The U.S. Department of Defense requires Security+ for every civilian and contractor in an IT role that touches classified systems. That single mandate — buried in DoD Directive 8140 — is why Security+ has become the most-taken vendor-neutral security certification in the world, with over 700,000 holders. But it also means the market for Security Plus classes is flooded with mediocre options built around the old SY0-601 exam objectives while the current exam (SY0-701, launched November 2023) tests meaningfully different material. Picking the wrong class wastes 40–80 hours and real money.
This guide cuts through the noise. Below are the Security Plus classes worth your time in 2026, who each one is actually for, and what to watch out for before you enroll.
What Security Plus Classes Actually Cover (SY0-701 vs SY0-601)
CompTIA retired the SY0-601 in July 2024. If you find a Security Plus class that still markets itself around "SY0-601 objectives," skip it — the exam you'll be sitting uses SY0-701 domain weightings, and there are significant differences.
SY0-701 reorganized the curriculum into five domains:
- General Security Concepts (12%) — cryptography, authentication, PKI basics
- Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%) — the heaviest domain; malware types, social engineering, vulnerability scanning
- Security Architecture (18%) — cloud, hybrid infrastructure, zero trust models
- Security Operations (28%) — the largest domain; incident response, log analysis, endpoint hardening
- Security Program Management and Oversight (20%) — risk frameworks, compliance (NIST, PCI-DSS, HIPAA), governance
Compared to SY0-601, the new version de-emphasizes rote protocol memorization and puts more weight on scenario-based questions that test whether you can actually respond to an incident or make a risk-management call. Classes built around flashcard drilling for SY0-601 will leave you underprepared.
Top Security Plus Classes Worth Enrolling In
These are ranked by quality of instruction and practical application, not by how aggressively the provider markets them.
IT Security: Defense Against the Digital Dark Arts
Part of Google's IT Support Certificate on Coursera, this course is the best free-to-audit option for building the conceptual foundation Security+ expects. It covers cryptography, authentication, network security, and security culture in a way that maps cleanly onto the General Security Concepts and Threats domains — and the instructors are actual Google engineers, not generic courseware narrators.
A Practical Guide to Cybersecurity Operations Foundations
This Udemy course fills the gap that most Security Plus classes ignore: what the job actually looks like day-to-day in a SOC. Heavy on Security Operations domain content (the largest SY0-701 domain at 28%), it covers log analysis, SIEM usage, and alert triage — skills that appear on the exam as scenario questions and matter immediately on day one of a security analyst role.
Put It to Work: Prepare for Cybersecurity Jobs
The final course in Google's Cybersecurity Certificate, this is one of the few Security Plus classes that explicitly bridges exam prep to job readiness — resume writing for security roles, portfolio projects, and how to talk about security concepts in interviews. If your goal is employment rather than just passing the exam, this is worth pairing with any domain-focused prep course.
CompTIA SecAI+ Fundamentals: AI Cybersecurity Basics CY0-001
AI-driven threat detection now appears explicitly in SY0-701 objectives. This course covers how AI tools are being used in both attacks (automated phishing, deepfake social engineering) and defenses (anomaly detection, behavioral analytics) — content that most traditional Security Plus classes haven't updated to include yet. Worth taking alongside a full SY0-701 prep course.
AI-Driven SOC: Fundamentals of Security Operations
Focuses on how modern security operations centers actually function, including tool stacks (SIEM, SOAR, EDR) and how AI is changing tier-1 analyst work. Directly relevant to Security Operations domain questions on the current exam, and genuinely useful for anyone targeting a SOC analyst role after certification.
Building and Configuring Your Cybersecurity Attack Lab
Security Plus classes that are purely video-lecture leave you unprepared for performance-based questions (PBQs), which make up roughly 20% of the SY0-701 exam. This course walks you through setting up a home lab where you can practice hands-on — running Kali Linux, configuring firewalls, analyzing packet captures. Treat it as the practical complement to any theory-heavy prep course.
How Security Plus Classes Fit Into a Real Career Path
Security+ is the entry point, not the destination. Understanding where it sits helps you choose the right class for your situation.
If you have zero IT experience: Security Plus classes will be harder without networking or sysadmin fundamentals. CompTIA's recommended path is CompTIA A+ → Network+ → Security+. You don't have to follow it rigidly, but if terms like "VLAN," "subnet mask," and "Active Directory" are unfamiliar, spend time on networking basics before diving into Security+ material. The Google IT Support Certificate on Coursera covers enough of this at low cost.
If you have 1–2 years in IT support or networking: This is the sweet spot. Most Security Plus classes assume you've administered systems or configured network devices before. You'll recognize the attack surfaces being discussed, which makes the threat and vulnerability content click faster.
