A+ vs Network+: Which CompTIA Certification to Earn First
A+ and Network+ are both foundational CompTIA certifications, and they sit at slightly different points on the same early-career IT path. A+ is the broad entry credential that gets you into IT support and help-desk roles. It is unusual in that it is two separate exams, Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102), and you must pass both to earn it. Network+ (N10-009) is a single exam that goes deeper on one topic: designing, running, and troubleshooting networks. They overlap on networking fundamentals, but they are not the same test, and the order you take them in matters. For most people the honest answer is A+ first, then Network+. PrepClubs is not affiliated with CompTIA.
By PrepClubs Editorial Team, updated April 18, 2026
Take a free testSide-by-side: A+ vs Network+
The two certifications differ on breadth, structure, and the roles they open. A+ is wider and split across two exams; Network+ is narrower and deeper on one subject.
| A+ | Network+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | CompTIA A+ (220-1101 and 220-1102) | CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) |
| Issuing Body | CompTIA | CompTIA |
| Career Stage | Entry level | Entry to early-mid level |
| Exams to Pass | Two: Core 1 and Core 2 | One |
| Questions | Up to 90 per core | Up to 90 |
| Time Limit | 90 minutes per core | 90 minutes |
| Format | Multiple choice + performance-based | Multiple choice + performance-based |
| Domains | 9 across both cores | 5 |
| Passing Standard | 675 (Core 1) / 700 (Core 2) scaled | 720 of 900 scaled |
| Focus | Broad IT support fundamentals | Networking depth |
| Typical Roles | Help desk, IT support, field technician | Junior network admin, network support |
| Best Case for You | You are breaking into IT | You are moving toward networking roles |
Format: two broad exams vs. one focused exam
A+ is two exams, not one. Core 1 (220-1101) covers Mobile Devices, Networking, Hardware, Virtualization and Cloud Computing, and Hardware and Network Troubleshooting. Core 2 (220-1102) covers Operating Systems, Security, Software Troubleshooting, and Operational Procedures. Each core has a maximum of 90 questions and a 90-minute limit, and each is scored on a 100 to 900 scale: Core 1 passes at 675 and Core 2 at 700. You must pass both cores to earn the credential, and they are sat separately.
Network+ is a single exam. N10-009 has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes and a scaled passing score of 720 on the same 100 to 900 range. It covers five domains: Networking Concepts, Network Implementation, Network Operations, Network Security, and Network Troubleshooting. Both certifications mix standard multiple-choice items with performance-based questions (PBQs), the small interactive tasks where you configure a setting or complete a scenario.
The practical implication: A+ asks you to be broadly competent across everything a support technician touches, split across two test sittings. Network+ asks you to go deep on one subject in a single sitting. A+ is wider; Network+ is deeper.
Timing and sequence: which to prep first
Neither certification has a formal experience requirement, and neither is a strict prerequisite for the other. CompTIA positions A+ as the starting point and Network+ as a natural next step, but you can technically take them in any order.
For most candidates, A+ first makes sense. Its Core 1 exam already includes a Networking domain (20%) and a Hardware and Network Troubleshooting domain (29%), so it gives you a first pass over networking basics before Network+ asks you to go deeper. Coming into Network+ with A+ already done means the vocabulary is familiar and you are building on a base rather than starting cold.
On study time, A+ usually takes longer overall because it is two exams: budget a few weeks per core. Network+ is a single exam but a deeper one, so plan for a few focused weeks on the five N10-009 domains. If you only have time for one right now and you want a support or help-desk role, prep A+. If you already know you are heading into networking, Network+ is the higher-signal choice for that path.
What each exam actually asks
Both cover networking, but A+ treats it as one topic among many while Network+ makes it the whole exam.
Breadth vs. depth on networking
A+ Core 1 tests networking at a support-technician level: ports and protocols, common hardware, SOHO configuration, and basic connectivity. Network+ takes those same fundamentals much further, adding subnetting, VLANs and trunking, routing choices, wireless standards, and structured troubleshooting across five domains.
Hardware and operating systems
This is A+ territory and barely appears on Network+. A+ Hardware (25% of Core 1) and Operating Systems (31% of Core 2) are two of its heaviest domains. If you want to prove you can support end-user devices and operating systems, A+ is the exam that tests it.
Troubleshooting method
Both exams lean on structured troubleshooting and the right NEXT step. A+ applies it broadly across hardware, mobile, and networks. Network+ applies it specifically to cabling, addressing, routing, and wireless faults, and Network Troubleshooting is its single heaviest domain at 24%.
Performance-based questions
Both use PBQ-style tasks. On A+ these might be configuring a SOHO router or matching a connector to a port. On Network+ they lean toward subnet planning, VLAN configuration, and choosing the correct diagnostic tool. In our banks these are re-authored as scenario items so they work on any device.
