CCNA vs Network+ vs CCNP: Which to Take First? (2026)
Chapters
- The Quick Answer
- The Three at a Glance
- The C C N A in Brief
- Network Plus in Brief
- The C C N P Enterprise in Brief
- What You Pay
- Where They Differ
- Who Needs What
- Keeping It Current
- So Which Should You Take?
- Four Overlap Questions
- Recap
Audio from the Open Exam Hub video of the same name; the video shows the numbers and practice questions on screen.
Free Network+ and CCNA practice tests
CCNA vs CompTIA Network+ vs CCNP Enterprise, from Cisco's and CompTIA's own pages as of October 2026. CCNA 200-301: 120 minutes, US$300, no published question count or passing score. Network+ N10-009: 90 minutes, maximum 90 questions, passing score 720 on 100-900, voucher US$369 per CompTIA's December 2024 blog. CCNP Enterprise: core exam ENCOR 350-401 (US$400, 120 minutes) plus one concentration exam (US$300, 90 minutes). All three are valid 3 years; prerequisites: none required by Cisco, A+ and 9-12 months only recommended for Network+. Our arithmetic: exam fees $300 vs $369 vs $700. Renewal paths, the 2027 changes (CCNA v1.1 ends February 2, 2027; Network+ estimated to retire in 2027), our opinion on who should take which, and four practice questions. Independent guide, not affiliated with Cisco or CompTIA.
Free CCNA practice test
Free Network+ practice test
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Chapters
0:00 The Quick Answer
0:39 The Three at a Glance
1:37 The C C N A in Brief
2:52 Network Plus in Brief
3:30 The C C N P Enterprise in Brief
4:19 What You Pay
5:03 Where They Differ
5:46 Who Needs What
6:24 Keeping It Current
7:11 So Which Should You Take?
8:07 Four Overlap Questions
9:36 Recap
Exam facts are from the official Cisco and CompTIA pages as of 2026-10-27. Fees and rules can change, so confirm on the official site before you enroll. Open Exam Hub is an independent study resource, not affiliated with Cisco or CompTIA. Practice questions are not from a real exam. Narration is an AI-generated voice.
Music
"Reminiscing" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
"Friday Morning" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
"Almost Bliss" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
"Carefree" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Sound effects: Kenney (kenney.nl), CC0.
#CCNA #NetworkPlus #CCNP