CySA+: are you ready for the analyst exam, and which version?
CompTIA sells a CySA+ exam voucher for $439 in the US (November 2026). CS0-004 launched June 23, 2026; study for it unless you will sit the English CS0-003 exam before it retires on December 22, 2026. A first attempt costs about $593 with CompTIA's practice tests and up to $3,534 with a five-day class. CySA+ is for security analysts working in or toward a security operations center. If you already hold Security+ and work with logs or alerts, plan on 6 to 10 weeks (our estimate).
Key facts
- A CySA+ voucher costs $439 in the US, or $579 with a retake. (CompTIA, checked November 5, 2026)
- CS0-004 launched June 23, 2026; the English CS0-003 exam retires December 22, 2026. (CompTIA, checked November 5, 2026)
- CS0-004 has up to 85 questions in 165 minutes and a passing score of 750 on a 100 to 900 scale. (CompTIA, checked November 5, 2026)
Who CySA+ is built for
CySA+ shows that you can do the daily work of a security analyst: triaging alerts, analyzing logs and incidents, and managing vulnerabilities. It is taken by analysts already in a security operations center or moving toward one, often after Security+. CompTIA aims it at people with several years in that role, not at newcomers to security.
A good fit if
- You work in a SOC or on alert triage and want a credential that matches that work
- You hold Security+ and have read logs or handled alerts at work for a couple of years or more
- Your team runs vulnerability scans and you own the follow-up
Think twice if
- You are new to security: CompTIA recommends about four years in a security operations or vulnerability analyst role
- You want offensive work such as penetration testing rather than defense
- You are moving into security management or governance rather than hands-on analysis
Consider instead: ISC2 CC if you are starting in security, OSCP for penetration testing, CISM for security management and governance, or CISSP for broad security leadership.
CS0-003 or CS0-004?
CompTIA launched CySA+ V4, exam CS0-004, on June 23, 2026. The English version of the previous exam, CS0-003, retires on December 22, 2026; CompTIA's English V3 study products retire on November 22, 2026, and translated V3 exams retire March 23, 2027. Unless you are testing in English before December 22 with V3 material you already own, study for CS0-004, and check that any course you buy says CS0-004. At least one live course we checked was still built for CS0-003.
What CS0-004 asks of you
CS0-004 has up to 85 questions in 165 minutes and a passing score of 750 on a 100 to 900 scale. There is no formal prerequisite. CompTIA recommends about four years in a security operations or vulnerability analyst role.
Preparing for CS0-004
If you already work with alerts and logs, organize your study around CompTIA's CS0-004 topics and use the material you have; we did not find a free full course from a major provider. Add CompTIA's practice-and-exam bundle ($593) if you want official practice tests and a second attempt, or its Learn and exam bundle ($884) if you want a structured course.
From $593 to $3,534: the options
Each total adds the $439 voucher unless it is included. CompTIA also sells the voucher with a retake for $579. If you already work with security alerts and study from free or existing material, the voucher alone ($439) is the whole cost; the table starts with the cheapest paid help.
| Route | Provider and course | Published price | Exam fee | First attempt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practice tests with voucher | CompTIA, CySA+ Practice and Exam Bundle: CertMaster Practice plus a voucher with a retake. Checked November 5, 2026. | $593 | Included | $593 |
| E-learning | NetCom Learning, CySA+ certification prep (CS0-004), e-learning; voucher not mentioned. Checked November 5, 2026. | $509 | + $439 voucher | $948 |
| Official course with exam | CompTIA, Learn and exam bundle: CertMaster Learn plus a voucher with a retake. Checked November 5, 2026. | $884 | Included | $884 |
| Live class, 5 days | New Horizons, CompTIA CySA+ (CS0-004), live virtual; the exam voucher is an optional add-on, priced separately. Checked November 5, 2026. | $2,495 | + $439 voucher | $2,934 |
| Live virtual, 5 days | Global Knowledge, CompTIA CySA+ (GK5867, CS0-004); the listed US dates are virtual; vouchers sold separately. Checked November 5, 2026. | $3,095 | + $439 voucher | $3,534 |
| Live class with voucher | Learning Tree, CySA+ certification training (course 2047), 5 days, voucher included; its page spells the exam code CSO-004, so confirm the voucher is for CS0-004. Checked November 5, 2026. | $3,455 | Included | $3,455 |
CompTIA's own Learn and exam bundle ($884) undercuts every live class's first-attempt total by about $2,000 or more and includes a voucher with a retake. A class is worth the difference mainly for teams or for people who need an instructor to work through log and incident analysis with them.
What to confirm with a CySA+ provider
- The exam code is CS0-004. Learning Tree's page spells the code CSO-004, so confirm its voucher is for CS0-004. CompTIA's English V3 study products retire November 22, 2026.
- Whether a voucher, and a retake, come with it. Learning Tree includes a voucher; CompTIA's two bundles include a voucher with a retake; New Horizons sells the voucher as an add-on and Global Knowledge sells it separately.
- What the labs run on, and for how long you keep access. Log and incident practice is worth more when the labs use tools like the ones you work with.
- Classroom or virtual. Global Knowledge's listed US dates are virtual, and New Horizons' class is live virtual; if you want a classroom, check the format of the date you book.
Renewing
CySA+ lasts three years. Renewing by continuing education takes 60 units and a $150 CompTIA fee for the three-year period.
For security teams
CySA+ maps to day-to-day SOC work: triaging alerts, analyzing logs and managing vulnerabilities. For a team, ask providers whether a private class includes vouchers for each seat and whether its labs use the tools your team runs.
Common questions
- How much is the CySA+ exam?
- $439 for a voucher as of November 2026, or $579 with a retake.
- When does CySA+ CS0-003 retire?
- The English exam retires December 22, 2026. Translated versions retire March 23, 2027.
- Should I take Security+ before CySA+?
- It is not required. Security+ is a common foundation, but CompTIA asks for experience, not a certificate: about four years as a security or vulnerability analyst.
- Is there a free CySA+ course?
- We did not find a free full course from a major provider. You can still prepare on your own, organizing study around CompTIA's CS0-004 topics, and pay only the $439 voucher. The cheapest paid route we found is CompTIA's practice-and-exam bundle at $593, which includes a voucher and a retake.
Next step
Ask for help choosing CySA+ training
Sources
- CompTIA: CySA+ V4 (CS0-004) exam details, voucher and bundle prices, checked November 5, 2026
- CompTIA: continuing education renewal requirements and fees, checked November 5, 2026
Prices are published list prices we recorded on the dates shown, not quotes. How we research.