CompTIA CertMaster Alternative for Security+: Take a Free Full SY0-701 Practice Exam (then $18, not $300+)
FigigExams is a low-cost alternative to CompTIA CertMaster Learn and CertMaster Practice for Security+ SY0-701. You can take a complete Security+ practice exam free, with no credit card, with every question type - including the performance-based questions (PBQs) candidates worry about - full explanations, and a personalized Exam Coach that diagnoses your weak concepts. If you keep going, exams are $18 each instead of around $300 or more for CertMaster. Here is the honest side-by-side, including where CertMaster is the better buy.
Skip the comparison - test it yourself
Try the Security+ SY0-701 practice exam, every question type including PBQs, with full Explanations and Exam Tips and the personalized Exam Coach when you finish. Create an account on the next screen, the code auto-applies. No credit card.
SECPLUS-EXAM-FULL
Try the exam free
Already have an account? Log in to start · Or keep reading below for the side-by-side with CertMaster.
In This Guide
Why I wrote this page
If you've searched for a CompTIA CertMaster alternative, you're probably looking at the price. CertMaster Learn is CompTIA's official self-paced course, and it's genuinely good - structured lessons, videos, flashcards, and performance assessments, all mapped to the exam objectives. But it's also expensive: CertMaster Learn for Security+ runs around $300 or more, CertMaster Practice around $150, and the Learn plus Labs bundle can pass $500. For a lot of candidates, that's a real barrier.
This article is for a specific group of candidates:
- Candidates who can't or don't want to spend $300+ and are looking for a cheaper way to prepare and test their readiness.
- Candidates who have already learned the material - from a course, a book like the Sybex or Messer materials, or work experience - and now need realistic practice and a readiness check, not a full course again.
- Candidates who are anxious about the performance-based questions (PBQs) and want realistic reps of them.
- Candidates who want a different kind of feedback. Not just a course progress bar, but a concept-level diagnosis that tells them: "you miss SIEM log-correlation questions," not "you're 70% through the module."
I'm a senior network and security engineer, and I built FigigExams because prep was getting absurdly expensive. This page is my honest take on where FigigExams fits next to CertMaster, and - importantly - where CertMaster is still the right purchase.
The free CertMaster alternative for Security+
If you searched for a free CertMaster alternative, a CertMaster Practice alternative, or a cheaper way to drill Security+ questions, this is the part that matters: CompTIA does not publish a free version of CertMaster Learn or CertMaster Practice, but FigigExams gives you a complete, full-length Security+ SY0-701 practice exam free, no account upgrade and no credit card, with every question type (including PBQ-style items), an explanation and exam tip on every item, and the personalized Exam Coach when you finish.
If it helps and you want more reps, additional exams are $18 each rather than $150 to $300+ - so even the paid path stays a small fraction of CertMaster's price.
Start the free Security+ practice examCode SECPLUS-EXAM-FULL auto-applies on the next screen. No credit card. Free full practice exam, not just sample questions.
What CertMaster does well
Credit where credit is due. CompTIA CertMaster is the official product, built by the people who write the exam, and it shows. CertMaster Learn is a genuinely complete course: it takes you from zero through every objective with readings, videos, flashcards, and end-of-lesson assessments, and it tracks your progress the whole way. CertMaster Practice uses an adaptive, confidence-based engine that keeps quizzing you on the things you're shaky on. And CertMaster Labs adds hands-on virtual environments.
If you're starting Security+ from scratch and you want one official, objective-aligned package that teaches everything in order, CertMaster Learn is a strong, defensible buy - especially if an employer or a training voucher is covering the cost. FigigExams does not try to replace a full course. It does something narrower, and cheaper.
