Around 150,000 people sit the CompTIA Security+ exam each year, and most of them have watched at least one Prof Messer video. That's not marketing copy — it's what makes Jeremy Messer's free training genuinely worth discussing. When a no-cost resource dominates a certification prep market filled with $300 Udemy courses and $500 bootcamp modules, the question isn't "should I use it?" — it's "how do I use it right so I don't have to pay the $392 exam fee twice?"
This guide covers what's actually in the Prof Messer Security+ course, how it maps to the current SY0-701 exam objectives, where it falls short, and how to structure a study plan around it that gives you a realistic shot at passing on your first attempt.
What Is Prof Messer Security+?
Prof Messer Security+ is a free video training series created by Jeremy Messer, a CompTIA-certified instructor who has been producing certification training content since the early 2000s. The core content lives at professormesser.com and on his YouTube channel, with the full SY0-701 course available at no cost.
The current version covers the SY0-701 exam objectives, which CompTIA updated in November 2023 with a stronger emphasis on cloud security, zero trust architecture, automation, and modern threat vectors. The previous version (SY0-601) retired in July 2024, so if you're starting now, you want the 701 materials.
What you get for free:
- Over 20 hours of video instruction organized by exam domain
- Study notes (PDF downloads) for each section
- Practice quiz questions embedded throughout
- Course objectives checklist aligned to CompTIA's official blueprint
What costs money:
- Practice exams (sold separately through his site, typically $15–30)
- Study groups and forums (free to browse, premium for participation)
- Downloadable "Professor Messer's CompTIA Security+ Study Guide" book
The free tier is genuinely useful. You won't feel like you're getting a stripped-down demo — the video content is complete and the PDFs are dense with exam-relevant material.
How Prof Messer Security+ Maps to SY0-701 Domains
The SY0-701 exam has five domains. Here's how Prof Messer's content covers each, with an honest assessment of depth:
Domain 1: General Security Concepts (12%)
Strong coverage. Messer explains foundational cryptography, authentication types, and security controls clearly. This is where his teaching style shines — he uses simple visuals and avoids the jargon overload that trips up textbook learners. His explanation of symmetric vs. asymmetric encryption and PKI is among the clearest available.
Domain 2: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%)
The heaviest domain by weight, and Messer covers it thoroughly. Social engineering, malware types, application vulnerabilities, and threat intelligence all get dedicated segments. The content on zero-day exploits and vulnerability scanning tools aligns well with what CompTIA tests. This is the domain where practice questions matter most, since it requires scenario recognition, not just memorization.
Domain 3: Security Architecture (18%)
Good conceptual coverage of cloud security models, zero trust, network segmentation, and infrastructure hardening. The 701 puts more emphasis on cloud than the 601 did, and Messer's cloud content is adequate but not deep. If you're coming from a non-cloud background, you'll want to supplement here with hands-on labs or a cloud-specific resource.
Domain 4: Security Operations (28%)
The largest domain, and Messer's treatment is solid. Incident response procedures, log analysis, identity and access management, and endpoint security all have clear video segments. The IAM content specifically — covering RBAC, least privilege, PAM, and directory services — is well-structured and practically grounded.
Domain 5: Security Program Management and Oversight (20%)
The compliance and governance content (frameworks, regulations, risk management) is complete and accurate. Less visually engaging than the technical domains, but Messer keeps it organized. This domain trips up a lot of candidates who over-index on the technical content and underestimate compliance questions.
How to Structure a Study Plan Around Prof Messer Security+
Most people use Prof Messer wrong. They watch videos passively, feel productive, and then bomb the practice exams because they never built recall. Here's a structure that actually works:
Phase 1: Domain-by-domain video pass (Weeks 1–3)
Watch one domain per week. Download the PDF study notes before each video segment and have them open while you watch. Pause and write key terms in your own words — don't copy definitions, rephrase them. At the end of each domain, take the embedded quiz questions without looking at your notes. Score below 70%? Rewatch the weak sections before moving on.
Phase 2: Practice exam grind (Weeks 4–5)
This is where you spend money. Prof Messer's own practice exams are worth the $15, but also get access to at least one other question bank — Jason Dion's Udemy practice tests or Darril Gibson's materials are commonly recommended. You need volume here: 500+ unique questions, not 100 questions repeated five times. Track wrong answers by domain, then revisit the relevant Messer videos.
Phase 3: Performance-based question practice (Week 6)
CompTIA Security+ includes performance-based questions (PBQs) — drag-and-drop, simulation, and matching tasks that appear at the start of the exam. Prof Messer's free content doesn't simulate these well. Use CompTIA's own CertMaster Practice if you can access it, or search for PBQ walkthroughs on YouTube. Don't skip this phase — PBQs catch candidates who only studied for multiple choice.
Top Courses to Pair With Prof Messer Security+
The free Messer content gets you most of the way there, but a few targeted paid resources fill the gaps — especially for cloud, hands-on labs, and performance-based questions.