If you're targeting government or DoD work: Security+ is mandatory, not optional, under DoD 8140 for IAT Level II roles. The certification typically satisfies requirements for positions like Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) and Cybersecurity Analyst II. In this context, prioritize a class that covers the compliance and governance domain heavily — NIST 800-53, CMMC, and RMF show up in federal job interviews.
Salary context: Security+ certified professionals report median salaries of $75,000–$95,000 in the U.S. for entry-level security analyst roles, rising to $100,000–$120,000 for roles where it's a required qualifier (DoD contractors, federal agencies). The certification alone doesn't create the salary gap — it's the prerequisite that gets your resume past the screening filter for those postings.
What to Look for When Comparing Security Plus Classes
Most Security Plus classes are built to the same template. Here's how to tell the useful ones apart:
- SY0-701 alignment: Verify the course explicitly lists SY0-701 in its curriculum. If the provider is vague about which exam version they cover, assume it's outdated.
- Performance-based question (PBQ) practice: PBQs are the hardest part of the Security+ exam for most test-takers. Any class that doesn't include hands-on or simulation-based exercises is leaving you exposed on roughly 20% of the exam.
- Instructor credentials: Look for instructors who hold the cert themselves plus higher-level credentials (CISSP, CEH, or equivalent) and have worked in actual security roles — not just career trainers who cover every cert under the sun.
- Practice exam quality: Included practice tests should be scenario-based, not just definition recall. If every question is "What does AES stand for?", the class isn't preparing you for how CompTIA actually writes questions.
- Update cadence: Check when the course was last updated. Any Security Plus class that hasn't been touched since mid-2023 predates the SY0-701 launch.
FAQ
How long do Security Plus classes take to complete?
Most structured Security Plus classes are 30–60 hours of video content. Factor in additional time for hands-on labs and practice exams — realistic total study time is 80–120 hours for someone with a solid IT background, and 150–200 hours for those newer to the field. Self-paced online classes let you compress or extend this depending on your schedule.
Do I need a class, or can I self-study with just the CompTIA study guide?
Self-study with the official CompTIA study guide (Mike Chapple's edition is the most widely used) works for people who learn well from text and already have IT experience. However, Security Plus classes that include video walkthroughs and lab exercises tend to produce better retention for the scenario-based exam questions, which now make up the majority of SY0-701. Most successful candidates use both a class and the official guide.
Are free Security Plus classes worth anything?
Yes — with caveats. The Google IT Support Certificate on Coursera is auditable for free and covers genuine foundational material. YouTube has full Security+ courses from credible instructors (Professor Messer's free content is widely respected). Free resources are most useful for building conceptual understanding; for exam-specific drill and practice questions, a paid course or dedicated question bank is typically worth the cost.
Is Security+ enough to get a cybersecurity job?
For entry-level roles — junior security analyst, SOC analyst tier 1, IT security specialist — Security+ is frequently listed as a minimum qualification and can be enough to land interviews. In government and DoD contracting, it's a mandatory checkbox. For more technical roles (penetration tester, red team, threat hunter), employers typically want hands-on skills demonstrated through a home lab, CTF participation, or higher certs like CEH or OSCP alongside or instead of Security+.
What's the pass rate for Security+ and how hard is the exam?
CompTIA doesn't publish official pass rates. Third-party estimates from training providers put the first-attempt pass rate at roughly 70–75% for candidates who used a structured study program. The exam consists of up to 90 questions (multiple choice and performance-based), with a 90-minute time limit and a passing score of 750 on a 100–900 scale. The PBQ questions — simulations where you configure a firewall, analyze logs, or respond to an incident scenario — are where underprepared candidates typically lose the most points.
How much do Security Plus classes cost?
Pricing ranges from free (audited Coursera courses, Professor Messer's free materials) to $300–$800 for bundled video + labs + practice exams on platforms like CompTIA's own CertMaster or vendor-specific training. Udemy courses run $15–$20 during sales (which happen constantly). The CompTIA exam voucher itself is $392 as of 2026 — factor that into total cost when comparing class prices.
Bottom Line
If you're looking for Security Plus classes and your goal is to actually pass SY0-701 and land a job, two things matter most: make sure the class covers current SY0-701 objectives (not the retired SY0-601), and make sure it includes hands-on practice for performance-based questions.
For pure exam prep paired with job readiness, the combination of Google's IT Security course for foundations, a dedicated SY0-701 video course, and a hands-on lab class like the attack lab course above covers all three components. If you're targeting DoD or federal positions specifically, add depth on the compliance and governance domain — that's where those interviews go.
The certification is a career gate, not a career destination. The Security Plus classes that serve you best are the ones that build skills you'll actually use in a SOC, not just ones that teach you to pass a multiple-choice exam.