Network+ Exam Cost: What You Pay, and the Two Choices That Change It

The Network+ exam cost in the United States is $399 for a single exam voucher, at CompTIA's U.S. list price for N10-009. That buys one attempt. CompTIA prices vary by country, so if you are buying outside the U.S., check the price CompTIA's store shows for your region before you budget.

The $399 is rarely the whole story, though. Two decisions move your total more than anything else: whether you pay $519 for the voucher with Retake Assurance instead, and whether a bundle with training is cheaper than buying the pieces. After that come the retake rules, the test center versus online choice, and a $150 fee three years later that most people forget. This post walks through each decision with the numbers. The certification itself is explained in what the Network+ certification is.

What is the Network+ exam cost on CompTIA's store?

These are the U.S. list prices CompTIA's store showed for Network+ when we checked on October 7, 2026.

CompTIA also sells its CertMaster training products separately: CertMaster Practice at $209, Labs at $189, Learn at $499, Perform at $664 and Study at $144. Bundles without a retake exist on the store too, but no price was listed for them when we checked, so we are not quoting one.

Two things this table does not tell you. It does not tell you how long a voucher stays valid after purchase, and it does not spell out the exact terms of Retake Assurance. Both are set out in CompTIA's voucher and product terms. Read them on the store page before you pay, because they decide how much time you have to schedule and to use the retake.

Decision one: is Retake Assurance worth $120?

The gap between the plain voucher and Voucher Plus Retake Assurance is $120. The question is simple once you put it in those terms: is there a decent chance you will need a second attempt?

Here is the arithmetic. Without Retake Assurance, failing once and passing on the second try costs you two full vouchers, $798. With it, the same outcome costs $519. So you pay $120 up front to protect against a $399 loss. That trade breaks even if your chance of needing a retake is around 30%. Above that, it is the cheaper bet. Below it, you are paying for peace of mind.

The catch is that most first-time candidates cannot put a number on their own chances, and CompTIA publishes no pass rate to help. A timed practice score is the closest thing you have, and how hard the Network+ exam is explains where people who know the theory still lose points.

Buy the plain $399 voucher if you are already scoring well on timed practice, you work with networks daily, or your employer will pay for a second voucher anyway. Pay the $519 if you are self-funding, switching into IT from another field, or booking a date before you have finished studying. That last group is larger than people admit.

Decision two: does a bundle save money?

It depends on whether you would have bought CompTIA's training anyway. The bundles only save money against buying the same products separately. They do not save money against using your own study material.

CompTIA's store lists the Practice and Exam Bundle with Retake as CertMaster Practice plus a Voucher with Retake Assurance. Bought separately, Voucher Plus Retake Assurance ($519) and CertMaster Practice ($209) come to $728, against $548 for the bundle. The Learn and Exam Bundle with Retake (CertMaster Learn plus a Voucher with Retake Assurance) works the same way: $519 plus CertMaster Learn at $499 is $1,018, against $916. The Complete Bundle with Retake adds CertMaster Perform and Practice to the voucher with retake. Contents can change, so check the list on each bundle page before you buy.

If you already have study material you trust, none of that matters. The relevant comparison is $399 or $519 for the exam alone. Spending $548 to $978 makes sense when you want CompTIA's own platform and would have paid for it regardless. No course purchase is needed to sit the exam; the Network+ requirements and renewal post covers what CompTIA does and does not ask for.

What does a retake cost, and how soon can you sit again?

Without Retake Assurance, a retake costs the full exam price. CompTIA's retake policy says candidates pay the exam price each time and that it offers no free re-tests or discounts on retakes.

The waiting rules are short:

• No wait between your first and second attempt. You can book the second one as soon as you like.

• At least 14 calendar days before your third attempt, and before every attempt after that.

One more rule people do not expect: once you pass, you cannot sit the same exam code again without CompTIA's consent. So there is no paying to retake N10-009 for a higher score.

Being able to retest immediately is not the same as being ready to. If you fail, work out which domains let you down and give yourself enough time to fix them. Spending a second $399 the following week on the same gaps is the most expensive mistake in this whole post. The worst case at list price, three attempts on plain vouchers, is $1,197.

Decision three: test center or OnVUE online?

