The Best CompTIA A+ PBQ Simulators in 2026, for Core 1 and Core 2
A+ is two exams, and both open with performance-based questions: configure a SOHO router, place components on a motherboard, repair a Windows setting, order a malware-removal process. Every prep vendor now advertises PBQs, but some sell drills, some sell virtual machines, and some print them in a book. Here is how the established options compare for each core, with prices read from each vendor in October 2026.
Short answer: for the most PBQs per dollar, Dion Training's A+ PBQ Practice Packs ($29.99 per core, a bank of 50 PBQ-style items each). For the most simulations covering both cores, Total Seminars TotalSims ($69 a year). For CompTIA's own hands-on labs, CertMaster Labs. For PBQs inside full timed exams, graded with partial credit and mapped to the exam domains, FigigExams: 19 Core 1 PBQs across 4 practice exams, 15 Core 2 PBQs across 3 more, for $39 once per core, with 2 PBQs free in each free exam.
Practise each core separately. They are different exams, and a strong Core 1 score says nothing about Core 2.
In This Guide
What A+ PBQs actually test
Each A+ exam has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes. Core 1 (220-1201) needs 675 and Core 2 (220-1202) needs 700, both on a 100-900 scale. CompTIA does not publish how many PBQs each exam has; candidates usually report a handful, often at the start.
- Core 1 PBQs are hardware and network tasks: match ports and connectors, place components, configure a small office network, follow a troubleshooting method to a failed part.
- Core 2 PBQs are operating-system and security tasks: fix a Windows, Linux or macOS problem, set permissions, run malware removal in the right order, apply change and backup procedures.
The format guide with free examples is our A+ PBQ guide. This page is about where to practise them.
How to judge an A+ PBQ simulator
- Interactive or written. Practise in the format you will sit: dragging, clicking and configuring, not reading.
- Graded per outcome, with partial credit. You should see which part you got wrong and why, not just a final mark.
- Inside a timed exam or drilled alone. Drills build speed on a format. A full timed paper shows whether PBQs leave enough time for the rest.
- Both cores, mapped to their domains. Core 1 and Core 2 have different blueprints. A weak result should point at a domain to study.
- Price model. One payment, a yearly licence, or a set term per core.
A+ PBQ simulators compared
Prices and counts from each vendor's own page, checked 3 October 2026, except CertMaster Labs, which CompTIA sells through resellers.
| Tool | Price | PBQ format | Inside a timed exam? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dion Training PBQ Practice Packs | $29.99 per core ($49.99 with practice exams) | Bank of 50 PBQ-style items per core, interactive 5-question sets | No, drilled in sets | Most PBQs per dollar |
| Total Seminars TotalSims | $69, one year, both cores | 296 simulation elements across 192 lab topics | No | Most simulations |
| CompTIA CertMaster Labs | Per core; resellers list about $115-$139 | Guided virtual labs with real tools | No | Official hands-on labs |
| FigigExams | $39 once per core, lifetime · 2 PBQs free per core | 19 Core 1 PBQs and 15 Core 2 PBQs (photo hotspots, diagrams, config forms, evidence, sorting); every outcome graded with partial credit | Yes, spread through 90-question timed exams | PBQs under exam conditions |
| Crucial Exams | Premium membership (see their plans page) | PBQs as hands-on exercises (12 listed for Core 1); previews free | Not stated | Large free question bank |
| Boson ExSim-Max | $99/yr per core, $189/yr both, auto-renew | Timed exam simulator; Practice Lab sold for 220-1202 | Yes (multiple choice) | Timed multiple-choice practice |
The best free way to practise A+ PBQs
- The free FigigExams Core 1 exam: a complete 90-question timed paper with 2 interactive PBQs inside it. Code
APLUS1-EXAM-FULL. - The free FigigExams Core 2 exam: a complete timed paper with 2 interactive PBQs inside it. Code
APLUS2-EXAM-FULL. - Our free A+ PBQ walkthrough: the formats, a step-by-step method, and 5 PBQ-style examples, plus the A+ command-line cheat sheet for the Core 2 command PBQs.
