Short answer
- Exam voucher: $439 in the US (CompTIA).
- Voucher with Retake Assurance: $579, which includes a second attempt at SY0-701 (CompTIA).
- Retake without it: another $439. CompTIA offers no free retests or retake discounts (retake policy).
- Renewal every three years: 50 continuing education units plus a $150 fee, paid once per cycle, not every year (CompTIA CE fees).
- New exam version: SY0-801 is expected to launch on November 17, 2026 (CompTIA). CompTIA hasn’t published its price yet.
- Cheapest way to earn Security+ and keep it for three years: $439.
Security+ is priced as one voucher, but the real decision is about the second attempt and the renewal. This guide shows every CompTIA fee, four realistic totals, when Retake Assurance is worth buying, what the new SY0-801 exam means for your voucher, and the three ways to renew. Every price links to the issuer. We checked them on September 23, 2026. For what the certification covers and who it’s for, see our Security+ certification guide.
Every Security+ fee in one table
| Fee | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Exam voucher (SY0-701) | $439 | When you buy it; valid 12 months |
| Voucher + Retake Assurance (SY0-701) | $579 | Instead of the plain voucher |
| Retake without Retake Assurance | $439 | Per extra attempt |
| Continuing education (CE) fee | $150 per three-year cycle | Before your certification expires |
| CertMaster CE for Security+ (only if you passed SY0-601 or earlier) | $209 | Instead of the CE fee and CEUs |
| Exam voucher (SY0-801) | not published yet | Launch expected November 17, 2026 |
Sources: voucher, Retake Assurance and CertMaster CE (tab “Buy Now”), Security+ V8, retake policy, CE fees, CertMaster CE eligibility.
CompTIA’s own blog listed a lower voucher price in June 2026 for a sister exam: CySA+ at $425 (CompTIA blog). The store shows $439 for both today (Security+, CySA+). If you’re reading an older guide, that’s why numbers differ.
What Security+ really costs: four scenarios
| Scenario | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| A. Pass on the first attempt | $439 | $439 |
| B. Fail once, no Retake Assurance | $439 + $439 | $878 |
| C. Fail once, Retake Assurance bought | $579 | $579 |
| D. Pass, then renew through CE for the next cycle | $439 + $150 | $589 |
Scenario D is the first renewal. CompTIA bills the CE fee once per three-year cycle and says you are “not required to pay your Continuing Education (CE) fees annually” (CompTIA). Security+ is valid for three years from the day you pass (CE FAQ).
Is Retake Assurance worth $140?
Retake Assurance costs $140 more than the plain voucher and saves you $299 if you fail once ($439 retake minus the $140 you paid extra).
The break-even point is a failure risk of about 32% ($140 ÷ $439). If your practice-test scores are well above the passing mark of 750 (on a 100 to 900 scale), skip it. If they hover near it, buy it. We found no official pass rate on CompTIA’s pages, so your own practice results are the best guide.
Two retake rules to plan around (CompTIA retake policy): there’s no waiting period before your second attempt, and a 14-day wait before any attempt after that.
Retake Assurance and the version change. The $579 product covers a retake of “your Security+ (V7) exam” (CompTIA). CompTIA’s voucher terms add that special retake vouchers “cannot be redeemed for other versions of the same exam” and that “certification exam retirement dates supersede voucher expiration dates” (voucher terms). Our reading: both attempts have to happen before the English SY0-701 exam retires on June 11, 2027. Bought after June 11, 2026, Retake Assurance therefore gives you less than the usual 12 months. The V8 page lists no prices yet, so it’s open whether and at what price Retake Assurance will exist for SY0-801.
Three ways to renew, compared
| Route | What you do | Cost per cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Continuing education | Earn 50 CEUs in three years and pay the CE fee | $150 |
| Earn a higher certification | Pass CySA+ (or another qualifying higher CompTIA exam); it renews Security+ too | $439 (CySA+ voucher) |
| Pass a newer Security+ exam | Pass a later version than the one you were certified on, such as SY0-801 for SY0-701 holders; no CE fee | V8 price not published yet |
Sources: CEU requirements, CE fees, single-activity renewal options, CySA+ voucher.
