The short answer nobody wants to hear
Neither certification is a prerequisite for the other. CompTIA recommends that Network+ candidates have their A+ or nine months of networking experience, but that's a suggestion — not a lock on the door. You can register for and sit either exam without holding any prior certification at all. This matters because the "which one first" debate often frames it as though you're choosing a chapter order in a mandatory curriculum, when really you're choosing where to invest three months of your life.
That said, the order does matter — just not for the reasons most people think.
What each exam actually covers
The CompTIA A+ is two separate exams: Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102). You need to pass both to earn the certification. Core 1 covers hardware — motherboards, CPUs, storage, mobile devices, networking connectors and cables, and cloud basics. Core 2 covers Windows, macOS, Linux, security, troubleshooting methodology, and operational procedures like documentation and change management.
It's deliberately broad. CompTIA built it for IT support technicians — people who fix laptops, set up new-hire machines, troubleshoot printers, and handle the daily stream of "my computer is slow" tickets. The depth on any individual topic is limited. You learn enough about networking to support end users, not enough to build a routed network from scratch.
Network+ (currently N10-009) is a single exam covering network infrastructure, protocols, routing and switching, wireless standards, cloud networking, network security fundamentals, and troubleshooting. The networking coverage goes meaningfully deeper than A+. You'll be expected to understand subnetting, explain the difference between STP and RSTP, identify the correct cable type for a given scenario, and troubleshoot connectivity problems using systematic methodology.
The practical difference in one sentence: A+ asks "what cable connects a monitor to a laptop?" Network+ asks "why are packets being dropped between these two subnets, and how do you fix it?"
Who each exam is actually designed for
A+ is for desktop support, helpdesk, and IT support technicians. The job titles that frequently list it as a requirement or preference: IT support specialist, desktop support analyst, technical support representative, field service technician, managed services technician. These are the roles you get at the start of an IT career, and they're genuinely good roles — they give you exposure to every layer of the stack and teach you how to diagnose problems when the person reporting them can't describe what happened.
Network+ targets junior network administrators, network support technicians, and anyone moving toward a networking specialization. It shows up in requirements for roles at companies with actual network infrastructure teams — mid-size and enterprise organizations where someone's full-time job is maintaining the switching and routing fabric, not fixing laptop issues.
Worth knowing: Network+ doesn't translate cleanly into "I can now manage a Cisco network." For that, you need CCNA. Network+ gives you the foundation and vocabulary, which is exactly what it promises and nothing more.
The job market, honestly
A+ shows up in far more entry-level job postings than Network+. Search for IT support or helpdesk positions, and "CompTIA A+ preferred or required" is everywhere. It's the baseline credential that signals this person knows what a hard drive is and can reinstall Windows without breaking something else in the process.
Network+ carries more weight for roles that have "network" in the title. If you're applying for network administrator or network support positions, it differentiates you from candidates who only have A+. It's also on the DoD 8570 approved certifications list, which matters if government contracting is on your radar — both A+ and Network+ are listed, at different levels.
What neither certification does: get you past entry level on its own. They both open roughly the same door into IT. Once you're inside, your trajectory depends on experience, specialization, and the certs you pursue next. A+ leads most naturally toward general IT support and systems work. Network+ leads toward CCNA and a networking specialization. Security+ is the next logical move if security is the direction.
Taking A+ when you should take Network+ is a real mistake
If you already have IT support experience — you've worked helpdesk, done desktop support, know your way around Windows, have dealt with basic networking at the user level — A+ will not teach you much. The exam might still be worth doing to have the credential on paper if a specific job requires it, but spending three or four months studying for it when you've been doing the work for two years is a poor return on your time.
In that situation, Network+ is the better next step. Or Security+. Or CCNA if you know networking is where you're heading. The point is that A+ is most valuable at the very beginning of a career, before you've built the experiential knowledge that makes the exam content feel obvious.
The reverse mistake — jumping straight to Network+ without any foundational IT knowledge — is less common but does happen. Network+ assumes you understand the basics: what an IP address is, how DHCP works, the difference between a switch and a router. These are covered in A+. If you don't have them from experience or prior study, A+ first makes genuine sense.
The cost and time reality
A+ is two exams at roughly $246 each at current CompTIA pricing — so around $492 total, though authorized retailer vouchers are usually lower. Network+ is one exam at approximately $338. That cost difference has pushed some people toward Network+ first, which is a reasonable calculation if budget matters.
Study time varies a lot based on your background. For someone starting fresh: A+ takes three to four months of consistent work, Network+ takes two to three months. If you have relevant experience, both timelines shrink significantly. Most people with IT support experience can be exam-ready for A+ in six to eight weeks of focused study.
Both certifications are valid for three years, then require either continuing education credits or a recertification exam to renew. CompTIA CE credits are easy enough to accumulate if you're active in the field — attending webinars, completing training courses, earning higher certifications all count. Just don't ignore the renewal date and let it expire.
What the exam experience is actually like
Both exams are delivered through Pearson VUE, either at a test center or online. Both include a mix of multiple choice questions and performance-based questions (PBQs). The PBQs put you in front of a simulated environment — a network diagram, a configuration screen, a troubleshooting scenario — and ask you to complete a task rather than pick an answer from a list.
The PBQs show up at the beginning of the exam on both A+ and Network+. A common strategy is to flag them, skip past, answer all the multiple choice questions, then return to the PBQs at the end. This works because the multiple choice questions sometimes give you context or jog memory that helps with the simulated tasks. It also protects your time — a PBQ can eat five minutes if you're not careful, and you don't want to run out of clock before reaching straightforward questions you could answer in 30 seconds.
Passing scores: A+ Core 1 requires 675 out of 900. Core 2 requires 700 out of 900. Network+ requires 720 out of 900. These aren't the same as percentage-correct because CompTIA uses adaptive scoring and some questions carry more weight than others.
The combination approach
If you're planning to get both eventually — and for many IT careers, you will end up with both — the order matters less than it seems on the surface, because studying for either one gives you a head start on the other. Both cover networking basics, OSI model, IP addressing, basic security concepts, and troubleshooting methodology.
The practical approach that works well: study A+ first, earn that cert, then use the networking foundation you built to move into Network+ at a faster pace. People who do this often cut their Network+ study time by a third because the fundamentals are already solid. You're not relearning what an IP address is — you're building on it.
The actual recommendation
New to IT, targeting helpdesk or desktop support: take A+ first. It's the most recognized entry-level IT credential, it's practical and broad, and it gives you vocabulary for every IT conversation you'll have in your first two years. After working in support for six to twelve months, come back for Network+ or move toward whatever your specialization is going to be.
Have IT support experience already: skip A+ unless a specific job posting requires it. Take Network+ or go directly toward CCNA if you know networking is your path.
Targeting government or defense contracting: check the DoD 8570 baseline requirements for the specific role level you want. A+ covers IAT Level I. Network+ and Security+ cover Level II. The level you're targeting determines which cert matters most right now.
Unsure which direction IT is taking you: A+ is the safer first bet because it covers more ground and has broader job market recognition at entry level. You can decide on a specialization after you've had some support experience and seen what parts of IT actually interest you.
Neither path is wrong. The real mistake is spending months paralyzed by the question instead of picking one and starting. Both exams are achievable. Both open doors. Pick the one that maps to the job you want next and go study for it.