CompTIA Tech+ vs A+: Which Entry-Level Cert Should You Take First in 2026?

If you are new to IT and trying to break in, the CompTIA Tech+ vs A+ decision is one of the first real forks in the road, and it is easy to pick the wrong one. Both are entry-level CompTIA certifications, both promise to get you started, and both cost real money. But they are not interchangeable, and choosing badly can cost you weeks of study and a few hundred pounds for a credential that does not move you closer to a job.

This guide gives you a straight answer. We compare CompTIA Tech+ (FC0-U71) and CompTIA A+ (220-1201 and 220-1202) on cost, exam format, difficulty, domains and, most importantly, hiring value in 2026. By the end you will know exactly which entry-level cert you should take first based on where you actually are right now.

The Short Answer

Here is the verdict up front, then we will justify it.

• Take A+ first if your goal is to land an entry-level IT job (help desk, desktop support, field technician) in the next six to twelve months. A+ is the credential hiring managers actually recognise and screen for.
• Take Tech+ first if you are a genuine beginner who is still deciding whether IT is for you, you find A+ overwhelming, or you need a gentle, confidence-building foundation before committing to the harder track.

For most people who are serious about an IT career, A+ is the better starting investment. Tech+ is a useful on-ramp, not a destination. The rest of this article explains why, with the numbers behind each claim.

Exam Tip: Tech+ replaced CompTIA ITF+ (IT Fundamentals), which retired in 2025. If an older guide tells you to take "ITF+", it is out of date. The current beginner exam code is FC0-U71.

CompTIA Tech+ (FC0-U71) at a Glance

CompTIA Tech+ is CompTIA's foundational certification, aimed at absolute beginners, career changers and non-technical staff who work alongside IT teams. It is designed to prove you understand core technology concepts before you specialise.

Tech+ is broad and conceptual rather than deep and hands-on. It touches a bit of everything: how computers work, basic networking, software, databases, a little coding theory and security awareness. It does not go deep enough to make you job-ready for a technical role on its own, and CompTIA is upfront about that positioning.

Key facts for FC0-U71:

• Questions: maximum of 70, multiple choice only (no performance-based simulations).
• Length: 60 minutes.
• Passing score: 650 on a scale of 100 to 900.
• Cost: around 149 USD for a single exam voucher (regional pricing varies).
• Experience needed: none. This is a true beginner exam.
• Validity: the standard FC0-U71 is a lifetime certification with no renewal; a separate continuing-education version (FC0-U71-CE) is valid for five years.

The Six Tech+ Domains

The FC0-U71 exam is split across six domains:

1. IT Concepts and Terminology (26%)
2. Infrastructure (18%)
3. Applications and Software (14%)
4. Software Development Concepts (10%)
5. Database Fundamentals (13%)
6. Security (19%)

Notice how wide that spread is. You get a taste of software development and databases that A+ does not cover at all, but none of it is deep. Tech+ is a mile wide and an inch deep, by design.

CompTIA A+ (220-1201 and 220-1202) at a Glance

CompTIA A+ is the industry standard entry-level certification for IT support roles, and it has been for over two decades. The current version (V15) is made up of two separate exams: Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202). You must pass both to earn the A+ credential.

A+ is deep and hands-on where Tech+ is broad and theoretical. It expects you to troubleshoot real hardware, configure operating systems, support mobile devices, understand networking in practical terms and handle security incidents. Crucially, A+ includes performance-based questions (PBQs) that put you in a simulated environment and ask you to actually do something, not just recognise the right answer.

Key facts for A+ V15:

• Exams: two required, Core 1 (220-1201) and Core 2 (220-1202). You can take them in either order, but most people start with Core 1.
• Questions: maximum of 90 per exam, including multiple choice, drag-and-drop and performance-based questions.
• Length: 90 minutes per exam.
• Passing scores: Core 1 needs 675 out of 900; Core 2 needs 700 out of 900.
• Cost: roughly 253 USD per exam, so about 506 USD for the full certification (regional pricing varies).
• Validity: three years, renewable through CompTIA's continuing-education programme.

The current 220-1201 and 220-1202 exams launched in early 2025, replacing the older 220-1101 and 220-1102 series. If you are studying A+ in 2026, make sure your materials target the V15 objectives.

Exam Tip: A+ is where you first meet performance-based questions. They are the questions candidates fail most often because they cannot be crammed. The fastest way to get comfortable with PBQs is to practise them repeatedly under time pressure, not to read about them.

