TL;DR
True beginner with no IT background: A+ first. Comfortable with computers and aiming at networking or security roles: Network+ first is fine, with subnetting as the gate. A+ proves you can support hardware, systems, and users across two exams; Network+ proves you understand networks in one. Most security careers eventually want both plus Security+.
Who each exam is for
A+ is for people entering IT support: help desk, deskside technician, or anyone whose first job involves touching machines and helping users. It assumes almost nothing and teaches broadly: devices, hardware, operating systems, procedures. If you have never opened a PC or never used a command line, A+ meets you where you are.
Network+ is for people who already use computers fluently and want infrastructure proof. It assumes you can navigate an OS, install software, and follow technical procedures without guidance. The exam then teaches one thing deeply: how networks work, from cables to troubleshooting methodology. Career changers with office-IT confidence often start here successfully.
Side by side
- A+ Core 1 (220-1201). Up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, passing score 675 on the 100 to 900 scale. Five domains: mobile devices 13%, networking 23%, hardware 25%, virtualization and cloud 11%, troubleshooting 28%. Launched 2025-03-25.
- A+ Core 2 (220-1202). Separate exam, passing score 700. Covers operating systems, security basics, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. You need both Core 1 and Core 2 from the same series to earn A+. Neither stands alone.
- Network+ N10-009. Up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, passing score 720 on the 100 to 900 scale. Five domains: concepts 23%, implementation 20%, operations 19%, security 14%, troubleshooting 24%. Launched 2024-06-20. One exam, one pass, done.
- Effort shape. A+ means two exam sittings, two bookings, and broader memorization (connectors, RAM generations, printer processes, OS tools). Network+ means one sitting with deeper reasoning (subnetting fluency, VLAN logic, methodology in order). Total study hours often land similar; the stress spreads differently.
- Cost shape. Two exams against one means two fees, so check the owner pages for current pricing before budgeting. No prices are quoted here since CompTIA pricing changes by region and bundle.
Where they actually differ
Hands against models
A+ tests hands-on recognition: identify the connector, pick the RAM generation, order the laser printing steps, choose the Windows tool that fixes this symptom. Handling real parts helps enormously. Network+ tests mental models: how traffic flows, where it breaks, which methodology step comes next. Drawing topologies helps enormously. Pick the exam whose practice style you will actually do daily.
Memorization against fluency
A+ rewards organized memorization with physical cards and short lists. Network+ rewards one fluency (subnetting) that opens up half the exam, plus a methodology recited in exact order. Candidates who hate flashcards often prefer Network+. Candidates who hate math often prefer A+. Both aversions are survivable with the right drills; neither exam is math-heavy beyond subnet arithmetic.
Job signal
A+ signals hireable-for-support on day one, and help desk postings name it constantly. Network+ signals ready-for-infrastructure and feeds directly into security study, since Security+ assumes networking fluency. If you need income fast, A+ first. If you are employed and pivoting toward networking or security, Network+ first wastes less time.
Troubleshooting philosophy
Both test troubleshooting, at different scopes. A+ asks best-next-step for devices, systems, and users (safety answers skew cautious). Network+ asks methodology-order for networks (identify, theory, test, plan, implement, verify, document). Learning both gives you the full technician mindset, which is why the pair is worth holding even though only one can be first.
Which one first
No IT background or shaky computer confidence: A+ first, Core 1 then Core 2, using the A+ study plan. The networking domain inside Core 1 pre-teaches Network+ later, so little effort is lost.
Solid computer skills with a networking or security target: Network+ first is efficient. Gate yourself on subnetting: if you can solve any /24 to /30 in under a minute after a week of trying, you belong in Network+. If that week felt miserable, take it as data and start with A+ instead. The Network+ plan opens with subnetting for exactly this reason.
Either way, Security+ comes after, not alongside. Two certs at once splits focus and doubles exam fees at risk. Finish one, bank the win, start the next.
A two-week self-test before you commit
Still undecided after reading this far. Run this experiment. Week one: one hour daily of subnetting practice with the subnet drills. If /24 to /30 problems start solving in under a minute and the work feels satisfying, Network+ first is viable. Week two: one hour daily of hardware identification (photos of ports, connectors, and components, named aloud). If recognition clicks and the lists feel manageable, A+ first will suit you. Whichever week you looked forward to points at your exam. If both felt fine, pick by job urgency (need income: A+; pivoting with a paycheck: Network+). If both felt miserable, the issue is study habit, not exam choice, so fix session length and consistency first.
What dual holders say about the pair
Ask people who hold both and a pattern emerges. Almost none regret the order they chose, and almost all say the second exam took half the expected time. A+ holders report Network+ troubleshooting felt like meeting an old friend with a new vocabulary. Network+ holders report A+ networking felt like a refund on earlier effort. The shared topics (addressing, wireless, VPNs, methodical troubleshooting) do real work in both directions. The only regret ever voiced is taking both exams in the same month, which doubles fee risk and guarantees burnout. Space them by at least a month, pass one cleanly, then ride the momentum into the next.
Core 2 deserves its own paragraph in this decision
Comparisons sometimes treat A+ as Core 1 alone, but Core 2 decides the experience for many candidates. Core 2 leans procedural and judgment-heavy: malware removal order, Windows tools by symptom, professionalism scenarios answered as a technician. Candidates who love hands-on fixing often find Core 2 friendlier than Core 1 memorization, while memorizers find it slipperier. Its 700 bar sits slightly higher than Core 1's 675, so plan Core 2 study with the same seriousness rather than coasting on Core 1 momentum. The A+ study plan splits the ten weeks five and five for exactly this reason: equal exams, equal respect. One last logistics note: schedule Core 1 first and Core 2 two to three weeks later while troubleshooting habits are warm, since scores stand alone and neither exam waits for the other.
How to study for the one you pick
For A+, handle hardware where possible, make physical cards for connector and standard lists, and rehearse every ordered procedure until recitable. For Network+, drill subnetting until boring, memorize the troubleshooting order verbatim, and keep one comparison table (OSI layers, wireless standards, cables, routing) rewritten weekly. Both need timed simulations before booking: see readiness explained and the PBQ strategy for performance questions.
Sources
- CompTIA A+ Core 1 and 2 page (owner)
- CompTIA Network+ exam page (owner)
- Exam facts re-verified against published exam records 2026-10-18; pricing omitted (check owner pages for current fees).
Editorial: this guide was written by the SecLern study team and checked against the owner pages on 2026-10-18. Only owner-published format facts are stated.