Side-by-side comparison: CompTIA CertMaster vs FigigExams Security+
The numbers below for CertMaster reflect CompTIA's public store listings for Security+. Pricing changes and varies by bundle and region, so check CompTIA's store for current figures - I do not control their catalog.
| Feature | CompTIA CertMaster | FigigExams Security+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | ~$300+ Learn · ~$150 Practice · $500+ Learn + Labs | $18 per exam |
| What it is | A full self-paced eLearning course (lessons, videos, flashcards, labs) | A full-length practice exam + study guide + a personalized Exam Coach |
| Free tier | No | Yes 5 sample questions per topic, plus a free try of the full exam |
| Performance-based questions | Performance assessments within the course | Yes Drag-and-drop, configuration, and log-analysis PBQ-style items in every version |
| Results analysis | Course progress, module scores, adaptive practice (CertMaster Practice) | Score, concept-level breakdown, weak-domain analysis, personalized study plan, readiness score, follow-up chat with a Personal Exam Coach |
| Best for | Learning the material from scratch in an official, structured path | Practicing, diagnosing weak concepts, and checking readiness before exam day |
| Access model | Time-limited license; see CompTIA's store for the current access window | Lifetime access per exam, no expiration |
Accuracy matters, so the CertMaster column avoids details I cannot verify from outside their product. If any of the CertMaster figures above are out of date on CompTIA's store, please email me at [email protected] and I will correct this page.
Where FigigExams stands out: the Personal Exam Coach
This is the single feature I am most proud of, and the reason I built FigigExams. Every exam attempt produces a personalized report. Below is a static preview of what that report looks like for a candidate who scored about 62% on a Security+ SY0-701 practice exam (the real exam passes at 750/900, so this candidate is not ready yet). Everything is concept-level, not just domain-level - the kind of feedback a course progress bar can't give you.
You are fluent in the CIA triad and the control-type taxonomy (preventive, detective, corrective). The misses clustered around change-management terminology and the difference between a control's category (technical, managerial, operational, physical) and its type. Quick review, not a deep gap.
Malware classification is solid. The misses are in the social-engineering vocabulary (the exam loves to separate phishing, smishing, vishing, and pretexting) and in matching indicators of compromise to the right attack. Review the types of attacks guide and rework the practice questions there.
You know the cloud shared-responsibility split, but secure-protocol port numbers (the secure vs insecure pairs) are costing you points, and the Zero Trust components (policy engine, policy administrator, PEP) are blurry. Start with the ports and protocols cheat sheet, it's the fastest single-topic win on the exam.
This is the domain to attack first: it's 28% of the exam and your lowest score. The incident-response phase order (prepare, identify, contain, eradicate, recover, lessons learned) is a guaranteed question, memorize it cold. Your SIEM and log-analysis misses also show up in the PBQs, so practicing those items pays double.
Governance concepts are mostly in place. The arithmetic of quantitative risk (SLE = AV x EF, ALE = SLE x ARO) tripped you up, and the vendor-risk vocabulary (SLA, MOU, BPA, MSA) is fuzzy. These are pure-memorization wins, an hour with flashcards closes most of this gap.
This is an example output. Every exam produces a personalized report tailored to your specific answers, your weakest concepts, and a study plan ordered by impact on your score. Try a free Security+ practice exam to see your own breakdown →
The two things that hold a candidate's attention from question 1 to the end
The Exam Coach is what you see at the end of the exam. The two sections below are what you see during and after each question, and they are what most Security+ candidates remember about FigigExams. Test it yourself rather than take my word for it: the full exam is free with the code at the bottom.
Every question type on the SY0-701 · including the PBQs candidates fear
Multiple choice gets most of the attention, but the performance-based questions (PBQs) are where SY0-701 candidates lose the most confidence, you usually get a handful at the start of the exam and they are heavily weighted. FigigExams builds PBQ-style drag-and-drop, configuration, and log-analysis items into every Security+ exam version, alongside the "best response" scenario items that test judgment, not just recall.
Pick one correct option. The classic multiple-choice item, sharpened for SY0-701.
- ○ CBC
- ○ ECB
- ● GCM
- ○ CTR
Pick all that apply. Punishes guessing, rewards understanding.
