The A+ Core 2 exam cost is US$274 for one exam voucher at CompTIA's U.S. list price, or US$359 if you buy the version with Retake Assurance. That is the U.S. price; CompTIA prices vary by country, so check CompTIA's store for your region before you budget.
Core 2 (220-1202) is half of the CompTIA A+. You also need Core 1 (220-1201), and each exam takes its own voucher, so the exam fees for the credential are US$548 at list. Everything else on the bill, from a retake to the renewal fee three years out, depends on choices you make around those two purchases. This post walks through them in the order you will meet them.
Is the Core 2 voucher a different product from Core 1's?
No. CompTIA sells one A+ Voucher, and the same product appears on both the Core 1 and the Core 2 pages. It is single-use and redeems for either core, not both. So there is no special Core 2 price to hunt for: the figure is the same $274 whichever exam you sit with it.
Two terms come with every voucher. It is valid for 12 months from the day you buy it, and CompTIA says it is emailed within three to four hours of purchase. The 12 months is the real constraint. A voucher you buy in a burst of motivation and then leave unused for a year is $274 gone.
If you have already sat Core 1, you may still have a second voucher from the same order. Check its purchase date before you plan your Core 2 study weeks, not after. If you are working out how many weeks you need, the Core 2 study plan gives you a schedule to hold against that date.
Which situation are you buying in?
Most Core 2 candidates fall into one of three positions, and each points to a different purchase.
You have passed Core 1 and Core 2 is your second exam. You know what a CompTIA exam feels like, which counts for something. But Core 2 is a different syllabus: Operating Systems and Security carry 28% each, Software Troubleshooting 23% and Operational Procedures 21%. Do not assume Core 1 practice scores predict Core 2 ones. Buy the voucher once your Core 2 practice is steady, not on the day your Core 1 result arrives. Keep the same-version rule in mind too: CompTIA says both cores must come from the same version, with no mixing, which today means V15.
You are starting with Core 2. CompTIA says the two exams can be taken in any order, so this is allowed. Here, buying one voucher at a time keeps the most money out of risk. You only need the second voucher once Core 2 is behind you and you have a plan for Core 1, whose own costs are laid out in the Core 1 exam cost post.
Someone else is paying. If an employer or school is buying, two vouchers in one order is simpler for them. The only question is whether both exams fit inside 12 months of that order. If the training plan is longer than that, ask for the second voucher later.
How do retakes add to the A+ Core 2 exam cost?
Without Retake Assurance, every attempt costs the full exam price. CompTIA's retake policy says candidates pay the exam price each time, and that it does not offer free re-tests or discounts on retakes. The policy also sets waiting periods, which matter as much as the money because they decide how fast you can try again.
| Attempt | Waiting period before it | Plain-voucher cost of that attempt |
|---|---|---|
| First | None | $274 |
| Second | None after the first | $274 |
| Third | At least 14 calendar days | $274 |
| Fourth and later | At least 14 calendar days each | $274 |
One more clause is often quoted out of context. Once a candidate has passed and achieved a certification, CompTIA does not allow a retake of the same exam code without its prior consent. The rule is written for people who have achieved a certification. Passing Core 2 by itself does not give you A+, so this is a rule about holders of the credential, not a penalty that lands the moment you pass a single core.
The fact that you may retest at once is not advice to do it. A second attempt booked the next morning costs the same $274 and meets the same gaps. Spend a week or two on the domains where your practice was weakest, then book.
Should you pay $359 for Retake Assurance on Core 2?
A+ Voucher Plus Retake Assurance costs $359, which is $85 more than the plain voucher, with the same 12-month validity. It pairs the exam with a retake. CompTIA's product page sets out the retake terms, including how and when the retake must be used, so read them there before paying.
The arithmetic is simple. If you pass first time, the plain voucher wins by $85. If you fail once and retake on plain vouchers, Core 2 has cost you $548, against $359 with Retake Assurance. So the question is not whether you might fail, it is whether you honestly think a first-attempt pass is less likely than not, or whether a second $274 would hurt enough that you would rather pay $85 now.
Our view: Retake Assurance is worth it on Core 2 for people whose experience is mostly hardware and who have never had to secure a workstation, run commands at a prompt, or work through a malware cleanup. Security alone is 28% of the exam, and it is the domain where knowing the term and knowing what to do next are different skills. How hard Core 2 is explains why, and the 700 passing score on a 100 to 900 scale gives you no room to coast on one strong domain. If you already work a help desk and your timed practice clears comfortably, the plain voucher is the better bet. CompTIA publishes no pass rate, so this is your call, made on your own practice numbers.
Do you need a CompTIA bundle for Core 2?
