Best Free CompTIA Security+ Study Resources in 2026: An Honest SY0-701 Guide

CompTIA Security+ is the entry point into cybersecurity for most people, and it is often the certification a job advert means when it says “security certification required.” The current version is SY0-701, which broadened the focus on cloud, zero trust, and operational security compared with the older SY0-601. The good news is that you do not need to spend money on training to pass it. The challenge is that Security+ rewards understanding over memorisation: the exam leans on scenario questions where you must apply a concept rather than recall a definition, plus a handful of performance-based items at the start. That means a study plan built only on flashcards will let you down. This guide lists the free resources that actually cover SY0-701, explains what each is good at, and is honest about the two places where free material is weaker than paid: realistic practice exams and structured hands-on labs. Follow the sequence and you can be exam-ready in six to ten weeks of steady evening study.

How we chose these resources

Four criteria shaped this list. First, mapped to SY0-701 — we excluded anything still built around the retired SY0-601, because the objectives and emphasis have shifted. Second, free with no hidden billing — genuinely free, not a trial that converts to a subscription. Third, covers a distinct need — each resource does one job well, whether that is teaching, testing, memorising, or community support, so you are not duplicating effort. Fourth, still current in 2026 — the creator is active and the material has been reviewed against the live exam. Where a free option is genuinely weaker than a paid one, we flag it rather than pretend the free path is flawless, so you can decide where your limited budget is best spent.

The best free Security+ study resources

1. Professor Messer’s SY0-701 course (YouTube)

This is the gold standard of free Security+ training and the spine of almost every successful no-cost study plan. The course runs 121 videos totalling just over 15 hours, ordered to follow the exam objectives, and every minute is free to watch. It suits anyone from a near-beginner with basic IT knowledge upward. You get clear, concise explanations of each concept, delivered without padding, plus the reassurance that the coverage maps directly to the blueprint. The time commitment is real: watching is 15 hours, but learning it properly takes several weeks of review. There is no cost and no credential. The honest limitation is that video alone does not build the applied judgement the scenario questions demand, so you must pair it with practice questions and active recall.

2. Professor Messer’s study groups and pop quizzes

Beyond the core videos, Professor Messer runs free monthly live study group sessions and posts regular pop-quiz questions. The study groups walk through tricky objectives and answer live questions, and the replays stay free to watch. It suits learners who want to hear concepts discussed and to test themselves against exam-style framing. You get exposure to how questions are worded and a sense of which topics trip people up. The time commitment is an hour or two per session, plus a few minutes for each quiz. It is free. The limitation is breadth rather than depth: the sessions reinforce and clarify but are not a substitute for working through the full course, so treat them as a supplement to the videos rather than a standalone path.

3. Official CompTIA exam objectives (free PDF)

CompTIA publishes the full SY0-701 exam objectives as a free download, and it is the single most important document you will use. It lists every concept and acronym that can appear, organised by domain. It suits everyone and should be your master checklist. You get an authoritative, exhaustive scope statement that lets you audit any course for gaps. The time commitment is an hour to read and recurring use as a self-test — if you cannot explain a bullet point, you have found a topic to study. It is free. Its only weakness is that it tells you what, not how: it is a syllabus, not a teacher. Print it, and tick off each item only when you can explain it in your own words.

4. ExamCompass free practice questions

ExamCompass offers a large bank of free Security+ practice questions split by topic, with no account required. It suits the testing phase, once you have watched the videos and want to find weak areas. You get topic-by-topic quizzes and full-length sets that surface gaps quickly, plus explanations for many answers. The time commitment is flexible — a quiz takes ten to twenty minutes. It is free. The important honest caveat is difficulty: free question banks, including this one, tend to be more straightforward and more definition-led than the real exam, which is heavier on scenarios. Use them to confirm coverage and build confidence, but do not assume a high score here means you are ready. This is exactly where a paid set adds value.

5. Anki flashcards (spaced repetition)

Security+ is famous for its acronym soup, and Anki, the free spaced-repetition app, is the efficient way to tame it. Community decks aligned to SY0-701 already exist, so you can start reviewing rather than building. It suits anyone who keeps confusing similar terms, such as the various attack types or encryption standards. You get daily, low-effort review that moves definitions into long-term memory. The time commitment is ten to fifteen minutes a day, but it must be daily to work. The app is free on desktop and Android, with the iPhone version the lone paid exception. Its limitation is the same as for any flashcard tool: it builds recall, not the applied reasoning the exam tests, so it supports your understanding rather than creating it.