- Professor Messer's free A+ course teaches the material both cores' PBQs are built on.
Sit a full A+ Core 1 exam with real PBQs inside it, free
A complete timed 220-1201 paper with interactive PBQs where the exam puts them, an explanation on every question, and your score by domain at the end. The code applies itself when you create your account.
APLUS1-EXAM-FULL
Take the free Core 1 exam
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The picks, by the job they do best
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Dion Training A+ PBQ Practice Packs: most PBQ practice per dollar
$29.99 per core for a bank of 50 PBQ-style items, in interactive 5-question sets with guided solutions; $49.99 per core with Dion's practice exams.
Where it falls short: PBQs come in sets of five, outside a full exam. Comparison: Dion's PBQ packs vs PBQs inside a timed exam.
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Total Seminars TotalSims: the most simulations, both cores
$69 for a year of 296 simulation elements across 192 lab topics covering 220-1201 and 220-1202. Built to accompany Mike Meyers' course.
Where it falls short: one-year access, and the simulations are separate from timed practice exams.
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CompTIA CertMaster Labs: the official hands-on option
CompTIA's own guided virtual labs for each core, aligned to the objectives. CompTIA renamed its former TestOut LabSim platform CertMaster in 2026.
Where it falls short: sold per core at well over $100 each, and built to teach the tools, not to rehearse exam-format PBQs against the clock.
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FigigExams: best for PBQs under real exam conditions
19 interactive Core 1 PBQs inside 4 full timed practice exams (354 questions), and 15 Core 2 PBQs inside 3 more (262 questions). Each PBQ sits at a position spread through the 90-question paper, each required outcome is graded separately with partial credit and a reason, and PBQs count toward one weighted exam score. Hardware PBQs use real component photos you click on. $39 once per core, for life; each free exam includes 2 PBQs.
Where it falls short: fewer PBQs than Dion's 50 per core or TotalSims' 296 simulation elements. Our strength is placement and grading, not volume.
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Crucial Exams: the biggest free question bank
Large free A+ multiple-choice banks, plus PBQs presented as hands-on exercises for Premium members (12 listed for Core 1).
Where it falls short: the PBQs are behind the membership.
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Boson ExSim-Max: timed multiple-choice practice
$99 a year per core or $189 for both, with Boson's detailed explanations; a Practice Lab is sold for 220-1202.
Where it falls short: yearly auto-renewing licences, per core.
Where our PBQs sit on each blueprint
Each FigigExams PBQ is authored against one exam domain. The counts below come live from our PBQ catalogue; the weights are CompTIA's.
Core 1 (220-1201)
| Domain (CompTIA weight) | PBQs | What they make you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Mobile Devices (13%) | 2 | Restore mobile sync and a field technician’s workspace within the constraints given |
| 2.0 Networking (23%) | 3 | Connect an access switch, commission an access point and optical uplink, repair addressing after a subnet change |
| 3.0 Hardware (25%) | 4 | Plan a motherboard upgrade, restore memory channels, make a graphics upgrade electrically stable, recover cooling performance |
| 4.0 Virtualization and Cloud Computing (11%) | 2 | Choose cloud service models; build an isolated two-guest test lab |
| 5.0 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (28%) | 8 | Bring a workstation online, recover a degraded array and a missing boot drive, separate printer faults, fix overlapping Wi-Fi cells and a cable that passes continuity |
Core 2 (220-1202)
| Domain (CompTIA weight) | PBQs | What they make you do |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 Operating Systems (28%) | 4 | Deploy Windows without breaking an application, fix Linux file permissions, recover a macOS document, free a full system volume |
| 2.0 Security (28%) | 4 | Repair share permissions without full control, recover a BitLocker laptop, remove malware in the approved order, allow remote support without weakening hardening |
| 3.0 Software Troubleshooting (23%) | 4 | Recover Windows after a driver update, restore a mapped drive over VPN, stop browser redirection, update a managed mobile app safely |
| 4.0 Operational Procedures (21%) | 3 | Restore to the last verified backup, run a failed change through change control, approve a script without losing the recovery copy |
Full objective lists with weights: Core 1 exam objectives and Core 2 exam objectives.