CompTIA Tech+ vs A+: Side by Side

Here is the direct comparison at a glance.

Which Is Harder?

A+ is meaningfully harder than Tech+, and that gap is the whole point.

Tech+ is a single 60-minute, multiple-choice exam with a relatively low passing bar. Most motivated beginners can prepare in three to five weeks. There are no simulations to trip you up, so if you understand the concepts, you can pass.

A+ is two exams, each longer, each with a higher passing score, and both packed with practical detail and performance-based questions. You need to know real command-line tools, operating-system settings, hardware components and troubleshooting methodology well enough to apply them, not just recognise them. A realistic A+ preparation window is eight to twelve weeks of consistent study, and many people take longer.

If you have felt overwhelmed opening an A+ study guide and immediately drowning in connector types, RAID levels and Windows tools, that reaction is exactly what Tech+ is built to solve. It gives you the vocabulary and mental model so that A+ later feels like adding detail to a picture you already understand, rather than starting from zero.

The Part That Actually Matters: Hiring Value

This is where the decision is really made. A certification is only worth what it does for your career, and here the two are not close.

A+ is the credential employers screen for. Search entry-level IT support, help desk or desktop support roles and you will repeatedly see "CompTIA A+ or equivalent" as a requirement or strong preference. It is a known quantity that tells a hiring manager you can be trusted with a ticket queue on day one. A+ is also the first rung of the classic CompTIA path that leads into Network+ and Security+.

Tech+ is rarely a job requirement. You will almost never see a role that asks specifically for Tech+. Its value is developmental: it builds your foundation and your confidence, and it can help a complete beginner or a non-technical colleague become conversant in IT. That is genuinely useful, but it is not the same as being hireable.

So if your timeline is short and your goal is a first IT paycheque, spending around 149 USD and a month on Tech+ before you even start A+ can feel like a detour. Many people are better served by pointing that time and money straight at A+.

Exam Tip: If cost is the deciding factor, remember that skipping straight to A+ saves you the Tech+ voucher entirely. The catch is that A+ is harder, so you trade money saved for a steeper learning curve. Good practice questions close that gap far more cheaply than an extra certification does.

When Tech+ First Genuinely Makes Sense

We are not dismissing Tech+. There are clear situations where taking it first is the right call:

• You are a true beginner who does not yet know a CPU from a router, and you want a low-pressure win to build momentum before tackling A+.
• You are not sure IT is for you and want a cheap, low-commitment way to test your interest before investing over 500 USD in A+.
• Your role is adjacent to IT (sales, support, project coordination, management) and you need to speak the language credibly without becoming a technician.
• You are supporting a career change and want a structured foundation that makes the jump to A+, and later Network+ and Security+, far less intimidating.

In all of these cases, Tech+ is doing its job: lowering the barrier to entry. Just go in with clear eyes that it is a stepping stone, not a career credential.

The Recommended Path for 2026

Put it all together and a simple decision tree falls out.

1. Serious about an IT job soon, and reasonably comfortable with technology? Go straight to CompTIA A+. Skip Tech+.
2. Serious about IT but a genuine beginner who feels overwhelmed by A+? Take Tech+ first as a confidence builder, then move to A+.
3. Just exploring whether IT is for you? Take Tech+, see how you find it, and decide from there.

Whichever route you choose, A+ is almost always the real goal, because A+ is what unlocks the rest of the CompTIA path. From there, Network+ and Security+ build on the same foundation, and that trio is still one of the strongest starting stacks in IT. If you want the wider view on where these fit, our guide to the best IT certifications for 2026 puts them in context, and our breakdown of whether the CompTIA trifecta is still worth it covers the A+, Network+ and Security+ combination in full.

Ready to Start Practising?

The single biggest predictor of passing either exam is not how many videos you watch, it is how many realistic practice questions you work through. Tech+ rewards clear recall of concepts, and A+ rewards hands-on familiarity with performance-based questions, and both are best trained by doing, not just reading.

CertCrush gives you exam-style practice questions with detailed explanations for CompTIA A+ and the wider CompTIA path, so you can find your weak domains before the real exam does. Whether you start with Tech+ or go straight to A+, practising under exam conditions is how you turn "I think I know this" into a pass.

Create your free CertCrush account and start practising today, or browse the full range of certification courses to map out your path from your first entry-level cert to Network+, Security+ and beyond.