ExamCompass gets roughly 400 searches a month from people doing exactly what you're doing: trying to figure out whether it's worth their time before the A+ exam. Short answer — it's a legitimately useful free tool, but it's not a study plan. Here's what it actually does, where it breaks down, and how to build around it.
What ExamCompass Is (and Isn't) for CompTIA A+
ExamCompass is a free practice quiz site, not a course platform. It doesn't have video lectures, instructor support, or a structured curriculum. What it has is a large bank of multiple-choice questions organized by CompTIA A+ exam objective — and for that specific job, it does it well.
The site covers both current A+ exams: 220-1101 (Core 1) and 220-1102 (Core 2). Questions are grouped by domain — so you can drill specifically into Networking, Hardware, Mobile Devices, or Operating Systems without grinding through a mixed-bag test every time. That's actually more useful than it sounds when you're a week out from the exam and know you're weak on a specific domain.
The interface is dated but functional. You pick a topic, answer questions one at a time, and get immediate feedback with explanations. It tracks your scores per session, though there's no long-term progress tracking unless you create an account.
What the Free Tier Includes
- Practice quizzes for all A+ 220-1101 and 220-1102 domains
- Immediate answer feedback with brief explanations
- No time limit — useful for learning, less so for simulating real exam pressure
- Basic session score tracking
What It Doesn't Have
- Performance-based questions (PBQs) — these appear on the real exam and ExamCompass doesn't replicate them
- Timed exam simulations that mirror actual test conditions
- Video explanations for complex topics
- Any coverage of hands-on lab scenarios
- Mobile app
How to Use ExamCompass CompTIA A+ Effectively
The mistake most people make with ExamCompass is treating it as a primary resource. It works best as a diagnostic and reinforcement tool — something you use alongside a structured course, not instead of one.
A practical approach: complete a topic in your main study resource (video course, study guide, etc.), then immediately run an ExamCompass quiz on that same domain. If you score below 80%, go back. If you score above 80% consistently, move on. Repeat this loop and you'll have a fairly clear picture of where you actually stand versus where you think you stand.
The week before your exam, run through full-domain quizzes in sequence. The goal isn't to memorize the ExamCompass questions — it's to surface gaps you've glossed over in your main study material.
Domain Coverage for 220-1101 (Core 1)
- Mobile Devices (15%)
- Networking (20%)
- Hardware (25%)
- Virtualization and Cloud Computing (11%)
- Hardware and Network Troubleshooting (29%)
Domain Coverage for 220-1102 (Core 2)
- Operating Systems (31%)
- Security (25%)
- Software Troubleshooting (22%)
- Operational Procedures (22%)
ExamCompass has quiz sets for all of these. The Troubleshooting and Operating Systems sections tend to have the largest question banks, which reflects where the real exams are heaviest.
Where ExamCompass Falls Short for A+ Prep
The biggest gap is performance-based questions. PBQs are simulations — you're configuring a router, troubleshooting a network diagram, or walking through a help desk scenario. They're worth significant points on the actual exam and ExamCompass has none. If you only practice multiple-choice, you'll walk into the test unprepared for roughly 25-30% of what you'll see.
The question explanations are also brief. For someone who understands the domain reasonably well, that's fine — you see the right answer and understand why. For someone new to IT, "the correct answer is DHCP because it assigns IP addresses dynamically" is not always enough context to actually learn the concept.
Finally, ExamCompass questions skew toward rote recall. The A+ exam increasingly tests applied knowledge — given a symptom, diagnose the problem. Some of that maps to ExamCompass quizzes, but not all of it.
Top Courses to Pair with ExamCompass CompTIA A+
If you're using ExamCompass as your diagnostic layer, you need a content layer to go with it. These are the courses worth pairing it with:
CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1102) Full Course & Practice Exam
Covers the full Core 2 objective list with video instruction and a bundled practice exam — fills the PBQ gap that ExamCompass leaves entirely open. The practice exam in this course uses timed, exam-mode simulations which is what you actually need to build test-taking stamina.
CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) Full Course & Practice Exam
If you're planning to follow A+ with Network+ (which most help desk career paths do), this course lets you start building that knowledge base now. The Networking domain on A+ Core 1 overlaps significantly with Network+ fundamentals, so you're not wasting time.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Certification Training
Worth bookmarking for after A+. Security+ is the natural next step for anyone targeting SOC analyst or security-adjacent help desk roles — it's the cert that opens the salary jump from $45K to $60K+ in most markets.
CompTIA A+ Career Outcomes: What the Cert Actually Gets You
The A+ is an entry-level cert, and job titles that list it as a requirement reflect that: Help Desk Technician, Desktop Support Analyst, Field Service Technician, IT Support Specialist. Median salary range sits at $38,000–$52,000 depending on geography and company size.
That's not a strong number on its own. The value of A+ is what it unlocks: it's the baseline that gets you past automated resume filters for entry-level IT roles, and it's the starting point for a cert stack (A+ → Network+ → Security+ or A+ → Cloud+ → AWS) that can push compensation to $70K–$90K within three to five years.
CompTIA reports that A+ holders have a higher likelihood of employment in IT roles within six months of certification than non-certified candidates in the same experience bracket. The cert signals a baseline of verified technical knowledge — which matters more than it sounds when you're competing against candidates with no formal education or credentials.
Industries with the highest A+ hiring volume: managed service providers (MSPs), federal government contractors (DoD 8570 compliance requires it), healthcare IT, and large enterprise IT support departments.
FAQ: ExamCompass and CompTIA A+
Is ExamCompass free for CompTIA A+ practice?
Yes, the core question bank is free with no account required. You can access domain-specific quizzes for both 220-1101 and 220-1102 without paying anything. There's a paid tier that adds additional questions and features, but the free version is substantial enough to be genuinely useful.
Are ExamCompass questions accurate to the actual A+ exam?
The questions are aligned to current CompTIA A+ objectives and the difficulty level is roughly comparable to what appears on the real exam. They're not brain dumps — CompTIA actively pursues sites that distribute actual exam questions. ExamCompass questions are original content written to test the same knowledge domains, not leaked material.
Can you pass CompTIA A+ using only ExamCompass?
Unlikely for most people. ExamCompass covers recall-based knowledge well, but the A+ exam includes performance-based questions that require simulated hands-on scenarios. Those don't appear on ExamCompass at all. Candidates who rely solely on practice quizzes tend to be caught off guard by PBQs, which can be enough to push a borderline score into a fail.
How many questions does ExamCompass have for A+?
The free tier has hundreds of questions across all domains — the exact count varies as the site updates to reflect exam objective changes. It's not the largest question bank available, but it's enough for targeted domain practice.
What score should I aim for on ExamCompass before taking the real exam?
Consistently hitting 85%+ on domain-specific quizzes is a reasonable benchmark. The actual A+ passing score is 675/900 for Core 1 and 700/900 for Core 2 — roughly 75%. Aim higher on practice to give yourself a buffer for questions you haven't seen before and for PBQ performance variability.
How long does it take to prepare for CompTIA A+ using ExamCompass?
ExamCompass alone isn't a timeline — it depends on what you're pairing it with. Most candidates with zero IT background need 60–120 hours of combined study time across video courses, reading, and practice questions. ExamCompass works best in the final 2–3 weeks as a targeted review tool.
Bottom Line
ExamCompass CompTIA A+ practice quizzes are worth using — they're free, they're organized by exam objective, and they're good for identifying weak domains before the real test. The limitations are real: no performance-based questions, no timed exam simulation, thin explanations. Use it as the diagnostic and reinforcement layer of your study plan, not the whole thing.
If you're starting from scratch, get a full video course that covers both Core 1 and Core 2 with PBQ practice, use ExamCompass for domain-specific drilling, and don't sit for the exam until you're consistently above 85% on the quizzes with no "lucky guess" patterns in your wrong answers. That's a more reliable signal than a single practice test score.