Which is actually harder
A+ is broader, which makes it feel harder to prepare for even though no single topic is deep. You are covering nine domains across two exams, from mobile hardware to operating systems to operational procedures, and the two-exam structure means twice the sittings. The challenge is coverage and stamina rather than depth.
Network+ is narrower but deeper. Everything you study is networking, and topics like subnetting, VLAN and routing behavior, and structured network troubleshooting demand real understanding rather than recall. Many candidates find the single N10-009 exam more conceptually demanding than either individual A+ core.
The honest comparison: A+ is a wide, two-part exam that rewards steady, even coverage; Network+ is a focused, single exam that rewards genuine depth on one subject. Neither is trivial, and the harder one for you depends on whether breadth or depth is your weaker point.
Scoring and how employers read each
A+ is scored per core on a 100 to 900 scale: Core 1 passes at 675 and Core 2 at 700, with no published per-domain minimum. You need both cores to hold the credential. Employers treat A+ as the baseline checkbox for IT support and help-desk roles: you either hold a current A+ or you do not.
Network+ reports a single scaled score from 100 to 900, with 720 to pass. Scoring is weighted, so harder items count for more and there is no minimum you must hit in any single domain. Employers read Network+ as proof you can work with real networks, which is why it appears on junior network administrator and network support postings.
Because neither exam publishes a raw-to-scaled conversion, the practical target on both is the same: consistent accuracy across every domain. On A+ that means broad coverage across two exams; on Network+ it means real depth on all five networking domains.
Who values each certification
A+ is the credential that gets entry candidates through the first screen for help desk, IT support, desktop support, and field technician roles. It is one of the most widely recognized entry-level IT certifications, and it appears on support postings across retail, enterprise IT, and government-adjacent employers. If you are breaking into IT and want to start on a support or help-desk track, A+ is the fastest credential to open doors.
Network+ is the credential that signals you can design, run, and troubleshoot networks, so it shows up on junior network administrator, network technician, and network support postings. Employers hiring for networking-track roles read Network+ as evidence you understand infrastructure, not just end-user devices. If you already know you are heading toward networking, Network+ is the credential that moves you in that direction.
How prep differs between the two
For A+, prep for coverage across two exams. Work Core 1 and Core 2 objectives domain by domain, and remember the weightings: Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (29%) and Hardware (25%) dominate Core 1, while Operating Systems (31%) and Security (25%) dominate Core 2. Drill performance-based tasks until they feel routine, and take full-length timed forms for each core so 90 questions in 90 minutes stops feeling rushed.
For Network+, prep for depth on one subject. The heaviest domains are Network Troubleshooting (24%) and Networking Concepts (23%), so start there. Get genuinely comfortable with subnetting, VLAN and routing behavior, wireless standards, and the structured troubleshooting method, because those are where applied reasoning is tested hardest. Then round out Implementation, Operations, and Security.
If you are early in your career, take A+ first to get in and get moving, then Network+ once you know you want the networking path. The networking you learn in A+ Core 1 gives you a running start on N10-009, so the sequence compounds rather than repeats.
Which one should you actually prep for
If you are breaking into IT and want a support or help-desk role: prep A+. It is the recognized entry credential for those jobs, it has no experience gate, and its two cores prove the broad competence support roles screen for.
If you already know you want a networking-track role: prep Network+. It goes deeper on the infrastructure skills those jobs require, and it is the higher-signal credential for junior network positions.
If you can do both, do them in order: A+ first to get in, Network+ next to specialize. A+ Core 1 already introduces networking, so Network+ builds on that base rather than starting from scratch. They are steps on one path, not a fork in the road.
CompTIA A+ (220-1101 and 220-1102)
CompTIA A+ is the entry credential employers screen for in IT support and help-desk roles, and earning it means passing two separate exams: Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102). Our practice bank preps both cores in one place: 10 full-length timed forms, roughly 900 original questions across all nine domains of both cores at official weighting, with a clear rationale for every answer. Start with a free 25-question diagnostic, then unlock the full bank for $69 one time: one-time payment, 30-day access, and a Pass Guarantee. No subscription and no auto-renew. PrepClubs is not affiliated with CompTIA.
CompTIA Network+ (N10-009)
CompTIA Network+ N10-009 is the vendor-neutral networking certification employers screen for, and the exam leans on applied judgment more than memorized facts. Our practice bank is the biggest of its kind: 10 full-length timed forms, roughly 900 original questions across all five domains at official weighting, with a clear rationale for every answer. Start with a free 25-question diagnostic, then unlock the full bank for $69 one time: one-time payment, 30-day access, and a Pass Guarantee. No subscription and no auto-renew. PrepClubs is not affiliated with CompTIA.
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