Best Free CompTIA Study Resources in 2026 (A+, Security+, Network+, and More)
Pass CompTIA for free — the best no-cost study materials ranked by exam
CompTIA certifications are expensive to take — A+ costs $246 per exam, Security+ $392, Network+ $338. But the study materials don't have to cost anything. This guide ranks the best free resources for every major CompTIA certification in 2026: practice tests, video courses, hands-on labs, and official materials. Everything here is genuinely free — no trials, no credit cards.
Free CompTIA A+ study resources (220-1201 and 220-1202)
CompTIA A+ is the most searched CompTIA certification and has the richest free study ecosystem. Professor Messer's CompTIA A+ Course Notes are the gold standard free text resource — he releases free PDFs and video courses aligned to each exam version. The A+ 220-1201 and 220-1202 videos cover every objective. Supplementary free resources: (1) Professor Messer's free CompTIA A+ practice exams — available on his website, limited to a few free exams per week. (2) Courseiva A+ free practice tests — unlimited questions across both core exams, available without signing in. (3) ExamCompass free A+ practice questions — multiple choice, no login required. (4) CrucialExams free A+ simulations. For hands-on skill, set up a VirtualBox (free) environment and install Ubuntu or Windows to practice OS installation, driver management, and troubleshooting.
The 220-1201 (Core 1) tests hardware, networking, and virtualisation. The 220-1202 (Core 2) tests operating systems, security, and troubleshooting. Study them in order — Core 1 first.
Free CompTIA Security+ study resources (SY0-701)
Security+ (SY0-701) has the most free content of any CompTIA exam. Key free resources: (1) Professor Messer's Security+ SY0-701 Course — free on YouTube (also available as a paid course with extra features). His videos are comprehensive and aligned directly to exam objectives. (2) Courseiva Security+ free practice tests — thousands of questions, no login required. (3) Jason Dion's free Security+ content on YouTube. (4) CompTIA's own CertMaster Learn Security+ trial — limited free access but covers the official objectives. (5) NIST publications are free at nist.gov — several Security+ topics (cryptography standards, risk frameworks, incident response) reference NIST directly. For hands-on practice, Hack The Box and TryHackMe both offer free tiers covering Security+ relevant topics including network scanning, authentication vulnerabilities, and basic malware analysis.
SY0-701 added AI threats, post-quantum cryptography, and zero trust architecture. Make sure your study resources are specifically for SY0-701 — SY0-601 materials miss these topics.
Free CompTIA Network+ study resources (N10-009)
Network+ (N10-009) study resources: (1) Professor Messer's Network+ Course — free on YouTube, covering subnetting, switching, routing, and wireless. His subnetting videos are particularly strong. (2) Courseiva Network+ free practice tests — available without an account. (3) Subnet practice tools — SubnettingPractice.com and subnetting.net are free and essential. (4) Packet Tracer (Cisco) — free to download via NetAcad registration. Gives a virtual network environment to practise switching, VLANs, routing, and troubleshooting. (5) Professor Messer's free Network+ practice exams. The most important free skill to develop for N10-009: subnetting fluency. A dedicated week of subnetting practice using free online tools pays more dividends than reading entire chapters.
N10-009 added more wireless security (WPA3) and cloud networking content compared to N10-008. Confirm your materials are current.
Free CompTIA CySA+ and PenTest+ resources (CS0-003, PT0-003)
CySA+ and PenTest+ have fewer free resources than the core certs, but solid options exist. For CySA+ (CS0-003): (1) MITRE ATT&CK Framework — free at attack.mitre.org. CySA+ tests threat intelligence and ATT&CK is directly referenced. (2) Coursera Google Cybersecurity Certificate — partially free via audit mode, covers many CySA+ relevant topics. (3) TryHackMe SOC Level 1 path — free tier available, directly maps to CySA+ blue team content. (4) Courseiva CySA+ practice tests. For PenTest+ (PT0-003): (1) Hack The Box free tier — practical pentesting labs. (2) OWASP Top 10 documentation — free, covers web application vulnerabilities tested in PT0-003. (3) Kali Linux — free to download, the standard pentest environment. (4) TryHackMe free paths for web exploitation and privilege escalation. (5) Courseiva PenTest+ practice questions.
Official free CompTIA study materials (always start here)
CompTIA provides free official materials that most candidates overlook: (1) Exam Objectives PDF — CompTIA publishes the complete exam objectives for every current certification on comptia.org. Download the official objectives before studying anything else — they define exactly what is tested, weighted by domain percentage. (2) CompTIA CertMaster Learn trial — limited free access to the official courseware. (3) CompTIA CertMaster Practice sample questions — a few free practice questions with explanations. (4) CompTIA's YouTube channel — webinars, exam tips, and domain overviews. The exam objectives PDF is the single most underused free resource. Candidates who study it alongside other materials avoid being caught off guard by obscure sub-objectives.
