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Should I use Professor Messer?

Free CompTIA certification training videos, notes, and practice exams. - professormesser.com

Worth it. Self-studiers chasing CompTIA A+, Network+, or Security+ should start here — full video courses are free and users repeatedly report exam passes. Skip it if you need hands-on labs, non-CompTIA certs, or company-managed training.

Confidence

Medium. Based on ~25 public sources; most review snippets were truncated and no aggregate star ratings were found.

Ratings

  • Value for money
  • Ease of useNo direct usability evidence found
  • Feature depth
  • Support quality
  • Security posture

Pricing

$0

Free video courses

ModelNot disclosed
Monthly feesNot disclosed
HardwareNot disclosed
Free tierYes
Success bundlesPaid; price not shown in sources
Discounted exam vouchers$99 (PenTest+ example)

Best for

  • CompTIA A+/Network+/Security+ self-studiers
  • Budget-conscious IT career changers
  • Video-first learners
  • Help-desk-to-security career switchers

Not for

  • Anyone needing hands-on labs — watching videos won't build skills
  • Non-CompTIA certs (CCNA, AWS, CISSP)
  • Companies wanting tracked, admin-managed employee training
  • Learners who dislike long lecture videos

Gotchas - check before you buy

medium

Voucher discounts apply toward exam fees; verify current CompTIA exam codes before buying

medium

One-person studio: content updates and support depend on a single creator's schedule

low

Videos are the free tier; notes and practice exam bundles are paid upsells — budget for them if serious

low

Study groups are recorded livestreams, not personalized tutoring or mentoring

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Full CompTIA video courses free on his site and YouTube
  • Many users report passing A+ and Security+ with his materials
  • Free monthly study groups and daily pop quizzes reinforce learning
  • Discounted exam vouchers, e.g. $99 PenTest+, cut total certification cost
  • Frequently recommended across Reddit, Cisco forums, and LinkedIn

Cons

  • Some learners find the lecture style dry or hard to follow
  • Course notes and practice exams cost extra beyond free videos
  • Small solo-studio operation, not a large training company
  • Some users outgrow it and switch to Udemy or other providers

Sources & method

Analyzed 10/05/2026 - 12 sources - No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

official x5review x6security x1

Key stats

  • Value for money: 5/5

    Rating

  • $0

    Starting price

  • 12

    Sources

  • Analyzed

  • Value for money: 5/5. Core courses free; paid add-ons cheap
  • Ease of use. No direct usability evidence found
  • Feature depth: 4/5. Videos, notes, practice exams, study groups, vouchers
  • Support quality: 4/5. Active study groups; no formal support desk
  • Security posture: 4/5. No known issues; publishes a security page
  • Yes Free tier Full A+, Network+, Security+ video courses
  • $99 Cheapest paid item found Discounted CompTIA PenTest+ exam voucher
  • 4+ Cert tracks covered A+, Network+, Security+, PenTest+

Pricing

Free video courses

$0

  • Full A+/Network+/Security+ video series
  • Pop quizzes and study groups

Success bundles

Paid; price not shown in sources

  • Course notes
  • Practice exams

Discounted exam vouchers

$99 (PenTest+ example)

  • Applies toward CompTIA exam fee

Security

No known vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

CompTIA candidates overwhelmingly vouch for his free videos, with many reporting exam passes; a minority find the style dry.

“I passed both A+ exams”
Reddit, r/CompTIA
“Huge vouch for the combo”
LinkedIn, Charnelle Cook
“I would watch his videos”
Reddit, r/CompTIA

Alternatives

Compare Professor Messer with each alternative.

Full analysis

Based on ~25 public sources; most review snippets were truncated and no aggregate star ratings were found.

Free full CompTIA video courses; cheap notes/exams on top. Great for self-studiers; wrong fit if you need labs or other certs.

Methodology

Based on ~25 public sources; most review snippets were truncated and no aggregate star ratings were found.

Sources

  1. Free A+ 220-1101 Training Courseprofessormesser.com
    official
  2. A+ Core 1 Success Bundle (notes, exams, videos)professormesser.com
    official
  3. Discounted CompTIA PenTest+ Voucherprofessormesser.com
    official
  4. SY0-701 Security+ Study Groupprofessormesser.com
    official
  5. Product security pageprofessormesser.com
    security
  6. Reddit: Is Professor Messer all he's cracked up to be?reddit.com
    review
  7. Reddit: Doesn't find Professor Messer usefulreddit.com
    review
  8. Reddit: Messer alternatives (Udemy, etc.)reddit.com
    review
  9. Cisco Learning Network: CompTIA Security+ helplearningnetwork.cisco.com
    review
  10. LinkedIn post vouching for Messerlinkedin.com
    review
  11. Professor Messer Review (PrepForCerts)prepforcerts.org
    review
  12. Class Central: Professor Messer coursesclasscentral.com
    official

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