Search "CompTIA A+" on Udemy and you'll find over 400 results. With courses on sale for $12.99, it's easy to just grab whatever has the most reviews — but the difference between a course that's genuinely exam-ready and one that hasn't been updated since Windows 8 can cost you a retake. At $246 per exam voucher (as of 2024), that's a $492 mistake if you fail both cores.
This guide cuts through the noise on Udemy CompTIA A+ options: what actually matters when evaluating a course, how Udemy stacks up against other prep methods, and what a realistic study plan looks like from zero IT experience to passing both exams.
What to Know Before Buying a Udemy CompTIA A+ Course
The CompTIA A+ certification requires passing two separate exams: 220-1101 (Core 1) and 220-1102 (Core 2). Core 1 covers hardware, networking fundamentals, mobile devices, virtualization, and cloud computing. Core 2 covers operating systems, security, software troubleshooting, and operational procedures. Both exams include multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and performance-based questions — the last category trips up a lot of candidates who studied only video content.
Before purchasing any Udemy CompTIA A+ course, check three things:
- Last update date. CompTIA retired the 220-1001/1002 objectives and replaced them with 220-1101/1102. Any course not updated to reflect the current objectives is teaching to a retired exam. Check the "Last updated" timestamp on the Udemy listing.
- Practice exam coverage. The best Udemy CompTIA A+ courses include separate practice test banks, not just end-of-chapter quizzes. You want timed, randomized sets that simulate the real testing environment.
- Hands-on labs or simulations. CompTIA A+ performance-based questions require you to actually do things — configure network settings, troubleshoot a virtual machine, identify components. Lecture-only courses won't prepare you for this.
Udemy courses are not accredited or officially endorsed by CompTIA. That's fine — neither are most popular prep resources. But it means quality varies entirely by instructor, and Udemy's rating system can be gamed by instructors who prompt reviews immediately after enrollment before students have finished the course.
Top Udemy CompTIA A+ Courses and Related Resources
The most respected Udemy CompTIA A+ instructors are Mike Meyers (CompTIA certified trainer, author of the long-running Total Seminars A+ guide) and Jason Dion (former Navy IT instructor with a reputation for granular exam breakdowns). When either of their courses is available at the standard Udemy sale price, they represent strong value. Below are additional platform resources worth considering alongside your core course.
Udemy Business Onboarding Course for Admins
If you're studying for CompTIA A+ as part of a corporate IT training program, this course helps administrators understand how to set up and manage Udemy Business — the enterprise version of the platform that many help desk teams use for mandatory certification prep. Useful context if you're running training at an IT department level rather than studying solo.
Achieve Udemy Success with Course Marketing (Unofficial)
Aimed at people building courses on Udemy rather than taking them — but worth a look if you're considering creating your own study notes or supplemental content to reinforce what you're learning, a technique some A+ candidates use to solidify retention.
Amazon Video Direct, Skillshare and Udemy (Unofficial)
Covers how the major online course platforms differ from each other in terms of instructor economics and content discovery — useful background if you're deciding whether Udemy is actually the right platform for your CompTIA A+ prep or whether a Skillshare subscription changes the calculus.
How to Create and Sell Courses on Udemy (Unofficial)
Covers the mechanics of how Udemy courses are built and priced, which helps you read instructor incentives correctly — including why "frequently updated" sometimes means adding filler modules rather than substantive content revisions.
How Udemy CompTIA A+ Prep Compares to the Alternatives
Udemy is not the only way to prepare for CompTIA A+, and depending on how you learn, it might not be the best option for you personally.
Udemy vs. Professor Messer
Professor Messer's CompTIA A+ course is free on YouTube and his site, updated to the current objectives, and has arguably the clearest objective-by-objective breakdown available. His paid study groups and practice exams are additional purchases. For budget-constrained candidates, Messer plus a Udemy practice test bundle is a legitimate combination.
Udemy vs. CompTIA CertMaster
CompTIA's own CertMaster platform costs more than most Udemy courses — often $299+ for CertMaster Learn — but includes official labs and adaptive learning tied directly to exam objectives. If your employer is reimbursing training costs, CertMaster is worth considering. If you're paying out of pocket, Udemy courses paired with separate practice exams deliver similar outcomes at a fraction of the cost.
Udemy vs. LinkedIn Learning / Pluralsight
Both platforms offer CompTIA A+ content through subscriptions. LinkedIn Learning's A+ content is competent but tends to run shallower on hardware topics. Pluralsight's A+ paths are more structured but can feel slow-paced for self-motivated learners. Udemy's advantage is one-time purchase pricing — if you study over several months, a subscription model can end up costing more.
