Help desk and IT support certifications
If you're aiming for a help desk or IT support job, one certification does most of the work: CompTIA A+. Several others are worth knowing about, depending on where you start and where you're headed. Here they are side by side, with current prices, plus the ones that have been renamed or retired.
The short answer
For most people starting out, the help desk certification to get is CompTIA A+: CompTIA built it for entry-level IT support, and its two exams cover hardware, operating systems, networking, security and troubleshooting. If you're brand new to tech, CompTIA Tech+ is a cheaper first step. ITIL and HDI certifications add service-desk process and customer-service skills, and Microsoft's MD-102 is a later step once you manage Windows devices at work.
Help desk certifications compared
| Certification | Cost (U.S.) | Format | Renewal | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CompTIA A+ | $274 per exam | 2 proctored exams, up to 90 questions each | Every 3 years, with CEUs or a higher certification | The standard first help desk certification |
| CompTIA Tech+ | $129 | 1 exam, up to 70 questions in 60 minutes | The standard version doesn't expire | Complete beginners who want a credential before A+ |
| Google IT Support Certificate | $49 a month | Online course with graded assignments | No expiration listed | Learning IT support from zero, with structure |
| ITIL Foundation (Version 5) | $690 bundle | 1 exam, 40 questions in 60 minutes | Every 3 years, with 60 CPD points or another ITIL exam | Service desk processes: incidents, problems and changes |
| HDI-CSR | $449 with course | 1 online exam | Doesn't expire | Frontline customer service and call-center roles |
| HDI-SCA | $699 with course | 1 online exam, 65 questions in 75 minutes | Doesn't expire | Frontline technical support analysts |
| Microsoft MD-102 | Varies by country | 1 exam, 100 minutes | Renew every 12 months, with a free online assessment | Desktop and endpoint admins with some experience |
Prices are U.S. list prices from each issuer's site, checked in October 2026. Check them again before you buy: CompTIA raised the A+ voucher price in both 2025 and 2026.
CompTIA A+: the standard help desk certification
A+ takes two exams, Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202), each with up to 90 questions in 90 minutes. You need 675 on Core 1 and 700 on Core 2, on a 100–900 scale. Each exam voucher is $274, so $548 for both, and the certification is valid for 3 years. The A+ cost guide covers retakes and discounts, and the A+ salary guide shows what help desk and support jobs pay: a median of $61,860 in BLS data.
CompTIA Tech+: a first step if you're new
Tech+ (FC0-U71) is CompTIA's beginner certification. It's the rebranded CompTIA IT Fundamentals (ITF+), so older guides may still call it ITF+. It's one exam of up to 70 questions in 60 minutes, with a pass mark of 650 on a 100–900 scale, and the voucher costs $129. The standard version doesn't expire. It's optional: A+ doesn't require it, so you can go straight to A+ if you're comfortable with computers already.
Google IT Support Certificate: a structured course
Google's certificate is a self-paced online course on Coursera, $49 a month, that Google estimates takes 3 to 6 months. Its Coursera program page says it prepares you for the CompTIA A+ exams, and finishing it and passing A+ earns a dual credential from CompTIA and Google. The Google IT Support Certificate vs CompTIA A+ guide compares the two in detail.
ITIL Foundation: how service desks work
ITIL is a widely used framework for running IT services, and its Foundation certification covers the vocabulary of a service desk: incidents, problems, changes and the processes around them. PeopleCert runs the exam: 40 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, 65% to pass. ITIL Foundation (Version 5) is the current exam, and PeopleCert plans to retire the ITIL 4 exams on December 31, 2027. There's no exam-only price: the cheapest bundle is $690 and includes the exam voucher, the official eBook and learning resources. It renews every 3 years. It's most useful where the help desk you're joining follows ITIL processes.
HDI: customer service and the service desk
HDI, now owned by Informa TechTarget, certifies support-center staff. HDI Customer Service Representative (HDI-CSR) covers customer service by voice and in writing, from $449 for the self-study course with the exam. HDI Support Center Analyst (HDI-SCA) covers the frontline technical support role, from $699, with 65 questions in 75 minutes. Both exams are taken online, need 80% to pass and don't expire. They're vendor-neutral like A+, but focused on how support is delivered rather than on hardware and operating systems.
Microsoft MD-102: a later step
Microsoft's MD-102 exam earns Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate. It covers managing Windows, macOS, iOS and Android devices with Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Entra ID. Microsoft rates it intermediate and expects Intune and Entra ID experience, so it usually comes after some time in support rather than as a first certification. The exam is 100 minutes, with a pass mark of 700 on a 1–1,000 scale. Microsoft sets the price by country and shows it at checkout, and the certification renews every 12 months, with a free online assessment. Microsoft retired its Microsoft 365 Fundamentals exam, MS-900, on March 31, 2026.
A sensible order
- 1. Tech+, if you're brand new. Optional: skip it if you already use computers comfortably.
- 2. CompTIA A+. The certification CompTIA says appears most often in tech support job ads, and the one to prioritize.
- 3. Then follow the job. ITIL or HDI for service-desk roles, Network+ for networking (see A+ vs Network+), and MD-102 once you manage Windows devices at work.
PC technician and computer repair certification
CompTIA doesn't offer a separate PC technician or computer repair certification: A+ is it. Core 1 covers mobile devices, networking, PC hardware and printers, virtualization and cloud, and hardware and network troubleshooting. Core 2 covers operating systems, security, software troubleshooting and operational procedures. The free A+ labs let you practice the repair side, like building a PC or fixing a startup problem, in a browser.
Renamed and retired
- CompTIA IT Fundamentals (ITF+) was rebranded as Tech+ (FC0-U71). Existing ITF+ holders keep their credential.
- Microsoft 365 Fundamentals (MS-900) was retired on March 31, 2026.
- ITIL 4 Foundation is giving way to ITIL Foundation (Version 5). PeopleCert's current plan is to retire the ITIL 4 exams on December 31, 2027.
- Older A+ exam codes have been replaced by 220-1201 and 220-1202. Lists that still name earlier codes are out of date.
Practice for A+
- Free A+ practice test: the 60-question test covers both cores, with every answer explained.
- Free performance-based questions: PBQs for both exams, graded instantly.
- Hands-on labs: the free A+ labs put the troubleshooting into practice.