Choosing the right practice exams is one of the most important decisions you will make when preparing for the CompTIA Security+ SY0-701. The exam itself is demanding — 90 questions, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based items, and a 90-minute time limit — and the quality of your practice material directly affects your chances of passing first time.

This comparison covers the four most widely used providers, what each one does well, and where each falls short.

What Makes a Good Security+ Practice Exam?

Before comparing providers, it is worth being clear about what actually matters:

• Exam realism — do the questions match the difficulty, style, and domain weighting of the real SY0-701?
• Explanation quality — does each answer come with a clear explanation of why it is correct, not just what the correct answer is?
• Domain coverage — are all five SY0-701 domains covered proportionally?
• Performance-based questions — does the provider include drag-and-drop, scenario, and simulation-style questions?
• Price and access — is it a one-time payment or a subscription? Do you get lifetime access?

With those criteria in mind, here is how the main providers compare.

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Jason Dion (Udemy)

Jason Dion's Security+ practice tests on Udemy are probably the most widely recommended on Reddit and study forums. They are thorough, regularly updated, and the explanations are generally solid.

Strengths:

• Large question bank (500+ questions across multiple tests)
• Good domain coverage
• Frequently updated to reflect exam changes
• Udemy sales mean you can often pick them up for £10–15

Weaknesses:

• Some questions are noticeably easier than the real exam
• Explanations vary in depth — some are brief
• Subscription model on his own platform; Udemy access is perpetual but tied to the platform
• No timed, exam-simulation mode that mirrors the real 90-minute format

Best for: Learners who want a large question bank and are comfortable with Udemy's interface.

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Professor Messer

Professor Messer is best known for his free SY0-701 study notes and video course, but he also sells practice exams separately.

Strengths:

• Written by someone with deep CompTIA expertise
• Questions are well-aligned to the official exam objectives
• Good value if you are already using his free study materials

Weaknesses:

• Smaller question bank than Dion
• Interface is functional but basic
• No performance-based question simulation
• Explanations are concise but sometimes lack the depth needed to understand why a wrong answer is wrong

Best for: Learners already using Professor Messer's free course who want to stay within his ecosystem.

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Darril Gibson (Get Certified Get Ahead)

Darril Gibson's practice questions are included in his CompTIA Security+ Get Certified Get Ahead book and available separately online. They are well-regarded for their scenario-based approach.

Strengths:

• Strong scenario-based questions that mirror real exam style
• Detailed explanations
• Good for understanding concepts, not just memorising answers

Weaknesses:

• Smaller question bank
• The book format means questions are not in a timed exam simulation
• Less frequently updated than online-only providers
• Higher cost if buying the book primarily for the practice questions

Best for: Learners who prefer reading and want scenario-heavy practice alongside a study guide.

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ICT Exam Academy

ICT Exam Academy's Security+ practice exams take a different approach: five full 90-question mock exams, each timed to 90 minutes, with domain-level scoring after each attempt.

Strengths:

• Five complete mock exams — 450 questions total — all in timed exam-simulation format
• Domain-level scoring shows exactly where you are weak across all five SY0-701 domains
• Detailed answer explanations for every question, including why wrong answers are wrong
• One-time payment of £7.99 with lifetime access — no subscription
• Questions calibrated to SY0-701 difficulty, including scenario-based items

Weaknesses:

• Smaller total question bank than Dion's full library
• No free tier or sample questions before purchase

Best for: Learners who want to simulate the real exam experience repeatedly, track domain-level progress, and are looking for the best value for money in the UK.

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Provider	Questions	Timed Simulation	Domain Scoring	Price	Access
Jason Dion	500+	Partial	No	£10–30	Perpetual (Udemy)
Professor Messer	~200	No	No	~£20	Perpetual
Darril Gibson	~300	No	No	£25–35	Book/online
ICT Exam Academy	450	Yes (5 × 90 min)	Yes	£7.99	Lifetime

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Which Should You Choose?

If you are on a tight budget and want the best exam simulation experience, ICT Exam Academy offers the most realistic preparation for the price. Five full timed mock exams with domain scoring is exactly what you need in the final two to three weeks before your exam date.

If you want the largest possible question bank for extended study, Jason Dion's Udemy tests are a solid complement — especially when on sale.

Many successful candidates use both: a large question bank for topic-by-topic practice during the study phase, then full timed mock exams in the final weeks to simulate real exam conditions and identify remaining weak spots.

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Final Advice

Whatever provider you choose, the most important thing is to use practice exams actively. Do not just check whether you got the answer right — read every explanation, understand why each wrong answer is wrong, and revisit any domain where you score below 80%.

The SY0-701 is a reasoning exam as much as a knowledge exam. The candidates who pass first time are the ones who understand the why behind every answer, not just the what.

Good luck with your preparation.