I have been getting this question multiple times a week since CompTIA quietly posted the draft 801 objectives. The pattern is predictable. Someone has been studying for SY0–701, sees the new exam coming, and starts second-guessing the whole plan. Should they keep pushing toward 701 or pause and wait for SY0–801?
The honest answer is that for most people right now, you should take 701. There's a real case for waiting in certain situations, and the wrong call here can cost you six months or a job offer, so it's worth walking through both sides.
I have spent the last several months working through the published 801 draft objectives, running them against our 701 curriculum, and arguing with instructors about how much actually changes between the two versions. What follows is what I think holds up.
What We Actually Know About SY0–801
CompTIA published a draft objectives document for Security+ SY0–801 (V8) in late 2025. The structure keeps the five-domain format from 701 but reshuffles the weighting:
- Domain 1: General Security Concepts (16%)
- Domain 2: Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks (24%)
- Domain 3: Security Architecture (19%)
- Domain 4: Security Operations (27%)
- Domain 5: Security Program Management and Oversight (14%)
Where things actually shift is in the AI content. Objective 2.4 covers Large Language Models, and 2.6 covers AI usage in threats and vulnerabilities. Neither showed up in 701 in any meaningful way. If you watch the SOC and threat intel hiring market at all, this addition makes sense. AI-assisted phishing, prompt injection, model poisoning, and AI-generated malware are showing up in incident reports across the industry now.
The tentative preview launch is around October 20, 2026, based on what CompTIA instructors have shared in the official network. Question count and exam length are still listed as TBD in the draft document. The recommended experience hasn't changed: a security administrator with about two years of hands-on experience.
A few things to keep in mind about that timeline. CompTIA tends to slip three to six months on their announced release dates, so a preview in October could easily mean general availability in early 2027. They also run a six-month overlap window where both versions are valid, which gives 701 candidates a real cushion.
The Case for Taking SY0–701 Now
If you can sit for 701 in the next four to six months, take it.
The material is stable. Study resources, practice exams, instructor knowledge, and our own Security+ bootcamp curriculum are all mature on 701. Vendor-printed books, practice software, and instructor playbooks have had two years to incorporate feedback from real test takers. With 801, you're going to see a six-month period where everyone is guessing about what CompTIA actually emphasizes in scoring, and study materials catch up unevenly. I sat through three different 701 bootcamps in the first six months after launch to see how the material was landing. The early version was rough. Instructors were still figuring out which objectives CompTIA actually weighted heavily versus what the document suggested. Practice exams swung wildly between too easy and not even close to the real thing. Different instructors reading the same objective text disagreed on what CompTIA wanted you to know. None of that gets sorted out on day one, and you don't want to be the person whose study materials weren't quite right when you walk into the exam room.
Your certification is valid for three years from your test date. A 701 you pass in June 2026 is valid through June 2029, and CompTIA recognizes both 701 and 801 as Security+ for renewal purposes. The hiring side of this is the easy part. Recruiters and hiring managers I work with at defense contractors and Fortune 500 firms have never asked me which version of Security+ a candidate holds. They check the box that says the candidate is certified and move on.
The job market doesn't wait. If you're targeting roles that list Security+ as a requirement (which is most entry-level cybersecurity, DoD 8140-aligned positions, and a huge chunk of federal contracting work), six months of delay can mean missing a hiring cycle. I've worked with defense contractors who pulled offers when candidates couldn't sit the exam in time for the contract start date. The credential in hand beats the credential in progress every single time.
For more on whether the credential is worth pursuing in the first place, our Security+ value analysis for 2026 walks through the salary and hiring data in detail.
The Case for Waiting on SY0–801
There are real reasons to wait, and I don't want to dismiss them.
The first one is timing. If your study plan stretches past mid-2027, you're better off targeting 801 directly. Studying for an exam version about to retire isn't a great use of your time, especially when 801 will be the version your future hiring manager is more familiar with by the time you actually apply.
The second reason is fit. People working in AI-adjacent security (model security, AI-assisted SOC operations, LLM red teaming, that kind of work) will find that 801's expanded AI content maps more cleanly to their day job. You'll have an easier study experience because the material reflects what you already do. That's a real advantage if your role is built around the stuff CompTIA is adding.
