- Each Core 1 or Core 2 voucher lists at $274 USD; full certification requires two vouchers, one per exam.
- Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202) must be from the same V15 series - no mixing with retired 1101/1102 exams.
- Renewal costs 20 CEUs plus $25 per year, or $75 total across the three-year cycle.
- A failed attempt means buying another $274 voucher, making first-attempt readiness the real cost-control lever.
Voucher Pricing Breakdown
The most important number to understand before you register is the voucher price: CompTIA lists each Core exam voucher at $274 USD. That price is per exam, not per certification - since A Plus requires passing both Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202), you're budgeting for two separate vouchers to complete the credential. Academic pricing and partner/bundle discounts are available below list price through some training providers and schools, so it's worth checking whether you qualify before paying full retail.
Exams are delivered through Pearson VUE, either at a physical test center or via OnVUE online proctoring, and the voucher price is the same regardless of which delivery method you choose. There's no separate "online exam surcharge" baked into the CERT FACTS - the cost driver is simply how many vouchers you need to buy, which in turn depends on how many attempts it takes you to pass each exam.
Total Cost to Get Certified
At list price, the arithmetic is straightforward: two vouchers at $274 each puts the baseline cost of earning CompTIA A Plus at $548 USD, assuming you pass both exams on the first try. That figure doesn't include study materials, practice exams, or any training course you might take beforehand - it's strictly the exam registration cost through Pearson VUE.
| Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core 1 (220-1201) voucher | $274 | Covers one attempt |
| Core 2 (220-1202) voucher | $274 | Covers one attempt |
| Total for both exams | $548 | List price, first attempt only |
| Retake voucher (per failed exam) | $274 | Full price again, no discount |
| Annual CE fee | $25/year | $75 across a 3-year cycle |
Every retake adds a full $274 to the total because CompTIA doesn't offer a discounted retake voucher for A Plus. This is the single biggest reason candidates should treat exam-day readiness as a financial decision, not just an academic one - walking in unprepared doesn't just cost time, it costs another voucher. For a realistic picture of how difficult each exam actually is before you commit to a date, read How Hard Is the A Plus Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
What the Fee Actually Covers
Your $274 per exam buys access to a 90-question, 90-minute test delivered in English, mixing single-response multiple choice, multiple-response multiple choice, drag-and-drop items, and performance-based questions (PBQs) that simulate real troubleshooting tasks. Scoring runs on a 100-900 scale, with 675 required to pass Core 1 and 700 required to pass Core 2 - results are shown to you immediately at the test center. For a full breakdown of exactly what score you need and how scaled scoring works, see A Plus Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
There are no formal prerequisites to register - no required coursework, no mandatory experience verification - though CompTIA recommends roughly 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support specialist role before attempting the exams. If you're unsure whether you meet the recommended background, A Plus Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify walks through what "recommended" actually means in practice.
What Your Voucher Is Testing You On
Each exam covers a fixed set of weighted domains. Knowing the weight tells you where your study money and time should concentrate.
- Core 1: Mobile Devices (13%), Networking (23%), Hardware (25%), Virtualization and Cloud Computing (11%), Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (28%)
- Core 2: Operating Systems (28%), Security (28%), Software Troubleshooting (23%), Operational Procedures (21%)
Hardware and Network Troubleshooting is the single heaviest domain on Core 1 at 28%, and Core 2 has a tie at the top between Operating Systems and Security, each also at 28%. That means nearly a third of each exam's questions cluster around troubleshooting methodology, OS administration, and baseline security practices - the areas most worth reinforcing before you spend money on an attempt. For the full domain-by-domain breakdown with study priorities, see A Plus Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 9 Content Areas.
Renewal and Continuing Education Costs
CompTIA A Plus is valid for three years from the date you earn it, not indefinitely, so there's an ongoing cost to keep it active. Renewal happens through the Continuing Education (CE) program, and there are three paths:
- Earn 20 CEUs over the three-year cycle plus pay a $25 annual CE fee, totaling $75 per cycle.
- Complete CompTIA's CertMaster CE program to satisfy the renewal requirement.
- Earn a qualifying higher-level CompTIA certification, which renews A Plus automatically and waives the CE fees entirely.
That third option is worth planning around if you already know you're headed toward a more advanced CompTIA credential - it effectively makes your renewal free. If you're weighing whether the ongoing $75 cycle fee changes the overall value proposition, Is the A Plus Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 looks at this from a full return-on-investment angle.
Key Takeaway
Budget $548 for the two exam vouchers up front, and then plan for a modest $75 renewal cost every three years unless you earn a qualifying higher-level certification that waives it.
Hidden Costs Candidates Forget
The voucher price is fixed, but a few cost factors are easy to overlook when budgeting:
- Retake vouchers. There is no reduced-price retake for A Plus - a failed attempt costs the same $274 as the first try.
- Study materials. Books, video courses, and practice exams aren't included in the voucher price and vary widely in cost depending on the provider.
- Time away from work. If you're scheduling a test center visit during work hours, factor in any lost wages or PTO used.