CompTIA delivers Network+ two ways: at a Pearson VUE test center, or online through Pearson VUE's OnVUE system. You schedule both through CompTIA Central, and the same voucher covers either option.

The choice comes down to your situation.

A test center suits you if your home has no quiet, private room you can control for the full sitting, if your computer or internet connection is unreliable, or if you would rather someone else be responsible for the equipment. The cost is travel time, and possibly fewer appointment slots near you.

OnVUE suits you if you have a quiet space, a computer that passes Pearson VUE's system check, and a stable connection. You save the trip and can sit the exam from your own desk. Note that CompTIA's online testing FAQ says OnVUE proctors communicate only in English, which matters if you planned to sit the exam in German, Japanese, Portuguese or Spanish, the other languages Network+ is offered in.

Online exams carry their own room and equipment rules, and a problem at check-in can derail your appointment. Read CompTIA's testing policies and Pearson VUE's OnVUE requirements before you pick online, not the night before.

What happens on Network+ exam day?

At either location, you check in, prove your identity, and then sit a single exam of up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixing multiple-choice and performance-based items.

The specific identification you must bring, how early to arrive, what is allowed in the room and how the online check-in works are all set by CompTIA's candidate policies and Pearson VUE's procedures. They can change, so we are not reprinting them here. Check the CompTIA testing policies page and your Pearson VUE confirmation email for the current rules, and make sure the name on your ID matches the name on your CompTIA account.

The 90-minute clock is the part to practice in advance. If you have not done a timed run, the Network+ study plan builds them into the final weeks.

What does renewal add to the Network+ exam cost?

Network+ is valid for three years from your certification date. To renew by continuing education, you earn 30 CEUs in that cycle and pay a CE fee of $150. That is $150 for the whole three-year period, not per year, and you only pay it if you renew by uploading CEUs.

There are routes that skip the fee. You can pass the latest Network+ release, earn a higher-level CompTIA certification that fully renews Network+ (Security+, CySA+, PenTest+, SecurityX or Cloud+ V3), or complete CertMaster CE for Network+, which CompTIA sells for $199. CompTIA allows a 30-day grace period for fees or CEUs earned inside the cycle. Miss that and the certification expires, and the only way back is to pass the latest exam version.

Three realistic budgets

Your study material sits on top of these. If you are self-studying, the cheapest version of this table is the first row plus a book you work through properly. The CompTIA Network+ N10-009 Study Guide 2026 is built for that route: one chapter per exam objective, plus practice questions with every answer explained. Before you book, it is worth working a few questions cold to see where you stand, which is what the Network+ practice questions walkthrough is for.

FAQ

How much is the Network+ exam?

At CompTIA's U.S. list price, one Network+ voucher costs $399 and the Voucher Plus Retake Assurance option costs $519. Prices vary by country, so check CompTIA's store for your region. Bundles with a retake and CompTIA's training run from $548 to $978.

Does CompTIA give a discount on Network+ retakes?

No. CompTIA's retake policy says you pay the exam price each time and that it offers no free re-tests or discounts on retakes. The way to lower the cost of a possible second attempt is to buy Retake Assurance up front.

How long do I have to wait to retake Network+?

There is no waiting period between your first and second attempt. Before a third attempt, and any attempt after that, you must wait at least 14 calendar days.

Can I take Network+ online?

Yes. You can sit it online through Pearson VUE's OnVUE system or at a Pearson VUE test center, and you schedule either through CompTIA Central. CompTIA says OnVUE proctors communicate only in English, and online delivery has its own room and equipment requirements, so read Pearson VUE's rules before choosing it.

Is a bundle cheaper than buying the voucher alone?

Only if you wanted CompTIA's training anyway. The bundles are cheaper than buying the same CertMaster product and a Voucher Plus Retake Assurance separately, but every bundle costs more than the $399 voucher or the $519 retake option on their own.

Studying for Network+ on your own? The CompTIA Network+ N10-009 Study Guide 2026 teaches all 25 N10-009 objectives in plain English, one chapter each, with 164 practice questions across five domain banks and every answer explained.

Simply Certified is an independent publisher. Network+, Security+, CySA+, PenTest+, SecurityX, Cloud+, CertMaster and CompTIA are trademarks of CompTIA, Inc. Our books are independent study material and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by CompTIA.