6. TryHackMe free rooms (hands-on context)

Security+ is not a hands-on exam, but the concepts stick far better when you have seen them in action. TryHackMe offers free introductory rooms covering networking, common attacks, and basic security tooling, playable in the browser. It suits learners who find abstract security concepts hard to picture. You get safe, guided practical exposure that turns “phishing” or “privilege escalation” from a phrase into something you have actually walked through. The time commitment is an hour or two per room, used selectively. The free tier is genuinely free, though deeper content sits behind a subscription. The limitation is scope: TryHackMe is far broader than Security+ and can become a rabbit hole, so use a few targeted rooms to cement weak concepts rather than treating it as a syllabus.

7. The r/CompTIA community

The CompTIA subreddit is a free, active support network where people share exam experiences, study plans, and which resources helped. It suits self-taught learners who would otherwise study in isolation. You get motivation, recent first-hand reports on exam difficulty, and quick answers to study-plan questions. The time commitment is whatever you choose. It is free. The weakness is reliability, as with any forum: advice quality varies and you will occasionally see people seeking or sharing leaked questions, which violates CompTIA’s policy and can void your certification. Use it for encouragement and to sanity-check your plan, never for shortcuts. The “passed today” threads are also a useful, honest gauge of how prepared people felt versus how the exam actually went.

8. Professor Messer’s practice exams (paid, but worth noting)

This is the one paid item we include, because it fixes the biggest gap in the free path. Professor Messer’s practice exams and Success Bundle (around £95, often discounted) provide scenario-style questions much closer to the real difficulty than free banks. It suits anyone who can stretch to a small budget and wants an honest readiness check. You get realistic questions with detailed explanations that teach as well as test. The time commitment is the final week or two of study. It is not free, but it is inexpensive relative to a failed exam voucher of over £300. The limitation is simply that it is paid; if your budget is truly zero, lean harder on ExamCompass and the official objectives instead, and book only when you consistently understand the why behind every answer.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Memorising definitions instead of understanding scenarios. Security+ rarely asks “what is X?” It asks “given this situation, what should you do?” Candidates who only flashcard their way through acronyms get blindsided. After every topic, ask yourself how you would apply it in a real incident, not just what it means.

2. Trusting free practice scores too much. Free question banks skew easier than the live exam. Scoring 90% on ExamCompass does not mean you are ready. Treat free questions as coverage checks and use a realistic paid set, or at minimum the official sample questions, before you book.

3. Ignoring performance-based questions. The exam opens with a few interactive, scenario-driven tasks that carry weight and eat time. People who only practised multiple choice panic. Read up on the PBQ format and practise working through configuration and matching tasks calmly.

4. Studying the wrong version. Plenty of older material targets SY0-601. The 701 update changed emphasis around cloud and operations. Confirm every resource names SY0-701 and check it against the current official objectives before you rely on it.

Frequently asked questions

Can I pass Security+ using only free resources?

Yes for the learning, with one realistic caveat. Professor Messer’s course, the official objectives, ExamCompass, and Anki cover the syllabus fully at no cost. The weak point is realistic practice exams, where free options are easier than the real test. Many people add an inexpensive paid set for a final readiness check. The exam voucher itself, around £315 to £350, cannot be avoided.

How long does it take to study for Security+?

Most people with some IT background need six to ten weeks at around an hour or two a day. Complete beginners should plan longer and may want to do Network+ or at least its concepts first, since Security+ assumes you understand basic networking. The pace depends less on the videos and more on how much practice and review you do.

How much does the Security+ exam cost in the UK?

A single SY0-701 voucher costs roughly £315 to £350 in the UK, including VAT. A voucher-plus-retake bundle costs more but protects you if you fail the first attempt. Students with a valid .ac.uk email can access CompTIA’s academic store for significant discounts, sometimes around half price, which is well worth checking before you buy.

Do I need Network+ before Security+?

Not officially, but CompTIA recommends networking knowledge first. Security+ assumes you understand IP addressing, ports, protocols, and basic network design. If you already have that from work, the CCNA, or self-study, you can go straight to Security+. If networking is new to you, learn those fundamentals first or you will struggle with a meaningful chunk of the questions.

Is Security+ worth it in 2026?

For breaking into cybersecurity or meeting a baseline security requirement, yes. It is widely recognised by employers and is a common requirement for entry-level security and many government-linked roles. It will not by itself make you a senior security professional, but as a credible, vendor-neutral foundation that opens doors to first roles, it remains one of the best value certifications available.

Related guides

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