Google Cloud IAM and Networking for AWS Professionals
Security+ SY0-701 added substantial cloud IAM and network architecture content. This Coursera course builds the cloud-side intuition that Messer's general coverage doesn't fully develop — particularly useful if you're coming from on-prem or have no cloud hands-on experience.
Critical Thinking Skills for the Professional
About 40% of Security+ questions are scenario-based, requiring you to apply knowledge rather than recall it. This Coursera course trains structured reasoning under ambiguity — the actual skill gap for candidates who know the material but freeze on "which of the following is the BEST response to this incident."
Professional Planning Engineer Preparation
If you're pursuing Security+ as part of a broader IT infrastructure or systems engineering track, this high-rated Udemy course builds the project planning and documentation discipline that security roles increasingly require — especially at the analyst and administrator level where change management processes matter.
Prof Messer Security+ vs. Paid Alternatives
The two most-compared alternatives are Jason Dion's Udemy course and CompTIA's official CertMaster Learn. Here's the honest breakdown:
- Prof Messer (free): Best video instruction, weakest in practice questions and PBQ simulation. Best choice if you're budget-constrained or have moderate prior IT experience.
- Jason Dion (Udemy, ~$15–30 on sale): More practice questions, including PBQs. Video instruction is solid but not as clean as Messer's. Better for candidates who need volume repetition to lock in content.
- CertMaster Learn ($299): Official content, adaptive assessments, PBQ simulations. Overkill for most self-studiers. Worth it if your employer is paying and you want a structured learning path with progress tracking.
The most effective (and cost-efficient) combination: Prof Messer videos + Jason Dion or Messer's own practice exams + one targeted resource for cloud and PBQs. Total cost under $50 if you're disciplined.
What Prof Messer Security+ Won't Teach You
This matters for career expectations, not just passing the exam.
Security+ is a knowledge-based certification. It tests whether you understand concepts — it doesn't test whether you can actually configure a firewall, analyze a packet capture, or triage a SIEM alert. Employers who require Security+ as a baseline know this. The certification opens doors; it doesn't substitute for hands-on skill.
If you're targeting entry-level roles (SOC Tier 1, helpdesk with security scope, junior sysadmin), Security+ is legitimately useful. If you're targeting mid-level analyst or engineer roles and you only have the cert with no lab experience, expect to get screened out. Build a home lab alongside your Messer study — TryHackMe, Hack The Box, or a local VM environment — so you have concrete examples to discuss in interviews.
FAQ
Is Prof Messer Security+ enough to pass the SY0-701 exam?
The video content alone is not enough. Messer's videos cover the knowledge you need, but passing Security+ requires active recall and scenario-based application. You need at minimum 500+ practice questions from a dedicated question bank. Candidates who pass on their first attempt typically combined Messer videos with two or more full practice exams, not just the embedded quizzes.
Is Prof Messer's course updated for SY0-701?
Yes. Messer released a full SY0-701 course when CompTIA updated the exam objectives in 2023. The SY0-601 course is still available on his site for reference, but if you're sitting the exam in 2025 or later, use the 701 materials exclusively. The two exams have meaningful differences in cloud, automation, and zero trust content.
How long does it take to get through Prof Messer Security+?
The video content is approximately 20–22 hours. Factoring in note-taking, quizzes, and review, expect 40–60 hours of total study for the Messer portion. A complete study plan from start to exam-ready typically runs 6–10 weeks at 8–12 hours per week, depending on your existing IT background.
Does Prof Messer offer a study group or forum?
Yes, there's a community forum on professormesser.com. It's useful for asking domain-specific questions and finding study partners. The free tier allows browsing; full participation requires a paid membership. Reddit's r/CompTIA is a free alternative that's equally active and arguably more candid about exam difficulty.
Should I use Prof Messer for Security+ if I'm completely new to IT?
If you have no IT background at all, start with CompTIA A+ or Network+ first, or spend 2–3 months on a foundational networking and OS course before touching Security+ material. Messer's content assumes you know what a subnet is, how TCP/IP works, and what an Active Directory domain controller does. Trying to absorb Security+ without that foundation is possible but inefficient — you'll spend more time on Wikipedia than on exam prep.
How does Prof Messer compare to Professor Messer — are they the same person?
Yes, same person. Jeremy Messer goes by "Professor Messer" and "Prof Messer" interchangeably. His website is professormesser.com, his YouTube channel is "Professor Messer," and the content is identical across both names. You'll see both terms used in forums and study groups.
Bottom Line
Prof Messer Security+ is the best free resource for CompTIA SY0-701 prep, and it's not particularly close. The video instruction is clear, regularly updated, and genuinely complete for the knowledge component of the exam. The PDF study notes are well-structured and worth printing.
Use it as your primary instruction source. Don't use it as your only resource. Budget $15–30 for a solid practice exam bank, spend your last week drilling performance-based question formats, and build some hands-on lab time alongside your studies if you want the cert to actually move your career rather than just check a box.
The Security+ exam costs $392 to retake. Spending $30 on practice questions to pass on the first attempt is the highest-ROI decision in the process.