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Reviewed · Updated 2026-06-19

testout

IT training platform providing hands-on labs and certification preparation courses.

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team ·
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Pricing
Paid
Best for
IT learners
Category
Education & Productivity
The bottom line

The gold standard for hands-on IT cert lab practice in academic settings — best value when procured through institutional pricing.

7.1
Our score
7.1 / 10
Conversion Gems editorial verdict
~$120–$339/student per course; academic quotes
Features8/10
8 - deep LabSim virtual labs, video, written lessons, and assessments; covers major cert tracks comprehensively.
Value6/10
6 - per-course retail pricing ($120–$339) is steep for individuals; institutional discounts (up to 80%) redeem value for schools.
Ease of use7/10
7 - LabSim UI is purpose-built and straightforward; institutional setup and procurement adds friction.
Ecosystem7/10
7 - CompTIA ownership deepens cert alignment; LMS-compatible, but limited integrations beyond academic environments.
Support7/10
7 - educators get complimentary access and dedicated support; individual learner support is thinner.

Community ratings

4.7/ 5 aggregate · across 1 source
G2
4.740+ reviews

Third-party ratings shown verbatim; aggregate weighted by review volume.

What it really is

TestOut (LabSim) — CompTIA-owned hands-on IT certification training platform with virtual labs.

Our take

TestOut delivers interactive LabSim virtual labs, video lessons, and assessments for CompTIA (A+, Net+, Sec+, Linux+), Cisco (CCNA), and Microsoft cert prep — primarily sold to academic institutions. Two DB corrections: (1) the 'Productivity & Collaboration' category is wrong; this is an IT education/e-learning platform. (2) The listed $40/month pricing is inaccurate — TestOut sells per-student course licenses (retail ~$120–$339/course; academic pricing by quote, up to 80% off). CompTIA acquired TestOut in 2023; testout.com now redirects to comptia.org, but the LabSim product continues under the TestOut brand.

Why we rate it

TestOut's LabSim environment is a genuine differentiator: students interact with simulated hardware and network configs that closely mirror real exam scenarios. The CompTIA acquisition (2023) further legitimizes the product's alignment with certification objectives.

The catch

Pricing is opaque — institutions must request quotes, and individuals pay full per-course retail (~$339 list). No free trial. CompTIA's acquisition means some legacy TestOut courses are being phased out or rebranded into CertMaster.

Best for
Academic IT programs needing scalable hands-on lab infrastructure
Students preparing for CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, or Linux+ exams
Instructors who want built-in assessment and LMS-compatible courseware
Not good for
Individual learners seeking a low-cost monthly subscription
Organizations needing broad cloud, DevOps, or non-CompTIA cert coverage
Teams wanting self-paced video-only learning without lab simulations
Friction report
Time to value
Moderate: institutional procurement and setup takes days to weeks; once provisioned, students access labs immediately.
Scale breakpoint
Per-seat licensing costs compound quickly at scale without negotiated institutional rates; large districts should negotiate enterprise agreements.
Walled garden
Moderate: course content and lab progress live entirely within LabSim/CompTIA infrastructure; no export of lab work or progress data to external systems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Alternatives

Step up

CompTIA CertMaster Learn + Labs for deeper CompTIA-native integration post-acquisition.

Lighter alternative

Professor Messer's free CompTIA study guides for budget-conscious individual learners.

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Tags

#ITTraining#Certification

Conversion Gems independently reviews every tool. We may earn a commission if you sign up through our links — it never affects our verdict or ranking.