test center, through CompTIA Central.
• A missed appointment uses the voucher. Cancel or reschedule an online exam before its start time, or a test-center exam at least 24 hours ahead. A no-show counts as a used voucher.

Retakes: the hidden cost

CompTIA has no retake discount. If you fail an exam, that voucher is used up, and a second attempt needs a new one: another $274 for that core.

Retake Assurance costs $359 per exam, $85 more than a plain voucher, and includes one retake of the same exam. It suits you if you are booking before you consistently pass full practice exams, or if paying a second $274 would hurt. If you are already scoring well above the passing score, the plain voucher is the cheaper choice.

Ways to pay less

• Student pricing. CompTIA sells discounted exam vouchers to current students at US degree-granting (Title IV) colleges and universities, US high-school juniors and seniors aged 16 or older, and Canadian universities. You verify your status through SheerID in your CompTIA account, and the student price covers up to two of each exam every six months. CompTIA does not publish the discount, and no other discount can be added on top of it.
• Your employer or school. Employers often buy vouchers for their staff, and schools for their students, so ask before you pay yourself.
• The GI Bill. If you have GI Bill benefits, you can get approved certification test fees paid back, up to $2,000 per test, charged against their GI Bill entitlement. Check that the A+ exam is approved in VA's GI Bill Comparison Tool before you count on it.
• CompTIA's own offers. CompTIA's store runs its own promotions from time to time, so look at the store banner before you check out.
• Authorized partners. CompTIA vouchers are also sold through CompTIA authorized partners. CompTIA says it can't help with vouchers bought from third-party companies, so any problem goes back to the seller: buy only from CompTIA or an authorized partner you trust.

What A+ costs in total

Training is the other cost. Studying with free resources keeps the total close to the voucher price, and the bundles above show what CompTIA's own CertMaster training adds. CompTIA says classroom training can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars.

The cheapest pass is the first one

A failed core costs another $274 and weeks of waiting and re-studying, so the money is best spent making sure you pass the first time. Before you book, take a full practice exam for each core, fix your weakest objectives, and practice the performance-based questions (PBQs) that typically open each exam.

ExamWizardz is built for that: a free A+ practice test, hands-on A+ lab sims you play in the browser, and the Pass Plan at $99 for six months with a Pass Guarantee: Pass, or we extend your access free until you do. The conditions are on the pricing page.