Mike Meyers has sold over a million copies of his CompTIA A+ certification guide — more than any other author in the cert's history. That's not a marketing claim; McGraw-Hill has published his CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) and Core 2 (220-1102) all-in-one exam guide through edition after edition since the 1990s. If you've searched "mike meyers comptia" and landed here wondering whether his video courses live up to the books, the short answer is: yes, but which platform you buy from matters more than most people realize.
Who Is Mike Meyers and Why Does It Matter for CompTIA A+?
Mike Meyers is the founder of Total Seminars and has been teaching CompTIA certifications since before most people searching for this article were in high school. His nickname in IT circles — "The CompTIA Whisperer" — isn't ironic. He was involved in the development of early CompTIA exam objectives and his teaching style is genuinely different from the lecture-dump style you see on most cert prep platforms.
What sets Meyers apart is that he teaches concepts before exam tricks. His courses spend real time explaining why RAM timings work the way they do, how the OSI model actually maps to real troubleshooting, and what "operational procedures" means in a real help desk context — not just "memorize this for the exam." This is a meaningful distinction when you're going for A+, because the Performance-Based Questions (PBQs) in the actual exam require applied understanding, not keyword recall.
His teaching tone is conversational and occasionally irreverent, which either works for you or it doesn't. If you prefer a dry, just-the-facts delivery, Jason Dion or Professor Messer might suit you better. If you want someone who makes you feel like you're getting tutored by a knowledgeable friend who's been doing this since DOS was current, Meyers is the pick.
What the CompTIA A+ Certification Actually Covers in 2026
The current CompTIA A+ exam series is 220-1101 (Core 1) and 220-1102 (Core 2). You need to pass both to earn the certification. Here's the breakdown by domain weight:
220-1101 (Core 1):
- Mobile Devices — 15%
- Networking — 20%
- Hardware — 25%
- Virtualization and Cloud Computing — 11%
- Hardware and Network Troubleshooting — 29%
220-1102 (Core 2):
- Operating Systems — 31%
- Security — 25%
- Software Troubleshooting — 22%
- Operational Procedures — 22%
The most common failure point is Core 2, specifically the Security and Operational Procedures domains. These aren't intuitive for people coming from a purely hardware background, and Meyers' courses address both explicitly. His coverage of Windows OS troubleshooting — imaging, driver management, registry basics — is particularly thorough and reflects real help desk scenarios rather than textbook abstractions.
Mike Meyers CompTIA A+ Course Options: Where to Buy
Meyers' content is available through three main channels, each with different tradeoffs:
Total Seminars (totalsem.com)
This is Meyers' own platform, and it's the most complete version of the course. You get access to the Mike Meyers CompTIA A+ video library, the official Total Tester practice exam software, and lab exercises. The Total Tester is widely considered one of the better practice exam engines because the question difficulty distribution more closely mirrors the actual CompTIA exam than many third-party banks. Price is typically $199–$299 depending on whether you bundle the physical book.
The downside: the platform itself is dated, mobile experience is mediocre, and there's no community or discussion layer built in. You're buying the content, not an ecosystem.
Udemy
Meyers' CompTIA A+ courses on Udemy routinely go on sale for $15–$20, which makes them one of the highest value-per-dollar options in cert prep. The Core 1 and Core 2 courses are sold separately. The video content is essentially the same as Total Seminars, but you lose the Total Tester software — Udemy's built-in quiz tools are weaker replacements.
Buy the Udemy version if you're price-sensitive and plan to use a separate practice exam tool (Jason Dion's practice exams on Udemy pair well with Meyers' video lectures). Don't buy it expecting a premium learning experience — the platform streaming quality, mobile app, and progress tracking are Udemy-standard, not exceptional.
Pearson IT Certification
Pearson publishes both the print books and digital study packages. If you're a bookstore or library-oriented learner who wants physical materials alongside video, Pearson's Premium Edition bundles make sense. The LiveLesson video series that accompanies the Pearson books is recorded by Meyers and is largely the same content. Pricing is higher than Udemy and roughly comparable to Total Seminars.
Top Courses for CompTIA A+ Prep
If you're building a study stack around Mike Meyers' CompTIA material, these courses complement or extend the core content:
CompTIA A+ Core 2 (220-1202) Full Course & Practice Exam
Covers the harder of the two exams in depth — particularly the OS and security domains where most candidates struggle. The bundled practice exam helps you pressure-test your knowledge before the real thing.
CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) Full Course & Practice Exam
The natural next step after A+. If you're planning to move from help desk into networking or sysadmin work, starting Network+ prep immediately after A+ while the foundational concepts are fresh is the most efficient path.
CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701) Certification Training
Security+ is the most commonly required cert for DoD and federal IT work. Many candidates pursue A+ → Network+ → Security+ as a three-cert baseline; this course covers the SY0-701 objectives with current threat landscape content.
CompTIA Security+ & CySA+ Cybersecurity Assessment Course
Bridges the gap between Security+ and analyst-level work. Relevant if you're aiming past help desk toward a SOC analyst or security operations role within 12–18 months of getting A+.
Honest Assessment: Is the Mike Meyers CompTIA A+ Course Worth It?
For most people studying for CompTIA A+ for the first time, yes — with a caveat. Meyers' courses are excellent at building genuine understanding but they are not optimized for speed. If you want to pass the exam in 3 weeks on a cramming schedule, Professor Messer's free study notes or Jason Dion's focused exam-prep videos may get you there faster. Meyers is for people who want to actually understand the material, not just pass a test.
The practical implication: candidates who use Meyers tend to report stronger retention when they hit the job and encounter real hardware, networking, or OS problems. That matters if your goal is career advancement rather than a line item on a resume.
A realistic study timeline using Meyers' content:
- Complete beginner: 80–120 hours total, spread over 2–3 months
- Some IT background: 40–60 hours, 4–6 weeks at pace
- Strong background, need cert validation: 20–30 hours, targeted review of weak domains
Complement the Meyers videos with dedicated practice exams (Total Tester, Dion's Udemy exams, or ExamCompass for free options). Video courses alone — no matter the instructor — rarely produce passing scores without exam simulation practice.
FAQ
Is Mike Meyers CompTIA A+ still relevant for the current 220-1101/1102 exams?
Yes. Meyers has updated his course content for the current Core Series. The 220-1001/1002 versions are outdated — verify you're purchasing or accessing the 220-1101/1102 content before buying. On Udemy, the course titles typically specify the exam number in the listing.
What's the difference between Mike Meyers' Udemy courses and the Total Seminars version?
The video content is largely the same. The key difference is the Total Tester practice exam software, which is included with Total Seminars purchases and widely regarded as more realistic than Udemy's quiz format. If you buy through Udemy, purchase a separate practice exam bank to compensate.
How hard is the CompTIA A+ exam and what's the pass rate?
CompTIA doesn't publish official pass rates, but industry estimates put first-attempt pass rates around 60–70%. The most common failure points are Performance-Based Questions (PBQs) that require you to complete simulated tasks, and the Security domain in Core 2. Both areas are covered in Meyers' course, though PBQ practice specifically requires hands-on lab time — watching videos isn't enough.
Can I use Mike Meyers' book alone without the video course?
Plenty of people have passed on the book alone. The McGraw-Hill All-in-One exam guide is comprehensive. Video works better for visual/auditory learners and for understanding procedures (like cable management or OS installs) that are hard to convey in text. Many candidates use both — the video to build initial understanding, the book as a reference during review.
How much does a CompTIA A+ certified technician earn?
Entry-level help desk and IT support roles with CompTIA A+ typically start between $38,000–$52,000 depending on region. With 2–3 years of experience plus additional certs (Network+, Security+), compensation ranges move to $55,000–$75,000+. The cert itself isn't a salary multiplier — it's a door-opener that gets your resume past HR filters for entry-level IT roles.
Should I take Core 1 or Core 2 first?
CompTIA recommends Core 1 (220-1101) first since it covers hardware and networking fundamentals that provide context for the OS and security content in Core 2. Most instructors, including Meyers, structure their courses in this order. You can take them in any order CompTIA allows, but there's a pedagogical reason the numbering exists.
Bottom Line
Mike Meyers is the right choice for CompTIA A+ if you're studying to actually work in IT, not just to check a certification box. His teaching builds durable understanding that translates to the job — which is what A+ is supposed to represent anyway. The Total Seminars bundle gives you the most complete package; the Udemy courses give you the same instruction at a fraction of the cost if you're willing to source practice exams separately.
The one thing that won't pass the exam for you: passive video watching. CompTIA A+ PBQs require hands-on familiarity. Build a lab — even a cheap used PC from eBay and a VirtualBox setup on your existing machine — and run the procedures Meyers demonstrates rather than just watching them. That's what separates candidates who pass on the first attempt from those who retake.