Mosquitos, spiders and ants… oh my! When pests invade your home, it can feel like you have actually gone to war. But with the right pest control company at your disposal, victory is easy.
And with fall right around the corner, you very well know that rodents, boxelder bugs, spiders and more are about to make their way inside for the winter.
USA TODAY reviewed the best control companies in the nation, and came up with a list of the top 10 providers that get rid of everything from the smallest bedbug to larger wildlife like bats and racoons.
Which pest control service is best?
The best pest control companies are Orkin and Terminix. Both of these companies are available nationwide and exterminate everything from ants and ticks to termites and bed bugs.
However, the right pest control company depends on your home, location, pests and budget, meaning one of the other companies on our best list might be a better fit.
Best pest control companies
Why trust USA TODAY
The USA TODAY review team conducts all research in-house and vets every company on our rankings list. We call customer service, get real quotes and comb through customer reviews to get a real sense of what these pest control companies offer.
Orkin pest control: Best for general pest control
- Average cost: $50-$80 per month
- Top pests: Crawling pests, flying pests, rodents, termites, bed bugs, stinging pests
Orkin pest control is a household name for pest control, and for good reason. General pest control services come quarterly and treat more than 20 common household pests, like ants, cockroaches, beetles, fleas, ticks and more.
Each treatment comes with a 60-day service guarantee that promises retreatment if your pest problem comes back. Every technician must complete 160 hours of training to work for Orkin, so each provider that comes to your door is a certified pest expert.
Pros:
- 125 years of pest control experience
- 400+ locations nationwide
- Certified technicians who complete 160 hours of training
- General pest control, specialty pest services, and home services offered
Cons:
- No free inspections, but you can get a free quote
- Specialty pest management can be pricey
- Service quality can vary by branch location
Terminix: Best for termite control
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- Average cost: $40-$70
- Top pests: Termites, crawling pests, stinging pests, rodents, flying pests, bed bugs
Terminix is well known for its termite extermination, but the company also offers general pest control and home insulation services.
If termites are chewing away at your home, then Terminix should be the one you call. Trained technicians will conduct a free inspection to determine the extent of the damage and will then pull together a plan to exterminate the termite colonies and prevent them from coming back. Terminix also offers annual termite prevention plans (PestFree365+) that can prevent up to 39 common pests from making your home their own.
Pros:
- Experienced termite control expert
- Termite damage repair guarantees of up to $250,000 on qualifying plans
- Nearly 100 years of pest control experience
- Home services, like attic insulation and crawl-space encapsulation, are also offered
Cons:
- Service quality can vary by branch
- Some pest species excluded from the general pest control plan
Aptive pest control: Best for eco-friendly pest control
Get a free quote
- Average cost: $50 per month
- Top pests: Ants, spiders, cockroaches, wasps, mice, rats, centipedes, crickets, earwigs, silverfish, ticks, fleas, millipedes and other common household pests
Aptive pest control is a kid-, pet-, and eco-friendly pest control company that offers three different annual plans (Basic, Pro and Premium). Each of these plans comes with seasonal pest control that gets ahead of pest activity, but Pro and Premium treatments occur even more frequently during peak pest season. Treatments start at $49, which is a bargain compared to typical pest control treatments that cost nearly three times that amount.
Aptive primarily focuses on outdoor pests. Although Pro and Premium services include pantry pests, you will need to pay extra for any other specialty pest control, like rodents.
Pros:
- Strong focus on environmentally conscious and eco-friendly pest control methods
- Available nationwide
- Free retreatment guarantee if covered pests return between scheduled treatments
Cons:
- Does not offer bed bug treatment
- Wildlife control services are generally not offered
- Rodent control typically requires a separate specialty service
Viking Pest Control: Best service guarantee
Get a free quote
- Average cost: $55 per month
- Top pests: Ants, mice, rats, cockroaches, spiders, termites, mosquitoes, ticks, stinging insects, centipedes, earwigs, silverfish, fleas and more
What sets Viking Pest Control apart from competitors is its service guarantee. Under any active home pest protection plan, you get free, unlimited service requests for covered pests. So if pests come back between treatments, you get coverage right away.
Viking Pest Control’s Anticimex SMART pest control system is an environmentally friendly system that tracks mouse activity. It predicts and prevents mouse infestations by monitoring your home 24/7 and is unlike anything offered by competitors.