And if you have no schedule pressure at all, hold off. There's no urgency unless you have a job, clearance, or contract requirement pushing the timeline.
What I Tell People in Practice
The decision usually breaks along three lines.
If you're actively job-hunting or about to apply for positions that require Security+, take 701. The shortest path to the credential wins, and a four-month delay can cost you a hiring cycle.
People on a long-term study plan with no deadline should wait for 801. You'll end up with a better-aligned credential and won't be racing the retirement clock during your last few weeks of prep.
For everyone in between, the answer comes down to your realistic test-ready date. Ready in the next four months? Take 701. Not until summer 2027? Wait.
One thing I'd push back on hard: the idea that 801 will be "easier" because the material is new. That's almost never true. CompTIA exam updates typically include more performance-based questions, tighter scoring, and trickier scenario items. The 701 launch was harder than 601 across the board. I'd expect 801 to follow that pattern rather than reversing it.
A Note on Exam Vouchers and Performance-Based Questions
If you're sitting on a 701 voucher, check the expiration. CompTIA vouchers typically expire 12 months from purchase, and they aren't usually transferable to a new exam version. Don't let a $400 voucher sit until the exam retires and lose the money. Worth checking with your purchase source if you bought through a reseller, since some allow exchanges within a window.
Also worth knowing: both 701 and 801 lean heavily on performance-based questions, which are the simulation-style items where you actually configure something or analyze a log instead of picking A through D. If those make you nervous, our breakdown of Security+ performance-based questions and how to prepare covers what to expect and how to study for them. The same prep approach works for either version.
Bottom Line
For roughly 80% of people I talk to, take 701 now. The material is stable, study resources are mature, the credential is identical in employer eyes, and the timeline lines up with most active job searches. Hold off for 801 only when your study plan stretches into mid-2027, your day job already centers on AI-heavy security work, or there's zero schedule pressure on the credential. Whichever way you decide, don't let this question stall you for months. The version sitting unfinished in your study queue is worth zero compared to the one you actually pass.
For the official information CompTIA publishes about the current exam, see the Security+ certification page on comptia.org. If you're testing for a DoD role, the DoD Cyber Workforce Framework on cyber.mil shows which work roles Security+ qualifies you for.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is CompTIA Security+ SY0–801 being released?
The tentative preview launch is around October 20, 2026, based on what CompTIA instructors have shared in the official Instructors Network. General availability typically follows the preview by a few months, and CompTIA has historically slipped these dates by three to six months. Final question count and exam length are still listed as TBD in the draft objectives document released in late 2025.
When does CompTIA Security+ SY0–701 retire?
CompTIA hasn't published a firm retirement date for SY0–701 yet, but the standard pattern is a six-month overlap after the new version goes live. If 801 hits general availability in late 2026 or early 2027, 701 would retire roughly six months later. Plan for mid-to-late 2027 as a working estimate.
Is my Security+ SY0–701 still valid after 801 launches?
Yes. Your Security+ certification is valid for three years from your test date regardless of which version you took. CompTIA treats 701 and 801 as the same credential for renewal purposes, and employers don't distinguish between versions on resumes or in hiring decisions.
What's the biggest difference between Security+ 701 and 801?
The AI content is the headline change. Objective 2.4 in 801 covers Large Language Models and Objective 2.6 covers AI usage in threats and vulnerabilities. The five-domain structure stays the same, but the weights shift, with Security Operations growing to 27% of the exam in 801.
Should beginners wait for 801 or take 701 now?
If you're new to security and on a self-paced timeline, 801 will give you a more current foundation. Anyone with a deadline pressure (job search, security clearance, federal contracting role) should take 701 now. The fundamentals haven't changed enough to matter, and the credential looks identical from a hiring perspective.
Can I reuse my 701 study materials for 801?
About 70 to 80% of 701 material will carry over based on the draft objectives. The General Security Concepts and Security Program Management domains see minimal changes. Threats and Vulnerabilities has substantial new AI content that 701 materials won't cover, and Security Architecture has some shifts around cloud and zero trust.
Will Security+ 801 be harder than 701?
Probably yes. CompTIA exam updates typically include more performance-based questions and tighter scoring than the version they replace. The 701 launch was widely seen as harder than 601. Expect 801 to follow that pattern rather than getting easier.