The Core 2 page lists three bundles that pair the exam with CompTIA's own training, each including a retake. At U.S. list price:
-
Practice and Exam Bundle with Retake: $388
-
Learn and Exam Bundle with Retake: $554
-
Complete Bundle with Retake: $688
We are not itemizing what each one contains or comparing their value. The bundle pages are the place to check contents, and the contents are what decide whether a bundle is worth it to you. What is certain is that none is required. CompTIA sets no course, training or eligibility gate in front of Core 2; its 12 months of hands-on IT support experience is a recommendation, as the Core 2 requirements and renewal post explains. If you study from your own material, the only prices that matter are $274 and $359.
How do you book Core 2: test center or OnVUE?
You schedule through CompTIA Central, which passes you to Pearson VUE. From there you choose a Pearson VUE test center or an online exam delivered through OnVUE. The voucher price is the same for both.
The differences are in the costs around the exam. A test center can mean a drive, parking and a half day away from work. OnVUE saves that, but your room, computer and connection have to meet Pearson VUE's online-testing requirements, and those are worth reading before you pick. A shared apartment, a noisy household or a corporate laptop with locked-down settings can make the test center the safer choice even with the travel.
Booking early has a quieter benefit. A date on the calendar tends to sharpen your study more than a voucher sitting in your inbox.
What should you expect on Core 2 exam day?
The exam's published shape is short to state. Core 2 has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, and the question types include multiple-choice (single and multiple response), drag-and-drop and performance-based. The pass mark is 700 on a scale of 100 to 900. CompTIA does not publish how many of each type you will see or in what order they come.
Ninety questions in ninety minutes works out to about a minute each, but they do not take equal time. Performance-based items usually take longer than a single multiple-choice question, so the short items are where you buy time back. Flag anything you cannot settle quickly and come back to it. If you want to rehearse the reasoning before the day, the Core 2 practice questions walkthrough works through items the way the exam expects you to think.
For the procedural rules, including identification, arrival times, what you may bring and the online check-in steps, go to the source: CompTIA's testing policies and Pearson VUE's candidate information for CompTIA exams. Those documents govern if anything goes wrong, and they can change. Read them a few days before your exam, not that morning.
Where does study material fit in the budget?
Study material is the one line of the A+ bill you control completely. You need enough of it to reach steady practice scores across all four domains, and not much more. For Core 2 that means coverage of all 36 objectives, from operating system installs to the AI objective in Operational Procedures, plus questions that make you explain why the wrong options are wrong. A single book that maps every objective, such as the CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202) Study Guide 2026, is one way to keep that line small and leave the bigger figures for the vouchers. If you want to see the syllabus first, the Core 2 domains explained goes through each domain.
Is there a fee after you earn A+?
Possibly one. A+ lasts three years from the date you earn it, and renewing through continuing education carries a $75 CE fee for the whole three-year cycle. Fee-free routes exist, including passing a higher CompTIA certification that fully renews A+. The CEU count, the grace period and which certifications qualify are in A+ Core 2 requirements and renewal.
If you are new to Core 2 and want the whole exam in one place before any of this, start with what CompTIA A+ Core 2 is.
FAQ
How much does the A+ Core 2 exam cost?
One A+ voucher is $274 at CompTIA's U.S. list price, or $359 with Retake Assurance. It is the same voucher that covers Core 1, and it is good for one exam. Prices vary by country, so check CompTIA's store for your region.
Do I need to pay for Core 1 as well?
Yes, if you want the A+. The credential requires both Core 1 and Core 2, and each needs its own voucher, so the exam fees are $548 at U.S. list price for two plain vouchers. Retakes, training and the later $75 CE fee are extra.
How long do I have to use a Core 2 voucher?
Twelve months from purchase, for both the plain voucher and the Retake Assurance version. CompTIA says the voucher arrives by email within three to four hours of buying it.
Can I retake Core 2 right away if I fail?
Yes. CompTIA sets no waiting period between a first and second attempt. Before a third or later attempt you must wait at least 14 calendar days, and each attempt costs the full exam price unless you bought Retake Assurance.
Can I take Core 2 at home?
Yes. You can sit it online through OnVUE or at a Pearson VUE test center, both booked through CompTIA Central. The voucher price is the same; your room and computer must meet Pearson VUE's online-testing requirements.
Studying for Core 2 on your own? The CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202) Study Guide 2026 gives each of the 36 Core 2 objectives a short chapter with Exam Tips, Common Pitfalls and Key Takeaways, worked performance-based drills, and 152 practice questions with every answer and distractor explained.
Simply Certified is an independent publisher. A+ and CompTIA are trademarks of CompTIA, Inc. Our books are independent study material and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CompTIA.