New Feature Release: Online Flashcards for CCNA, Security+, A+ & More

You just finished a skill. Everything clicked. But will you remember it in two days? Two weeks? On test day?

Talk to anyone who’s earned multiple IT certifications, and you’ll hear the same advice: successful exam prep comes from using a variety of study resources. Video training, virtual labs, quizzes, and practice exams each serve a different purpose, working together to help concepts stick.

The new Flashcards feature inside CBT Nuggets focuses specifically on recall and reinforcement — helping you actively review important exam concepts, test your memory, and lock in learning every time you sit down to study.

How Flashcards Work Inside CBT Nuggets

Flashcards are built directly into the CBT Nuggets Adept learning platform — no external apps, no extra logins. They’re designed to fit naturally into the way you already train. Here’s how it works:

1. Finish a Skill → Unlock Flashcards

As soon as you complete a skill, flashcards become available, letting you jump right in and instantly start testing your skills. The best time to reinforce what you have just learned is right after you learned it. Strike while the iron is hot.

2. Review the Concepts Trainers Want You to Remember

Trainers pick the most important concepts from each skill. These aren’t random facts — they’re the ideas most likely to show up on certification exams.

3. Rate Your Confidence as You Go

Each card lets you rate how well you know the material. This self-assessment does two things. First, it forces you to be honest with yourself. Second, it lets you find weak spots in your study plan so you can really focus on the areas that need attention. 

4. Create Your Own Flashcards

Everyone learns differently. Maybe there’s a concept that clicked for you in a specific way, or you’ve come up with a fun way of remembering some facts that you’d like to jot down. You can create your own custom flashcards to reinforce the trainer-provided ones. 

5. Review Anytime, Anywhere

Flashcards work on desktops, tablets, and phones, making them easy to fit into short breaks throughout the day. A few minutes here and there can reinforce what you’ve already learned without needing a full study session.

The Struggles We Know All Too Well

The path to certification is challenging, and life doesn't stop for study. Here are the challenges these new flashcards are designed to eliminate:

Passive Learning Can Fade Fast

Video training is excellent for learning new concepts. Seeing and hearing a trainer explain a topic builds real understanding and context. But understanding something once doesn’t always guarantee you’ll recall it later — especially under exam pressure.

Active recall fixes this. When you force your brain to retrieve information through repetition, the knowledge sticks. Flashcards are one of the simplest and most effective ways to trigger your active recall. 

Managing Information Overload

By the end of a study session you probably have more browser tabs open than you can count, scattered notes, bookmarks that you may never see again, and a few apps open for good measure. By the time you’re ready for your final cert prep, consolidating all of your study notes becomes a project on its own. 

The best study system is one that keeps your notes and areas for improvement in the same place where you already study. No switching between platforms and apps means no more hunting for notes and files.

Making the Most of Limited Time

Long study sessions aren’t always realistic. Work, personal commitments, and daily responsibilities can make it difficult to set aside uninterrupted time.

Flashcards are designed for short, focused review sessions. Even a few minutes during a break or quiet moment can help reinforce important concepts without requiring a full study block.

Closing Retention Gaps

There’s a special kind of frustration that hits when you’re sitting down for an exam, and you realize that you are hitting a blank on study material that you definitely knew last week! Retention gaps are absolutely brutal, and they can take the wind out of the sails of even the most confident test taker. 

Spaced repetition tackles this problem head-on. Reviewing concepts at increasing intervals keeps the knowledge fresh without gruelling marathon sessions. 

Self-Assessment Before Exam Day

As exam day approaches, it can be hard to gauge how prepared you really are. Without clear feedback, it’s easy to feel uncertain about which areas need more attention.

Flashcards provide quick, low-pressure self-assessment, while practice exams offer a more complete picture of readiness. Together, they help you focus your study time where it matters most.

How to Study More Effectively With CBT Nuggets Flashcards

Flashcards work best when you use them strategically. Here’s how you can get the most out of your flashcards:

1. Hit a set right after finishing a skill: Initial retention happens when the material is fresh, and the concepts are new. Don't skip this step.

2. Add a 3 to 5 minute review before a practice exam. Quick refreshers prime your brain. You'll find that concepts come back faster when the exam starts after a flashcard session

3. Run high-value cards daily until they're instant recall. Some concepts are worth more than others in the exam scoring. Find the cards that cover heavily tested material and drill them until the answers are automatic.

Remember that the goal isn't to spend hours with flashcards, you want to use them strategically. Make the time you spend with your flashcard sessions count. Do short, focused sessions and not marathon reviews when you want concepts to really stick.

Pro tip: Take advantage of all of CBT Nuggets' features in one platform.  Training, labs, practice exams, and now flashcards — no switching apps, no friction. Check out all the features you get with a CBT Nuggets membership. 

Flashcards by Certification

Flashcards are available across the most popular IT cert tracks. If you’re chasing your first cert, or adding another to your growing collection, there’s a deck waiting for you:

• A+ Flashcards - Cover hardware, software, troubleshooting, and operating systems

• Network+ Flashcards - Focus on networking concepts, protocols, and infrastructure

• Security+ Flashcards - Target threats, vulnerabilities, and security controls

• CCNA Flashcards - Drill network fundamentals, IP connectivity, and automation

• CISSP Flashcards - Review security domains and management concepts

• AWS Cloud Practitioner Flashcards - Reinforce cloud concepts and AWS services

And the best part - more certifications are being added all the time. If you’re working towards a specific cert, chances are that there’s already a flashcard deck waiting for you, or on the way.

Crush Your Next Cert

Flashcards are live, and they're built into the skills you're already taking. They're designed to help you remember what you learn long after you've finished watching.

Ready to try them out? Get a free week and test flashcards in your next CBT Nuggets skill.