CertMaster CE, CompTIA’s $209 online renewal course (CompTIA), would be a fourth route, but it’s currently open only to people who earned Security+ by passing SY0-601 or earlier (CompTIA). If you pass SY0-701 or SY0-801, you’d need a later course release, which CompTIA hasn’t announced. That’s why it isn’t in the table.
The CE route is the cheapest if you can collect 50 CEUs from work, training or events you’d do anyway. The CySA+ route costs more but leaves you with a second, more advanced certification, and renewing CySA+ later also keeps Security+ current without a separate fee. Passing SY0-801 costs a full exam and makes sense mainly if you want to study the new objectives anyway.
How to pay less
- Ask your employer, especially in government contracting. CompTIA aligns Security+ with DoD 8140 work roles such as cyber defense analyst, incident responder and system administrator (CompTIA), so many employers budget for it. In the US an employer can also cover up to $5,250 a year of education costs tax-free under an educational assistance program (IRS Publication 15-B). General information, not tax advice.
- Decide on Retake Assurance before you buy. It’s sold as a separate voucher option, and a plain retake costs the full $439.
- Use the voucher within 12 months. It expires.
- Plan the exam version. SY0-801 is expected to launch on November 17, 2026 (CompTIA), and the English SY0-701 exam retires on June 11, 2027 (CompTIA). A plain voucher is “not tied to a particular version” (CompTIA help), so buying now doesn’t lock you in. With Retake Assurance, book the first attempt early enough to leave room for a retake before June 11, 2027.
- Log CEUs as you go. Fifty units over three years is manageable if you don’t leave it to the last months.
Security+ compared with related certifications
| Certification | Exam (US) | 3-year minimum | To renew |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security+ | $439 | $439 | $150 per 3 years + 50 CEUs |
| Network+ | $399 | $399 | $150 per 3 years + 30 CEUs |
| CySA+ | $439 | $439 | $150 per 3 years + 60 CEUs (also renews Security+) |
| CISSP | $749 | $1,154 | $135 per year + 120 CPE per 3 years |
Sources: CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA CySA+, CompTIA CEUs, ISC2 exam pricing, ISC2 annual fee, ISC2 CPE requirements, CISSP cost guide. All certifications side by side: Certification Cost Index.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the CompTIA Security+ exam?
$439 for a voucher in the US, or $579 with Retake Assurance, both listed for SY0-701. CompTIA hasn’t published a price for SY0-801 yet.
How much does it cost to retake Security+?
Another full voucher, $439, unless you bought Retake Assurance. CompTIA doesn’t discount retakes.
How much does it cost to renew Security+?
$150 per three-year cycle plus 50 CEUs. Passing CySA+ or a newer Security+ exam also renews it without a CE fee. CertMaster CE costs $209 but is currently open only to people certified on SY0-601 or earlier.
Is the Security+ CE fee annual?
No. CompTIA’s fee page says CE fees don’t have to be paid annually; it’s one fee per three-year cycle.
Does the Security+ voucher expire?
Yes, 12 months after purchase.
Can I use my Security+ voucher for SY0-801?
A plain voucher, yes: CompTIA says exam vouchers aren’t tied to a particular version. A Retake Assurance voucher bought for SY0-701 covers only SY0-701, so in English both attempts have to happen by June 11, 2027.
How we checked these numbers. Every price comes from the issuers’ own pages or stores (CompTIA, ISC2) and from the IRS, linked where it appears, checked on September 23, 2026. CompTIA’s CE FAQ still says you “must pay your annual CE fees”, and a note on bulk tokens on the fee page mentions annual fees too, while the fee page itself says you don’t have to pay them annually; we follow the fee page. Certificate Quest is not affiliated with CompTIA and earns nothing from links on this page.