Few questions are asked more often in r/CompTIA than this one: is Professor Messer enough to pass Security+ on its own? In 2026, the honest answer is "almost, but not quite." Messer's free YouTube course covers 100% of the CompTIA Security+ exam objectives at a teaching-quality level that rivals paid courses costing $300 or more. The gap is not in concept coverage — it's in practice depth, performance-based question (PBQ) preparation, and active recall.
This page breaks down exactly where Messer's free content is sufficient, where it leaves you exposed, and the minimal stack that candidates report using when they pass on the first attempt.
For most candidates, Professor Messer alone is not enough to pass Security+ on the first try. His free videos cover every exam objective at a conceptual level, but his paid practice exams are multiple-choice only and his content does not prepare you for performance-based questions (PBQs). The candidates who pass on the first try typically combine Messer's free videos with one extra practice-test source (such as Jason Dion on Udemy) plus 10–15 hands-on hours for PBQs.
What Professor Messer Covers Extremely Well
Messer's Security+ playlist works through every domain in the official CompTIA exam objectives. His teaching strengths include:
- Concept clarity — every term is defined plainly, with a real-world example. - Domain weighting — video length roughly matches each domain's exam weight. - Updates — the Security+ playlist is refreshed when CompTIA changes objectives. - No upsell pressure — the full course is free on YouTube with no gated tiers.
For learners who absorb material visually and want one consistent voice across 15+ hours of material, Messer is genuinely best-in-class. If you make it through every video, take notes, and rewatch the topics that confused you the first time, you will know the material well enough to recognize correct answers on standard multiple-choice questions.
Where Messer Falls Short for First-Try Passers
The honest weaknesses come down to three areas:
1. Performance-Based Questions (PBQs). Security+ contains 5–10 PBQs at the start of the exam — drag-and-drop, simulations, command-line tasks. Messer's free videos teach the concepts but never simulate the interface. His paid practice exams ($25) are also multiple-choice only. Candidates report PBQs are responsible for most first-attempt failures.
2. Practice Question Volume. Three practice exams (270 questions) is not enough exposure to feel confident. Most candidates who pass on the first try report taking 600–1,000+ practice questions across the study cycle.
3. Active Recall vs Passive Watching. Video learning is passive. Without flashcards, written notes, or quiz-based reinforcement, retention after the second domain drops quickly. The candidates who fail with Messer alone almost always report "I watched everything but couldn't recall the details under exam pressure."
The Minimal Stack That Passes Security+
Based on Reddit pass-report patterns from 2026, the leanest reliable Security+ stack is:
| Resource | Cost | What it adds | |---|---|---| | Professor Messer free videos | $0 | Full concept coverage | | Adaptive practice questions | $0 (PrepForCerts) | Daily active recall, weak-area focus | | One PBQ-focused resource | $15–25 | Hands-on simulation prep | | Messer's paid practice exam set (optional) | $25 | Final readiness check |
This is intentionally lean. You do not need a $50 textbook and you do not need three video courses. You need one trusted teacher (Messer), one source of varied practice questions, and at least one resource that exposes you to PBQ-style tasks before exam day.
How to Tell If You're Actually Ready
Stop studying when all of these are true:
1. You can finish a 90-question practice exam in under 75 minutes and score 85%+. 2. You can complete the PBQ section of any practice tool without using a hint. 3. You can teach any acronym (NIST, SAML, OCSP, IPSec) to a non-technical friend in 60 seconds. 4. Your last three practice attempts came from different question banks (not the same source repeated).
If any of those is false, you are not ready — regardless of how many Messer videos you've watched.
Pro Tips
Watch each Messer video at 1.25x speed on the first pass — your retention is usually identical and you save hours.
After every Messer video, take a 10-question practice quiz on that exact objective while it's fresh.
Build a single one-page acronym sheet as you go — don't download someone else's. The act of writing locks it in.
Take at least one timed 90-question practice exam in one sitting before exam day — fatigue is a real factor.
Schedule your real exam 1 week after your first 85%+ practice score, not before.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Watching every video twice instead of replacing the second watch with active practice.
Skipping PBQ prep because the videos never mention them.
Only using Messer's 270 practice questions — too small a pool to expose blind spots.
Taking the exam without ever doing a full 90-question timed run.
Believing high YouTube comprehension means you'll recall the same material under exam pressure.
The candidates who pass Security+ on the first try with Messer as their primary resource almost always layer in two things he doesn't provide: a second practice-question source for variety, and at least 5 hours of PBQ-style task practice. That combination — not more videos — is what closes the gap.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's possible but uncommon. Most first-try passers add at least one additional source for practice question variety and PBQ exposure.
They're useful as a final readiness check but not required. Free practice tools cover the same multiple-choice ground, and his exams skip PBQs entirely.
About 15 hours of video. Realistic total study time including practice is 60–80 hours over 6–10 weeks.
Performance-based questions. His content covers the concepts but never simulates the PBQ interface, so candidates freeze on the first 5–10 questions of the real exam.
Only if you learn better from text. Most candidates skip the book and use that time for active practice instead — which has higher score impact.
Yes, his Security+ playlist is fully updated and covers the latest objectives including zero trust, IaC, and the expanded crypto material.
Messer's free videos + a free adaptive practice tool + one $15 Udemy PBQ-focused exam pack. Total cost under $20.
Related Resources
CompTIA Security+ Practice Test Professor Messer Honest Review Professor Messer Alternatives Professor Messer Practice Exams How to Pass Security+ Best Way to Use Practice ExamsPractice for 25+ Certifications—Free
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