Where Udemy CompTIA A+ Wins
- Price: $12.99–$19.99 during sales (roughly monthly) versus $30–$50/month for subscription platforms
- Lifetime access: buy once, review before the exam, revisit if you need a refresher before a retake
- Top instructors: Mike Meyers and Jason Dion both maintain active courses on the platform with genuine Q&A engagement
- Breadth: practice exams, companion courses, and supplemental materials all available in one marketplace
Where Udemy Falls Short
- No labs built into the platform — you need third-party tools or physical hardware for hands-on practice
- Quality control is inconsistent; outdated courses stay listed long after objectives change
- Review inflation is a real problem — sort by "Newest" ratings, not just overall score
Building a Realistic Study Plan Around Udemy CompTIA A+ Content
The CompTIA A+ exams are not easy, despite what some bootcamp marketing implies. The average pass rate for Core 1 hovers around 70% for first-time test-takers, and many candidates underestimate Core 2's security and scripting sections.
A practical study plan for someone working a full-time job typically looks like this:
- Weeks 1–4 (Core 1 foundations): Work through the video course for 220-1101 objectives. Don't take notes on everything — prioritize hardware, networking, and troubleshooting sections, which historically carry the most weight.
- Weeks 5–6 (Core 1 practice): Run through at least two full practice test banks under timed conditions. Anything below 80% on practice exams suggests you're not ready. Review wrong answers against the CompTIA A+ objectives document (free on CompTIA's site), not just the course.
- Week 7 (Core 1 exam): Schedule and sit Core 1. Don't delay — waiting too long means forgetting material from early modules.
- Weeks 8–12 (Core 2): Repeat the process for 220-1102. Pay extra attention to scripting basics (PowerShell, Python basics), Active Directory fundamentals, and security concepts — these sections catch candidates who've been in pure hardware mode.
One common mistake: treating Udemy CompTIA A+ courses as passive viewing. Playing video at 1.5x speed while doing something else is not studying. The performance-based questions on the actual exam require active recall, not recognition.
FAQ
Is a Udemy CompTIA A+ course enough to pass the exam?
A high-quality Udemy course paired with a separate practice test bank is sufficient for most candidates, provided you're doing active review rather than passive watching. Where candidates struggle is the performance-based questions — those require hands-on practice that video courses alone don't provide. Set up a free virtual machine environment (VirtualBox is free) and work through the scenarios described in your course.
Which Udemy CompTIA A+ course is the best?
Mike Meyers' course through Total Seminars and Jason Dion's courses are consistently the most reviewed and updated options. Meyers is better for hardware depth; Dion is better for exam strategy and practice question quality. Both are worth comparing at their sale prices before committing. Check the last-updated date and confirm coverage of 220-1101 and 220-1102 before purchasing.
How much does a Udemy CompTIA A+ course cost?
Most Udemy CompTIA A+ courses list at $79.99–$199.99 but are almost always available for $12.99–$19.99 during Udemy's sales, which run roughly every two to four weeks. There's no meaningful benefit to waiting for a specific sale — if you need to start studying now, buy at the current sale price. If the course isn't on sale, wait a week.
Can I pass CompTIA A+ without a course?
Yes. The CompTIA A+ objectives document, Professor Messer's free YouTube series, and a quality practice test bank (Dion's standalone practice exams on Udemy are highly regarded) is a legitimate self-study path. However, most candidates — especially those without prior IT exposure — benefit from the structured pacing that a full course provides.
Does CompTIA A+ lead to a job?
A+ is a meaningful signal for entry-level IT support, help desk, and desktop technician roles. It demonstrates baseline competency to employers who don't have time to assess foundational skills through testing. In markets with competitive applicant pools, A+ alone won't land a job — but paired with Network+ or Security+, and some practical experience (even homelab or volunteer IT work), it opens real doors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects IT support roles to grow 6% through 2032, roughly in line with average job growth.
How long does CompTIA A+ take to prepare for on Udemy?
Most Udemy CompTIA A+ courses run 20–30 hours of video for each core exam. Accounting for practice tests, review, and actual study (not just video playback), expect 60–80 hours of total preparation per exam for someone with minimal prior IT experience. Candidates with hands-on IT backgrounds can often cut that significantly.
Bottom Line
Udemy CompTIA A+ courses are a legitimate and cost-effective preparation path — not because they're officially endorsed by CompTIA, but because the top instructors on the platform have built comprehensive, frequently updated content at a price that undercuts almost every alternative. The risk is buying the wrong course: outdated objectives, no practice exams, and no hands-on component.
Before you buy anything, confirm the course covers 220-1101 and 220-1102 (not the retired 1001/1002 versions), check the last update date, and verify that practice exams are included or available as a companion purchase. If a course doesn't have those three things, skip it regardless of how many stars it has.
The actual differentiator in passing CompTIA A+ isn't which Udemy course you pick — it's whether you supplement video content with timed practice tests and some form of hands-on exposure. Get those two things right, and a $15 Udemy course will prepare you just as well as a $300 official training program.