How to Test Safely & Achieve Up to a 99% Pass Rate with Security365's 100% Exam Pass Guarantee for the CompTIA Security+ Certification
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Exam Voucher with Exam Pass Guarantee — Free 01 Retake
This question is rarely fully answered, as most articles only state the voucher price and stop there. But the voucher price is not the total cost — and the expense people often forget to account for is usually the most expensive.
Three Cost Categories, Not One
1. Exam Fee
This is a mandatory and unavoidable cost. CompTIA sells vouchers at international prices in USD; in Vietnam, you have two options:
Purchase directly from CompTIA: requires an international payment card, transactions in USD, subject to bank foreign currency conversion fees. In case of issues, support contact involves time zone differences and English communication.
Purchase through a domestic distributor: pay in VND, receive an invoice, and get Vietnamese support. Prices are usually equivalent or lower because distributors purchase in bulk.
2. Study Materials
This is the most flexible expense, ranging from almost free to several million VND.
| Option | Cost | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| Official CompTIA Objectives | Free | Mandatory, but only a list, not study material |
| YouTube Videos | Free | Uneven quality, lacking system, no labs |
| Physical Books | 500k – 1 million VND | Good for theory, no practical exercises |
| Official CertMaster Learn & Labs | ~1.75 million VND | Closely follows objectives, includes browser-based labs, has a question bank |
| Instructor-led Courses | 4 – 8 million VND | Suitable if you need a roadmap and someone to answer questions |
Completely free materials are usable — many people have passed that way. The price you pay is time: self-compilation, self-checking to see if you've studied enough, and no labs to practice simulation-type questions.
3. Retake Fee — The Often-Forgotten Expense
This is the most painful expense, as no one budgets for it.
If you fail, the voucher used is considered spent. To retake the exam, you must purchase a new voucher at full price. CompTIA does not offer discounts for a second attempt.
Regarding waiting times, there's a point many articles get wrong. According to CompTIA's official policy: if you fail the first time, there's no waiting period; you can schedule a retake for the very next day. Only from the third attempt onwards must you wait a minimum of 14 days from your last attempt.
(Note: exams administered by self-proctored organizations — client-proctored, typically used in academic or corporate settings — have different rules. If you take the exam through this channel, check with the organizing entity.)
No waiting period may sound good, but it's also a trap: retaking the exam immediately without addressing knowledge gaps often leads to a second failure, and this time you truly have to wait 14 days.
Three Budget Scenarios
Scenario A — Maximum Savings
For: individuals with a strong IT background, good at self-study, not pressed for time.
- Exam fee: 1 voucher
- Materials: free objectives + YouTube videos + old books
- Risk: if you fail, you have to buy a second voucher at full price
Lowest total cost if you pass on the first attempt. If you fail, the total cost nearly doubles the exam fee portion.
Scenario B — Balanced
For: most learners.
- Exam fee: 1 voucher
- Materials: Official CertMaster Learn & Labs
- Risk: still present, but the first-attempt pass rate is significantly higher due to labs and a question bank aligned with the exam
This is the most reasonable balance between cost and probability.
Scenario C — Risk Elimination
For: individuals with a deadline (need certification for a job, resume, company completion deadline).
- Exam fee: voucher already includes retake rights
- Materials: optional
The key point of this scenario is not saving money, but rather knowing the total cost upfront. You don't have to face the situation of failing and then having to request more budget or give up midway.
A Calculation Worth Doing Before Deciding
Ask yourself a direct question: what do you estimate your probability of passing on the first attempt to be?
If you've worked in security for several years, scored over 85% on practice tests, and have ample study time — the probability is high, buying a regular voucher is likely reasonable.
If you're new to the field, study in the evenings, and have never taken an international certification exam in English — be honest with that number. A package with built-in retake rights is cheaper than buying two separate vouchers, and more importantly: it eliminates the moment you see the failed screen and have to decide whether to give up.
A Few Small Expenses Not to Forget
- Travel to the testing center if you're not in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Taking the exam online at home saves this cost.
- Certification maintenance fees after passing: the certification is valid for 3 years, renewed through the CE program, and has an annual maintenance fee.
- Equipment for online testing: webcam, stable internet connection, private room. Not an expense if you already have them, but needs to be checked beforehand.
See more: Failed Security+? How to Retake · Should You Take SY0-701 Now or Wait for a New Version? · Online Home Testing: Conditions and Common Issues