CCNA vs Network+: Which Networking Certification Should You Take First in 2026?
Skip the comparison - see which one you are closer to
Sit a complete CCNA 200-301 practice exam free: 103 questions in 120 minutes with an Exam Coach report. A free Network+ paper is further down the page.
CCNA-EXAM-FULL
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Branch Office Connectivity Failure
A branch PC has lost access to the head-office server. Work through the path, find what is wrong, and fix it.
VLANs & trunks
Campus VLAN: Restore the Uplink
An application server is unreachable across two access switches. Restore the staff VLAN without connecting the isolated guest segment.
IPv6
Dual Stack: IPv6 Beside IPv4
The IPv4 half works and proves the cabling is fine. The IPv6 half does not. Bring IPv6 up without disturbing IPv4.
3 of the 9 CCNA scenarios in the pack, each a live network with one hidden fault. See all nine.
Network+ (N10-009, $399) is vendor-neutral: it tests how networking works and a troubleshooting method. The CCNA (200-301, $300) tests the same concepts and then asks you to configure and troubleshoot them on Cisco IOS, with command-line simulations and no going back. Take the CCNA if you want a networking job; take Network+ for a broad vendor-neutral certification or a gentler first exam. Neither is a prerequisite for the other.Exam facts checked against Cisco's and CompTIA's pages on 12 October 2026.
CCNA and Network+ side by side
| Cisco CCNA 200-301 | CompTIA Network+ N10-009 | |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Cisco: Cisco IOS and Cisco devices | Vendor-neutral |
| Price | $300 | $399 |
| Questions and time | About 100-120 (not published), 120 minutes | Up to 90, 90 minutes |
| Passing score | Not published | 720 on a 100-900 scale |
| Hands-on format | Command-line simulations | PBQs |
| Going back to a question | Not allowed | Allowed (flag and review) |
| Retake wait | 5 days | None before the second attempt, then 14 days |
| Valid for | 3 years; 30 CE credits or an exam | 3 years; 30 CEUs or a higher CompTIA exam |
| Version | v1.1 until 2 February 2027, v2.0 from 3 February 2027 | N10-009 since 20 June 2024, retirement estimated 2027 |
From Cisco's and CompTIA's exam pages, checked 12 October 2026. The CCNA question count is candidate-reported because Cisco does not publish one.
What each one actually tests
The concepts overlap heavily: the OSI and TCP/IP models, subnetting, switching and VLANs, routing, wireless, network services and security basics. The difference is depth and doing.
Network+ asks you to know
- How the technologies work and when to use each one
- A vendor-neutral troubleshooting method (24% of the exam)
- Network operations: monitoring, documentation, disaster recovery
The CCNA asks you to do
- Configure and verify it on Cisco IOS: VLANs, trunks, OSPF, ACLs, NAT
- Troubleshoot a misconfigured device from its command line
- Read and reason about automation basics (10% of the exam)
Which to take
- Take Network+ if you want a broad, vendor-neutral networking certification, you work somewhere without Cisco gear, or you are building a CompTIA path toward Security+.
- Take the CCNA if you want a networking job: it is the certification network engineer job ads name most, and it proves you can configure equipment, not only describe it.
- Take both, Network+ first, if networking is new to you and you want a gentler first exam. The concepts carry straight over into CCNA study.
Many candidates skip Network+ and go straight to the CCNA; neither is a prerequisite. How hard the CCNA is, measured: how hard is the CCNA? The CompTIA alternative earlier in the ladder: A+ vs Network+.
Try both before you choose
A full-length paper shows which exam you are closer to. Both free, no credit card:
- CCNA 200-301: 103 questions in 120 minutes, code
CCNA-EXAM-FULL(the button above). - Network+ N10-009: 90 questions in 90 minutes, code
COMPTIA-NET-001.
The CCNA pack is the larger one (5 exams, 510 questions and 9 troubleshooting labs); for Network+ we have one full exam today.
Sit a full paper, then decide
103 questions in 120 minutes and an Exam Coach report that ranks your weakest domains. Free, no credit card.
Try a free CCNA examThe CCNA pack is $39 once: 5 exams, 510 questions and 9 troubleshooting labs. Network+ is $39 once for the full exam. Lifetime, future versions included.
Frequently asked questions: CCNA vs Network+
Should I take CCNA or Network+?
Take the CCNA if you want a networking job and will work with Cisco equipment: it proves you can configure devices. Take Network+ for a broad vendor-neutral certification or as a gentler first exam. Neither is a prerequisite for the other.
Is the CCNA harder than Network+?
Generally yes. The concepts overlap, but the CCNA adds hands-on configuration on Cisco IOS, command-line simulations and a no-going-back rule, and covers routing and switching in more depth.
Can I skip Network+ and go straight to the CCNA?
Yes. Many candidates do. Cisco has no prerequisite for the CCNA, and Network+ is not required.
Which costs more, CCNA or Network+?
Network+ costs $399 and the CCNA $300 at list prices checked in October 2026, per attempt.
Do CCNA and Network+ overlap?
Heavily on concepts: the OSI model, subnetting, switching, routing, wireless and network services. The CCNA then asks you to configure and troubleshoot them on Cisco devices.