- ☑ Fingerprint
- ☐ Smart card
- ☑ Retina scan
- ☐ PIN
Match labels to slots under exam-like UI. A staple PBQ format on Security+.
Read or complete a rule set. You build the answer, not pick a gloss of it.
# Rule Src Dst Port Action
1 any WEB 443 ALLOW
2 any WEB 80 DENY
3 10.0.0.0/8 DB 3306 ALLOWRead the log, identify the attack. The PBQ format candidates fear most.
GET /login.php?user=admin'--
&pass=x HTTP/1.1
200 OK src=203.0.113.9A realistic situation where several answers look right. You pick what to do FIRST or BEST.
CertMaster includes performance assessments inside its course. The advantage on the FigigExams side is that PBQ-style drag-and-drop, configuration, and log-analysis items, plus best-response scenarios, are baked into every exam version you can sit start to finish under timed conditions - so you rehearse the exact formats that rattle candidates on test day.
Exam Tips on every single question
Most practice tools ship one block per item: a paragraph of explanation. We bundle a second block on every question - the memorize-this-table version of the concept being tested, written by a certified engineer, not crowdsourced. This is the part candidates pull up as their final-week cheat sheet, and it's in the free version too.
Q: A developer must protect API tokens in transit so that any tampering is detected and the payload stays confidential, in a single operation. Which encryption choice meets both requirements?
GCM is an AEAD (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data) mode: it encrypts the data and produces an authentication tag that detects tampering, in a single step. CBC only provides confidentiality, you would need to add a separate HMAC (encrypt-then-MAC) to detect tampering, which is two operations, not one. ECB is never acceptable because identical plaintext blocks produce identical ciphertext, leaking patterns. CTR alone, like CBC, provides no integrity.
Confidentiality vs integrity, the table to memorize: AEAD modes (GCM, CCM, ChaCha20-Poly1305) = confidentiality + integrity in one. CBC / CTR = confidentiality only (add HMAC for integrity). ECB = never use, reveals patterns. SHA-256 = integrity only, it is hashing, not encryption. HMAC = integrity + authenticity using a shared key. Trap on this exam: candidates pick a hash like SHA-256 when the question asks for confidentiality. Hashing is one-way, it does not encrypt anything.
The Explanation teaches the question. The Exam Tips teach the concept the question is testing - the part you'll see again in a different shape on the real exam. This is why the Exam Coach above can give a concept-level breakdown rather than just a domain-level one.
Skip the comparison - test it yourself
Try the Security+ SY0-701 practice exam free, every question type including PBQs, with full Explanations and Exam Tips on every item and the personalized Exam Coach when you finish. Create an account on the next screen, the code auto-applies. No credit card.
SECPLUS-EXAM-FULL
Try the exam free
Already have an account? Log in to start · Returning candidates land on the same screen.
Two free ways to start: the study guide and the full practice exam
Not ready to sit a full timed exam yet? Start with the study guide. It's a read-at-your-own-pace walkthrough of the SY0-701 material, written by the same engineer. Chapter 1 is free to read with no account, so you can see the depth before you commit to anything, then the full guide and all the practice exams unlock together.
Security+ SY0-701 Study Guide
A chapter-by-chapter walkthrough of all five domains with interactive slides, key-concept call-outs, and a quick quiz at the end of each chapter to lock it in.
- Chapter 1 is free to read, no account needed
- Covers all five SY0-701 domains in plain language
- Chapter quizzes, explanations, and exam tips throughout
- Full guide unlocks together with the practice exams
Full SY0-701 Practice Exam
When you want a real readiness signal, sit the full-length practice exam. The code below auto-applies on the next screen, no credit card, and your Personal Exam Coach report is waiting at the end.
- Full-length, every domain, including PBQ-style items
- Explanation + Exam Tips on every question
- Personalized concept-level Exam Coach report
- Unlocks the full study guide too - code SECPLUS-EXAM-FULL
The study guide and the practice exams share one unlock: redeeming SECPLUS-EXAM-FULL when you create a free account opens the full guide and your first full exam at no cost - the whole library of Security+ value for the price of a mock email address, versus $300 or more for CertMaster Learn.
