intocybersec

Pick your first security cert. See what it really costs.

Pick where you're starting. Get one cert, its full cost, and free labs to try first.

Your first cybersecurity cert depends on where you start. Work in IT now? Take CompTIA Security+ for $439. Never had a tech job? Take CompTIA A+: two exams, $548. Coming from another career? Start with ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity for $199, plus $50 a year. Try four weeks of free labs before you pay. Checked on Nov 10, 2026.

Show my cert and total cost

Where are you starting from?

Pick one. Each path shows one first cert and its costs on the same basis: exam fees only, then a 3-year total with renewal fees.

Path 1

You work in IT now

Help desk, desktop support, sysadmin or network work.

First cert

CompTIA Security+. The current exam is SY0-701. Version 8 is expected to start on or around November 17, 2026. Which version to take.

Least you'll pay
(exam fees only)

$439

One $439 voucher. A voucher is the code you buy to book the exam.

With a retake

$579 for a voucher with one retake included.

3-year total
(exam + renewal)

$589

$439 exam + $150 CompTIA renewal fees. Our math.

Try it free first

LetsDefend's free SOC Fundamentals course, then a free Blue Team Labs Online challenge.

Why this cert, and when to skip it

Path 2

You've never had a tech job

No paid IT work yet.

First cert

CompTIA A+: two exams, Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202).

Least you'll pay
(exam fees only)

$548

Two vouchers at $274. Each one covers one of the two exams.

With a retake

$359 per exam with one retake, so $718 for both.

3-year total
(exam + renewal)

$623

$548 exams + $75 renewal fees. Our math.

Try it free first

Cisco's free Introduction to Cybersecurity (6 hours), then OverTheWire Bandit for the Linux command line.

Why this cert, and when to skip it

Path 3

You have a career in another field

For example audit, finance, health care, law, the military or teaching.

First cert

ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC). It needs no work experience. The free CC offer has ended.

Least you'll pay
(exam fees only)

$199

One $199 exam.

With a retake

$299 for ISC2's two-try option (second try within 180 days).

3-year total
(exam + renewal)

$349

$199 exam + $50 a year ISC2 membership fee (AMF), three times. Our math.

Try it free first

Cisco's free Introduction to Cybersecurity and Microsoft's security concepts learning path.

Why this cert, and when to skip it

Before you pay anything: a four-week free test

Spend about a month on free practice. If you like reading logs and chasing alerts in weeks 3 and 4, book your exam. If you don't, you've lost nothing but time. The full plan and the list of labs are on free labs to try first.

  1. Week 1: the basics

    What attacks look like and how defenders think.

  2. Week 2: networks and Linux

    How computers talk, and the command line.

  3. Week 3: the SOC desk

    Sort alerts and spot phishing emails. A SOC (security operations center) is the team that watches alerts.

  4. Week 4: your first investigation

    Work through a real case file from start to end.

What changed in 2026

Most cert advice online is older than these changes. We checked each one on the issuer's own site.

Every price and its source is on the full cost table.

Get told when a price changes

We re-check every price each month. Soon you'll be able to get an email when one changes. This isn't built yet, so the button below does nothing and we collect no email.

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