Compare certifications · Updated 16 September 2026
CompTIA Security+ vs Google Cybersecurity Certificate: cost, hours, pass rates and which to take
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) against Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, from the issuing bodies' own fee schedules.
The CompTIA Security+ costs $439 to $1,500 all-in and takes 80 to 150 study hours; the Google Cybersecurity Certificate costs $147 to $294 and takes 132 to 180 hours. CompTIA Security+ is worth it if you are targeting US federal or defence-contractor work, where it is an approved DoD 8140 IAT Level II baseline and you are not eligible for a large class of roles without it, or if you are breaking into security from helpdesk, systems administration or outside IT; it is worth nothing if you already have real incident or security engineering experience. The Google Cybersecurity Certificate is worth it if you are starting from zero and will sit CompTIA Security+ within a couple of months of finishing; it is not worth it if you expect a completion badge on its own to produce security interviews in a market this oversupplied.
| CompTIA Security+ | Google Cybersecurity Certificate | |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing body | CompTIA | Google (delivered on Coursera) |
| Exam fee | USD 439 voucher direct from CompTIA (raised from USD 425 on 1 June 2026); authorised training partners typically resell vouchers for USD 373-395 | USD 49 per month on Coursera in the US and Canada after a 7-day free trial, so roughly USD 147 at a three-month pace or USD 294 at the suggested six-month pace; financial aid available |
| All-in cost | $439–$1,500 | $147–$294 |
| Study hours | 80–150 | 132–180 |
| Calendar months | 2–4 | 3–6 |
| Levels / exams | 1 | 1 |
| Pass rate | CompTIA does not publish pass rates; the passing score is 750 on a scale of 100 to 900, and the performance-based questions appear first and carry more weight | there is no pass rate to quote: the programme is graded coursework with no proctored exam, and neither Google nor Coursera publishes a completion rate |
| Format | a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, mixing multiple choice with performance-based simulations, at a Pearson VUE test centre or online proctored | nine self-paced Coursera courses of video, readings and hands-on Linux, SQL, SIEM and IDS labs with graded quizzes, and no proctored exam |
| Prerequisites | None formally. CompTIA recommends Network+ and about two years of IT administration experience with a security focus, but many candidates pass without either. | None. No degree, prior security experience or programming background is required; you need a computer and a Coursera account. |
| Renewal | Valid three years; renew with 50 continuing education units and the CE fee, a CertMaster CE course, or a higher CompTIA exam. | None: the certificate never expires and costs nothing to keep. The Security+ it feeds into expires after three years. |
| Pay impact | Security+ does not appear in Skillsoft's top-paying IT certification list, which is dominated by senior cloud and security credentials averaging USD 155,000-204,000. Its documented value is access rather than premium: it is an approved DoD 8140 baseline certification for IAT Level II, which gates a large share of US federal and defence-contractor security roles, and Skillsoft's survey finds certified technology professionals report higher pay than their uncertified peers overall. source | Google and Coursera report that 75% of US graduates of the certificate report a positive career outcome - a new job, promotion or raise - within six months of completion, and cite Lightcast job postings data for cybersecurity analyst demand and median pay. These are provider figures based on self-selected graduate surveys rather than an independent compensation study; Skillsoft's IT Skills and Salary Report is the better external benchmark for security pay. source |
| Careers that use it | Cybersecurity Analyst, Cloud or DevOps Engineer, Software Engineer | Cybersecurity Analyst, Cloud or DevOps Engineer |
| Fees checked | September 2026 | September 2026 |
Is the CompTIA Security+ worth it?
Security+ is worth it in two specific situations. The first is US federal or defence work: it is an approved DoD 8140 IAT Level II baseline, so without it (or an equivalent) you are simply not eligible for a large class of cleared and contractor roles, and employers there will usually reimburse it. The second is breaking into security from helpdesk, sysadmin or a non-IT background, where it gives recruiters a concrete reason to move your CV forward and gives you a coherent syllabus to learn the vocabulary. Done cheaply - Professor Messer's free videos, a USD 20 Jason Dion practice exam set and a USD 439 voucher - it is good value. It is not worth it if you already work in security with real incident or engineering experience, where it adds nothing; if you want offensive security, where hands-on certifications and a portfolio matter far more; or if you expect it alone to produce job offers, which it will not - the market is saturated with Security+ holders who have never touched a SIEM. Build something alongside it: a home lab, a detection project, or a Google Cybersecurity Certificate portfolio. Also note the renewal treadmill: 50 CEUs and a fee every three years, unless you pass a higher CompTIA exam that renews it automatically.