From a PBQ score to a study plan
One exam score
PBQs and multiple choice add up to one weighted score, and Results show every PBQ outcome you met or missed, with the reason.
Readiness by domain
For each core, the Study Path weights your results by that exam's own CompTIA domain weights, so the costliest gap comes first.
PBQs beside each domain
Each Core 1 and Core 2 domain lists its PBQs with your best score, kept separate from readiness so readiness stays a measure of the full paper.
The cheapest way to cover both cores
- $0: the free FigigExams exam for each core (full papers, PBQs inside), our free A+ PBQ guide, and Professor Messer's free course.
- $69: TotalSims, if you want the most simulations for both cores in one year.
- $78 once: FigigExams for both cores ($39 each), for life. Or Pro at $89 once for every certification on the site.
- $59.98: Dion's two PBQ packs, if PBQ volume is the gap. Pair them with at least one full timed paper per core.
Both cores have a free full exam waiting
Start with Core 1 below. Core 2 has its own free paper on the code APLUS2-EXAM-FULL. Each is a full timed exam with PBQs inside, then a score by domain. All exams for a core are $39 once.
APLUS1-EXAM-FULL
Redeem the Core 1 code
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best CompTIA A+ PBQ simulator?
It depends on the job. For the most PBQ practice per dollar, Dion Training's A+ PBQ Practice Packs ($29.99 per core, 50 PBQ-style items each). For the most simulations covering both cores, Total Seminars TotalSims ($69 a year). For official hands-on labs, CompTIA CertMaster Labs. For PBQs inside full timed exams, graded with partial credit and mapped to the exam domains, FigigExams ($39 once per core, with 2 PBQs free in each free exam).
Where can I practise A+ PBQs for free?
The free FigigExams Core 1 exam is a full 90-question timed paper with 2 interactive PBQs inside it (code APLUS1-EXAM-FULL), and Core 2 has its own free exam (code APLUS2-EXAM-FULL). Our A+ PBQ guide has 5 free PBQ-style examples.
Are there PBQs on both A+ Core 1 and Core 2?
Yes. Both 220-1201 and 220-1202 include performance-based questions. Core 1 PBQs are hardware and networking tasks; Core 2 PBQs are operating-system, security and procedure tasks. Practise each core separately.
How many PBQs are on the A+ exam?
CompTIA does not publish the number. Each core has a maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, and candidates usually report a handful of PBQs per exam, often at the start.
Is Dion's A+ PBQ pack worth it?
At $29.99 per core it is the cheapest way to see many PBQ formats: a bank of 50 PBQ-style items per core with guided solutions. It drills PBQs in sets of five, outside a timed exam, so pair it with a full timed paper. Comparison: Dion PBQ pack alternative.
Is TotalSims good for A+ PBQs?
TotalSims is the largest simulation set for A+: $69 for a year of 296 simulation elements across both cores, designed alongside Mike Meyers' course. It is separate from timed practice exams, so add a full exam to test your pacing.
Which A+ practice platform puts PBQs inside full practice exams?
FigigExams places its interactive A+ PBQs inside full 90-question timed practice exams for each core, spread through the paper like the real exam, and counts them toward one weighted score.
What is the cheapest way to practise A+ PBQs for both cores?
Start free: each core has a free full FigigExams exam with PBQs inside. Paid options: TotalSims at $69 a year for both cores, Dion's PBQ packs at $29.99 per core, or FigigExams at $39 once per core ($78 for both) with every practice exam and PBQ for life.
Sources
Every competitor price and count on this page was read from the vendor's own page (checked 3 October 2026). Prices change; check before you buy.