GSEC vs Security+: which one should you get?

Every figure below was read off GIAC’s and CompTIA’s own pages on November 3, 2026, and each is linked to the page it came from.

The two exams side by side

GIAC’s GSEC page lists one proctored exam of 106 questions with a 4 hour time limit and a minimum passing score of 72%. That passing score applies to exam versions released on or after April 6, 2026, and GIAC says the format and score for your own attempt are shown in your GIAC account. You can sit it remotely through ProctorU or onsite through Pearson VUE.

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. Our Security+ exam format guide covers the performance-based questions and the scaled score in detail.

Open book and hands-on: how GSEC feels different

Two things set GSEC apart on the day. First, it is open book. GIAC’s retakes and extensions page says plainly that the exams are open book, and its exam day advice is to bring your index, textbooks, and any other printed materials. Open book does not mean easy: with 106 questions in 4 hours, there is no time to look up every answer.

Second, the GSEC page includes CyberLive, GIAC’s hands-on testing, where you work in virtual machines with real security tools and real code rather than picking from a list. GIAC does not say how many CyberLive tasks a GSEC exam contains, so neither do we. Security+ has its own hands-on element in its performance-based questions.

What each exam covers

GSEC is organized differently. The GSEC page lists 26 certification objectives, each with an outcome statement, and gives them no weights. The list leans further into hands-on administration than Security+ does, with objectives such as Linux Fundamentals, Linux Security and Hardening, Windows Access Controls, Windows Automation, Auditing, and Forensics, Container and MacOS Security, Log Management & SIEM, and Security Frameworks and CIS Controls. Security+ spends more of its weight on governance: 20 percent goes to security program management and oversight.

The overlap is still large. Access control, cryptography, network security, incident response, and vulnerability scanning appear in both, so most study for one carries over to the other.

What each one costs to get and keep

GIAC publishes its prices. The GIAC pricing page lists, for GSEC:

CompTIA’s Security+ pages sell the exam voucher inside study bundles and do not state a standalone voucher price, so we do not quote one; check CompTIA’s store for the current price in your country.

Upkeep favors Security+. It costs $150 per 3 year cycle in CE fees, plus 50 CEUs. GSEC renews every 4 years: GIAC’s how to renew page asks you to collect 36 CPEs or renew by retaking the exam, then pay the renewal fee, which the pricing page lists at $499. If you hold several GIAC certifications, additional renewals within two years of paying a full-price renewal are $249.

How a GSEC attempt works

A GIAC attempt runs on a clock. According to the GSEC page and GIAC’s retakes and extensions page:

• You have 120 days from activation to take the exam. A 45 day extension costs $479.
• If you fail, you wait 30 days before sitting again. A retake costs $899, can be bought for up to 30 days after your deadline, and extends the deadline by 60 days.
• After 3 failed attempts, the attempt is over and you wait 1 year before starting a new one.

Holding both: GSEC does not renew Security+

This is worth knowing before you plan to hold both. CompTIA’s Security+ renewal list names the outside certifications that count toward the 50 CEU requirement. From GIAC it lists only GBFA and GISF. GSEC is not on it, so earning GSEC does not by itself renew Security+. CompTIA notes that the list can change as its exams are updated.

The other direction is looser. GIAC’s CPE table has a career development category that includes other accredited professional training or certification, capped at 36 CPEs, but it does not say how many CPEs a given certification earns. Our Security+ renewal guide covers the ways that do renew Security+.

Timing: Security+ is changing versions

CompTIA’s Security+ V8 page lists SY0-801 launching November 17, 2026, and the V7 page lists SY0-701 retiring in English on June 11, 2027. The format stays the same, so this only changes which objectives you study.

Which one to pick

• Pick Security+ if you are paying yourself, want the lower upkeep, or are new to security and want a certification you hold the day you pass. It is the default answer in our IAT Level II guide for that reason.
• Pick GSEC if your employer is sending you to SANS training and paying for the attempt, if you prefer an open book exam, or if your work is hands-on Windows and Linux administration and you want an exam that tests it directly.
• Do not plan on GSEC to renew Security+. If you need both, budget for each one’s own renewal.

FAQ

Going the GSEC route? Our GSEC course is built around the objectives and the open book format, and the first module, Access control and password management, is free with a free account.