After downloading the exam objectives PDF, go through each sub-objective and rate your confidence 1–5. Start studying from your lowest-confidence areas, not from Chapter 1.
Building a free CompTIA study schedule
Combining free resources into a structured plan: Week 1 — Download the official CompTIA exam objectives. Watch Professor Messer's videos for the first two domains. Take 20 questions per domain on Courseiva to establish a baseline. Week 2–4 — Continue by domain. For every domain: (a) watch Professor Messer's videos, (b) read the relevant NIST / RFC documentation if applicable, (c) practise on Courseiva until you hit 80%+ on that domain. Week 5 — Simulate full practice exams under timed conditions. Courseiva's timed mode simulates the real exam environment. Identify domains below 75% and review those only. Week 6 — Final review. Professor Messer's free practice exams for a confidence check, then book the exam.
For A+ Core 1 and Core 2: 100–150 study hours is typical. For Security+: 60–100 hours. For Network+: 100–150 hours. Adjust based on your existing IT experience.
Key tips
The exam objectives PDF from CompTIA is free and is the authoritative source for what will be tested — download it first for every exam.
Professor Messer's free videos are available on YouTube — search for the exact exam code (e.g. 'Professor Messer SY0-701') to find the correct series.
Courseiva practice tests are free and unlimited — use them after each topic to reinforce what you just studied.
TryHackMe offers a free tier with hands-on labs relevant to Security+, CySA+, and PenTest+.
Packet Tracer (Cisco) is free via Cisco NetAcad and is ideal for Network+ hands-on practice.
Set a target of 80%+ on topic-level practice tests before moving to the next domain.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pass CompTIA Security+ for free?
Yes. Professor Messer's free SY0-701 video course on YouTube covers every exam objective. Courseiva's free practice tests provide unlimited question drilling. Add TryHackMe's free tier for hands-on labs and NIST publications for official reference material. Many candidates pass Security+ spending nothing.
Is Professor Messer free?
Professor Messer's YouTube videos are completely free — search for the exam code (e.g. SY0-701, 220-1201, N10-009) to find the full course. He also sells paid versions with downloadable notes, practice exams, and performance tracker features. The free YouTube versions cover all exam objectives.
What are the best free CompTIA A+ study resources?
Professor Messer's free A+ YouTube courses (220-1201 and 220-1202), Courseiva's free A+ practice tests, ExamCompass free practice questions, and VirtualBox (free VM software) for hands-on hardware and OS practice are the top free CompTIA A+ resources in 2026.
Are Courseiva CompTIA practice tests free?
Yes — Courseiva's CompTIA practice tests are completely free. You can take unlimited A+, Security+, Network+, CySA+, and PenTest+ practice questions without creating an account. Questions include detailed explanations for every answer.
What free resources are available for CompTIA Network+?
Professor Messer's free Network+ N10-009 course on YouTube, Courseiva free Network+ practice tests, Cisco Packet Tracer (free via NetAcad registration) for hands-on lab practice, and subnetting practice tools like SubnettingPractice.com are the best free Network+ resources.
How do I study for CompTIA for free?
Download the free official CompTIA exam objectives PDF first. Then use Professor Messer's free YouTube courses for video content, Courseiva for practice testing, TryHackMe free tier for hands-on labs (Security+ and CySA+), and Cisco Packet Tracer (free) for Network+ labs. This combination covers all major study formats at zero cost.
Are there free CompTIA practice tests?
Yes. Courseiva offers unlimited free practice tests for CompTIA A+, Security+, Network+, CySA+, and PenTest+ with no registration required. Professor Messer's website also offers limited free practice exams per week, and ExamCompass provides free basic practice questions.
Related glossary terms
Hard Drive Troubleshooting
Hard drive troubleshooting is the process of identifying, diagnosing, and fixing problems with a computer's storage device so that data can be saved or retrieved correctly.
Network Cabling Standards
Network cabling standards are the official rules and specifications that define how cables used to connect computers and network devices must be built, tested, and installed to ensure reliable communication.
IPv4 Subnetting
IPv4 subnetting is the process of dividing a single IP network into smaller, more manageable segments to improve performance, security, and address efficiency.
TCP/IP model
The TCP/IP model is the set of communication protocols used to connect devices on the internet and most private networks, organizing network communication into four layers.
Thunderbolt Technology
Thunderbolt Technology is a high-speed hardware interface that combines data transfer, video output, and power delivery through a single cable, originally developed by Intel and Apple.
RAM Types DDR
DDR RAM is a type of computer memory that transfers data twice per clock cycle, making it faster than older memory types.
Practice with real exam questions
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