- Version mismatches. If you started studying for the retired 220-1101/220-1102 series and haven't finished both exams before your materials or notes reference the old objectives, you may need to re-align your prep to the V15 (220-1201/220-1202) content before spending another voucher.
Because ANSI-accredited, ISO 17024-certified exams like A Plus are held to strict content standards, CompTIA doesn't offer partial credit or fee reductions for near-misses - you either clear the scaled score or you pay for another attempt. This is exactly why understanding the exam's real difficulty ahead of time matters more than it might for a lower-stakes test; the pass rate data and difficulty patterns are covered in A Plus Pass Rate 2026: What the Data Shows.
Cost vs. Value by Domain
Not all domains carry equal weight, so not all study hours carry equal financial risk. A candidate who under-prepares for Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (28% of Core 1) or Operating Systems and Security (28% each on Core 2) is risking a much larger chunk of the exam than someone who skims a lighter domain like Virtualization and Cloud Computing (11%) or Mobile Devices (13%).
| Domain | Exam | Weight | Cost-Risk if Weak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware and Network Troubleshooting | Core 1 | 28% | Highest |
| Hardware | Core 1 | 25% | High |
| Networking | Core 1 | 23% | High |
| Mobile Devices | Core 1 | 13% | Lower |
| Virtualization and Cloud Computing | Core 1 | 11% | Lower |
| Operating Systems | Core 2 | 28% | Highest |
| Security | Core 2 | 28% | Highest |
| Software Troubleshooting | Core 2 | 23% | High |
| Operational Procedures | Core 2 | 21% | Moderate |
Thinking of study time as a hedge against a $274 retake voucher reframes the "study vs. skip" decision on heavier domains. A study plan that mirrors these weights protects your investment far better than one that spreads effort evenly across all nine domains.
Budgeting Your Study Timeline
Since money and preparation time are linked, it helps to map your weeks against the domains that carry the most exam weight - and the most financial risk if left weak.
Hardware and Networking Foundations
- Cover Hardware (25%) and Networking (23%) on Core 1
- Build comfort with components, cabling, and connectivity concepts before moving to troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Methodology
- Focus on Hardware and Network Troubleshooting, the heaviest Core 1 domain at 28%
- Practice applying a consistent troubleshooting approach to scenario-based questions
Mobile, Virtualization, and Cloud
- Round out Core 1 with Mobile Devices (13%) and Virtualization and Cloud Computing (11%)
- Sit the Core 1 (220-1201) exam once practice scores are consistently above the 675 passing threshold
Operating Systems and Security
- These two Core 2 domains are tied at 28% each - give them equal, sustained attention
- Drill OS administration tasks and baseline security concepts side by side
Software Troubleshooting and Operational Procedures
- Cover Software Troubleshooting (23%) and Operational Procedures (21%)
- Run full-length timed practice exams to build stamina for the 90-question, 90-minute format
This is one place where a familiar study technique is genuinely useful: spacing repeated review sessions on the 28% domains across multiple weeks, rather than cramming them once, tends to produce steadier retention than a single marathon session. For a more complete week-by-week framework and resource recommendations, see A Plus Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt, and keep a condensed reference nearby using A Plus Cheat Sheet 2026: One-Page Review of Must-Know Facts.
How to Avoid Wasting Money on Retakes
Given that every failed attempt adds another $274 voucher to your total cost, the most effective cost-control strategy is simple: don't schedule your exam until practice performance is reliably above the passing threshold. A few practical habits help:
- Run full-length practice tests under real time constraints on a-plus-exam.com before booking your Pearson VUE appointment, so you know your baseline against the actual 90-question, 90-minute format.
- Treat performance-based questions (PBQs) as their own study category - they test applied skills differently than multiple-choice items and are easy to underestimate.
- Confirm you're studying the correct version series. Materials written for the retired 220-1101/220-1102 exams won't align cleanly with the current 220-1201/220-1202 objectives.
- Check registration deadlines and testing windows ahead of time so you're not rushed into a date before you're ready - details are covered in A Plus Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling.
Retaking a domain-weighted practice exam repeatedly on our practice test platform until your weak domains close the gap is far cheaper than discovering those gaps on exam day.
Frequently Asked Questions
At list price, two exam vouchers at $274 each bring the total to $548 for both Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202), not including study materials or any retakes.
No. One voucher covers one core exam only. You need two separate $274 vouchers - one for Core 1 and one for Core 2 - to complete the certification.
No. CompTIA charges the full $274 list price for a retake voucher; there is no reduced retake fee for A Plus exams.
Renewal through the Continuing Education program costs $25 per year, or $75 across the full three-year cycle, in addition to earning 20 CEUs. This fee is waived if you renew by earning a qualifying higher-level CompTIA certification.
Yes. Academic and partner pricing is available below the $274 list price through some schools and training providers, so it's worth checking eligibility before paying full price.
Understanding the exact voucher structure, renewal fees, and where your study time carries the most financial risk puts you in a much stronger position to budget realistically for CompTIA A Plus. For a broader look at what the credential opens up once you've paid for it, see A Plus Jobs and A Plus Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis.