CCNA vs Security+: which one should a network person get?

Every figure below was read off Cisco’s and CompTIA’s own pages on October 1, 2026, and each is linked to the page it came from.

The two exams side by side

Both exams include hands-on questions. Cisco’s exam topics page says to expect performance-based, multiple choice, and drag-and-drop questions in 120 minutes, graded pass/fail with results typically online within 48 hours. Cisco does not publish a question count or a passing score. CompTIA’s Security+ V7 page lists a maximum of 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions in 90 minutes, with 750 on a scale of 100 to 900 to pass.

On cost, Cisco’s CCNA exam page lists the exam at $300, or Cisco Learning Credits. Its CCNA page also describes an Exam Safeguard Plus option at $450 that includes a second attempt within 90 days if the first one does not pass. CompTIA’s Security+ exam page does not state a price, so we do not quote one here; check CompTIA’s store for the current voucher price in your country.

What each exam actually tests

The overlap is smaller than the names suggest. CCNA’s security fundamentals domain is about securing the network itself: device passwords, access control lists, Layer 2 features such as DHCP snooping and port security, VPNs, and wireless security protocols. Several of those objectives are configure and verify tasks, on Cisco gear. The rest of CCNA is routing, switching, IP services, and automation.

Security+ is vendor neutral and goes wider. Its largest domain, security operations at 28 percent, covers monitoring, vulnerability management, identity and access, and incident response. It also spends 20 percent on governance, risk, and compliance, which CCNA barely touches. A network engineer will recognize the firewall and segmentation material in Security+, but most of the exam is outside the network.

Who each one is built for

Cisco lists no prerequisites for CCNA. Its CCNA page says the certification is designed as a starting point and assumes little to no networking knowledge, and it warns that subnetting and the command line are the hardest parts for people new to IT. Cisco’s own advice is that you cannot pass by reading alone; plan on lab time in Packet Tracer or Cisco Modeling Labs.

CompTIA recommends Network+ and two years in a security or systems administrator role before Security+. That is a recommendation, not a gate, but it tells you where CompTIA expects candidates to come from. A working network administrator usually has the networking half of that background already.

Both exams change versions soon

If you are buying study material now, check the version. Cisco’s exam topics page says the last day to test on CCNA v1.1 is February 2, 2027, and the v2.0 exam topics start on February 3, 2027. The exam number stays 200-301, as do the 120 minutes and the $300 price, but the domains are reorganized:

Security+ is changing too. CompTIA’s Security+ V8 page gives SY0-801 a launch date of November 17, 2026, and the V7 page retires the English SY0-701 exam on June 11, 2027. Our SY0-801 release and SY0-701 retirement guide covers which version to take.

Keeping each one, and why CCNA does not renew Security+

Cisco’s CCNA page says the certification is valid for 3 years. Its recertification page says that to recertify an associate certification like CCNA you earn 30 continuing education credits, retake the current exam, or pass a higher level exam, all before the expiration date. Cisco says it does not give extensions; once it expires, you start over with the full exam.

Security+ needs 50 CEUs and a $150 fee over its three year cycle. CompTIA does let some non-CompTIA certifications count toward Security+ renewal, and it publishes the lists: certifications that renew it fully and certifications that earn partial CEUs. CCNA is on neither list as of October 1, 2026. The Cisco certifications that are listed are security ones, such as CCNP Security and CCIE Security. So earning CCNA will not keep a Security+ current. Our Security+ renewal guide covers the CEU options that do count.

Which one to get

Get CCNA if your job is building and running networks and you want to go deeper there, especially on Cisco equipment. It costs $300, has no prerequisites, and its security domain gives you a start on the network side of security. The CCNA certification page has the full details.

Get Security+ if a job posting, contract, or employer names it, or you are moving from networking into security work. CCNA does not substitute for it.

Getting both makes sense for network people who end up responsible for security. Whichever comes first, mind the version dates above so your study material matches the exam you will sit.

FAQ

Want to try both before you pick? The first module of our CCNA course, Network Fundamentals, is free, and so is the first module of our Security+ course, General Security Concepts.