Compare Pest Control Companies: All 10, Side by Side (July 2026)
Most pest control rankings are built backwards: pick the brands that pay the highest commission, then write the reasons. We built ours forwards. Every company below was scored on five weighted factors — coverage, value, service experience, customer reputation, and transparency — using published plan terms, mystery-shop pricing, and reputation data from BBB, Trustpilot, and ConsumerAffairs. The weights are public, the math is public, and two of the brands sold hardest at your front door (Aptive, Hawx) score below brands that have never knocked on one. The full system is at /methodology.
One honesty note before the table. The display order is our service-led editorial ranking; the overall score is the computed quality rating. They mostly agree — but not always, and we don't hide it. Aptive sits at #3 because of what it covers and how it treats, yet scores 3.4 because a $199 early-exit fee behind "cancel anytime" sales talk costs real points in our system. If a table ever looks too tidy, someone smoothed it. Ours isn't smoothed. (We earn affiliate commissions on some links below; rankings aren't for sale — /legal/affiliate-disclosure.)
| # | Brand | Score | Best for | Price snapshot | Cancellation fee | Guarantee | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TerminixFull service · ~45 states, ~380 branches | 4.0 | Termite protection and full-service… | One-time $100-$500 | None on standard quarterly… | Nix Pest Guarantee | See Plans | |
| 2 | OrkinFull service · ~47-48 states, 400+ locations | 3.9 | Maximum coverage and fast scheduling | One-time $150-$600 | None published on standard… | 30-day money-back + free… | See Plans | |
| 3 | Aptive EnvironmentalFull service · 30+ states (sources cite up to 36) | 3.4 | Recurring exterior prevention | Promo initial $29-$149 | $199 early-termination fee on… | Free re-service | See Plans | |
| 4 | PestieDIY · Ships US-wide | 3.9 | Cheap, contract-free DIY prevention of… | $35/treatment prepaid | $0 - no contract | No pro-style re-treat guarantee | See Plans | |
| 5 | DoMyOwnDIY · Ships US-wide | 3.9 | Self-directed DIYers | Typical order ~$100 | $0 - no contract | n/a | See Plans | |
| 6 | Truly NolenFull service · Core AZ + FL; franchise markets extend to ~40 states/international | 3.4 | AZ/FL homeowners | 4 Seasons plan… | None published | 100% satisfaction | See Plans | |
| 7 | Hawx Pest ControlFull service · 14 states, 24 branches (Oct 2025 PR) | 2.9 | Tech-forward general pest service in… | From ~$39-$59/month plus… | ~$200-$300 early-termination… | Re-service guarantee | See Plans | |
| 8 | ThermacellDIY · Sold US-wide at mass retail | 3.7 | Spray-free mosquito relief for patios… | Devices $25-$700 | $0 - one-time purchase | n/a | See Plans | |
| 9 | Solutions Pest & LawnDIY · Ships US-wide; physical stores in home region (Houston, TX) | 3.7 | Value-focused DIYers | Problem-specific kits… | $0 - no contracts | n/a | See Plans | |
| 10 | WondercideDIY · Ships US-wide (DTC) | 3.5 | Pet and family households | Products $20-$120 across… | $0 - no contracts | n/a | See Plans |
All prices and fees as of July 2026 · re-verified quarterly · how we score
One line on each, from the editors
Terminix 4.0 — The strongest termite operation in the country with fair exit terms; accept national billing risk, document everything, and it's the safest full-service pick. Review →
Orkin 3.9 — The biggest network in the business with fast response and a fair money-back guarantee; confirm your rate in writing, because unnotified increases are the recurring complaint. Review →
Aptive 3.4 — Competent quarterly prevention with genuinely custom seasonal plans, sold door-to-door with a $199 early-exit fee too many buyers never hear about. Read the agreement before signing. Review →
Pestie 3.9 — The best cheap answer to routine bugs: $35 per treatment, no contract, and the strongest verified customer rating in our top 10. It prevents; it does not rescue. Review →
DoMyOwn 3.9 — The reference store for serious DIY: pro-grade products, education that actually teaches, and expert phone support. No contracts anywhere in the model. Review →
Truly Nolen 3.4 — A family-owned full-service veteran, excellent in Arizona and Florida, with rare contract flexibility; outside its core map, franchise variability deserves a hard look. Review →
Hawx 2.9 — Decent treatments wrapped in the worst contract experience we rank: 12-month terms, $200–$300 exit fees, and support customers can't reach. Sign only if you'll stay the full year. Review →
Thermacell 3.7 — Does exactly one job, credibly: a spray-free, DEET-free mosquito zone from $25. Budget for refills and don't expect miracles in wind. Review →
Solutions Pest & Lawn 3.7 — The 1958-vintage pro shop for DIYers: real products, real guidance videos, and problem-specific kits that remove guesswork. Review →
Wondercide 3.5 — The pet household's pick: plant-based, pleasant to use, genuinely useful on fleas and ticks. Reapply often and accept the per-ounce premium. Review →
How we score (the short version)
Every brand gets five sub-scores, weighted into the overall: Coverage & Plans (30%), Pricing & Value (20%), Service & Claims Experience (20%), Customer Reputation (20%), and Transparency & Flexibility (10%). Reputation blends corporate standing with what customers actually report. Transparency is where hidden cancellation fees and porch-pitch contract surprises get punished — it's why Aptive and Hawx both carry a 1.8 there. Scores are re-reviewed quarterly; prices re-checked at every update. The full system, including a worked example of why Hawx scores 2.9: /methodology.
The dual-score note, because it matters here: the big national brands hold BBB A+ corporate grades while sitting at 1.3–1.4 stars on Trustpilot. Neither number alone tells the truth. The letter grade reflects complaint-handling on paper; the stars reflect billing, scheduling, and phone reality. Our reviews show both, and our Reputation sub-score weighs both. A comparison built on either number alone would mislead you in opposite directions.
Deeper head-to-heads: /comparisons/terminix-vs-orkin · /comparisons/orkin-vs-aptive. Price sanity-check: /guides/pest-control-cost. Already locked into a contract? /guides/how-to-cancel-pest-control.
Overall = weighted average, shown to one decimal, from brand-data.json — the single source of truth. No hand-entered scores anywhere on the site.
Quick answers
Terminix usually starts cheaper: one-time jobs from $100–$500 and plan starts around $120–$400, versus Orkin's typical ~$326 initial and $150–$600 one-time range. Annual costs overlap heavily ($500–$1,080 vs. $500–$1,000), so the real difference is what you need — Terminix for termites, Orkin for coverage. Full breakdown: /comparisons/terminix-vs-orkin.
No — standard quarterly plans carry no early-termination fee, plus a 30-day money-back window. The recurring complaint isn't the exit fee; it's charges continuing after cancellation, so confirm in writing and watch your statements. Terms by company: /guides/how-to-cancel-pest-control.
Yes — it's a real company with genuinely customizable seasonal plans and free re-service between visits. The trap is the contract: 12–24 month agreements with a $199 early-termination fee (complaints cite up to $285), often sold at the door as "cancel anytime." Legit service, misleading pitch. Details: /reviews/aptive.
As of July 2026: one-time visits average ~$171 ($100–$300 for most homes), monthly plans run $40–$75 per visit, and quarterly plans average ~$150 per visit ($300–$900 per year). DIY runs far less — $35–$39 per treatment with Pestie. Full price tables: /guides/pest-control-cost.