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Our team strives to provide accurate, helpful, and authentic information on the products and services we review. We combine firsthand experience and research to bring homeowners a well-rounded perspective on pest control companies. With this information, we’ve created a review criteria that we use to rate companies on key factors.
How We Research Pest Control Providers
We reviewed each pest control company’s sample contracts and website for insight into rates, covered pests, customer guarantees, and services. To understand each company’s customer service, we reached out to representatives and noted hold times, knowledgeability, and general communication. We also read hundreds of customer responses on various third-party review sites, such as the following:
- The Better Business Bureau (BBB)
- Trustpilot
- Google Reviews
We researched each company’s legal history, including any complaints, court cases, or other noteworthy incidents. We check the BBB and state attorney general offices’ websites (or similar governmental bodies) when researching legal cases or complaints levied against a company.
Finally, we secret-shop the companies we review. We reach out to company representatives to request free quotes, simulate the customer experience, and evaluate pricing information.
Key Factors We Consider to Review Companies
We evaluate pest control companies on five major factors. These factors are assigned a point value adding up to 100. We assign value to factors based on their importance to homeowners. We divide the total scores by 20 to determine a final 5-point rating. The factors we use to compare pest control companies are as follows:
Covered Pests (20 Points)
Some pests are considered “standard fare” in the pest control industry, while other pests require special treatment. Determining the number of pests a company can treat is essential when assessing its value to homeowners.
We divided this factor into two broad categories: general plan coverage and specialty treatments. We awarded more points to companies with a broad general plan that covers various pests. Companies also earned points for each specialty plan they offer.
Customer Reviews and Certifications (30 Points)
One of the best ways to gauge trustworthiness, professionalism, and reliability is by looking at real customer reviews and checking company certifications.
We assess a company’s performance by reading hundreds of customer reviews from multiple verified, third-party sources. We average customer ratings from the BBB, Trustpilot, and Google Reviews.
We also use major certifications and accreditations as benchmarks for objective performance and process quality. These certifications include the following:
- EPA-certified chemicals and treatment methods
- GreenPro and QualityPro certifications
- Mandated state certifications
Customer Service Offerings (25 Points)
Finding pests in and around your home is often stressful, so we evaluated each company’s ability to help customers deal with their pest problems with quality customer service. A pest control company should have multiple avenues of communication and a host of service offerings.
We considered how easy it was to contact each company based on available means of communication. Companies also earned points for other benefits provided, including the following:
- 24/7 availability
- Helpful online resources
- One-time treatment options
- Pet- and child-safe treatment options
- Treatment and chemical details available online
Guarantees (15 Points)
A trustworthy company stands behind its services and treatments with an ironclad guarantee. Companies earned points in this category by providing money-back and reservice guarantees. Additional points were rewarded if the guarantee had generous time frames.
Financing Options (10 Points)
Good financing options act as an indicator of overall trustworthiness. A company that offers transparent pricing and custom financing on a preset payment plan is more trustworthy than those that require cash-only, up-front payments. Companies were awarded points for offering custom financing options and providing free quotes.
How We Chose the Top Pest Control Companies
Our pest control research process starts with analyzing customer reviews on third-party websites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot, and Google Reviews. We then do a deep dive into each company’s website, service plans, and available cost information. We also secret shop the companies we review, reach out to representatives, and request quotes.
From there, we compile the information we’ve gathered and compare each company using our in-depth pest control methodology and review criteria. This process uses a series of factors that are important to our readers, and we score each company depending on how well they perform in each factor. For instance, companies that offer more guarantees for their service earned more points than others, and pest control plans with a larger range of covered pests earned more points than ones with fewer.
After analyzing dozens of residential and commercial pest control businesses through this process, we were able to determine the best pest control companies on the market.
Final Thoughts
This methodology outlines the process we use to rate and recommend pest control companies. We use factors our readers find important, such as service options, certifications, and customer reviews, to help them determine which pest control companies fit their needs. We use diligent research, firsthand experience, and secret shopping to gather the necessary information to objectively rate each company.
Finding the right pest control company can be daunting. We recommend obtaining free quotes from multiple reputable companies before making a final decision. Read our guide to the best pest control companies to learn more about their offerings.