If you live in the Northeast, then Viking Pest Control is worth a call. Homeowners in other regions, however, will need to look elsewhere for their pest control services.
Pros:
- Covers up to 72 pests in the highest tier plan
- Unlimited free service calls between scheduled visits
- Mosquito, tick and termite coverage can be included in premium plans
Cons:
- Limited service area (mostly available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland)
- Preventative visits occur quarterly
Hawx Pest Control: Best for outdoor preventative pest control
Get a quote from Hawx
- Average cost: $67 per month
- Top pests: Ants, termites, bedbugs, mosquitoes, spiders, stinging pests, cockroaches
Hawx pest control tackles every major crawling and flying pets, but also offers more specialized pest control like termite, bed bug and wildlife control. Besides pest control, Hawx offers home services like attic insulation and crawl space service.
Every homeowner gets a personalized plan for pest treatment that comes with a thorough inspection that determines the best course of action. This inspection identifies pest entry points and locates hotspots where pests congregate the most. If bugs come back between services, Hawx will send out a technician to re-treat your yard for free.
Pros:
- Whole home pest defense
- Specialty pest treatments (termites, bedbugs, etc.)
- Primary focus is pest prevention, not quick fixes
Cons:
- Some customers report pushy door-to-door sales tactics
- Service quality may depend on the branch
- Not available in all states
Ehrlich Pest Control: Best for customized pest control
Get a quote from Ehrlich
- Average cost: $54 per month
- Top pests: Ants, mites, beetles, centipedes, rodents, spiders, wasps, ticks, overwintering insects
Ehrlich can rid your home of any pest you come across and prevent them from coming back. The PestFree365 maintenance plan includes interior and exterior treatments that are customized to your home. With this plan, you get ongoing and seasonal pest treatment that stops pest before they become a major issues.
While PestFree365 covers 25 of the most common pests, the PestFree365+ adds another 14 pests to that list, including bedbugs, black widow spiders and bumblebees.
Pros:
- Two ongoing treatment plan options
- Re-Treat Guarantee means you get free re-service if pests return
- Prevention plan can include bedbugs and rodents, services more often considered specialty
Cons:
- Not available in every state
- Service quality may depend on the branch
Modern Pest Services: Best pest control for New England
Get a quote from Modern Pest
- Average cost: $42 per month
- Top pests: Crawling pests, flying pests, stinging pests, flea, tick, mosquito, termite
Modern Pest is an all-in-one pest control service, offering removal services for everything from ticks and mosquitoes to racoons and birds. Their bas plan covers more than 55 common household pests, and they have specialty programs for ants, bedbugs and termites.
Modern Pest Services has a top-tier eco-friendly program: the HomeCare Organic program. This pest control plan uses natural pesticides made from organic material, like plant-based oils. Further, Modern Pest has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental protection Agency (EPA) as a pesticide Environmental Steward.
Pros:
- Organic and eco-friendly pest control options available
- Recognized by the EPA for environmentally-friendly practices
- Wildlife removal (racoons, bats, squirrels, birds, etc.) available
Cons:
- Only available in New England area
Arrow Exterminators: Best for home service bundles
Get a free inspection from Arrow Exterminators
- Average cost: $40 per month
- Top pests: Crawling pests, flying pests, stinging pests, termite, wildlife control
If you want an all-in-one pest and lawn provider, Arrow Exterminators is a solid option. Along with general pest services, you can get lawn fertilization, weed control and treatment for pests that destroy your yard. If you need a termite clearance letter to finalize the sale of your home, Arrow Exterminators can provide that for you, too.
Arrow Exterminators treatment comes with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, meaning you can get retreatment if pests return between scheduled service. However, that guarantee may look different depending on the branch location.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly pest control options available
- Free inspections for pest control services
- Home services, like real estate inspection, lawn care and insulation, available
Cons:
- Service quality depends on the branch
- Some customers report high pressure sales tactices
- No online quote, you must get one in-person
Truly Nolen: Best for emergency service
Get a free inspection for Truly Nolen
- Average cost: $55 per month
- Top pests: Crawling pests, stinging pests, spiders, flying pests, termites, rodents
With 85 years of pest control experience, Truly Nolen can easily tackle your pest problem. Truly Nolen’s 4 Seasons Pest Control plan comes with protection from ants, spiders, wasps, roaches and more. Service comes with a whole-home inspection to identify pest hotspots and entry points, and the technicians explain everything they are doing along the way.
