Security+ rewards recall more than most IT certifications. You need port numbers, dozens of acronyms, the difference between a dozen attack types, which algorithm is symmetric and which is a hash, and which control fits which scenario. That's flashcard territory.
This guide covers what SY0-701 looks like, what the next version means for your timing, where flashcards help, and how MintDeck compares with Anki, Quizlet, Brainscape and CompTIA's own tools.
The exam in 2026: SY0-701, with V8 coming
The current exam is SY0-701, which launched on November 7, 2023. CompTIA lists:
- A maximum of 90 questions, mixing multiple-choice and performance-based questions (PBQs).
- 90 minutes.
- A passing score of 750 on a 100–900 scale.
- Five domains: General Security Concepts (12%), Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations (22%), Security Architecture (18%), Security Operations (28%), and Security Program Management and Oversight (20%).
The next version is close. CompTIA says Security+ V8 (SY0-801) is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026, and its listing shows SY0-701 in English retiring in 2027. Dates can move, so check the CompTIA Security+ page before you buy a voucher.
What that means for your cards: if you build a deck now, tag it for SY0-701. If you end up taking SY0-801, most fundamentals carry over, but compare the V8 objectives against your deck and add or retire cards where they differ. The certification is valid for three years from the day you pass.
What makes a good Security+ card
Strong candidates for flashcards:
- Ports and protocols. "SSH → 22", "RDP → 3389", "LDAPS → 636". Drill both directions: port to protocol and protocol to port.
- Acronyms. Security+ is dense with them (SIEM, SOAR, EDR, CASB, SASE…). Front: acronym. Back: the expansion and one line on what it does.
- Compare-and-contrast pairs. Symmetric vs. asymmetric, IDS vs. IPS, vishing vs. smishing, RTO vs. RPO. One card per pair, with the distinguishing detail on the back.
- Scenario-to-control cards. "Users reuse passwords across sites → what control?" These train the judgment the multiple-choice questions test.
What flashcards won't do: teach you to configure a firewall rule set or read a log under time pressure. PBQs need practice tests and, ideally, hands-on time in a lab.
Your options
Anki
Anki is free on desktop and Android and has supported FSRS since version 23.10 (switch it on in deck options). AnkiMobile on iPhone costs $24.99 in the US App Store. AnkiWeb has shared Security+ decks; check which exam version each one targets, since older decks were made for retired versions. Anki is a strong choice if you already use it or want add-ons.
Quizlet
Quizlet has a large number of user-made Security+ sets and makes quick look-ups easy. Quality and version vary set to set, its study modes aren't built on a published spaced repetition algorithm, and several modes now sit behind a paid plan.
Brainscape
Brainscape uses a 1–5 confidence rating to schedule cards and has a marketplace that includes IT certification content. Good if you want premade decks and accept a subscription for full access. Its scheduler is proprietary, and it doesn't import Anki decks.
CompTIA CertMaster and Professor Messer
These aren't flashcard apps, but they belong in the conversation. CertMaster Practice is CompTIA's own paid adaptive practice tool: modules of questions mapped to exam objectives, confidence ratings, and timed practice tests that include PBQs. CompTIA positions it for final exam prep, paired with other training. Professor Messer's free video course is a common starting point for Security+ content. Either pairs well with a card deck you build as you go.
MintDeck
MintDeck is an iPhone and iPad flashcard app built around FSRS. It has no premade Security+ deck, so the pitch is turning your own material into cards fast:
- CSV import. Security+ has a lot of tabular facts. A spreadsheet with
FrontandBackcolumns (port and protocol, acronym and meaning) imports in a few taps. See the CSV import guide. - AI generation from your notes or PDFs. Paste notes from a video module or upload a PDF, and MintDeck drafts cards. Topic-based generation costs about 1 credit per card; a PDF or image job costs 10–30 credits. New accounts get 10 free credits, and the only paid option is a one-time pack of $4.99 for 400 credits. Check AI cards against the official exam objectives, because a wrong port number memorized is worse than none.