What a real candidate said
I didn't pay for this review, and I didn't ask for it. It was posted on the r/ccna subreddit in April 2026. It's about our CCNA exam, not Security+ - but it's praising the exact thing that's identical across every FigigExams certification, Security+ included: a free, full-length test that shows you what you got wrong at the end.
"the free test is way better than boson imo and its free and 105 questions and it shows you the result and what you had wrong in the end, you can use a mock email to create the account idk why you guys hate so much, I have my ccna on tuesday and got 96% on this practice test which really boosted my confidence"
Quote preserved verbatim, including original spelling and capitalization, and attributed to the CCNA exam where it was posted. The free-test-plus-end-of-exam-breakdown experience they're describing is the same engine behind the Security+ exam, that's why I'm comfortable showing it here. If you take the free Security+ exam and have feedback, good or bad, email me, I read all of it.
When CertMaster is still the better choice
I'm not going to pretend FigigExams replaces a full course. Here are the scenarios where CertMaster is the honest recommendation:
- You're starting from scratch and want to learn the material in order. CertMaster Learn is a complete, official, objective-aligned course. A practice exam assumes you already know most of the content - if you don't yet, you need a course first, and CertMaster Learn is a good one.
- An employer or a training voucher is paying. If cost isn't coming out of your pocket, the official CompTIA package is a safe, defensible choice, and you may as well take the most complete option available.
- You want hands-on labs. CertMaster Labs gives you virtualized environments to practice in. FigigExams is exam practice and diagnosis, not a lab platform.
If any of those describe you, CertMaster is the right call - and you can still use the free FigigExams exam afterward as a readiness check. If you've already learned the material and just need affordable, realistic practice with a concept-level breakdown, that's exactly what this is. You can also compare against Boson ExSim for Security+ or my full Security+ practice exam guide.
Try a free Security+ practice exam with personalized Exam Coach analysis
No credit card required. Takes 5 minutes to start. See your own concept-level breakdown in 20.
Start Free Security+ Practice ExamA free try of the practice exam, no credit card. Attribution in the link helps me track which articles are useful, thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is FigigExams a replacement for CompTIA CertMaster for Security+?
Not exactly - they solve different problems. CertMaster Learn is a full eLearning course that teaches the material from scratch with lessons, videos, and labs. FigigExams is a focused practice exam plus a study guide and a personalized Exam Coach for diagnosing and closing gaps, at a fraction of the price. Many candidates learn the material elsewhere, then use FigigExams to find and fix their weak concepts before exam day.
How much does CompTIA CertMaster cost compared to FigigExams?
CertMaster Learn for Security+ is listed around $300 or more, CertMaster Practice around $150, and the Learn plus Labs bundle can exceed $500 (check CompTIA's store for current pricing). A FigigExams Security+ practice exam is $18 per exam, and there is a free tier with sample questions plus a free try of the full practice exam, no credit card.
Can I try a Security+ practice exam before paying?
Yes. FigigExams offers 5 free sample questions on every topic page (see Types of Attacks or Cryptography & PKI for examples), plus a free try of the full Security+ practice exam, no account or credit card required.
Does FigigExams include performance-based questions (PBQs) like the real Security+ exam?
Yes. FigigExams Security+ practice exams include single-answer, multiple-response, drag-and-drop matching, configuration and log-analysis PBQ-style items, and best-response scenario questions to mirror the SY0-701 exam format - including the performance-based questions that most candidates worry about. They're in the free version too.
Should I use CertMaster Learn or a practice exam first?
If you're learning Security+ from scratch and want a structured official course, CertMaster Learn is a legitimate choice. If you already know most of the material - from a course, a book, or work experience - a full practice exam with a concept-level breakdown is the faster way to find what's still costing you points. The two are complementary, not mutually exclusive.