How Much Does CompTIA Network+ Cost in 2026? (N10-009)
Straight answer first, because that’s what you came for: as of June 1, 2026, the CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) exam costs $399 if you buy it directly from CompTIA. That’s up from $390 — CompTIA raised prices across its whole exam lineup this June.
But the sticker price isn’t what most people actually pay, and it’s not the whole cost of getting certified either. Add study materials, practice exams, and maybe a retake, and the realistic number lands somewhere between $410 and $590 depending on how you buy. The difference between the smart path and the walk-up path is real money — so let’s break it down the way a tech would: line by line, no fluff, current numbers.
The exam fee: what CompTIA charges in 2026
The Network+ exam voucher retails for $399 as of June 1, 2026. One voucher, one attempt. Here’s how the June increase shook out across the certs people usually take around Network+:
| Exam | Before June 1, 2026 | After June 1, 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| CompTIA A+ (per exam — you need two) | $265 | $274 |
| CompTIA Network+ | $390 | $399 |
| CompTIA Security+ | $425 | $439 |
| CompTIA CySA+ | $425 | $439 |
What that fee buys: a seat at a Pearson VUE testing center (or an online proctored session from home), up to 90 questions — multiple choice plus performance-based questions — and 90 minutes on the clock. You pass at 720 on a 100–900 scale. What it does not buy: a retake. If you don’t pass, that $399 is spent. More on that in a minute, because it should shape your whole strategy.
The voucher move: how to pay less than retail
You don’t have to buy your exam from CompTIA at retail. Authorized partners sell exam vouchers — a voucher is just a prepaid code you redeem when you schedule your exam — at below-retail pricing.
Our Network+ exam voucher is $357.99 right now — $41 less than the $399 retail price, for the exact same exam. Same Pearson VUE seat, same questions, same certification on the other side.
And the part worth knowing even if your exam date is months away: our vouchers are valid for 11 months from purchase. You lock in today’s price now and sit the exam when your practice scores say you’re ready — you don’t have to schedule the week you buy.
Retakes: the cost nobody budgets for
CompTIA doesn’t do free retakes. Fail, and the next attempt costs a full-price voucher. There’s no waiting period between your first and second attempt; from the third attempt on, you wait 14 days between tries.
So one bad exam day can turn a $399 exam into a $798 exam. That math should drive two decisions:
- Don’t book until your practice scores say you’re ready. Mike’s rule from 30 years of doing this: when you’re consistently scoring 85% or higher on practice exams, schedule it. Below that, more practice is cheaper than a retake. A TotalTester practice exam package is $49 — about 12% of the cost of one failed attempt.
- If you want a safety net, buy it up front. The Network+ retake option is $105 — roughly a quarter of a second full-price voucher. If exam nerves are a factor for you, that’s the cheap way to take the pressure off.
Study materials: what you actually need
Unless you’re already running networks for a living and just need the paper, budget for study materials. The good news: self-study for Network+ is genuinely affordable, especially against a bootcamp that can run a couple thousand dollars. The realistic menu:
- A solid book. The CompTIA Network+ All-in-One Exam Guide is $38.99 — the book line Mike Meyers has built for 30 years, covering every N10-009 objective.
- Practice exams — non-negotiable. You can’t take too many practice tests. TotalTester ($49) gives you real-exam-style questions so exam day isn’t the first time you see the format.
- Hands-on practice. N10-009 includes performance-based questions — scenarios you work through, not just multiple choice. TotalSims ($75) exists for exactly that.
- Video training, if that’s how you learn. The full TotalVideo course is $249 — a complete walkthrough of the N10-009 exam, including the new material this version added: cloud connectivity (VPCs, NFV), zero trust architecture, SD-WAN and SASE, and infrastructure as code.
The bundle math: where the real savings are
Price out the pieces one at a time and here’s what the full kit costs:
| Item | Bought separately |
|---|---|
| Network+ exam voucher | $357.99 |
| Retake option | $105 |
| TotalTester practice exams | $49 |
| TotalSims hands-on practice | $75 |
| Total | $586.99 |
The complete Network+ bundle — All-in-One Exam Guide e-book, TotalSims, TotalTester, exam voucher, and the retake — is $580. That’s about $7 less than the four pieces alone, and the e-book rides along free. Everything from page one to a passing score, one purchase.
Not ready for the voucher yet? Start with the TotalSims + TotalTester bundle at $112 — hands-on labs plus real-exam-style practice, $12 less than buying them separately. Practice now, grab the voucher when your scores hit that 85% mark. You can see how the whole study path fits together on our Network+ study bundle page.
Three ways people overpay for Network+
- Paying retail for the exam. The $399 walk-up price is the most expensive way to sit the exact same exam. There’s no quality difference to pay for — a partner voucher is the identical product.
- Booking before they’re ready. A failed attempt is the most expensive line item on this page, and it’s avoidable. Spending $49 on practice exams to find out you’re not ready beats spending $399 to find out the hard way.
- Buying pieces one at a time. Book this month, practice tests next month, voucher after that — each purchase looks small, but the total runs past the bundle that contains all of it. Going the distance? Buy the kit once.
Don’t forget renewal: the cost after you pass
Network+ is good for three years. After that, you keep it current one of three ways:
- Earn 30 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) over the three years through approved activities — the standard route for working techs.
- Take CompTIA’s shorter CertMaster CE renewal course — less expensive than re-sitting the full exam.
- Pass a higher-level CompTIA exam within the window — Security+ renews Network+ automatically. Since Network+ → Security+ is the path most IT careers follow anyway, your next cert is also your renewal.
So what’s the real total?
| Path | What you get | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Walk-up retail | Exam only, direct from CompTIA | $399 |
| Exam with discounted voucher | Same exam, partner voucher | $357.99 |
| Practice tools + voucher | TotalSims, TotalTester, partner voucher | $469.99 |
| The full kit | All-in-One e-book, TotalSims, TotalTester, voucher + retake | $580 |
Is it worth it? Network+ is the vendor-neutral networking foundation — DNS, DHCP, routing, and switching as concepts, before any vendor’s implementation of them — which is exactly why it’s the standard stepping stone between A+ and Security+, and the credential that gets your resume taken seriously for network support and junior admin roles. If you’re weighing readiness rather than price, read our honest take on how hard the Network+ exam actually is — difficulty and cost are two halves of the same decision.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the CompTIA Network+ exam cost in 2026?
$399 retail from CompTIA as of June 1, 2026 (up from $390). Authorized partners sell vouchers for less — ours is currently $357.99.
Does the Network+ exam fee include a retake?
No. Every attempt needs its own voucher at full price, and there are no free retakes. A separate retake option ($105) covers you for a fraction of a second voucher, or it comes included in the full Network+ bundle.
How long is a Network+ exam voucher valid?
Vouchers purchased from us are valid for 11 months — buy at today’s price, test when your practice scores say you’re ready.
Is Network+ worth it if I already have the A+?
That’s the classic order, and yes — A+ proves you can support the machine in front of you; Network+ proves you understand the network it lives on. It’s also the natural setup for Security+, and passing Security+ later renews your Network+ automatically.
How much does the whole certification really cost, start to finish?
Realistically $410–590: a discounted voucher ($357.99) plus practice materials at minimum, or the complete bundle with book, sims, practice exams, voucher, and retake at $580.
Will the price go up again?
CompTIA updates pricing periodically — June 1, 2026 was the most recent increase. Partner voucher stock bought before an increase can still sell at the old price, which is why vouchers are cheapest right after a price change.