Truly Nolen can solve emergency pest problems quickly, as branches may offer weekend and evening service. They even have 24-hour response times to tackle pest issues as they come up.
Pros:
- 24-hour emergency service, weekend and evening service available
- Termite protection plans offered
- Nearly 100 locations nationwide
Cons:
- Hidden auto-renewals can catch homeowners off-guard
- Service quality may vary by branch
Mosquito Joe: Best for mosquito and tick control
Get a free quote
- Average cost: $80-$100 per month
- Top pests: Mosquitoes, flies, gnats and ticks
Mosquitos can ruin even the most perfect of summer days, and Mosquito Joe is the pest control company to keep the mosquitoes at bay. During mosquito season, Mosquito Joe will spray your yard every three weeks to make your backyard paradise for summer BBQs, pool days and bonfires.
Mosquito Joe treatments cover more than just mosquitoes; they keep the ticks away too. And with one of the worst tick seasons ever predicted happening now, this treatment is more important than ever.
Pros:
- Specializes in mosquito control
- Providers tick and fly treatment service
- Comes every three weeks in the summer
Cons:
- Doesn’t offer general pest control services
- Few specialty pest control services available
Critter Control: Best for wildlife control
Get a free quote
- Average cost: N/A, requires a quote
- Top pests: Wildlife, such as rodents, squirrels, bats and more
Critter Control is exactly that: They remove unwanted wildlife visitors that have taken up residence in your home. Critter Control offers specialized pest control plans to get rid of raccoons, squirrels, rats, mice, bats and more.
This company does not offer general pest control services like the other providers on our list and instead focuses entirely on wildlife services.
Pros:
- Rat and mice extermination available
- Offers wildlife control that most pest control companies do not
- Available nationwide
Cons:
- No general pest control plan available
- Must get a specialized quote for prices
Do you need a pest control company?
DIY pest control can work to an extent, but for large infestations or tricky pests like termites and bed bugs, you should rely on the pros. They have the knowledge, experience and equipment to handle your pest problem quickly.
A pest control company knows how to eradicate pests and prevent them from coming back, which prevents major problems, like structural home damage and the spread of diseases.
What to look for in a pest control company
When shopping for a pest control company, there are a few things you should look out for:
- Cost: Most pest control companies charge by the treatment, meaning you’ll pay the bill each time you get pest control service. Pest control costs between $40 and $80 per month, or $80 to $160 per treatment, on average. Pick a company that fits into your budget.
- Specialty pest services: Not all pest control companies exterminate all pests. If you want all pests covered by the same company for the sake of convenience, then choose a provider that covers all the major pests in your area. Fleas, termites, bed bugs and wildlife, like bats, are often extra.
- Treatment frequency: Most pest control companies offer quarterly treatment, but some come every month or every other month during pest-heavy seasons (like spring and summer)
- Service guarantee: A service guarantee is one of the most important features to look for in a pest control company. Most providers will retreat your yard for free in between services, but others put a 30-day limit on retreatment.
- Customer service: When you have a pest problem, the last thing you need to deal with is being on hold. Choose a provider that has positive reviews and solid customer service for the best experience.
Pests commonly included in a general pest control plan
Nearly every common pest is included in your average pest control plan. The pests you will likely see include:
- Crawling insects like ants (although fire ants might be extra), cockroaches, silverfish, centipedes, millipedes, earwigs and crickets.
- Arachnids, including spiders (most common varieties) and scorpions.
- Rodents such as mice and rats.
- Stinging insects like wasps, hornets, yellowjackets and bees (but this depends on the provider)
Rodent coverage is a wild card. Some pest control companies might include them in general pest control, whereas others include them in higher-tier plans or offer rat and mouse extermination as an add-on specialty service.
Specialty pest control plans
Unfortunately, the pests that are the hardest to get rid of are often left out of general pest control plans. Pests like fleas, termites, bed bugs and wildlife infestations require specialized treatment and prevention. Significant stinging insect infestations like wasps and carpenter bees may also require a specialized plan that isn’t included in your general pest control service.
“If you have termites, this is one pest that I highly recommend not trying to handle yourself,” says Matt Smith, co-owner of Green Pest Management, a pest control company that serves Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. “At the very least, get a professional inspection to see where they are and how bad the problem is.”