Is the Google Cybersecurity Certificate worth it?
This is worth doing if you are starting from zero and want a coherent, cheap introduction to security work before committing to a proctored exam. For USD 150-300 over three to six months you get structured coverage of frameworks, networking, Linux, SQL, SIEM workflows and basic Python, plus lab exercises that make the vocabulary concrete. The strongest reason to pick it over other free content is the Security+ pipeline: the curriculum maps to the SY0-701 objectives, and graduates get a discounted Security+ voucher and a dual credential badge - and Security+ is the certificate that actually gates DoD 8140 and contractor roles. It is not worth stopping here. On its own the Google certificate is a completion badge that hiring managers discount heavily, and the entry-level security market is genuinely oversupplied with applicants holding exactly this. If you finish it and do nothing else, expect very little. The plan that works is: finish the certificate, sit Security+ within a couple of months while the material is fresh, and build visible hands-on evidence - TryHackMe or Blue Team Labs progress, a home SIEM, a detection writeup. Also be sceptical of the 75% positive-outcome figure; it is Google's own self-reported survey number.
CompTIA Security+ vs Google Cybersecurity Certificate FAQ
Which costs more, the CompTIA Security+ or the Google Cybersecurity Certificate?
All in, the CompTIA Security+ runs $439 to $1,500 and the Google Cybersecurity Certificate runs $147 to $294, including membership, required education, study materials and one exam sitting. Exam fees alone: USD 439 voucher direct from CompTIA (raised from USD 425 on 1 June 2026) for the CompTIA Security+ and USD 49 per month on Coursera in the US and Canada after a 7-day free trial, so roughly USD 147 at a three-month pace or USD 294 at the suggested six-month pace for the Google Cybersecurity Certificate, checked September 2026 and September 2026 against the issuing bodies.
Which takes longer to study for, the CompTIA Security+ or the Google Cybersecurity Certificate?
Candidates report 80 to 150 study hours over 2 to 4 months for the CompTIA Security+, against 132 to 180 hours over 3 to 6 months for the Google Cybersecurity Certificate. CompTIA does not publish pass rates; the passing score is 750 on a scale of 100 to 900, and the performance-based questions appear first and carry more weight. there is no pass rate to quote: the programme is graded coursework with no proctored exam, and neither Google nor Coursera publishes a completion rate.
Should I take the CompTIA Security+ or the Google Cybersecurity Certificate first in 2026?
CompTIA Security+ is worth it if you are targeting US federal or defence-contractor work, where it is an approved DoD 8140 IAT Level II baseline and you are not eligible for a large class of roles without it, or if you are breaking into security from helpdesk, systems administration or outside IT; it is worth nothing if you already have real incident or security engineering experience. The Google Cybersecurity Certificate is worth it if you are starting from zero and will sit CompTIA Security+ within a couple of months of finishing; it is not worth it if you expect a completion badge on its own to produce security interviews in a market this oversupplied. Prerequisites differ: None formally. CompTIA recommends Network+ and about two years of IT administration experience with a security focus, but many candidates pass without either. For the Google Cybersecurity Certificate: None. No degree, prior security experience or programming background is required; you need a computer and a Coursera account.
Who asks for the CompTIA Security+ versus the Google Cybersecurity Certificate by name?
United States federal agencies and defence contractors ask for CompTIA Security+ by name because it is an approved DoD 8140 baseline for IAT Level II and IAM Level I, which gates cleared and contractor roles. Outside that context it is the credential most commonly named in security operations centre analyst and junior security postings at managed security providers, banks and healthcare systems. No employer asks for the Google Cybersecurity Certificate by name. The credential those postings do ask for is CompTIA Security+, which United States federal agencies and defence contractors require as an approved DoD 8140 baseline, so treat the Google programme as the on-ramp rather than the thing being screened for.