- Anki import. Move an
.apkgdeck across with its review history. See how to import Anki decks. - Reverse study. Flip on Reverse front and back in Study Settings to drill protocol-to-port in one session and port-to-protocol in the next, without writing every card twice.
- Audio Study. Audio Study reads cards aloud with free on-device voices, offline. Acronyms work well on a commute.
Unlimited FSRS reviews, manual cards, quizzes, folders and iCloud sync are free. The full breakdown lists what costs credits.
Honest limitations: MintDeck is iOS-only, has no community decks, and has no PBQ simulator or labs.
Comparison for Security+
| Feature | MintDeck | Anki | Quizlet | Brainscape |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduling | FSRS (on by default) | FSRS (optional since 23.10) or SM-2 | Proprietary | Confidence-based (proprietary) |
| iPhone price | Free (credits for AI only) | $24.99 (AnkiMobile) | Free tier; paid plan | Free tier; paid subscription |
| Premade Security+ content | No | Shared decks (check version) | User-made sets | Marketplace decks |
| AI cards from your notes/PDFs | Yes (credits) | No (built-in) | Varies by plan | Varies by plan |
| Imports Anki .apkg | Yes, with review history | Native | No | No |
| Platforms | iOS, iPadOS | Desktop, Android, iOS, web | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
Competitor plans and prices change often; check each app's pricing page before you subscribe.
How to set up MintDeck for Security+
- Download MintDeck from the App Store. It's free.
- Create a folder named for your exam code (SY0-701 or SY0-801) with one deck per domain. Per-domain decks make it obvious when Security Operations, the largest domain, is falling behind.
- Import the tables first. Build a ports-and-protocols CSV and an acronyms CSV, import both, and alternate normal and reversed sessions on the ports deck.
- Generate concept cards as you watch or read. After each module, paste your notes into AI generation and edit the output against the exam objectives.
- Add a card for every practice-test miss. Scenario on the front, the right answer and why the distractors are wrong on the back.
- Review daily and keep doing practice tests. FSRS handles the recall; practice tests and labs handle the PBQs.
The bottom line
Security+ is one of the most flashcard-friendly certifications, because so much of it is exact recall. If you already use Anki, stick with it and turn on FSRS. If you want FSRS by default on your iPhone, want to turn a ports table or your notes into a deck in minutes, and don't want a subscription, MintDeck fits well. Either way, add practice tests for the PBQs, and match your deck to the exam code you'll actually sit.
Compare apps: MintDeck vs Anki · MintDeck vs Brainscape · MintDeck vs Quizlet
Related exam prep: PMP exam · CPA exam · CFA Level 1
Build your deck: How to import CSV flashcards · PDF to flashcards · The science of spaced repetition
Frequently asked questions
- Are flashcards good for CompTIA Security+?
- Yes, for the recall-heavy parts: port numbers, acronyms, attack and malware types, cryptographic algorithms, controls and frameworks. They won't prepare you for performance-based questions on their own, so pair them with practice tests and some hands-on labs.
- What is the current Security+ exam?
- The current exam is SY0-701, launched on November 7, 2023. CompTIA lists a maximum of 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions, 90 minutes, and a passing score of 750 on a 100–900 scale. CompTIA says Security+ V8 (SY0-801) is expected on or around November 17, 2026. Confirm dates on comptia.org.
- Should I study for SY0-701 or wait for SY0-801?
- If you're already deep into SY0-701 material, finishing on that version usually makes more sense, since CompTIA keeps an exam available for a while after its successor launches. Check the SY0-701 retirement date for your language on comptia.org and book before it. If you're just starting and your test date is well into 2027, look at the V8 objectives first.
- Does MintDeck have a Security+ deck?
- No. MintDeck has no premade Security+ deck. You can generate cards from your own notes or a PDF with AI credits, import a CSV (a ports table works well), or import an Anki .apkg deck with its review history.
Written by
Sergiu Puscas · Creator of MintDeck
Sergiu builds MintDeck and writes every guide and comparison on this blog — drawing on building an FSRS-based flashcard app and hands-on testing of the study apps covered here.
More about Sergiu
